Title: The Isles of The Gods
Author: Amie Kaufman
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Rock The Boat
Pages: 464
Release Date: 4 May 2023
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Hello fellow book lovers! Today I'm sharing with you my review for The Isles of The Gods by Amie Kaufman. Gorgeously detailed and thoroughly enchanting, the first book in Kaufman’s new epic fantasy series is a masterfully immersive, high stakes adventure story that I can guarantee will have you on the edge of your seats.
Synopsis
Selly has salt water in her veins. So when her father leaves her high and dry in the port of Kirkpool, she has no intention of riding out the winter at home while he sails to adventure in the north seas. But any plans to follow him are dashed when a handsome stranger with tell-tale magician's marks on his arms commandeers her ship under cover of darkness: He is Prince Leander of Alinor, and he needs to cross the Crescent Sea without detection so he can complete a ritual on the sacred Isles of the Gods.
Selly has no desire to escort a spoiled prince anywhere, and no time for his entitled demands or his good looks. But what starts as a leisure cruise will lead to acts of treason and sheer terror on the high seas, bringing two countries to the brink of war, two strangers closer than they ever thought possible and two dangerous gods stirring from centuries of slumber...
Review
Ten years in the making, Kaufman’s character driven solo title is a masterfully written and unforgettable fantasy full of magic, warring gods and a high octane, life or death adventure for three unlikely (and incredibly reluctant) heroes, that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I loved the merging of magic with a 1920s style world on the precipice of technological advancement also made for an intriguing exploration into social class and economic tensions and how they (much like the tensions that preceded WW1) can lead to something as destructive as war with only slightest of nudges.
The prose too, was absolutely stunning and I loved how free flowing and easy to read it was, making for some really smooth transitions between each of the alternating POVs (there were five in total) and really conveyed the complexities and nuances of the world without becoming info dumpy.
Selly, Leander and Keegan, our rag-tag trio were all really well written, relatable characters that I felt were full to bursting with nuance and emotional depth that I really enjoyed. We also really get to delve into each character’s insecurities and explore the motivations behind their decisions—which really helped me to understand them a little more, especially when it came to Selly, Leander and Laskia.
Speaking of Laskia (the younger sister of a crime Lord determined to bring back her country’s slumbering god), despite being quite an obvious antagonist I really loved the glimpse into her relationship with her sister and the power imbalance that stops her sister from taking her seriously.
It’s not often I despise and sympathise with a character simultaneously, so kudos to Kaufman for making me question my own morals when it came to Laskia (and her not so great decision making skills.)
The pacing was a little slow to start (particularly in the first 100 pages) but once the action starts, it takes on a fairly swift speed that didn’t let up. And the action was utterly phenomenal, I honestly hadn’t expected it to hit soo hard or be quite as shockingly brutal as it was (though it’s definitely the kind of action you don’t want to tear yourself away from.) I’d also suggest looking up the TWs beforehand just to be on the safe side.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable,YA fantasy that fans of Lynette Noni, swashbuckling adventure and swoon-worthy romances are going to adore.
And Amie, if you’re reading this… it was definitely worth the wait—I absolutely loved it!
Also, a huge thank you to Nina Douglas and Rock The Boat/ Oneworld Publications for the finished copy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
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