I recently had the opportunity to read Mara Rutherford’s debut, Crown of Coral and Pearl. Thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity! This is a book with a unique setting and an interesting premise. Although, for me, it started out a little slow, the last 2/3rds of the book kept me enthralled and I wanted to read more! I definitely want to read the sequel when it comes out.
Nor and Zadie are born at sea to a people who live their entire lives at sea: at gunpoint. The only way they’ll ever be able to set foot on land is if they are deemed to be the most beautiful girl in a generation and are sent to land to marry the prince. As a child, Nor dreamed of going, but a scar that she received on her cheek dashed those hopes.
Her identical twin sister, on the other hand… doesn’t have that scar… but she’d rather stay at sea and marry her boyfriend. We have a mess on our hands here!
Eventually, Nor actually does got (impersonating Zadie), but once she gets to the palace and meets Ceren, her husband-to-be, things aren’t exactly as she’d hope them to be. Not only is Ceren a jerk, there’s also some political intrigue going on, that we find out more about as the story progresses.
The Setting
One of the things that stand out to me the most in Crown of Coral and Pearl is the setting. I don’t know if I’ve read any book before where the main characters live at sea their whole lives, never to set foot on land. It makes a completely different culture than I’m used to. This is different than a story that takes place on a ship, because they swim or take a boat between houseboats, and frequently jump in the water to dive for oysters. The setting of the palace, once we get there, is also fairly unique, but I won’t describe it here and ruin the surprise.
The Story
I also enjoyed the story, although it started out slow for me. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was the isolation of the community itself, and the silly mindset that came with the people there, that beauty was really the only thing that mattered in a girl. The book picked up considerably when Nor, disguised as Zadie, reaches the palace. I enjoyed her interactions with the people there more than I did at sea. And the end! It was incredible. I already added the next book, Kingdom of Sea and Stone, to my Goodreads TBR.
Conclusion
With its unique setting and premise, Mara Rutherford’s debut, Crown of Coral and Pearl, is worth checking out. Even though the beginning started off a little slow, the last part of the book was exciting, and the next book should be just as good!