A lot of stuff happens. That's basically the summary of this book. There isn't a plot, there isn't character arcs, there isn't motivation, there's no driving force or task or mystery. "Stuff happens."

Clarisse is a princess from a tiny country where all the royal daughters have to learn a trade. She picks the sword. Why? Psh, motivation, in this book? At 18 she has to leave home to go make a career for herself, which basically negates making her a princess in the first place. She picks "find adventure." Plan? Reason? Goal? Destination? HAH! Unnecessary! She randomly picks a ship to sail on and then things happen and our cast of characters just sort of get tugged along by the current of the author's will, with nary a single motivation between the lot of them.

And Clarisse herself is less of a character more of an assortment of actions. I could not tell you one single thing about this woman's personality or thoughts. She just...exists, and then does things when prodded. Even her hiding her gender to pass as a man was an utter snooze, she has no problem doing it and it's hardly ever mentioned except when the book wants some forced romance complications. She might as well BE a young gentleman of leisure and no import for all the impact her real identity has.

Overall, a listless offering that doesn't try anything new.

very swashbuckling! new take on pirate genre, look forward to more

I didn't get a chance to read this before it expired on my nook. I'm sorry! I did purchase this, and my own copy is STILL sitting on the shelf for me to one day read!