I Should Read That

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication date: 06 March 2017

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Page count: 320 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This review is spoiler-free.

I love a good pirate story, but I find that they’re not too common. I was certainly intrigued by Daughter of the Pirate King when I first heard about it, but didn’t pick it up until my pal Asha lent it to me.  She said it had pirates, adventures, and kissing — what more do you need?

I enjoyed the heck out of Daughter of the Pirate King.  It’s not the most serious story in the world, but it’s not trying to be.  It’s one of those delightful books that knows exactly what it is and pulls it off so well. It’s the perfect piratey book — it has treasure, a spot of murder and sword fights, capable lady pirates, handsome first mates, intrigue, mystery, and a bit of magic. I basically read this in one sitting and it was the perfect palate cleanser from some of the heavier books I’ve been reading lately.  But don’t be fooled, Daughter of the Pirate King features some very heavy themes. PTSD, abuse, murder, attempted rape, and the burdens of guilt are all themes within the book. I love that Levenseller is able to present these themes in a way that is accessible and well-integrated with the story.

Alosa is what makes the book work.  Daughter of the Pirate King is told from her perspective and her incredibly strong voice just makes the book so much fun.  Yes, there are many other characters to love, such as Riden, but she’s the one that is the most memorable and with good reason.  It’s wonderfully refreshing to read a female YA heroine who is so unapologetically confident in herself and her abilities. She’s strong, she’s kickass, she’s better at everything than most of the male pirates she encounters, and she knows it.  You’ll find yourself rooting for her, despite the fact that she’s a pretty flawed person. I wont say too much, but you learn a lot about Alosa by the end of the book and I really respect her as a character.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a fast-paced and fun read.  It’s definitely one of those that can be read in a single sitting.  I’m really looking forward to continuing the series with Daughter of the Siren Queen.

Want to purchase Daughter of the Pirate King?  You can find it at the following sites (affiliate links):

Amazon | Book Depository | Blackwells

Have you read Daughter of the Pirate King?  What did you think?  Is it in your TBR?  Let me know!