Oathbound by Victoria McCombs
YA Fantasy. 339 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
Beware the waters. The dangerous deep brings ruin to all.
Emme has spent her life avoiding anything to do with pirates. But the fates are cruel, and now a hidden sickness leads her to partner with pirates for the one thing that can save her—a cure on an island none are certain exists.
The pirate captain’s secrets are darker than the deep and threaten to kill them all. His obligations are tinged with betrayal, for his oathbind must be fulfilled. To ignore it is to invite peril of unimaginable destruction.
As the adventure unfolds, the sea takes more than she expects and the sea gives more than he wants.
My Review:
This is such a deliciously piratey read. It really scratches all the pirate read itches. The adventure, the seas, ships, monsters, and mermaids, creatures, the swashbuckling pirates and devious villains, loyalty and betrayal, secrecy and really bad timing, the exploration of new places and the treasure, the swoony romance, the lovable crew, and the fresh salty air. All. Of. Them.
I’ve been meaning to read this one for a few years and I’m so glad I finally made time for it! (Thanks to my bff for buddy reading it with me!) Isn’t the cover gorgeous?! If you’re at all a pirate/adventure story fan, totally check this one out!
The story was fun to follow and the world brimmed with so many cool places to explore. I loved the islands we got to see and how there was a hint of political trouble in their home land, too. I hope we get to explore that more in the sequels. I also liked how even out at sea we got glimpses of cultures, peoples, creatures, and beliefs that made the world feel even more full. THE MERMAIDS! Ima need more of those. But can I just say mermaids and stars are two of my favorite things and the way McCombs combined those two made my heart melt!!! My favorite part!
As much fun as the settings were (and they really were!), the characters might be my favorite part of this story. Emma and Emric were such a great dynamic! I love a good sibling relationship (we need more of them in books!) and I really admired how they were both clearly raised by the same parents, but still such distinct individuals in the way they approached their upbringing, world, relationships, and goals. Emric had one of my very favorite lines in the book and he totally stole the show for me. I’d absolutely read a book just for him. Arn and his crew were also lively! I love the dichotomy of Arn the pirate but also Arn the naval officer still shone through. The way he treated his crew made me grin silly.
The creatures were super neat and I really hope we get more of them. I love that we got a mix of the classic mermaids and undersea kings as well as inventive new creatures unique to McCombs’s world. I’ve already mentioned my beloved mermaids, but I really do love how she made them her own and yet still played into well loved tropes. I’m realllly hoping we get more of them in the next books. But ALSO, there were some spoilery things I won’t say that have got me wondering if she’s gonna weave in some subtle nods to some fairytales as well!
The plot is a classic thrilling, treasure-seeking ride…with a few pretty bomb twists. I mean that last page *dies* I can only applaud. Those last few lines made me question everything in the best possible way.
Content: There’s some clean romance – a few kisses here and there, and one small part that briefly touches on captive brides forced into marriage, but there’s nothing explicit or graphic there. No foul language and some swashbuckling fantasy violence (I mean, come on, what’s a pirate story without a good sword fight!). I’d probably recommend 14/15+
More:
Book 1 in the Royal Rose Chronicles is Oathbound (5 Stars)
Book 2 is Silver Bounty
Book 3 is Savage Bred
This trilogy must be read in order. I’ll be working through the sequels soon and will update once I do.