Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Strange Chemistry (2012), Paperback, 320 pages
Description
Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her. And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse �?? with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. From the Trade Paperback edition.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ltcl
I received this as an arc from NetGalley. There is an increasing number of assassin books in the young adult arena and I was happy to see The Assassin's Curse added to the heap. Ananna is a fun tomboy pirate in a land that reminds me of somewhere off the coast of Northern Africa and while she sees
pocket knife. I am looking forward to the next installment in this imaginative series.
Show More
herself taking over the family trade becoming a pirate captain of her own ship someday, her father feels differently and promises her in marriage to another pirate family. Ananna decides to leave and is then cast away from her family and has an assassin set upon her by her fiance's family. The assassin, tattooed hunk Naji, is saved by Ananna instead of killing her and an old curse is set into motion thereby connecting Ananna and Naji to each other. While they run away from other assassins and magic beings trying to find a magician who may be able to lift the curse, they begin to grow more attached to each other and dare I say it.... falling for each other. The story moves very quickly and has just enough pirate stuff balanced with just enough magic to appeal to both types of readers. The only thing that bothered me about Ananna's character was the voice- she is intelligent enough to learn complicated navigation but speaks in an uneducated slang. You imagine her kicking the dirt barefoot and picking her teeth and nails with a pocket knife. I am looking forward to the next installment in this imaginative series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: An amazing world filled with pirates, a secret society of assassin’s, and magic beyond your imagination.
Opening Sentence: I ain’t never been one to trust beautiful people, and Tarrin of the Hariri was the most beautiful man I ever saw.
The
There are many fantasy books out there, each claiming to be an adventure worth the read. Folks, The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke is one of those books. Clarke is a debut author for 2012 and she has done a fantastic job. The Assassin’s Curse is a spectacular story about pirates and assassins. When I started to read this, I was in the middle of a reading funk, and boy did Clarke bring me out of that instantaneously. Within the first few pages, I was hooked.
Ananna of the Tanarau belongs to a famous family, daughter of a pirate lord rich beyond his years. For Ananna, her dreams extend to the future adventures of becoming a captain of her own ship, feeling the wind and sailing the seven seas. Her father, on the other hand, has different plans. Ananna is arranged to be married to Tarrin, a boy of another famous pirate family, the Hariri. Definitely not one to be swayed by her dreams and goals, Ananna escapes and runs away from her impending (doom of a) marriage.
Ananna is on the run, from the Hariri family, and now from Naji, an assassin hired by the Hariri. Shame will not tarnish the Hariri name, and they have pulled dark favors for the assassin society to come after Ananna. Fortunately for Ananna, a strange predicament has put Naji in a partnership with Ananna, honoring something older them both. They must learn to trust each other, as well as protect each other, before a curse catches up to them both.
Ananna is the star of this show, no question. Her voice, her morals, and her personality is what drew me in. Ananna is a feisty heroine, showing strength and bravado at every page. She is courageous and tenacious, and has smarts and wit to match. Ananna is young and a bit reckless, but makes up for it with her loud personality. I mean, she stands up to an assassin! Who does that?
Naji is amazing. He is the balance to Ananna’s loud personality. Where she is feisty and reckless, he is filled with calm and tranquility. His upbringing has taught him well, even for an assassin. He is filled with mystery and can be described as enigmatic, but that doesn’t stop Ananna from seeing into his soul. Naji’s impossible curse is what brings out his character. Enduring such a thing and still following what he believes in. He is much more than just an assassin.
Clarke’s world is fantastic. I cannot fangirl enough over the amount of detail that she put in The Assassin’s Curse. She has gone above and beyond creating a story with a strong heroine and a male protagonist. She has allowed the reader to fully immerse themselves into the world of magical curses, enigmatic assassins, and vivacious pirates. The dialogue flows like the water Clarke talks about, and the writing, perfect.
There is a kinship and a friendship that develops, whether out of survival means or something else, but it’s subtle. There isn’t much that I didn’t like about this story, and Clarke has made me into an instant fan. There are funny moments that had me laughing out loud and moments where I couldn’t stop crying. I was fully invested into the lives of Ananna and Naji, and I think it says a lot about Clarke’s amazing skill.
Notable Scene:
First thing I saw was the crew clambering down a sleek metal folding ladder, brandishing their swords and their pistols – ‘cause of course a fancy clan like the Harris would have gotten their greedy hands on some hand cannons. Sh**.
Second thing I saw was Naji, screaming words I didn’t understand, his eyes like two stars.
Third thing was Naji’s twin, a man in a cloak and carved armor, galloping through the smoke on a horse as black as night.
Those three things, they were all I needed to see. I lifted up my sword and screamed words of my own, all my rage and fear and shame at having killed Tarrin.
Then I ran into the fight.
FTC Advisory: Strange Chemistry provided me with a copy of The Assassin’s Curse. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: An amazing world filled with pirates, a secret society of assassin’s, and magic beyond your imagination.
Opening Sentence: I ain’t never been one to trust beautiful people, and Tarrin of the Hariri was the most beautiful man I ever saw.
The
Show More
Review:There are many fantasy books out there, each claiming to be an adventure worth the read. Folks, The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke is one of those books. Clarke is a debut author for 2012 and she has done a fantastic job. The Assassin’s Curse is a spectacular story about pirates and assassins. When I started to read this, I was in the middle of a reading funk, and boy did Clarke bring me out of that instantaneously. Within the first few pages, I was hooked.
Ananna of the Tanarau belongs to a famous family, daughter of a pirate lord rich beyond his years. For Ananna, her dreams extend to the future adventures of becoming a captain of her own ship, feeling the wind and sailing the seven seas. Her father, on the other hand, has different plans. Ananna is arranged to be married to Tarrin, a boy of another famous pirate family, the Hariri. Definitely not one to be swayed by her dreams and goals, Ananna escapes and runs away from her impending (doom of a) marriage.
Ananna is on the run, from the Hariri family, and now from Naji, an assassin hired by the Hariri. Shame will not tarnish the Hariri name, and they have pulled dark favors for the assassin society to come after Ananna. Fortunately for Ananna, a strange predicament has put Naji in a partnership with Ananna, honoring something older them both. They must learn to trust each other, as well as protect each other, before a curse catches up to them both.
Ananna is the star of this show, no question. Her voice, her morals, and her personality is what drew me in. Ananna is a feisty heroine, showing strength and bravado at every page. She is courageous and tenacious, and has smarts and wit to match. Ananna is young and a bit reckless, but makes up for it with her loud personality. I mean, she stands up to an assassin! Who does that?
Naji is amazing. He is the balance to Ananna’s loud personality. Where she is feisty and reckless, he is filled with calm and tranquility. His upbringing has taught him well, even for an assassin. He is filled with mystery and can be described as enigmatic, but that doesn’t stop Ananna from seeing into his soul. Naji’s impossible curse is what brings out his character. Enduring such a thing and still following what he believes in. He is much more than just an assassin.
Clarke’s world is fantastic. I cannot fangirl enough over the amount of detail that she put in The Assassin’s Curse. She has gone above and beyond creating a story with a strong heroine and a male protagonist. She has allowed the reader to fully immerse themselves into the world of magical curses, enigmatic assassins, and vivacious pirates. The dialogue flows like the water Clarke talks about, and the writing, perfect.
There is a kinship and a friendship that develops, whether out of survival means or something else, but it’s subtle. There isn’t much that I didn’t like about this story, and Clarke has made me into an instant fan. There are funny moments that had me laughing out loud and moments where I couldn’t stop crying. I was fully invested into the lives of Ananna and Naji, and I think it says a lot about Clarke’s amazing skill.
Notable Scene:
First thing I saw was the crew clambering down a sleek metal folding ladder, brandishing their swords and their pistols – ‘cause of course a fancy clan like the Harris would have gotten their greedy hands on some hand cannons. Sh**.
Second thing I saw was Naji, screaming words I didn’t understand, his eyes like two stars.
Third thing was Naji’s twin, a man in a cloak and carved armor, galloping through the smoke on a horse as black as night.
Those three things, they were all I needed to see. I lifted up my sword and screamed words of my own, all my rage and fear and shame at having killed Tarrin.
Then I ran into the fight.
FTC Advisory: Strange Chemistry provided me with a copy of The Assassin’s Curse. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member michelle_bcf
The YA genre is rapidly growing, and there are more than a few Fantasy YA. It’s difficult to come up with a fantasy world which is fresh and different, but with The Assassin’s Curse, Cassandra seems to have done just that.
It’s a difficult world to jump straight into, so give yourself some
Assassins are nothing new in the fantasy realm, but this is the first time I’ve read about pirate clans, and the world ranges from the sea to the dessert. Added to this is the aspect of magic, the magic of the water used by the pirates, and the darker magic of blood, used by the assassins.
There’s a clever twist to the two main characters – Ananna is what you expect from a pirate, she’s been brought up to get what she wants, and she’s quite outgoing. At the same time however, she shows her age, and needs to grow up as the book progresses.
Naji, the assassin she finds herself bound to, is the opposite, being calm and controlled, and quiet. He also changes during the book, gradually opening up more.
The Assassin’s Curse is a combination of fantasy and adventure, and is well paced. There are a couple of things to be aware of though. Sometimes the language is a reflection of how Ananna would speak, such as the opening sentence: “I ain’t never been on to trust beautiful people, and Tarrin of the Hariri was the most beautiful man I ever saw.” It’s not overdone, and it didn’t bother me, but it may some. Also, this is the is to be followed by a sequel next year. Ananna’s and Naji’s story is not yet completely told, but it does end at a natural pausing point.
If you’re looking for something a little different, this combination of fantasy and adventure, blending pirates, assassins and magic, may just be for you!
It’s a difficult world to jump straight into, so give yourself some
Show More
time to adjust as you start. Ananna of the Tanarau is a pirate, and her parents plan to marry her off to another clan, but she soon realises this is definitely not what she wants, so she runs away. This second clan does not like being scorned, and so an assassin is sent after her. When she faces him down, she actually manages to save his life using magic, and by doing so, activates a curse binding them together.Assassins are nothing new in the fantasy realm, but this is the first time I’ve read about pirate clans, and the world ranges from the sea to the dessert. Added to this is the aspect of magic, the magic of the water used by the pirates, and the darker magic of blood, used by the assassins.
There’s a clever twist to the two main characters – Ananna is what you expect from a pirate, she’s been brought up to get what she wants, and she’s quite outgoing. At the same time however, she shows her age, and needs to grow up as the book progresses.
Naji, the assassin she finds herself bound to, is the opposite, being calm and controlled, and quiet. He also changes during the book, gradually opening up more.
The Assassin’s Curse is a combination of fantasy and adventure, and is well paced. There are a couple of things to be aware of though. Sometimes the language is a reflection of how Ananna would speak, such as the opening sentence: “I ain’t never been on to trust beautiful people, and Tarrin of the Hariri was the most beautiful man I ever saw.” It’s not overdone, and it didn’t bother me, but it may some. Also, this is the is to be followed by a sequel next year. Ananna’s and Naji’s story is not yet completely told, but it does end at a natural pausing point.
If you’re looking for something a little different, this combination of fantasy and adventure, blending pirates, assassins and magic, may just be for you!
Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
I got an eGalley of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com. It ended up being a wonderful fantasy about a girl who flees an arranged marriage only to stumble into an assassin’s curse. The book was full of adventure, magic, and wonderful characters.
Ananna is part of a pirating family and
I absolutely loved the characters and setting for this story. Ananna is a super plucky and fun heroine who, due to her pirate upbringing, can definitely take care of herself. Naji is also a very capable warrior and very mysterious. Both have rather sarcastic senses of humor. Both characters are very easy to engage with and like.
The setting was a creative one. Most of the book is set in the desert or in desert cities; there aren’t a ton of fantasy books with this type of setting. It gives the story a bit of an Arabian flavor and makes the story exotic.
I love quest based fantasy and these characters go on a magical quest through strange lands to try and break the curse. There is a lot of interesting magic of different types explored too. At points Ananna and Naji struggle to survive, so there is a survival aspect to the adventure as well. There is a little bit of romance, but not much. Mostly adventure, action, magic, and survival.
As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it is just the beginning of a larger story. This book basically sets up the story for future impossible quests that the characters must go on to finally break the curse. So there isn’t a lot of resolution here...mainly a lot of set up. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed the set up and can’t wait to read more.
Overall an absolutely fantastic adventure fantasy read. I loved the exotic desert setting, the adventure and magic, and the wonderful characters that were unique and easy to engage with. There is also a wonderful quest-based plot and lots of excellent action scenes. The book is very well written and was a pleasure to read. Highly recommended to fantasy fans everywhere. Appropriate for middle grade and older.
Ananna is part of a pirating family and
Show More
flees her family’s ship to escape an arranged marriage. Shortly after her flight she finds that her intended has hired an assassin to take her out. When Ananna accidentally saves the life of the very assassin, Naji, who was hunting her she activates a curse which ties the assassin’s life to hers and forces him to protect her. Now Ananna and Naji must find a way to break this horrible curse.I absolutely loved the characters and setting for this story. Ananna is a super plucky and fun heroine who, due to her pirate upbringing, can definitely take care of herself. Naji is also a very capable warrior and very mysterious. Both have rather sarcastic senses of humor. Both characters are very easy to engage with and like.
The setting was a creative one. Most of the book is set in the desert or in desert cities; there aren’t a ton of fantasy books with this type of setting. It gives the story a bit of an Arabian flavor and makes the story exotic.
I love quest based fantasy and these characters go on a magical quest through strange lands to try and break the curse. There is a lot of interesting magic of different types explored too. At points Ananna and Naji struggle to survive, so there is a survival aspect to the adventure as well. There is a little bit of romance, but not much. Mostly adventure, action, magic, and survival.
As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it is just the beginning of a larger story. This book basically sets up the story for future impossible quests that the characters must go on to finally break the curse. So there isn’t a lot of resolution here...mainly a lot of set up. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed the set up and can’t wait to read more.
Overall an absolutely fantastic adventure fantasy read. I loved the exotic desert setting, the adventure and magic, and the wonderful characters that were unique and easy to engage with. There is also a wonderful quest-based plot and lots of excellent action scenes. The book is very well written and was a pleasure to read. Highly recommended to fantasy fans everywhere. Appropriate for middle grade and older.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rhonda1111
review:The Assassins Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
5 STARS I was very interested in this story as I listened to it on my kindle. When all of a sudden I thought my kindle had run out. I hope thier is another book coming soon because I was not ready for it to end. It's adventure,magic,pirates,curses
5 STARS I was very interested in this story as I listened to it on my kindle. When all of a sudden I thought my kindle had run out. I hope thier is another book coming soon because I was not ready for it to end. It's adventure,magic,pirates,curses
Show More
and a little romance. It all starts when Ananna of the Tanarau parent's arranged her marriage to another son of a pirate family. Ananna did not want to marry the good looking Tarrin of the Hariri. Ananna used Tarrin to buy her a piece of jewelry and why the merchant was showing Tarrin she stole a camal and took off. Ananna's father had taught her a lot of pirate skills. Her mom tried to teach her magic but it really did not work for her. She tried to change how she looked and dressed got rid of the camal as soon as she got away. When she was looking for a shop to sell her wedding dress. A women paid her and said that when she found herself in trouble to come straight back to her and she would help. Assassin had found her she got away and went to the shop and the women told her to go into the deseret and when he came to throw these potions on him. Ananna finally decided to trust her and left for the deseret and when the assassin found her she threw the bottles and said the spell. It did not work. As she was fighting she saw a sand snack and killed it before it killed the assassin. Naji stopped fighting and asked, "why she saved him from the snake?" Ananna said,"It seemed to be the thing to do." Because he was cursed years ago that when an enemy saved his life he had to protect her. Naji had no choice except to help keep her safe. She could not go far away from him. Naji wanted to break the unbreakable curse. So he figured out where to go for help. In the mean time he had to keep Ananna safe from others assassins and from Tarrin and his family. They are both strong willed and go to many places to try and break the curse. Ananna does not want to be helped but than she helps him too. I liked this novel and really want to read more about Ananna and Naji. See what happens next to them. Thier was no sex scenes in the story and I don't remember any swearing so if thier was some not much that I noticed. 10/02/2012 PUB Angry Robot Show Less
LibraryThing member AyleeArgh
In short: With an instantly compelling plot, loveable characters, and a completely engaging romance, The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke is one of the most engrossing books I've read this year.
Assassins seem to be the hot new trend in YA fiction lately, with the popularity of books like
The standout of The Assassin's Curse for me has got to be the romance between the pirate, Ananna, and the assassin, Naji. And I think that says A LOT because I am by no means a romance fan. In fact, I can't remember the last time I felt so passionately about how a romance played out in a book. But with Ananna and Naji's relationship, I was fully invested. I loved seeing stubborn and head-strong Ananna fall for Naji, adored her attempts to wheedle out the teensiest of smiles out of his stoic and vulnerable demeanour, swooned seeing how protective he was of her, and became ENRAGED seeing the flirty and manipulative Leila mislead and take advantage of Naji. I was OBSESSED with Ananna and Naji's relationship and I can't wait to see it fully take form in the sequel.
The Assassin's Curse opens with Ananna refusing to go along with an arranged marriage that would mean she would never get to be the captain of her own ship and making her getaway on a freaking CAMEL! It was instant love. I absolutely DEVOURED The Assassin's Curse, it was just THAT engrossing. The characters were perfect and the romance was full of tension-ridden goodness. I HIGHLY recommend The Assassin's Curse, releasing October 2, 2012, as it was one of my favourite reads so far this year. The sequel, The Pirate's Wish, is officially one of my most anticipated reads for 2013!
Assassins seem to be the hot new trend in YA fiction lately, with the popularity of books like
Show More
Grave Mercy and Throne of Glass, and it's no question why when such an addition brings instant danger and excitement to the reading. So what do you get when you have an assassin book, but then also add pirates and magical curses and an adventurous quest into the mix? Pure AWESOMENESS and one of the most addicting books I've read this year. The Assassin's Curse delivers on the entertainment with an incredibly compelling plot and some completely engaging characters.The standout of The Assassin's Curse for me has got to be the romance between the pirate, Ananna, and the assassin, Naji. And I think that says A LOT because I am by no means a romance fan. In fact, I can't remember the last time I felt so passionately about how a romance played out in a book. But with Ananna and Naji's relationship, I was fully invested. I loved seeing stubborn and head-strong Ananna fall for Naji, adored her attempts to wheedle out the teensiest of smiles out of his stoic and vulnerable demeanour, swooned seeing how protective he was of her, and became ENRAGED seeing the flirty and manipulative Leila mislead and take advantage of Naji. I was OBSESSED with Ananna and Naji's relationship and I can't wait to see it fully take form in the sequel.
The Assassin's Curse opens with Ananna refusing to go along with an arranged marriage that would mean she would never get to be the captain of her own ship and making her getaway on a freaking CAMEL! It was instant love. I absolutely DEVOURED The Assassin's Curse, it was just THAT engrossing. The characters were perfect and the romance was full of tension-ridden goodness. I HIGHLY recommend The Assassin's Curse, releasing October 2, 2012, as it was one of my favourite reads so far this year. The sequel, The Pirate's Wish, is officially one of my most anticipated reads for 2013!
Show Less
LibraryThing member ilikethesebooks
The mysteriously magical and dangerous world that surrounds the characters in The Assassin's Curse is intriguing, and the journey that the characters get dragged on is equally enjoyable. However, there is a strong type of language barrier that kept me enjoying the story as much as I would have
Ananna was born and raised on a pirate ship. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her that would strengthen their standings among the Confederacy. When she comes face to face with her planned future, she decides that the path that has been chosen for her is not the that one she wants. Because of her abandonment, the family of her ex-groom wants her dead, and they send one of the infamous assassins after her to do the job - the only true kind of death. After a strange turn of events, the assassin sent to kill her is cursed to protect her. The journey that ensues is full of adventure, near-death experiences and an unlikely friendship.
The biggest strength of this novel is the lack of a concrete notion of time. The setting makes the reader think that it takes place in 1600's, however the inclusion of magic makes the reader think that the novel takes place in an alternate world, which would then make time irrelevant to placing the novel. In addition, while the two are off on their adventures, even though there are hints like "we continued on for three days" (not direct quote), it is not exactly told how long this journey has taken. By not being constrained by time, the novel is really able to create a fantastical world ungoverned by the laws of nature.
Unfortunately, not everything was so wonderful. The narrator, Ananna, is uneducated, and her story telling reflects that. I understand that lack of dramatically correct sentences portrays the character more truly, but it made the reading experience quite choppy for me. I think a simple vocabulary with some double negatives would have sufficed. On the same note, the names made me stumble quite a few times. Ananna, as silly as this sounds, I often read "banana" and had to backtrack. The names of people and places contain a lot of "j"'s sometimes a double "jj" and I was not sure how to pronounce these. Like a "ja" or like an "ee" or a "gee". I wish there was some sort of pronunciation guide to make this easier.
As you can see, the elements of the novel that did not sit well with me were structural things, and not necessarily part of the story itself. It is quite possible that you could love the story and not be bothered by the structure like I was.
Show More
liked. Ananna was born and raised on a pirate ship. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her that would strengthen their standings among the Confederacy. When she comes face to face with her planned future, she decides that the path that has been chosen for her is not the that one she wants. Because of her abandonment, the family of her ex-groom wants her dead, and they send one of the infamous assassins after her to do the job - the only true kind of death. After a strange turn of events, the assassin sent to kill her is cursed to protect her. The journey that ensues is full of adventure, near-death experiences and an unlikely friendship.
The biggest strength of this novel is the lack of a concrete notion of time. The setting makes the reader think that it takes place in 1600's, however the inclusion of magic makes the reader think that the novel takes place in an alternate world, which would then make time irrelevant to placing the novel. In addition, while the two are off on their adventures, even though there are hints like "we continued on for three days" (not direct quote), it is not exactly told how long this journey has taken. By not being constrained by time, the novel is really able to create a fantastical world ungoverned by the laws of nature.
Unfortunately, not everything was so wonderful. The narrator, Ananna, is uneducated, and her story telling reflects that. I understand that lack of dramatically correct sentences portrays the character more truly, but it made the reading experience quite choppy for me. I think a simple vocabulary with some double negatives would have sufficed. On the same note, the names made me stumble quite a few times. Ananna, as silly as this sounds, I often read "banana" and had to backtrack. The names of people and places contain a lot of "j"'s sometimes a double "jj" and I was not sure how to pronounce these. Like a "ja" or like an "ee" or a "gee". I wish there was some sort of pronunciation guide to make this easier.
As you can see, the elements of the novel that did not sit well with me were structural things, and not necessarily part of the story itself. It is quite possible that you could love the story and not be bothered by the structure like I was.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hrose2931
Well considering my condition lately, I'd say this book must be pretty special if I was able to read it in two days. Granted it was smallish, only about 270 pages, but the book was small, too, but really it was the story. I loved the characters and when you love the characters, for me, you love the
Of course, that's when the real trouble starts. The Hariri clan, the clan she was supposed to marry into, is pissed off and they send an assassin after her. Some magic happens in unexpected places and all the sudden she and the assassin Naji are bound to each other. Or rather, he's bound to her. The rest of the story is their adventure to find a cure to his "curse".
Now Naji is a bit of an enigma. Sometimes you get a glimpse of the boy he must have been before he became a Jadorr'a, joined the Order. He seems good and as if he might even like Ananna. But then his mask goes back on, figuratively speaking and he's this hardened assassin who practices blood magic and who everyone but Ananna is scared of. But that doesn't mean she's immune to his mercurial moods. As soon as he drops his guard and she sees that kinder side, she warms to him. Then quick as a snake strike, he wounds her with his words again. It's painful sometimes. I hope we get to hear the story from his side in the next book. He is much more refined than Ananna, but he isn't the big hero you'd expect. He has his butt saved many times by Ananna which I loved! He never gets macho about it though and I like that about him.
And then there's Ananna, Ms. Independent. Her language is coarse. She's a pirate, born and raised on a pirate ship. She has a very little of water magic in her being mostly practical, but those are the skills that keep her and Naji alive. She can wield a sword, make a fire, catch and clean fish, find water, and build shelter. Oh and she's the best thief in the Empire! She also can talk her way in or out of just about anything. Except this curse. She is undereducated in comparison to Naji when it comes to University, but she more than compensates for it in practical matters. I love how she saves Naji over and over and takes care of him, but she never thinks the lesser of him for it. I totally love her character!
I think this is a really fantastic debut! These are some of the best characters I've seen in YA fiction this year. Completely flawed yet totally lovable. Strong, guarded, stubborn, independent. All these words could fit both characters. And then the various adventures they go on are icing on the cake. Yes, this is definitely a series. But it's not a cliffhanger ending. Still, I can't wait for the next one to come out. You definitely want to read this one!
I received an ARC of this novel from Strange Chemistry for an honest review. I received no compensations for my review. All opinions in this review are my own.
Show More
story. You jump right in with both feet into the heart of the trouble, Ananna (hated that I could never figure out how to pronounce her name) is in the middle of being handed over to be married off in a deal between two pirate clans. She's 17 and yeah, the guy is cute, but Ananna is INDEPENDENT! She wants her own ship and this guy is not gonna let her be INDEPENDENT or even independent. So what does Ananna do? What any self respecting pirate does, she steals a camel and high tails it out of there!Of course, that's when the real trouble starts. The Hariri clan, the clan she was supposed to marry into, is pissed off and they send an assassin after her. Some magic happens in unexpected places and all the sudden she and the assassin Naji are bound to each other. Or rather, he's bound to her. The rest of the story is their adventure to find a cure to his "curse".
Now Naji is a bit of an enigma. Sometimes you get a glimpse of the boy he must have been before he became a Jadorr'a, joined the Order. He seems good and as if he might even like Ananna. But then his mask goes back on, figuratively speaking and he's this hardened assassin who practices blood magic and who everyone but Ananna is scared of. But that doesn't mean she's immune to his mercurial moods. As soon as he drops his guard and she sees that kinder side, she warms to him. Then quick as a snake strike, he wounds her with his words again. It's painful sometimes. I hope we get to hear the story from his side in the next book. He is much more refined than Ananna, but he isn't the big hero you'd expect. He has his butt saved many times by Ananna which I loved! He never gets macho about it though and I like that about him.
And then there's Ananna, Ms. Independent. Her language is coarse. She's a pirate, born and raised on a pirate ship. She has a very little of water magic in her being mostly practical, but those are the skills that keep her and Naji alive. She can wield a sword, make a fire, catch and clean fish, find water, and build shelter. Oh and she's the best thief in the Empire! She also can talk her way in or out of just about anything. Except this curse. She is undereducated in comparison to Naji when it comes to University, but she more than compensates for it in practical matters. I love how she saves Naji over and over and takes care of him, but she never thinks the lesser of him for it. I totally love her character!
I think this is a really fantastic debut! These are some of the best characters I've seen in YA fiction this year. Completely flawed yet totally lovable. Strong, guarded, stubborn, independent. All these words could fit both characters. And then the various adventures they go on are icing on the cake. Yes, this is definitely a series. But it's not a cliffhanger ending. Still, I can't wait for the next one to come out. You definitely want to read this one!
I received an ARC of this novel from Strange Chemistry for an honest review. I received no compensations for my review. All opinions in this review are my own.
Show Less
LibraryThing member AboutToRead
The description for The Assasin’s Curse actually reminded me of a romance novel, but it’s not really that type of story. We have a strong female main character who refuses to have her decisions made for her and is always strong despite her fear. After ending up in a bad situation, which leads
After Ananna saves his life, Naji (the assassin) is bound by a curse to protect her. The two end up on a rather long journey to attempt to break the curse and form an odd friendship along the way. While it is clear that Ananna has romantic feelings for Naji, it is a bit unclear if he reciprocates the feeling.
The story itself was ok. I wasn’t blown away, but I am intrigued by the ending and would like to see how the story ends. Overall, I like the characters and wouldn’t mind reading more about them. Based on the description, I would have expected much more romantic tension then is actually in the book, but this could improve as the series continues. There is also quite a bit of world building that was left unexplored, but I expect we will get a deeper dive into it in the future novels.
Show More
to an assassin trying to kill her, Ananna ends up binding the assassin to her.After Ananna saves his life, Naji (the assassin) is bound by a curse to protect her. The two end up on a rather long journey to attempt to break the curse and form an odd friendship along the way. While it is clear that Ananna has romantic feelings for Naji, it is a bit unclear if he reciprocates the feeling.
The story itself was ok. I wasn’t blown away, but I am intrigued by the ending and would like to see how the story ends. Overall, I like the characters and wouldn’t mind reading more about them. Based on the description, I would have expected much more romantic tension then is actually in the book, but this could improve as the series continues. There is also quite a bit of world building that was left unexplored, but I expect we will get a deeper dive into it in the future novels.
Show Less
LibraryThing member alcarinqa
Ananna doesn't trust pretty people, and her parents have picked the clueless but extremely handsome heir of the Hariri clan, Tarrin, for her to marry. Decidedly unhappy at the prospect, Ananna runs away from her parents, her life as a pirate, and everything she knows and holds dear. But she incurs
I knew I'd like Ananna from the very first sentence, and she did not disappoint. She's resilient and brave, good qualities in the hardened daughter of a pirate, but she often speaks without thinking, which gets her into trouble. I think she played off well against the assassin Naji, a guarded man who doesn't have an impulsive bone in his body. I was surprised that Naji needed a lot of help from Ananna - she has to run all sorts of errands for him and I wondered how he got along without her. Then I realised that since he is bound to her, Naji's movements would be restricted to relying on more upstanding methods of getting magical supplies than the usual, requiring Ananna's help. It seems unlikely that any romance would blossom between the two, with them stuck together because of a curse, but it happens anyway. The romance is peripheral to the story but drives a lot of the interaction between the two, which is cute.
Although the book isn't broken up into sections, I got the sense that there are three distinct parts: the first one where we are on land where Naji is familiar with everything and Ananna is a little lost, the second where the action is on a pirate ship and Ananna is comfortable but Naji isn't, and the third in a setting where they are both out of their depths, but having learnt one another's talents and skills, the pair are able to work successfully together. While this is a simplistic way to tell the story, Clarke pulls it off with mastery and I appreciate the balance she gave to both her protagonists. One of the things I dislike about the book, however, is Ananna's voice. I appreciate that the syntax and grammar used to tell the story were authentic to Ananna's upbringing as a pirate, but it jarred me because the accent would come and go. I have a finished copy of the book, but don't have access to it at the moment, and I hope this was fixed in the final version because my ARC was frustrating to read because of this. I don't mind the accent but would have greatly appreciated consistency.
A wonderful debut novel, The Assassin's Curse is another great accomplishment for Strange Chemistry and a pleasure to read. Fans of Fantasy are sure to lap it up and it is suitable for both YA and adult audiences. I can't wait to see how the Ananna and Naji;s adventures in breaking their curse turns out, and am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Pirate's Wish.
Show More
the wrath of the Hariri clan, who waste no time in sending an assassin after her! What follows is a wonderfully engaging adventure with lots of action, magic, and a little bit of colourful language. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am eager to read more.I knew I'd like Ananna from the very first sentence, and she did not disappoint. She's resilient and brave, good qualities in the hardened daughter of a pirate, but she often speaks without thinking, which gets her into trouble. I think she played off well against the assassin Naji, a guarded man who doesn't have an impulsive bone in his body. I was surprised that Naji needed a lot of help from Ananna - she has to run all sorts of errands for him and I wondered how he got along without her. Then I realised that since he is bound to her, Naji's movements would be restricted to relying on more upstanding methods of getting magical supplies than the usual, requiring Ananna's help. It seems unlikely that any romance would blossom between the two, with them stuck together because of a curse, but it happens anyway. The romance is peripheral to the story but drives a lot of the interaction between the two, which is cute.
Although the book isn't broken up into sections, I got the sense that there are three distinct parts: the first one where we are on land where Naji is familiar with everything and Ananna is a little lost, the second where the action is on a pirate ship and Ananna is comfortable but Naji isn't, and the third in a setting where they are both out of their depths, but having learnt one another's talents and skills, the pair are able to work successfully together. While this is a simplistic way to tell the story, Clarke pulls it off with mastery and I appreciate the balance she gave to both her protagonists. One of the things I dislike about the book, however, is Ananna's voice. I appreciate that the syntax and grammar used to tell the story were authentic to Ananna's upbringing as a pirate, but it jarred me because the accent would come and go. I have a finished copy of the book, but don't have access to it at the moment, and I hope this was fixed in the final version because my ARC was frustrating to read because of this. I don't mind the accent but would have greatly appreciated consistency.
A wonderful debut novel, The Assassin's Curse is another great accomplishment for Strange Chemistry and a pleasure to read. Fans of Fantasy are sure to lap it up and it is suitable for both YA and adult audiences. I can't wait to see how the Ananna and Naji;s adventures in breaking their curse turns out, and am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Pirate's Wish.
Show Less
LibraryThing member poetrytoprose
Oh man, after all of the glowing reviews for Cassandra Rose Clarke’s The Assassin’s Curse I was really excited to read it because it sounded like my type of read. Feisty girl pirate, an assassin, a curse, and a reluctant alliance between them? I was sure there would be hearts in my eyes for
First, there was so much going on and yet I never felt truly invested in Ananna and Naji’s journey. There was a lack of urgency, and despite their ups and downs along the way, and the attacks they encountered, I didn’t feel the danger. I also didn’t feel any romantic chemistry between Ananna and Naji. Friendship? Sure, but I expected more unresolved sexual tension. Instead I only encountered Ananna’s growing feelings — which didn’t make too much sense to me — while Naji was just…there. Speaking of, I wish I had gotten a better grasp on his character. I’m all for the mysterious type, but he lacked development to truly make me care for him. Maybe next time.
I did, however, like Ananna, the main character. I loved her vibrancy, her intelligence, and her determination. She refused to let her future be controlled and I admired her independence. The inclusion of magic and pirates was also great. I was totally into discovering more about the mythology of Ananna’s world and I’m glad Cassandra Rose Clarke spent a good amount of time with those elements.
While I didn’t quite love The Assassin’s Curse, I think the last few pages are setting up for an excellent sequel and I definitely plan on returning to read it. There’s so much potential and I’m curious to see where Cassandra Rose Clarke takes Ananna’s story next.
Show More
this book. It looks like I set my expectations a bit too high, though, because The Assassin’s Curse only turned out to be an okay read for me.First, there was so much going on and yet I never felt truly invested in Ananna and Naji’s journey. There was a lack of urgency, and despite their ups and downs along the way, and the attacks they encountered, I didn’t feel the danger. I also didn’t feel any romantic chemistry between Ananna and Naji. Friendship? Sure, but I expected more unresolved sexual tension. Instead I only encountered Ananna’s growing feelings — which didn’t make too much sense to me — while Naji was just…there. Speaking of, I wish I had gotten a better grasp on his character. I’m all for the mysterious type, but he lacked development to truly make me care for him. Maybe next time.
I did, however, like Ananna, the main character. I loved her vibrancy, her intelligence, and her determination. She refused to let her future be controlled and I admired her independence. The inclusion of magic and pirates was also great. I was totally into discovering more about the mythology of Ananna’s world and I’m glad Cassandra Rose Clarke spent a good amount of time with those elements.
While I didn’t quite love The Assassin’s Curse, I think the last few pages are setting up for an excellent sequel and I definitely plan on returning to read it. There’s so much potential and I’m curious to see where Cassandra Rose Clarke takes Ananna’s story next.
Show Less
LibraryThing member eyes.2c
Silk gowns and pirate boots!
This is a gem of a novel with all the desired accoutrements.
A strong, coltish female lead, a disfigured deadly stranger of the shadows, deep running magical plots, self-centered attractive women of ethereal slenderness and magical mayhem, and attendant invasive worlds.
Our star is Ananna a pirate captain’s daughter who absconds rather than make a marriage of alliance with the son of a rival pirate clan.
Strangely thoughtful, Ananna has all of a young adult’s attendant awkwardness as she strives to workout her destiny.
I loved the description of her in her silk marriage dress and clunky pirate boots fleeing the wedding proposal with requisite camel.
Her refusal to the marriage means death by assassin.
‘Oh really!’ seems to be Ananna’s response.
She is a thief and a fighter who leaps from one situation to another, that she might later regret.
Throughout the story we are treated to her internal dialogue, liberally sprinkled with her pirate captain father’s advice and memory of her water magic mother’s abilities.
Ananna of course had no magic of her own.
So we have a wealth of situations, interesting characters, camels, deserts, magical islands and oh so much more.
Totally enjoying and now I’m craving the next installment!
A Netgalley ARC
This is a gem of a novel with all the desired accoutrements.
A strong, coltish female lead, a disfigured deadly stranger of the shadows, deep running magical plots, self-centered attractive women of ethereal slenderness and magical mayhem, and attendant invasive worlds.
Show More
Great! Our star is Ananna a pirate captain’s daughter who absconds rather than make a marriage of alliance with the son of a rival pirate clan.
Strangely thoughtful, Ananna has all of a young adult’s attendant awkwardness as she strives to workout her destiny.
I loved the description of her in her silk marriage dress and clunky pirate boots fleeing the wedding proposal with requisite camel.
Her refusal to the marriage means death by assassin.
‘Oh really!’ seems to be Ananna’s response.
She is a thief and a fighter who leaps from one situation to another, that she might later regret.
Throughout the story we are treated to her internal dialogue, liberally sprinkled with her pirate captain father’s advice and memory of her water magic mother’s abilities.
Ananna of course had no magic of her own.
So we have a wealth of situations, interesting characters, camels, deserts, magical islands and oh so much more.
Totally enjoying and now I’m craving the next installment!
A Netgalley ARC
Show Less
LibraryThing member TheMadHatters
Ananna does not want to get married to the person her parents have arranged for her to marry, so she runs away. Unfortunately this means an assassin is sent after her by the aggrieved family. She saves the assassin from being killed by a poisonous snake and because of a curse that had been put upon
Show More
him previously this binds the assassin to her so he does not kill her. Now they must try and find a cure for this curse. Show Less
LibraryThing member MlleEhreen
Short but sweet. A real pleasure to read, with a heroine that stole my heart and ran away with it. It's not a perfect book - I suspect a better editor could have really bumped it up to the next level - but it's fun and charming and sparkles with personality.
The heroine, Ananna, is quintessentially
But Ananna is impulsive and she doesn't care about rules, so even if ditching her fiancé wasn't the smartest thing to do, it was absolutely in character. When the assassin sent to kill her attacks, she ends up saving his life instead (this scene didn't strike me as particularly believable, but I didn't care - I was along for the ride). Turns out that this assassin, Naji, has been cursed to eternally protect the next person to save his life, which is inconvenient for both of them.
Almost from the moment Naji appears on the scene, he and Ananna drop everything to go searching for a cure to this curse. This kind of plot can go awry pretty easily, as it consists almost entirely of batting the characters around like the balls in a pinball machine - go here for the answer, no, go there, no, somewhere else, with the characters rushing around in a way that grows increasingly dissatisfying to moi, the reader.
And I admit, there's a little of that going on here. But I didn't care. I just wanted to spend more time with Ananna and Naji, to see them bicker, to chart their growing trust in one another, to enjoy the world - it's a fun place to explore, with a pirate state and magical islands and a towering Empire somewhere in the distance. Or maybe it's only fun when seen from Ananna's point of view, because she manages to make dirty hotel rooms and cold nights on damp beaches sound entertaining, or at least tolerable. Can you tell I just love this girl? If she were real, I'd invite her out for a drink.
While the book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, neither does it offer a whole lot of closure. THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE is clearly the beginning of a series & I, for one, will be thrilled to read the next installment.
The heroine, Ananna, is quintessentially
Show More
puckish. She's a firecracker, a rapscallion, a troublemaker, an imp. She's a pirate's daughter, with a pirate's skills - thieving and fighting and trickery, and that's about it. When her parents decide to marry her off to a perfectly nice boy with a ship of his own, Ananna decides she'll have none of it and she takes off. Normally this would irritate me, because it's a thoughtless thing to do. Even if Ananna is scrappy enough to stay alive on the streets, she's cutting herself off from the sea and then, to make things worse, the jilted Hariris send an assassin after her. But Ananna is impulsive and she doesn't care about rules, so even if ditching her fiancé wasn't the smartest thing to do, it was absolutely in character. When the assassin sent to kill her attacks, she ends up saving his life instead (this scene didn't strike me as particularly believable, but I didn't care - I was along for the ride). Turns out that this assassin, Naji, has been cursed to eternally protect the next person to save his life, which is inconvenient for both of them.
Almost from the moment Naji appears on the scene, he and Ananna drop everything to go searching for a cure to this curse. This kind of plot can go awry pretty easily, as it consists almost entirely of batting the characters around like the balls in a pinball machine - go here for the answer, no, go there, no, somewhere else, with the characters rushing around in a way that grows increasingly dissatisfying to moi, the reader.
And I admit, there's a little of that going on here. But I didn't care. I just wanted to spend more time with Ananna and Naji, to see them bicker, to chart their growing trust in one another, to enjoy the world - it's a fun place to explore, with a pirate state and magical islands and a towering Empire somewhere in the distance. Or maybe it's only fun when seen from Ananna's point of view, because she manages to make dirty hotel rooms and cold nights on damp beaches sound entertaining, or at least tolerable. Can you tell I just love this girl? If she were real, I'd invite her out for a drink.
While the book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, neither does it offer a whole lot of closure. THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE is clearly the beginning of a series & I, for one, will be thrilled to read the next installment.
Show Less
LibraryThing member stefferoo
This book sounded fascinating from its description, with words like "Pirates" and "Assassins" leaping out at me and pushing all the right buttons. And while Angry Robot's young adult imprint Strange Chemistry has only just celebrated their one year birthday, they've already made a name for
A strong point for this book is that it doesn't waste time getting started. Our protagonist and narrator Ananna of the Tanarau faces a difficult and undesirable situation on page one. Hailing from a family of pirates, she is being forced by her parents to marry a scion of another pirate clan. As handsome as he is, Ananna dislikes him right away and figuratively jumps ship on her impending nuptials, leading the jilted young man's family to send an assassin after her.
And yet, I found the story's momentum rapidly loses it steam, even after Ananna and her would-be assassin Naji faces off one night and their skirmish accidentally results in a curse binding them together. Their subsequent quest to break it involves a journey to far off lands, impossible magic, and encounters with strange characters and creatures. On the face of it, that might sound like a lot, but very little of it actually advances the plot.
In essence, I think there's a lot of potential for this series, but this first book read like one long introduction. I waited for it to pick up, but there was really no climax. Upon completing this, I got the impression that I won't get into the real meat of the story until the next installment. It just felt like a very risky way to manage the pacing and a strange place to end the book, with no cliffhanger or anything, just a straightforward promise of more to come.
To its credit, though, the novel does give you plenty of reasons to want to continue with the series. Seeing how Ananna and Naji manages to break the curse will be plenty motivation enough, but their relationship also grows with complexity and is rife with romantic tension throughout the entire book. Those who are interested in seeing what becomes of that will probably want to pick up the next one too.
Bottom line, I don't think a whole lot happened in this book, but it does a decent job setting up the situation and the players. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities for book two.
Show More
themselves in my book with their wide variety of unique and interesting titles. So, I'll admit I was going into this with rather high expectations.A strong point for this book is that it doesn't waste time getting started. Our protagonist and narrator Ananna of the Tanarau faces a difficult and undesirable situation on page one. Hailing from a family of pirates, she is being forced by her parents to marry a scion of another pirate clan. As handsome as he is, Ananna dislikes him right away and figuratively jumps ship on her impending nuptials, leading the jilted young man's family to send an assassin after her.
And yet, I found the story's momentum rapidly loses it steam, even after Ananna and her would-be assassin Naji faces off one night and their skirmish accidentally results in a curse binding them together. Their subsequent quest to break it involves a journey to far off lands, impossible magic, and encounters with strange characters and creatures. On the face of it, that might sound like a lot, but very little of it actually advances the plot.
In essence, I think there's a lot of potential for this series, but this first book read like one long introduction. I waited for it to pick up, but there was really no climax. Upon completing this, I got the impression that I won't get into the real meat of the story until the next installment. It just felt like a very risky way to manage the pacing and a strange place to end the book, with no cliffhanger or anything, just a straightforward promise of more to come.
To its credit, though, the novel does give you plenty of reasons to want to continue with the series. Seeing how Ananna and Naji manages to break the curse will be plenty motivation enough, but their relationship also grows with complexity and is rife with romantic tension throughout the entire book. Those who are interested in seeing what becomes of that will probably want to pick up the next one too.
Bottom line, I don't think a whole lot happened in this book, but it does a decent job setting up the situation and the players. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities for book two.
Show Less
LibraryThing member thehidingspot
I'll start by saying that I love this novel's cover... Right off the bat, it was clear this novel would deal with both assassins and pirates, which for me, means a definite read. For me, this is one of those situations where it is more than okay to judge a book by its cover!
I really, really enjoyed
The novel follows the two characters as they traverse deserts, oceans, and islands in search of people that might be able to help them break the impossible curse. Along the way, the characters discover that neither is quite what they appear at first glance.
One of the most unique aspects of The Assassin's Curse was Ananna's speech. At first, her use of ain't and other obviously improper grammar and words stuck out like a sore thumb, but eventually my mind no longer stumbled and her speech patterns simply became a part of her character. I don't feel like I've seen this tactic used very often in YA fantasy lately and I appreciated the smaller details, like Ananna's language differences, that Cassandra Rose Clarke incorporated into the novel.
I also loved the epic feel to this rather short novel. Ananna and Naji travel great distances (across a desert and an ocean) in search of experts who can shed some light on breaking an impossible curse, which, as the name implies, is no small feat. I liked both characters had time to shine throughout the novel - Ananna knows the sea and Naji is of the desert, so both showed both strength and weakness during the journey. This definitely allowed me to appreciate both characters for their own strengths as well as illustrated their individual weaknesses.
The one aspect of the novel that I didn't completely enjoy was the romance. I really liked the idea of Ananna and Naji growing to respect and, eventually, develop feelings for one another, but I never felt that Naji was very deserving of Ananna's feelings. He seemed very shallow at times and I couldn't help but feel that Ananna deserved someone who respected and appreciated her more. After all, all this began because she was trying to escape an unfair marriage, why would she settle now?
I can't wait to read the second book in this trilogy, The Pirate's Wish. I'm really hoping Naji matures in this second book and am excited to see where their quest takes these two characters next!
I really, really enjoyed
Show More
the premise of The Assassin's Curse. Ananna, a young pirate, is on the run, avoiding an arranged marriage that would, more or less, make her her husband's property and effectively dash all her hopes and dreams of captaining her own ship and exploring the world on her own terms. Her husband-to-be's family doesn't take kindly to her escape and sends an assassin after her. Things take an unexpected turn, however, when Ananna saves Naji, the assassin, waking an impossible curse that ties the two together, making them unlikely, and unhappy, allies.The novel follows the two characters as they traverse deserts, oceans, and islands in search of people that might be able to help them break the impossible curse. Along the way, the characters discover that neither is quite what they appear at first glance.
One of the most unique aspects of The Assassin's Curse was Ananna's speech. At first, her use of ain't and other obviously improper grammar and words stuck out like a sore thumb, but eventually my mind no longer stumbled and her speech patterns simply became a part of her character. I don't feel like I've seen this tactic used very often in YA fantasy lately and I appreciated the smaller details, like Ananna's language differences, that Cassandra Rose Clarke incorporated into the novel.
I also loved the epic feel to this rather short novel. Ananna and Naji travel great distances (across a desert and an ocean) in search of experts who can shed some light on breaking an impossible curse, which, as the name implies, is no small feat. I liked both characters had time to shine throughout the novel - Ananna knows the sea and Naji is of the desert, so both showed both strength and weakness during the journey. This definitely allowed me to appreciate both characters for their own strengths as well as illustrated their individual weaknesses.
The one aspect of the novel that I didn't completely enjoy was the romance. I really liked the idea of Ananna and Naji growing to respect and, eventually, develop feelings for one another, but I never felt that Naji was very deserving of Ananna's feelings. He seemed very shallow at times and I couldn't help but feel that Ananna deserved someone who respected and appreciated her more. After all, all this began because she was trying to escape an unfair marriage, why would she settle now?
I can't wait to read the second book in this trilogy, The Pirate's Wish. I'm really hoping Naji matures in this second book and am excited to see where their quest takes these two characters next!
Show Less
LibraryThing member rrainer
While I really did enjoy this book, I would have been a lot more satisfied if I'd realised from the start that it was only half a book. It's not just that it's the first of a series (which also wasn't clear when I picked it up, but isn't that surprising) but that it doesn't really possess a climax
That said, I liked the worldbuilding and the main characters and would eagerly read more.
Show More
and ending of its own. It felt like it just ended in the middle.That said, I liked the worldbuilding and the main characters and would eagerly read more.
Show Less
LibraryThing member a_tiffyfit
I. Loved. This. Book.
LOVED. IT. Borrowed it from the library in order to prepare for the NetGalley approval I just got for The Pirate's Wish which is book two. Do you guys have favorite publishing houses? I'm fast becoming a publishing house groupie based on the novels I've been reading.
The story
During her encounter with the assassin, she sees a venomous snake about to bite him and for some inexplicable reason, kills the snake. And now...the assassin is bound to her, sworn to protect her.
Ananna is such a likable character! She's fiesty and tough, but with little peeks of tenderness and vulnerability that just make you fall in love with her. Naji is the same - you know there is a story, but he keeps it as veiled as he does his face. As they journey together, stuck yet growing on one another, I started crushing on this story and the characters SO much.
I knew that there was going to be a book 2 at the least. I did. So I was expecting an open ending, but it still bothered me! There are questions I have because Ananna hasn't had them answered fully yet by Naji. I just KNOW that there will be more of everything: more mystery, more magic, more sweet interactions, a slow building of love and trust. It was so sweet when Ananna says to Naji, very simply, "Cause you're my friend." GAH! Lovely. YAY ON TO BOOK TWo!
LOVED. IT. Borrowed it from the library in order to prepare for the NetGalley approval I just got for The Pirate's Wish which is book two. Do you guys have favorite publishing houses? I'm fast becoming a publishing house groupie based on the novels I've been reading.
The story
Show More
is told from the viewpoint of Ananna of the Taranau. We meet her and are seeing the story through her thoughts as she is being shoved into an arranged marriage to the son of another pirate, and she is NOT happy about it. Her observations and thoughts make this completely clear. Her speech patterns are that of which you would expect from a pirate: not smooth, kinda crass but not as bad since she is a young woman I guess, and very top of your head kind of speech. Lots of ain't's and KAOL! (in my head I was hearing Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady "Corrrrr!") etc. Ananna runs away, makes her escape, and promptly has an assassin sent after her in revenge for her unforgivable abandonment of the arranged marriage. During her encounter with the assassin, she sees a venomous snake about to bite him and for some inexplicable reason, kills the snake. And now...the assassin is bound to her, sworn to protect her.
Ananna is such a likable character! She's fiesty and tough, but with little peeks of tenderness and vulnerability that just make you fall in love with her. Naji is the same - you know there is a story, but he keeps it as veiled as he does his face. As they journey together, stuck yet growing on one another, I started crushing on this story and the characters SO much.
I knew that there was going to be a book 2 at the least. I did. So I was expecting an open ending, but it still bothered me! There are questions I have because Ananna hasn't had them answered fully yet by Naji. I just KNOW that there will be more of everything: more mystery, more magic, more sweet interactions, a slow building of love and trust. It was so sweet when Ananna says to Naji, very simply, "Cause you're my friend." GAH! Lovely. YAY ON TO BOOK TWo!
Show Less
LibraryThing member kbsparks
What an amazing find! Picked this up because I needed something to read waiting on another book to be released. I fell in love with this book! Can't wait for the sequel.
LibraryThing member aoibhealfae
The Assassin's Curse is a pirate fantasy adventure YA novel set in about a girl pirate who escaped an arrange marriage but end up being hunted by an assassins until he inexplicably cursed to protect her or he suffer. The book consists of the struggle of Ananna (I actually have a guy friend named
You know the main attraction of the book was the cover. Its Khat (which means lines in arabic.... or what we usually call it here... there's a lot of names for it) or what you call, style of Islamic Calligraphy. So pretty right? My house have khats for surahs (why is often why called Islamic instead of Arabic) and sometimes I see someone carve khats on wood to make decorations at the side of the street near my university apartment. There's a lot of style of using arabic words for khats like jawi (which I can read) and chinese arabic calligraphy (yes, there's muslims in china too) but all involve the usage of elegant strokes which are readable at least to anyone who know basic alif ba ta alphabets.
If you're wondering, khat is a type of calligraphy while jawi and other arabic words usage are technically fonts. I can write in arab and jawi but I can't do Khat. I do write in cursive but I fail at artistic font, I lack patience for it, so how do you expect me to do calligraphy. By the way, the book cover is just calligraphy. Take it as contemporary calligraphy since the borders doesn't really say anything besides decorative filigrees. So don't worry about it.
And the other things was the setting of the book. The author tried to come up with a setting that suit desert life, clued from the cover probably Arabian deserts but the content of the book is much more Pirates of the Caribbean than Frank Herbert's Dune. While reading Ananna's dialogues, I thought that she sounded more like Southern girl more than Keira Knightly's Elizabeth Swan. So if you want a pure arabian landscape fantasy like thousand nights, I guess it wouldn't hurt to recommend Saladin Ahmed's Throne of the Crescent Moon which I will be reading in other time. The book is an adventure novel so it might have help if the final book will show maps and navigation since a part of the novel is about Ananna learning how to navigate in high seas and practice navigational math. I actually did those math in school like calculating knots according to time zones and the direction from A to B using knots so somehow the book reminded me of high school.
Ananna is the type of character that I always like. She's a pirate. She can fight with swords and knives. She's naturally suspicious to everyone. She's courageous, she's sneaky, she doesn't sit and wiggle her feet for things to fall on her lap and wait for everyone to protect her like most YA characters do these days. She's cautious and rebellious. Honestly, she's really a joy to read. Naji on the other hand is like Squall Leonhart and Cloud Strife who think too much and overcomplicated and kept fringing around the truth and really is fragile. He's the cool characters with layers of flaws and the likes. He's fun to read but everything about him screams angst.
Since the book is quite short and is made into a serial, I can't really comment about the development of the storyline except that the book is easy to read and very fast paced that I was constantly aware on my progression while reading and wished I have more pages to read. I would have rated it high since I was all stars while reading this book but 18 chapters is not enough! Since the book is quite moderately descriptive, it does ate out some of the pages which you can barely had enough conflict in the book so it was more of a first chapter of an adventure than a normal lengthy YA books. There weren't much about the society in the book except for several minor characters that was very intriguing and memorable but the introductory nature of the book somehow weakens the storytelling. But a continuation was expected so I don't dwell much on it. The book were detailed with action and world-building mysticism that was very intriguing. Magic in the desert society was multi-layered with prejudices and plain menace. The character inner conflict was remarkable, Ananna was alone in the world, her companion was an assassin sent to kill her which made the entirety of the story is plain fascinating.
I love assassins storylines. Usually I watch anime that revolved around assassins and movies about spies, so having a mash of pirate, arabian and assassins storyline is very entertaining. I definitely recommending it if you like short reads about fantasy and magic because the book is definitely one of the kind. As for demography, I think it would appeal to either gender or any ages since it wasn't a violent book but more to action adventure. There's also slight steampunk influence in this book so I am actually looking forward for the next book should the author decides to elaborate more on the mechanicals.
The book will be published on 2nd October 2012, review copy by Angry Robot aka Strange Chemistry from NetGalley. Be sure to pre-order this book since its really is a good debut novel with awesome cover no less!
Show More
Anand who had his birthday while I'm reading this.. lmao) who valued her freedom and refused to bow down to everyone and basically she does what she does the best - pirate and Naji, a scarred assassin who somehow inextricably had to protect his mark because of the curse he had for years that one day someone would save his life and he would be bound to his saviour.You know the main attraction of the book was the cover. Its Khat (which means lines in arabic.... or what we usually call it here... there's a lot of names for it) or what you call, style of Islamic Calligraphy. So pretty right? My house have khats for surahs (why is often why called Islamic instead of Arabic) and sometimes I see someone carve khats on wood to make decorations at the side of the street near my university apartment. There's a lot of style of using arabic words for khats like jawi (which I can read) and chinese arabic calligraphy (yes, there's muslims in china too) but all involve the usage of elegant strokes which are readable at least to anyone who know basic alif ba ta alphabets.
If you're wondering, khat is a type of calligraphy while jawi and other arabic words usage are technically fonts. I can write in arab and jawi but I can't do Khat. I do write in cursive but I fail at artistic font, I lack patience for it, so how do you expect me to do calligraphy. By the way, the book cover is just calligraphy. Take it as contemporary calligraphy since the borders doesn't really say anything besides decorative filigrees. So don't worry about it.
And the other things was the setting of the book. The author tried to come up with a setting that suit desert life, clued from the cover probably Arabian deserts but the content of the book is much more Pirates of the Caribbean than Frank Herbert's Dune. While reading Ananna's dialogues, I thought that she sounded more like Southern girl more than Keira Knightly's Elizabeth Swan. So if you want a pure arabian landscape fantasy like thousand nights, I guess it wouldn't hurt to recommend Saladin Ahmed's Throne of the Crescent Moon which I will be reading in other time. The book is an adventure novel so it might have help if the final book will show maps and navigation since a part of the novel is about Ananna learning how to navigate in high seas and practice navigational math. I actually did those math in school like calculating knots according to time zones and the direction from A to B using knots so somehow the book reminded me of high school.
Ananna is the type of character that I always like. She's a pirate. She can fight with swords and knives. She's naturally suspicious to everyone. She's courageous, she's sneaky, she doesn't sit and wiggle her feet for things to fall on her lap and wait for everyone to protect her like most YA characters do these days. She's cautious and rebellious. Honestly, she's really a joy to read. Naji on the other hand is like Squall Leonhart and Cloud Strife who think too much and overcomplicated and kept fringing around the truth and really is fragile. He's the cool characters with layers of flaws and the likes. He's fun to read but everything about him screams angst.
Since the book is quite short and is made into a serial, I can't really comment about the development of the storyline except that the book is easy to read and very fast paced that I was constantly aware on my progression while reading and wished I have more pages to read. I would have rated it high since I was all stars while reading this book but 18 chapters is not enough! Since the book is quite moderately descriptive, it does ate out some of the pages which you can barely had enough conflict in the book so it was more of a first chapter of an adventure than a normal lengthy YA books. There weren't much about the society in the book except for several minor characters that was very intriguing and memorable but the introductory nature of the book somehow weakens the storytelling. But a continuation was expected so I don't dwell much on it. The book were detailed with action and world-building mysticism that was very intriguing. Magic in the desert society was multi-layered with prejudices and plain menace. The character inner conflict was remarkable, Ananna was alone in the world, her companion was an assassin sent to kill her which made the entirety of the story is plain fascinating.
I love assassins storylines. Usually I watch anime that revolved around assassins and movies about spies, so having a mash of pirate, arabian and assassins storyline is very entertaining. I definitely recommending it if you like short reads about fantasy and magic because the book is definitely one of the kind. As for demography, I think it would appeal to either gender or any ages since it wasn't a violent book but more to action adventure. There's also slight steampunk influence in this book so I am actually looking forward for the next book should the author decides to elaborate more on the mechanicals.
The book will be published on 2nd October 2012, review copy by Angry Robot aka Strange Chemistry from NetGalley. Be sure to pre-order this book since its really is a good debut novel with awesome cover no less!
Show Less
LibraryThing member les121
The Assassin's Curse is not your typical young adult fantasy novel. First of all, it's set in a distinctly non-European world and features multiple people of color - no whitewashing! In fact, the white northerners are described as savage barbarians; I'm not sure if this is progress exactly, but at
In addition, The Assassin's Curse stands out because of the relationship between the main characters, Ananna and Naji. In most young adult fantasy novels I've read, the heroine is overflowing with romantic attention. Here, Ananna's unrequited feelings came as an unexpected and refreshing surprise. I'm interested to finally read a story where the heroine has to win over the hero instead of vice versa.
But the real reason why I enjoyed The Assassin's Curse so much is Ananna herself. Though she struck me impulsive and irresponsible at first, I soon came to love her confidence and strength of will. Ananna doesn't take any crap, and she ends up rescuing Naji just as many times as he rescues her. I also love that Ananna isn't pretty. In contrast to the thousands of novels written about beautiful people, this story is about a girl who knows she's not beautiful and does whatever the f*** she wants anyway. In contrast to Naji's crippling insecurity about his appearance, Ananna accepts herself just the way she is.
Even so, Ananna still has plenty of flaws. In particular, she unfairly stereotypes beautiful people as stuck-up and spoiled, a viewpoint that is understandable from her perspective and adds layers to her characterization. The problem I have with this is that the stereotype is reinforced in the novel by the evil ex-girlfriend Leila, and Ananna's presumption that all beautiful people are selfish and shallow is totally confirmed. The treatment of beautiful people in the novel is similar to the way racial stereotypes have been reversed; it's effective in helping us recognize the disparities in our own culture, but it's also simplistic. By merely reversing which group of people is looked down on, it feels like an opportunity has been missed to overcome prejudice and confront these issues in a deeper, more meaningful way.
Despite my minor disappointments, I found The Assassin's Curse surprisingly entertaining and different. Even though the plot is mostly spent traveling, it moves along at a decent pace, and the imaginative setting drew me in from the start. But, ultimately, it's the characters that kept me glued to the page. I fell in love with Ananna and can't help rooting for her to succeed. I'm definitely going to pick up The Pirate's Wish to see how the story concludes.
Show More
least it's different. The worldbuilding is rich and evocative, though there's still quite a bit of mystery surrounding the Otherworld - a strange, magical, alternate realm.In addition, The Assassin's Curse stands out because of the relationship between the main characters, Ananna and Naji. In most young adult fantasy novels I've read, the heroine is overflowing with romantic attention. Here, Ananna's unrequited feelings came as an unexpected and refreshing surprise. I'm interested to finally read a story where the heroine has to win over the hero instead of vice versa.
But the real reason why I enjoyed The Assassin's Curse so much is Ananna herself. Though she struck me impulsive and irresponsible at first, I soon came to love her confidence and strength of will. Ananna doesn't take any crap, and she ends up rescuing Naji just as many times as he rescues her. I also love that Ananna isn't pretty. In contrast to the thousands of novels written about beautiful people, this story is about a girl who knows she's not beautiful and does whatever the f*** she wants anyway. In contrast to Naji's crippling insecurity about his appearance, Ananna accepts herself just the way she is.
Even so, Ananna still has plenty of flaws. In particular, she unfairly stereotypes beautiful people as stuck-up and spoiled, a viewpoint that is understandable from her perspective and adds layers to her characterization. The problem I have with this is that the stereotype is reinforced in the novel by the evil ex-girlfriend Leila, and Ananna's presumption that all beautiful people are selfish and shallow is totally confirmed. The treatment of beautiful people in the novel is similar to the way racial stereotypes have been reversed; it's effective in helping us recognize the disparities in our own culture, but it's also simplistic. By merely reversing which group of people is looked down on, it feels like an opportunity has been missed to overcome prejudice and confront these issues in a deeper, more meaningful way.
Despite my minor disappointments, I found The Assassin's Curse surprisingly entertaining and different. Even though the plot is mostly spent traveling, it moves along at a decent pace, and the imaginative setting drew me in from the start. But, ultimately, it's the characters that kept me glued to the page. I fell in love with Ananna and can't help rooting for her to succeed. I'm definitely going to pick up The Pirate's Wish to see how the story concludes.
Show Less
LibraryThing member VanyaDrum
I received this book from Netgalley.
Well, I think this was a good story, written in a lousy way. Either that, or the target audience wasn't 16 , but 10 instead. However, I don't see how tat could be possible since there was crud and offensive language throughout, as well as bloody action scenes.
I
At any rate, I love pirate stories and assassin stories. Seeing them put together in one place felt sort of nice. However, the characters were quite base, there was no depth to them, which was sad.
I was repulsed by Annanna's use of language a lot. Sure, she was a pirate, raised around vulgar brutes and their manners, or lack of, has rubbed off on her, but... I just didn't like it. I did like her inner voice however, even though at times it just sounded silly.
The assassin, Naji, seemed too nice to be what he was. But I guess there had to be some redeeming quality in him, so the story could be formulated or whatever. Anyway, just like most men, he was more captivated bu outward beauty than the inner qualities in a woman. Which is why I firmly believe he deserved the curse he got.
Aaand, the ending was just... I dunno... to unrealistic. Especially the breaking the curse part. Seriously? The last condition to break the curse was just hilarious!
Anyway, I don't think I'd be reading on on this series, to tell the truth, though I kind of want to know what will happen next. But umm... no. Not even that is enough to tempt me.
Well, I think this was a good story, written in a lousy way. Either that, or the target audience wasn't 16 , but 10 instead. However, I don't see how tat could be possible since there was crud and offensive language throughout, as well as bloody action scenes.
I
Show More
can say that the story has potential, but the way it's written doesn't do it justice.At any rate, I love pirate stories and assassin stories. Seeing them put together in one place felt sort of nice. However, the characters were quite base, there was no depth to them, which was sad.
I was repulsed by Annanna's use of language a lot. Sure, she was a pirate, raised around vulgar brutes and their manners, or lack of, has rubbed off on her, but... I just didn't like it. I did like her inner voice however, even though at times it just sounded silly.
The assassin, Naji, seemed too nice to be what he was. But I guess there had to be some redeeming quality in him, so the story could be formulated or whatever. Anyway, just like most men, he was more captivated bu outward beauty than the inner qualities in a woman. Which is why I firmly believe he deserved the curse he got.
Aaand, the ending was just... I dunno... to unrealistic. Especially the breaking the curse part. Seriously? The last condition to break the curse was just hilarious!
Anyway, I don't think I'd be reading on on this series, to tell the truth, though I kind of want to know what will happen next. But umm... no. Not even that is enough to tempt me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member NovaStalker
This is resoundingly a 3 star book. It's a short book but even taking that into consideration it feels like it's barely begun when it ends. Nothing is especially good or bad about it. It just feels like I've finished the first act and this is probably why I tend to shy away from shorter books. I
Show More
also sympathised heavily with the heroine because I think the author was treating me much like she is. I'm in a constant state of frustration at the lack of explanation of anything that happens in the book so I guess that's a positive in a way. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ahnya
What magnificent imagery. While reading my imagination came alive. I honestly felt like I was there. The story is one we have heard before; someone saves another person's life, and now they are bound to them. But, it is not the plot you fall in love with. It is the imaginative world, and how the
I do hope the next book explains more of the magic, the different types, and how it all works.
Show More
characters interact in it. I do hope the next book explains more of the magic, the different types, and how it all works.
Show Less
LibraryThing member passion4reading
Ananna is a pirate princess, and her parents have arranged for her to marry the son of an allied, influential pirate captain. On the day of their marriage, Ananna gives her betrothed the slip and runs off, hiding for several days, until she is told by a mysterious shopkeeper that Tarrin's family
I read some glowing reviews about this book, the first part in a duology, but I have to admit that I did not get on with it at all. While the descriptions of the town and the desert were quite evocative, the problem to me was that we see everything through Ananna's eyes, and I found her incredibly irritating. Her range of vocabulary and way of speaking and thinking reminded me of an uneducated, foul-mouthed 10-year-old, and though she constantly reminds the reader of a growing attraction between her and Naji, I found very little evidence of chemistry between the two in the text. Naji is by far the more interesting character, but we learn next to nothing about him, and something just didn't ring true about the whole set-up. About two-thirds of the way through I actually gave up because I didn't really care about what happened next, but I'm sure that everything will be resolved in the end to bring Ananna and Naji together, sans curse. To me it all felt terribly teenage-girl - no offence - but I won't be picking up the story in the second part.
Show More
have hired an assassin to deal with her. When they finally come face to face in the desert, Ananna manages to save Naji's life after a brief fight, triggering a curse; now Naji has no choice but to protect her. Together they travel to find a way to break the enchantment.I read some glowing reviews about this book, the first part in a duology, but I have to admit that I did not get on with it at all. While the descriptions of the town and the desert were quite evocative, the problem to me was that we see everything through Ananna's eyes, and I found her incredibly irritating. Her range of vocabulary and way of speaking and thinking reminded me of an uneducated, foul-mouthed 10-year-old, and though she constantly reminds the reader of a growing attraction between her and Naji, I found very little evidence of chemistry between the two in the text. Naji is by far the more interesting character, but we learn next to nothing about him, and something just didn't ring true about the whole set-up. About two-thirds of the way through I actually gave up because I didn't really care about what happened next, but I'm sure that everything will be resolved in the end to bring Ananna and Naji together, sans curse. To me it all felt terribly teenage-girl - no offence - but I won't be picking up the story in the second part.
Show Less
Awards
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2014)
Language
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
320 p.; 7.83 inches
ISBN
9781908844019
Local notes
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her. And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse -- with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal.