My Starry Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: Better than I expected, highly original magical system that incorporated bits of the occult that brought a new dimension to the dark academia genre.
What I Learned: There is power in the lunar phase you were born under, that we don’t pay attention to
Publication Date: October 3, 2023 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genres: Dark Academia, Dark Fantasy, Occult Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy
SYNOPSIS:
Ninth House meets A Deadly Education in this gorgeously dark academia fantasy following a teen mage who must unravel the truth behind the secret society that may have been involved in her classmates’ deaths.
Emory might be a student at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, but her healing abilities have always been mediocre at best—until a treacherous night in the Dovermere sea caves leaves a group of her classmates dead and her as the only survivor. Now Emory is plagued by strange, impossible powers that no healer should possess.
Powers that would ruin her life if the wrong person were to discover them.
To gain control of these new abilities, Emory enlists the help of the school’s most reclusive student, Baz—a boy already well-versed in the deadly nature of darker magic, whose sister happened to be one of the drowned students and Emory’s best friend. Determined to find the truth behind the drownings and the cult-like secret society she’s convinced her classmates were involved in, Emory is faced with even more questions when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore— alive —only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths.
And Emory is not the only one seeking answers. When her new magic captures the society’s attention, she finds herself drawn into their world of privilege and power, all while wondering if the truth she’s searching for might lead her right back to Dovermere…to face the fate she was never meant to escape.
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REVIEW:
Curious Tides is a glamorously dark fantasy full of lunar magic, secret societies, love triangles, and dark academia. In this cleverly crafted story, being born under a specific moon phase allows certain individuals access to powers unique to their phase- New Moon, Waxing Crescent, Full Moon, Waning Crescent. Those wishing to learn more about their lunar magic are able to attend Aldryn College (a Hogwarts-esque magical school) helping students to hone their craft. The school is surrounded by the Dovermere Sea, which is home to caves that have something dark and deadly lurking in its depths. It is in the sea caves that one of the story’s protagonists, Emory, awakens something ancient and powerful within her that will have her enlist the help of her shadowy friend Baz, whose own dark magic is curiously tied to the caves. Drownings, tragedies, and strange goings on connected to the caves and college force Emory, Baz, and other students on a quest using rituals, forbidden magic, and esoteric books, to uncover the truth of their powers. With the help of secret societies, mysterious maps, and the pull of the tides, all will become illuminated by the moon’s glow.
The magical system created by the author was ingenious. Combining moon phases with the tides of the sea was a perfect combination as they are both scientifically connected. The magic system of the lunar magic was cleverly crafted as each moon phase corresponded to a particular power that was based off of mystical interpretations of each phase. The college was every dark academia fan’s dream come true, with its moody atmosphere, dark glamour aesthetic, and old books. The world building was very well done, as it never outshone the plot, but rather, supported the intricacies and details of the complex storyline. The plot was layered and wove many silver threads throughout the story that connected in unexpected ways by the end of the book. The characters were well-rounded, interesting, and angsty, and I liked the dual point of view of the story. The book had a story within a story as the author included mythological and literary elements to the imaginary world which enriched the overall plot. The illustrations used throughout were beautiful.
Themes surrounding power, identity, family, friendship, were explored in this dark fantasy, that was full of tension, suspense, and seductive magic.
Harry Potter meets Locke & Key.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Pascale Lacelle is a French-Canadian writer from Ottawa, Ontario. A longtime devourer of books, she started writing her own at the age of 13 and quickly became enthralled by the magic of words. After earning her bachelor’s degree in French Literature, she realized the English language is where her literary heart lies (but please don’t tell any of her French professors that). When not lost in stories, she’s most likely daydreaming about food and travel, playing with her dog Roscoe, or trying to curate the perfect playlist for every mood.
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