Tahls's Reviews > The Isle in the Silver Sea

First of all, the cover is gorgeous. Second, this has such an intriguing and fresh premise, truly a fascinating concept!

Admittedly, I enjoyed part two more than part one (I literally binged the last 30% in one sitting and there were a lot of tears). During the first half, I tended to focus more on the characters than the world-building and plot, which I'm not entirely certain is because I just wasn't absorbing the information well, or that it wasn't quite fleshed out enough 🤷‍♀️. I felt like I was missing extra details, as if information was just out of reach and I couldn't completely grasp what was happening (it's hard to explain, but that's the best way I can put it).

I was stunned by the magic system though—how the world is woven of tales in which the characters are sacrificed through repeated retellings to maintain the location where the events unfold and the lives within it.

It became much easier to visualise the settings, and the plot gained momentum and anticipation later in the book. All the seeds planted earlier came to fruition, culminating in a climactic, raw and emotionally charged conclusion that tied everything together beautifully. 🥹

I loooved both Vina and Simran as characters straight away. I really enjoyed how they perceived the world differently, and despite their clashing personalities and opposing views, they were able to accept and respect each other’s wishes without judgment. It made for a very compelling dynamic.

Other than not feeling fully immersed until later in the book—I just needed a little more depth to really pull me in—I really did love and care for the characters throughout and appreciated the overall storyline that had a very satisfying and wholesome ending, which really saved it for me. This was a tricky one to rate. 😮‍💨

─ 3.75 stars ˙✦

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette AUS & NZ for the eARC!