Lilibet Bombshell's Reviews > Curious Tides

Why? Why a love triangle? Why why why?

This would’ve easily been a five star read for me if there hadn’t been a love triangle (of all the godforsaken things) in this book. I can’t stand love triangles. The only thing I hate more than a love triangle (and not even a well-handled one, at that) is a surprise pregnancy. Do you know how much I hate the surprise pregnancy trope? It’s literally my least favorite trope.

The characters in this book are old enough to know better and mature enough to handle their emotions better and I… ugh. I just can’t handle love triangles. This love triangle is especially vexing because it was so transparent and poorly written in a book that was excellent in every single other way.

That’s the rub here: Curious Tides–when you pull out the love triangle–is some of the most imaginative and interesting fantasy I’ve read this year. It kind of feels like a mix of Rachel Griffin’s imagery mixed with Erin Morgenstern’s writing style. In case you’re wondering, that’s a really sincere and great compliment coming from me, because Morgenstern is one of my favorite writers of all time and Griffin is a writer I think is at the top of the game when it comes to writing imagery that contains natural elements like water (see Bring Me Your Midnight, which is fantastic).

The dark academia vibe is truly there and isn’t just a “vibe”. Dark academia is supposed to be a perversion of the academic system in some way. Here in Curious Tides, it’s in how disinformation about a certain class of students has been demonized and how disinformation has been sown about them for the sake of oppression out of fear and greed. It’s not just in the environment or the look of the school–it’s a systemic problem. That’s true dark academia and I’m living for it.

I’m eagerly waiting for the second half of the duology no matter what, because I need to know. I really, really do.

All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Dark Academia/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fantasy/Secret Society/Supernatural Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy