These Rebel Waves

This is a book that has parallel stories running through it: the story of Lu and the story of Ben. When this happens, you know as a reader that somehow these seemingly separate stories must be related but often you aren't sure how. Sometimes an author does a good job of bringing the stories together and other times they are not so successful. But this is one of those success stories; Sara Raasch does a brilliant job of weaving the story lines into one.

For me the strongest part of These Rebel Waves were the characters. I am a huge fan of strong character development and Raasch's characters are believable and likeable. Lu is a strong female protagonist. As a girl, her father and mother were rebels fighting for a free world. During the show more rebellion, despite her young age, Lu was a soldier battling for a worthy cause. Now the rebellion is over, she is a young lady but she hasn't forgotten her training, nor has she been able to get over her guilt for all the killing she did early in her life.

Devereux is the perfect foil to Lu. Lighthearted and rebellious, when they are thrown together the reader can't help following their sparring matches with delight.

Over in Agrid, Ben is a different character altogether. In love with the captain of his guard, he will one day rule but is continually hiding his true self from his father. He hides his love affair (not because his lover is a man but because he is lower class), his affinity for magic, and his true beliefs. When Ben's father asks him to start using magic in an effort to cure all disease, Ben is faced with the dilemma of choosing between being labelled a heretic and pleasing his father.

Both storylines have lots of action and adventure combined with mysteries that are unwoven as the story evolves. The climax of the story is fast paced and satisfying. I finished the book wishing there was more to come (which is always the sign of an excellent read). Highly recommend! show less

Initial thoughts: “Sara Raasch’s fantasy about religion versus science, immigration, and governance starts out slowly, probably too slowly for most people. However, once the world-building is complete, the story takes off into a world of intrigue, secrets, and excitement with a cliffhanger ending that is about as cruel as anything Suzanne Collins wrote. I was not certain about the story at first but fell in love with everything about it by the end. Plus, that ending! There are way too many months before the sequel.”

Now: It took me a few minutes to remember the story one month after finishing it, which is always worrisome about the lasting impact of a novel. However, once I jogged my memory, my impressions of These Rebel Waves show more remains favorable. I particularly liked its exploration of PTSD and the idea that plants have magical powers. It is a fun play on the old idea that women who were experts in herbology were witches. I remain impressed by the gender fluidity of various characters and the (as it should be) nonchalance towards LGTBQIA+ relationships. There is always a tendency, especially within adventure stories, for authors to lapse into areas requiring readers to suspend their disbelief in order for things to work for the hero’s story arc, and this particular novel is no different in that regard. However, I do think the good outweighs the bad in These Rebel Waves, and that for those who are willing to stick with it through the painstaking world building will find themselves richly rewarded. show less

This was a book that I really didn’t expect to enjoy nearly as much as I did. The direction that this book went in was also very different from how I thought it would go before I started, and as I was reading, this book.

From the title and the blurb I had thought that this would be about pirates. Which the stream raiders technically are but feel like they aren’t fully. They also aren’t called pirates in the book. I also expected them to use more traditional pirate boats/ships but instead they had steamboats. Which took a bit for me to get my head around ’cause I’ve never read a book before about pirate-like characters using steamboats. It made sense but it was also a “wait-what?” kind of moment.

Also, because the three POV show more characters are all kind of unreliable narrators they don’t know the full extent of what’s going on, ignoring things while trying to block out anything to do with their past and their involvement in the revolution, and because they have secrets that they are trying to hide from other characters. All of this really just made the plot twists so much more shocking. Because these twists and revelations are just as shocking for them as it is for the reader.

For me it really made it up the ante in the last hundred or so pages. It made me feel very tense at times and really kept me on the edge of my seat. I also had to stop reading and pace for a bit. Just so that I could process it bit more. The end felt very fast paced and I really enjoyed just how high staked it felt in the final few chapters and right until the end of this book.

I really loved that every thing wasn’t all laid out and as I was reading I got to learn more alongside the characters, mainly Ben and Lu. I would say that Lu, or Adeluna, is the main character. I really liked her character and thought that she had some really great character development. Because she begins to realise during in this book that she can’t just shed off her past as a soldier and spy during the revolution and move on to a peaceful live because Grace Loray isn’t as peaceful as she has made herself believe. Her decision to become a politician and leave her past behind made her turn a blind eye to just how bad everything still is on the island. It’s not as perfect or peaceful as she had believed.

I also think that Ben and Lu are pretty similar in that they have both grown up as being used as a pawn in the war and have had secrets kept from them. And that they learn the truth behind theses lie during this book. They both have to come to terms with how messed up their countries are. Lu also has to come to terms with just how messed up it was that she was used a child soldier during the war and that her father isn’t who she thought he was.

I thought that the magic system was very simple, as magic comes from plants found on Grace Loray. In a historical sense the magic found on the island is relatively new. So, the full extent of the plants magic hasn’t been reached yet and the newer ways that these plants can be used aren’t known by everyone. There is a book about botanical magic, but it was written about two hundred years ago so it’s a bit out of date and it would seem that no one’s bothered to update it since.

I really liked how dark and scary the Argrid religion is. It’s definitely very dark and controlling, willing to do and eradicate anything and anyone that might try to speak or work against it’s teachings or weaken it’s power and control over the country. Especially as the head of the church is also the king. Their religious might has always been strong enough to control the population without the need of a strong or large military. Which both helped and hindered them when Argrid took control and during the war. But now after loosing Grace Loray they are trying to make it so that their military will be unstoppable

The only thing that I didn’t like about this book was Ben’s earlier chapters were so slow and dull that I was internally shouting “no” because just nothing seemed to happen. His chapters did help to set up the religion and politcal landscape in Argrid, but I felt like his chapters didn’t really move the story forwards until later on in the story. Which is why this is just 0.1 stars off from 5 stars.

One thing that I also really loved was that this book felt very character driven to me. There was a strong plot but it felt very character driven overall. I love books that are more character driven but also have a strong plot which is probably why I loved reading this book so much.

Overall, I really loved this book. I think it will be one of my favourites that I’ve read this year. I am really looking forward to reading the next book, especially after that ending, but it sadly doesn’t come out in the UK until September. But I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next. show less

I listened to this book on audio and it was an enjoyable enough listen. The story was interesting, although at times a bit confusing when I would catch myself paying attention to the task at hand rather than fully paying attention to the story. I will read or listen to the second book in the series, but if I wait to long I will need to reread/listen to this, as it was not memorable enough to really make a lasting impression.

The bones of a good story are present in this book, but for some reason, the tale just didn't come together into a cohesive picture for me. The worldbuilding includes an interesting type of plant-based magic and associated sickness. Combined with a story involving family secrets, betrayal, and at least one good twist I didn't expect, the book just wasn't as compelling as it could have been and I finished it with no desire to read the sequels.

I received a free advanced copy of These Rebel Waves as part of the FFBC Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.

A grim and tragic past lurks. One that trails three children of war–Adeluna “Lu” Andreu, Devereux “Vex” Bell, and Benat “Ben” Gallego–like a shadow waiting to eclipse their hopes for a brighter future. A danger that had once stolen their family, friends, and innocence promises to rise again. These Rebel Waves is a perilous fantastical journey, set in an Inquisition-inspired era, following three teens as they try to navigate the treacherous waters of politics, religion, and war that hangs as heavy as a storm cloud threatening to wash away their freedom and lives.

Eighteen-year-old Lu, a former soldier of the show more Argrid-Grace Loray war turned politician, secretly struggles to cure her friend and fellow survivor as deadly Shaking Sickness racks her body when peace treaty negotiations between the two nations dissolve into chaos. General Ibarra, an Argridian delegate, is missing and presumably abducted by stream raiders, former Grace Lorayan allies during the war. Desperate to prevent another war, Lu takes matters into her own hands, hiring Vex and his crew to find Ibarra before the fog of war can overtake everyone and everything they hold dear.

When their paths collide, notorious stream raider Devereux Bell has his own problems: he and his crew are being harassed by a powerful enemy relentlessly amassing huge stores of Grace Loray’s magical plants. Vex must find a way to break free and master his own fate before a torment from the past claims his life. Ben, crown prince of Argrid, knows all to well the lure and danger of these plants–deemed evil by Argridians’ deity, the Pious God. Yet, Ben cannot shake his desire to study and use them to find a cure for Shaking Sickness, an incurable illness at present that is fraying at his people’s already weakened faith. A desire that destroyed his uncle, cousin, and the lives of countless others who dared defy or resist the Argridian Church and its leader, his father. When his father grants him a chance to prove his worth, Ben cannot help wondering if he can truly rescue his people from oppression, uncertainty, and death, or be branded a heretic and executed for his sins.

With the help of friends and allies, Lu, Vex, and Ben set out to uncover the mystery of their worlds and slowly piece together a sinister plot far beyond anything they could have imagined. As phantoms of their past reemerge and force them to question all they think they know, Lu, Vex, and Ben must join forces if they hope to dismantle a crazed villain’s hold on the island of Grace Loray and the mainland. But can they hope to accomplish much before they drown in pain and sorrow…

Raasch’s story traverses magic-laden waters and human issues plaguing society during the dark age of the Inquisition and even now with skill. It is drenched with the power and fear the dregs of society exploit to exact control, and force their beliefs and desires on others–even under the guise of good intentions. In addition, Raasch depicts the damage different factions and society as a whole often inflicts upon its most vulnerable members–the youths, the ill, and the poor. The physical and emotional abuses as well as the neglect and indifference they suffer, leaving scars both visible and invisible. Yet, throughout it all is the undercurrent of Lu, Vex, and Ben’s resilience, endurance, and determination to right the wrongs the Argridians and other villains have committed in the name of progress, religion, and survival.

Raasch eloquently weaves a complex tale with a third-person narrative, alternating among Lu, Vex, and Ben perspectives. Raasch’s impressive world-building, magic system (based on Grace Lorayan plants), exciting concept of river pirates, and incredible cast of characters all conspire to create a tale that excites the senses (and took over my world until the very last page). These Rebel Waves is a Inquisition-esque fantasy filled to the brim with oppression, deception, and redemption you’ll want to plunge into head first with twists and turns that will keep you guessing.

Rating: 3.5/5

The original review was posted on Absolute Bookishness. show less

Love the title, enjoy the premise, can't say I'm a fan of the book.

My favorite POV was that of Vex, but not for any swash-buckling swagger. No, his sections illustrate how. stinking. cool. Adeluna actually is. Prim politician? Anti-war healer? Nah. She's a Daughter of the REvoLUtion, master of plants and sneaking and combat, survivor of nameless torments.

But of course none of this really came through in Lu's (Adeluna's) POV. That was filled with the repetitive internal dialogue regarding Lu's evolving opinions on the struggling new government and the marginalized stream-raider people.

Poor Benat really got the short end of the story. His sections were more repetitive than Lu's.

That said, there were a number of stellar scenes and fun show more instances of banter throughout the story, but they were drowned out in the overall repetitive narrative. show less