I am finally back on track courtesy of Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller which I managed to finish in less than two days—my minor reading slump is finally over, good riddance! The fact that I ended up loving this book actually took me by surprise considering Levenseller's work that I had first read, The Shadows Between Us, didn't exactly float my boat. But since we all know that reading is all about personal experience, I'm thrilled to file a report that this book is exactly the kind of tea I want to fill my cup with.
"... but even when playing a part, pieces of a person's true self can sneak through the cracks."
Daughter of the Pirate King follows the story of seventeen-year-old Alosa Kalligan, the only daughter and heir to the pirate king. As his most trusted person, Alosa is sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient map from a notorious ship called the Night Farer. In order to do that, she has to fake a scene in which she deliberately lets her enemies capture her and demand a ransom. Although the ruthless pirates are no match for Alosa, she doesn't count on the fact that the map is very hard to find. And there is also Riden, the first mate of the Night Farer, who turns out to be unexpectedly clever and attractive.
Just like The Shadows Between Us, this book was fast-paced and led by a very badass female main character, but unlike the prior, Daughter of the Pirate King was far more interesting for me. Despite being a super quick read, this book didn't feel rushed nor that it was executed hastily. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me on my toes, and I couldn't stop gushing over how likable Alosa's portrayal was as a badass female lead. That kind of wit and sarcasm was exactly what I missed the most during my time dealing with the reading slump.
I must say that even though world-building was not the strongest aspect of this book, I didn't give it too much thought because of how greatly I enjoyed the ocean adventure. The narrative made it easy for me to visualize how filthy yet enormous the Night Farer was, and how diverse the personalities of the pirate were. Enwen particularly amused me. He might not behave exactly like a pirate but I wouldn't mind having him on board if I were one.
And I really, really loved Riden even though I truly felt Alosa when she said she was confused by him. He seemed to be a little too virtuous to be a pirate, but then, who am I to judge before uncovering his secret past in the next installment? As a quick read, it's no question that Riden came to fall for Alosa a little too quickly. And I honestly had no issue with that. Their romance was not insta-love, and it was pretty much swoon-worthy with it growing in the midst of their banters and fights. I just wish the two had had more time to bond before they got attracted to each other considering they played the role of prisoner and captor.
"I am me because I choose to be. I am what I want.
Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I.
I believe we create ourselves to be what we want.
Any aspect of ourselves that we do not like can be altered if we make an effort."
Overall, Daughter of the Pirate King was a very enjoyable fantasy read to spend my weekend with. The conflict may not be overcomplicated or very hard to guess, but I've got to admit that it's hard not to enjoy something as fun as this. If you want to read something fantasy-fun, you should totally pick this book up. You will adore Alosa and her badass way to deal with problems, or perhaps fall head over heels in love with the broody Riden.
Actual rating: 4.5★
