Book Review: THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Publisher: Angry Robot
Pub Date: October 2, 2012

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. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Pirates and assassins, you say? Yes, please. What I liked most about this book was the unconventional heroine and hero. Ananna is not beautiful, shy, or princess-like in any way. She is a pirate, and she acts and talks like a pirate. I especially enjoyed the scenes where she and Naji get a ride on a ship during their journey, and you really see her shine as she is in her element helping the crew sail it.

Naji reminds me of Howl from Howl's Moving Castle. He is brooding, grumpy, and totally oblivious to Ananna's feelings. Yet you can't help but like him and wonder about his past and how he got the scar on his face. The few moments where you see his vulnerability make me curious to know him better, and I hope the author will deliver in the next installments of the series.

I was expected more of a climax in the story, but there wasn't really one. The summary pretty much sums up what happens, though it is a great adventure. The ending leaves it wide open for the sequel. I enjoyed the Arabian/piratey flavour of this novel, and look forward to the next one.