I had fun with this book. I was expecting it to be more of a YA book when I picked it up, but (even though there is no adult content) it didn't have the tone of a YA book. It was very whimsical and light, which—after reading the author's note at the end—appears to have been the intention. There is the potential for the book to have turned dark in several places, and I'm very glad it did not. It remained a lighthearted and fun book, and I appreciated that.

The plot itself is straightforward, and I can sum it up by paraphrasing Sanderson's end notes, without any spoilers: what if, in The Princess Bride, Buttercup had sailed off to rescue Westley instead of giving him up for dead? This book explores that, and the result—as you might expect—is an adventure story of adventure, pirates, and true love.

I enjoyed all of the characters in the book. Even the antagonists were fun. (Plus, I especially liked the dragon.) I'm curious how I will eventually feel after reading other books in Sanderson's Cosmere universe, since I'm told there are Easter eggs in this book for fans of the extended universe. However, this one can be easily read as a standalone without any confusion.

There were times in the story where the conflict seemed to get resolved too easily, but in a way that ultimately didn't matter. (Tress also thinks about this exact fact at the end of the book, in a way that was not quite 4th-wall-breaking, but I appreciated nonetheless.) For this book, somehow it didn't matter that the challenge was not always a difficult one. What mattered was not so much how hard the obstacles were to overcome, but who was willing to pitch in and help get there. The journey was the point of the story, and that journey was a fun one. ( )

What a delight! I love the premise of a Princess Bride story where Buttercup searches for Westley and instead of believing he’s dead. What follows is a wild pirate adventure where Tress discovers her own strength and ingenuity as she travels on the seas of spores.

“Enjoy memories, yes, but don't be a slave to who you wish you once had been.”

“Even small actions have consequences. And while we can often choose our actions, we rarely get to choose our consequences.”

“That is one of the great mistakes people make: assuming that someone who does menial work does not like thinking. Physical labor is great for the mind, as it leaves all kinds of time to consider the world. Other work, like accounting or scribing, demands little of the body—but siphons energy from the mind.

If you wish to become a storyteller, here is a hint: sell your labor, but not your mind. Give me ten hours a day scrubbing a deck, and oh the stories I could imagine. Give me ten hours adding sums, and all you’ll have me imagining at the end is a warm bed and a thought-free evening.” ( )

109000

Tress is a commoner, a window-washer living on a remote island in the 12 seas, who falls in love with the rather dull Charlie, a Duke’s son. Tress stows away on a pirate ship to rescue him when Charlie is captured by the Sorceress in the dreaded Midnight Sea. She meets a crew of pirates including the deaf Fort, a talking rat called Huck, and the frightening Captain Crow. Tress also learns to survive seas made of dangerous spores.

The story starts off sweet and whimsical, but I must confess I tired of the odd humour after a while. The narrator was revealed part way through the novel to be Hoid, some sort of mysterious transgalactic creature, who seems to be held in great affection by other readers who have met him in previous books. Not having done so myself I just found him to be an irritating imbecile, and kept waiting for a great reveal to explain his presence and his powers, which never really happened. There was also the slightly odd mesh of fantasy and sci-fi, a jolting shift from dragons and pirate ships to iPads and laptops.

Tress was a likeable character who rose to the challenges before her. The romance was very vanilla, and I felt like an adult reading a child’s story. A pleasant enough story spoilt by an obtrusive, conscious narration specialising in kookie Dad jokes. ( )

Great book. Wonderful story. Loved the world and characters. ( )