My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Warning May Contain Slight Spoilers.
This story is told from the point of view of 17 year old
Ananna of the Tanarau, who yearns to captain her own ship, despite the fact the
Pirate Confederation does not allow woman captains. The only way for a pirate
to better themselves is through murder, mutiny, or marriage. So it is because
of this belief system that Ananna finds herself in an arranged marriage to
Tarrin of the Hariri clan. Not too keen on being tied to a man, Ananna makes a
hasty getaway with the help of a camel. Enraged by her treachery, the Hariri
sends the Assassin, Naji, after her.
Naji at first embodies all that Ananna remembers from the frightening
childhood stories her father used to tell her. He appears cold and deadly, seeming to be made
more of shadows than of flesh. Ananna’s perception of Naji gradually begins to
shift after Ananna accidentally saves the assassin’s life. Ironically, Ananna
finds herself bound to this man (thanks to his curse) soon after having escaped
being bound to another through marriage. So begins this duos unorthodox
relationship. They begin a quest to find the cure to Naji’s curse and along the
way they must traverse deserts and oceans, all the while battling characters
from both their world and the other world, referred to as The Mists.
With each passing moment we see that Ananna begins to
develop feelings for Naji. In her eyes he turns from a deadly assassin into a
man that must constantly battle with his inner turmoil. Both characters are
quick to define others as beautiful, but when it comes themselves all they can
see is their own flaws. However, when they look at each other they are able to
see what lay beyond the surface. When Ananna looks upon Naji she sees not a
scared face of a murderer, but rather a man that is insecure and vulnerable.
Likewise, when Naji looks upon Ananna he sees not a weatherworn girl, but a
fierce, independent woman. It seems in this case beauty really is in the eye of
the beholder.
Both characters come across as stubborn and strong willed,
which is perhaps one of the reasons I found their interactions to be so
amusing. It’s clear that there is chemistry between the two, though for the
moment it seems to be more one sided, this is perhaps owning to the fact that
everything is in the point of view of Ananna. In addition to the relationship
between the main characters, this book was strong in the sense that it offered something
for everyone. Featuring everything from pirates to assassins to other worldly
beings, with a nice pinch of magic thrown in for good measure, this book is
sure to appeal to both men and women. At no point did I feel as if the plot
were dragging, instead I found myself unable to put the book down.
As a Lover of young adult adventure novels, I found the
Assassin’s Curse to be quite refreshing. The main characters are both
intriguing and believable, and the story is well paced. The prose remains consistent
throughout the novel, and Clarke is not afraid to add some zest to the
narrative by throwing in some swear words. Clarke could have easily gone overboard with
this “pirate talk”, but she does it in such a manner that it adds more
authenticity to Ananna’s character (she is a pirate after all!). I also
appreciated the fact that the romance in this novel was gradual and subtle. I
liked the fact that Clarke did not feel as if she had to either exaggerate the
main characters’ relationship or add an over the top love triangle into the
mix.
The only downside to this book was the fact that there was no clear climax in the book; instead we get a series of ups and downs, and no resolution in the end. However, the way in which the relationship between Ananna and Naji has begun to develop has left me wanting more, and I eagerly await the next installment, entitled The Pirate’s Wish, which hits stores June 4th.
What I
hope to see in this next novel is some sort of resolution, either partial or
otherwise. I also hope to get more insight into the thoughts and feelings of
Naji. That being said, with this debut novel, author Cassandra Rose Clarke has
proven to me that she has what it takes to contend with the likes of Suzanne
Collins and Tamora Pierce.
If you enjoyed The Assassin’s Curse I highly recommend you
check out these similar books:
Scarlet by
A.C. Gaughen
Poison Study
by Maria V. Snyder
Call of the Sea
by Rebecca Hart
Blood Red Road
by Moira Young
As always your thoughts and comments are most welcome. Thanks
for visiting the blog. Happy Reading!
-The Quiet Girl
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