The Pirate's Wish (The Assassin's Curse #2) by Cassandra Rose Clarke - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Pirate's Wish
Author: Cassandra Rose Clark
Year Published: 2013

My Pre-Reading
My The Assassin's Curse Review

Synopsis: After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.


Review: This book picks up pretty much where The Assassin's Curse left off, and I really appreciated that. It didn't feel like diving into the story right in the middle; instead, it felt like we were just picking up right where we left off. Getting back into the dialect was a little rough, but I still think it adds to the story and to understanding Ananna, and anyone who has read The Assassin's Curse really won't mind it at all. 

I still love Naji, and I'm so glad that he and Ananna are finally able to work through their differences and figure everything out in order to break the curse. Plus, they enlist the help of some old friends and we get to learn more about people like Marjani. I love when we're reintroduced to old characters in such a way that they become completely new, and Clark does an excellent job with that. And, we get to meet awesome new characters, like the chimera. I loved her, and her family. 

The way that Naji and Ananna end up completing all three impossible tasks is absolutely fantastic. The last one seemed like a huge stretch and kind of thrown together, but I guess anything is possible in this world. Plus, it does tie in to the rest of the story, so it ended up being alright. Nothing else really seems too strained or too far-fetched, especially considering the world. And even though we already know quite about the world, there's still a great deal of awesome world-building that goes on. 

Originally, I thought this was a trilogy. It is, in fact, a duology, so everything is pretty much wrapped up by the end, which is actually kind of nice. There are going to be two more books set in the same world, so I'm really looking forward to that! And two short stories so far, set before The Assassin's Curse. I would totally recommend this series to anyone who likes fantasy, adventure, magic, and all that jazz. Plus, this book specifically to anyone who read The Assassin's Curse! Trust me, you don't want to miss this fantastic ending. 4/5!


--Ashley