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Orphans of the Tide #2
Shipwreck Island
The adventure continues in the sequel to Orphans of the Tide.
Orphans Ellie and Seth have crossed an endless ocean in search of freedom and peace.
Arriving on the shores of a colourful tropical island ruled by a mysterious queen, it seems they might just have found the perfect new home.
But there is trouble brewing in paradise and soon Ellie and Seth find themselves caught up in a dangerous struggle for power - and forced to confront terrible truths from their past . . .
Orphans Ellie and Seth have crossed an endless ocean in search of freedom and peace.
Arriving on the shores of a colourful tropical island ruled by a mysterious queen, it seems they might just have found the perfect new home.
But there is trouble brewing in paradise and soon Ellie and Seth find themselves caught up in a dangerous struggle for power - and forced to confront terrible truths from their past . . .
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2021
21 people are currently reading
2160 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
April 22, 2021
This is the second instalment in the Orphans of the Tide series.
Orphans, Ellie and Seth, have left the city in which they met behind, for adventures at sea and on another land. Everything about their new environments is new to them, and they become different people, themselves, in the act of discovering them. Ellie can only hope they aren't growing apart as they grow-up, whilst Seth seems entirely unaware and dismissive of her concerns and of her person.
Despite focusing on a series of fantastical problems and action-packed issues, just like the first instalment, this also felt like a far more emotional read. Much of this is initially focused on Ellie's feelings of displacement in their new setting, which only became heightened when Seth's character altered soon after they arrived there. This featured a more fantastical conclusion to these problems, but I can imagine many younger readers experiencing the same emotions that Ellie was working through, for much of this book. This, therefore, proved as instructive and relatable as it did magical and whimsical. I have, so far, whole-heartedly loved adventuring to other worlds in this series!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Struan Murray, and the publisher, Puffin, for this opportunity.
Orphans, Ellie and Seth, have left the city in which they met behind, for adventures at sea and on another land. Everything about their new environments is new to them, and they become different people, themselves, in the act of discovering them. Ellie can only hope they aren't growing apart as they grow-up, whilst Seth seems entirely unaware and dismissive of her concerns and of her person.
Despite focusing on a series of fantastical problems and action-packed issues, just like the first instalment, this also felt like a far more emotional read. Much of this is initially focused on Ellie's feelings of displacement in their new setting, which only became heightened when Seth's character altered soon after they arrived there. This featured a more fantastical conclusion to these problems, but I can imagine many younger readers experiencing the same emotions that Ellie was working through, for much of this book. This, therefore, proved as instructive and relatable as it did magical and whimsical. I have, so far, whole-heartedly loved adventuring to other worlds in this series!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Struan Murray, and the publisher, Puffin, for this opportunity.
April 12, 2021
Wow wow wow! This was just as amazing, if not more so, than the 1st! So blown away my this world, the storyline, the characters, the uniqueness, & the amazing writing! Can’t say much about the storyline of this, but I love how 1 book focuses on people fearing a God, & the other focuses on people who worship a God..which in some cases whether in fiction or real life, some amount of fear comes w/both aspects regardless. This also shows in a couple different ways that appearances can be deceiving-what may look like paradise, or look beautiful, or appear nice..May all be hiding something that’s the truth, & not so much paradise, beauty, or nice. I didn’t know what to think or who to trust. Just when I thought I knew what was going on..nope! Lol So many twists & turns yet again-maybe more in this 1-made me fly threw this as well. So fast-paced. The characters are so great, & you really fall in love w/them. There are new ones to also fall in love w/in this-& Molworth has my heart, he is wonderfully cynical, always seems in a bad mood-but you can’t help but love him. Seth also has my heart still..I stay worried & rooting for him-same goes for Ellie..such an intelligent, brilliant, brave, resilient, messy, shy, people pleasing force of a girl. I also love the chapters in both books that are sprinkled in from the past, that foreshadow in a way what will happen, & help make sense of things & bring them full circle. The twist at the end truly shocked me, blew my mind, & had me speechless at the amount of talent the author has to pull that off-make it believable, & totally change my thought process w/o a second thought. Unique & brilliant writing, & the best world & character building. “Gripping” & “Enthralling” are prefect descriptions indeed! Highly recommend these books. I can’t wait for the 3rd book! Especially after that epic ending. Another gorgeous cover & illustrations sprinkled throughout by Manuel Šumberac too!💜
February 21, 2022
¿Pero POR QUÉ NO ESTÁ TODO EL MUNDO HABLANDO DE ESTOS LIBROS? Qué pasada de trama, de evolución en los personajes, de sorpresas… es que wow.
March 11, 2022
Tras mucho tiempo navegando, Ellie y Seth llegan a una frondosa isla gobernada por una misteriosa reina, y piensan que han encontrado un lugar al que llamar hogar. Sin embargo, los problemas parecen seguirlos a todas partes, y se verán ambos envueltos en una lucha de poder, y afectados por secretos del pasado que nadie ha logrado enterrar...
Bua, es que menudo subidón ha sido leer este libro; hubiera gritado una y mil veces mientras lo leía, de lo emocionante y sorprendente que ha resultado. Ha sido todo un viaje de principio a fin.
En esta ocasión, no solamente nos reencontramos con Ellie y Seth, sino que descubrimos nuevos personajes, como la reina, nuevos amigos y... nuevos enemigos. Pero es que, encima, han crecido, evolucionado, y conseguimos conocerlos más en profundidad, viendo cómo sus sentimientos se transforman, y les afectan a lo largo de toda la novela, ¡pero es que encima es tan fácil conectar con ellos! Le tengo mucho cariño a la pobre Ellie, y sufro con ella por todo a lo que tiene que enfrentarse.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
Bua, es que menudo subidón ha sido leer este libro; hubiera gritado una y mil veces mientras lo leía, de lo emocionante y sorprendente que ha resultado. Ha sido todo un viaje de principio a fin.
En esta ocasión, no solamente nos reencontramos con Ellie y Seth, sino que descubrimos nuevos personajes, como la reina, nuevos amigos y... nuevos enemigos. Pero es que, encima, han crecido, evolucionado, y conseguimos conocerlos más en profundidad, viendo cómo sus sentimientos se transforman, y les afectan a lo largo de toda la novela, ¡pero es que encima es tan fácil conectar con ellos! Le tengo mucho cariño a la pobre Ellie, y sufro con ella por todo a lo que tiene que enfrentarse.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
February 8, 2021
Dan: OH MY GOOD GOD! If you thought Orphan's of the Tide was good, then you are in for REAL treat with the next installment! For Year 6+ and with similar strengths as the first book, the character exploration and development are excellent here, along with the air of menace permeating everything. There are certainly moments of sweetness, light, and humour, but there are also moments of darkness that were certainly creepy and slightly scary. There are characters to love and to hate and the plot whistles by with twists, turns and reveals aplenty. An outstanding 2nd book in the series and I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. for Book number 3!
April 14, 2021
Sequel to the excellent "Orphans of the Tide," this book picks up where the last left off. Ellie and Seth have left their island behind after defeating The Enemy and leaving the inquisition behind. But trouble follows them to the new island they reach. An island where all is not well. Crops are failing, fishing yields are down. People are growing hungry and discontent is brewing, ably helped by dark political machinations.
This is a very well constructed story, with great breadth of imagination and a wonderfully clever, dark and menacing plot, offset with a wonderful sense of humour. The characters are interesting and well created. The author writes well and this series is definitely one that is worth reading.
In term of my feelings about this book - it was not quite as captivating as the first. That is largely "secondbook syndrome". The resolution of book one was so good that it would have been hard to beat anyhow, but this is still a very finely done tale that I enjoyed very much.
This is a very well constructed story, with great breadth of imagination and a wonderfully clever, dark and menacing plot, offset with a wonderful sense of humour. The characters are interesting and well created. The author writes well and this series is definitely one that is worth reading.
In term of my feelings about this book - it was not quite as captivating as the first. That is largely "secondbook syndrome". The resolution of book one was so good that it would have been hard to beat anyhow, but this is still a very finely done tale that I enjoyed very much.
March 14, 2021
I cannot even begin to explain how incredible this book is. Not only is Struan Murray a miraculous wordsmith, whose descriptions are so effortless yet elaborate, he is also the most brilliant story teller. There are so many twists and turns in this book that completely took me by surprise and had me desperate to read on. The characters, old and new, were wonderfully developed and complex. The ending has left me desperate for book 3. He is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors of all time. 100 stars given if possible!
August 2, 2025
shaking, crying, sobbing, throwing up, jumping out a window,
2022 popsugar reading challenge: A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid
2022 popsugar reading challenge: A book with a protagonist who uses a mobility aid
October 31, 2025
I was literally stuck to the very edge of my seat the whole time I was reading this book. It was so GOOD in an addicting way, where you just cant do anything else. You think you want to do something, and then this book happens to you.
OH MY GOD.
Tell me why I want to kill every character in this book?
Uffff. Frustrated and so flipping hanging on to the cliff because of the flipping cliffhanger.
Someone needs to do scientific research and show authors how much their books affect reader's capacities to think. And feel. SO FLIPPIN' ANGRY.
Here's why I want to kill everyone(so you know my anger is justified bc Im a very nice person actually):
Like first of all, WHAT WAS KATE?! WHAT SORRY EXCUSE OF A CHARACTER WAS THAT DAUGHTER OF A I was so so so confused throughout the book which is proof that Struan Murray has done the best job ever writing such an amazing series of books. First, as Kate, I thought she was weird and I didn't like her because she acted all different and I felt like she was trying to use Ellie somehow. And then the *censored content because of bad language bc I'm swearing. Think of the worst word you know to fill this gap* goes and tells Ellie that she is the flipping And then it takes me some time to get used to the idea, but then I start warming up to her because I feel like Ellie needed a friend and Kate needed a friend so wow, look, this is all working out pretty well. And THEN of course Kate cant sit down and she has to share her secret that SO then I feel bad for Kate and I start having a soft spot for her bc shes pretty small and has to lead the whole island and everyone is looking up to her and I thought she was genuinely concerned about her people and trying to do the best for them and yada yada, whereas she is a flipping And then, not only does she So, permission to KILL?! (hell yeah)
Ellie. DUDE. One of the reasons why I like her in the first place is because she has this stupid personality of caring too much for people and not nearly enough about her and not knowing how to communicate her emotions to others and all that. So it makes sense when she is stupid enough to not sit down and do something but instead end up, oh, just befriending But bro. Please. Permission to kill. BECAUSE towards the end of the book when
And Viola. Yep. I decided she was gonna die the day she started getting too friendly with Seth. Like hands off, VIOLA. HES MINE.
Seth. Oh my baby. I wanna kill him for so so so many reasons. Starting with: DUDE, you have a tongue. WHY can you not use it properly to just have a normal and actually straighforward conversation with Ellie?! Why do they always end up having the most randomest misunderstandings ever? And dude I can tell you like her and shes important to you. So how about you be a MAN and for once in your life, just tell her how you feel. Because, oh, I don't know, shes just risking her life here and there trying to keep you safe?!. (no, but genuinely, the two of them together are so funny. Like remember the time the whale brooch thing happened?)
Okay if I keep writing further, Im afraid someone might turn up at my doorstep to kill me instead.
But thank you so much, Mr Murray. You have made my day very very stressful (in a good way) reading these book series. Please write more stuff like this. :D
OH MY GOD.
Tell me why I want to kill every character in this book?
Uffff. Frustrated and so flipping hanging on to the cliff because of the flipping cliffhanger.
Someone needs to do scientific research and show authors how much their books affect reader's capacities to think. And feel. SO FLIPPIN' ANGRY.
Here's why I want to kill everyone(so you know my anger is justified bc Im a very nice person actually):
Like first of all, WHAT WAS KATE?! WHAT SORRY EXCUSE OF A CHARACTER WAS THAT DAUGHTER OF A I was so so so confused throughout the book which is proof that Struan Murray has done the best job ever writing such an amazing series of books. First, as Kate, I thought she was weird and I didn't like her because she acted all different and I felt like she was trying to use Ellie somehow. And then the *censored content because of bad language bc I'm swearing. Think of the worst word you know to fill this gap* goes and tells Ellie that she is the flipping And then it takes me some time to get used to the idea, but then I start warming up to her because I feel like Ellie needed a friend and Kate needed a friend so wow, look, this is all working out pretty well. And THEN of course Kate cant sit down and she has to share her secret that SO then I feel bad for Kate and I start having a soft spot for her bc shes pretty small and has to lead the whole island and everyone is looking up to her and I thought she was genuinely concerned about her people and trying to do the best for them and yada yada, whereas she is a flipping And then, not only does she So, permission to KILL?! (hell yeah)
Ellie. DUDE. One of the reasons why I like her in the first place is because she has this stupid personality of caring too much for people and not nearly enough about her and not knowing how to communicate her emotions to others and all that. So it makes sense when she is stupid enough to not sit down and do something but instead end up, oh, just befriending But bro. Please. Permission to kill. BECAUSE towards the end of the book when
And Viola. Yep. I decided she was gonna die the day she started getting too friendly with Seth. Like hands off, VIOLA. HES MINE.
Seth. Oh my baby. I wanna kill him for so so so many reasons. Starting with: DUDE, you have a tongue. WHY can you not use it properly to just have a normal and actually straighforward conversation with Ellie?! Why do they always end up having the most randomest misunderstandings ever? And dude I can tell you like her and shes important to you. So how about you be a MAN and for once in your life, just tell her how you feel. Because, oh, I don't know, shes just risking her life here and there trying to keep you safe?!. (no, but genuinely, the two of them together are so funny. Like remember the time the whale brooch thing happened?)
Okay if I keep writing further, Im afraid someone might turn up at my doorstep to kill me instead.
But thank you so much, Mr Murray. You have made my day very very stressful (in a good way) reading these book series. Please write more stuff like this. :D
September 21, 2024
I don’t even remember the process of reading this book because I devoured it in a blink of an eye. What a great sequel to an already phenomenal first book of the trilogy.
The atmosphere was the exact opposite to the Orphans of the Tide, where we had gloom and murkiness as a forever lingering fog, unable to shake it down. The Shipwreck island is a sunny, positive place where Ellie and Seth are hoping to find their good beginning of a peaceful life.
I loved that even though there was the Enemy lurking in the background, popping out of nowhere like a bad dream reminding Ellie (and me) that it is forever present, the main focus was on the Queen, Loren and even Hargrath.
Kate was an interesting character. The writer did a great job in fooling the readers, putting the MCs against each other hence having the readers troubled as to whom trust. Loved that! The ending was quite the shock, she had a character development that I wasn’t predicting at all!
Already reading the third book as I’m writing this and I can’t wait to get back to it!
The atmosphere was the exact opposite to the Orphans of the Tide, where we had gloom and murkiness as a forever lingering fog, unable to shake it down. The Shipwreck island is a sunny, positive place where Ellie and Seth are hoping to find their good beginning of a peaceful life.
I loved that even though there was the Enemy lurking in the background, popping out of nowhere like a bad dream reminding Ellie (and me) that it is forever present, the main focus was on the Queen, Loren and even Hargrath.
Kate was an interesting character. The writer did a great job in fooling the readers, putting the MCs against each other hence having the readers troubled as to whom trust. Loved that! The ending was quite the shock, she had a character development that I wasn’t predicting at all!
Already reading the third book as I’m writing this and I can’t wait to get back to it!
June 5, 2025
Ellie got on my nerves a fair bit in this 😭 anxious to see how the story concludes in the final book
September 19, 2023
I read the first book in this series Orphans of the Tide 2+ years ago and loved it! I thought it was so wise and there are still days now where I think back fondly to it. I don't know why I'd put off reading the sequel for so long but the good news is that it definitely lives up to the first one! This honestly ended up being such a comfort read for me. The writing is SO good and and felt like a breath of fresh air. The story was raw and dark at times but the characters brought a life and energy that expertly balanced this out.
There were a lot of familiar themes and characters from book one but some new topics were explored too like how hard it can be to start over in a new place as well as the disappointment that comes when it turns out it's not quite what you were expecting. Then of course there's the star of the book, Ellie, who is my soulmate. I just saw so much of myself in her, especially in looking back on the past year of my life. If you are looking for a new middle grade series with a great story that also goes a bit deeper than most of the ones being published nowadays, this will become your newest obsession!! Finale here I come 🥳
There were a lot of familiar themes and characters from book one but some new topics were explored too like how hard it can be to start over in a new place as well as the disappointment that comes when it turns out it's not quite what you were expecting. Then of course there's the star of the book, Ellie, who is my soulmate. I just saw so much of myself in her, especially in looking back on the past year of my life. If you are looking for a new middle grade series with a great story that also goes a bit deeper than most of the ones being published nowadays, this will become your newest obsession!! Finale here I come 🥳
December 17, 2022
I liked, but didn’t love, the first book in the Orphans of the Tide series but this second instalment was fantastic! Ellie and Seth have escaped from the enemy and arrive on Shipwreck Island. There a mysterious queen who is said to have life bringing powers rules over her people, but when crops start to fail, her power is challenged. Ellie befriends her and tries to use her skill in invention to help but nothing seems to go quite right.
Having already established the world really well in book one, this was a cleverly plotted and engrossing adventure. There were enough reminders of the world that everything flowed seamlessly and it was easy to recall what had already happened.
I liked that the characters were flawed and made mistakes (particularly Ellie) as this meant she seemed more real and would be more relatable to the readers.
An excellent fantasy novel - struck just the right tone for this age group.
Having already established the world really well in book one, this was a cleverly plotted and engrossing adventure. There were enough reminders of the world that everything flowed seamlessly and it was easy to recall what had already happened.
I liked that the characters were flawed and made mistakes (particularly Ellie) as this meant she seemed more real and would be more relatable to the readers.
An excellent fantasy novel - struck just the right tone for this age group.
February 7, 2021
Full review to follow.
March 7, 2021
Tirelessly captivating
April 5, 2021
Absolutely loved this book but it ends on a huge cliffhanger, how am I supposed to wait for the next book !!!
November 19, 2024
This is the second book in the series and I really should have reviewed the first but the tagline that I had in my spreadsheet was "the fun sort of predictable", which was enough to entice me back for more.
The main character is a girl with a crippled foot who is an inventor. She is talented at drawing and building machines and wears the coat that used to be her mother's (it has a lot of pockets - holding with my cliché of modern children's fantasy that all heroic girls have clothes with pockets).
Her best friend is a lad she called Seth who she .. pulled out of a whale (which she was lancing so that it didn't rot and explode whale guts everywhere.. she's very practical).
In their world there has been a "Great Drowning"; sea levels rose and turned continents into archipelagos. It is said that gods can dwell within a mortal host until they get enough power to manifest their own body, and this has happened before with both miraculous and disastrous outcomes.
I have stated in the past that I like prophesies but in this story, that place is held by visions of old memory from an amnesiac character. This fills the gap I like, that gives the story piecemeal hints and clues to what is going on, and that helps to guide the story.
I do love that this is a book written for middle grade readers, so it is easy to follow the plot, but the characters are complex and nuanced enough that they drive the story with their own motivations. It's truly entertaining and has plot twists that are reasonably foreshadowed without being ridiculously obvious. Often I notice the set up of something but I'm still pleasantly surprised to see what happens when the trap is sprung. The story is constructed pleasingly, without being a convoluted Rube Goldberg machine of moving parts.
Some of the vibe of this story was similar to Deeplight by Frances Hardinge, but this is more aimed at a younger audience.
Although this isn't literary masterpiece it's been one of the more enjoyable reads I've had for a while. I have the third one waiting in my to-read pile for later in the week!
The main character is a girl with a crippled foot who is an inventor. She is talented at drawing and building machines and wears the coat that used to be her mother's (it has a lot of pockets - holding with my cliché of modern children's fantasy that all heroic girls have clothes with pockets).
Her best friend is a lad she called Seth who she .. pulled out of a whale (which she was lancing so that it didn't rot and explode whale guts everywhere.. she's very practical).
In their world there has been a "Great Drowning"; sea levels rose and turned continents into archipelagos. It is said that gods can dwell within a mortal host until they get enough power to manifest their own body, and this has happened before with both miraculous and disastrous outcomes.
I have stated in the past that I like prophesies but in this story, that place is held by visions of old memory from an amnesiac character. This fills the gap I like, that gives the story piecemeal hints and clues to what is going on, and that helps to guide the story.
I do love that this is a book written for middle grade readers, so it is easy to follow the plot, but the characters are complex and nuanced enough that they drive the story with their own motivations. It's truly entertaining and has plot twists that are reasonably foreshadowed without being ridiculously obvious. Often I notice the set up of something but I'm still pleasantly surprised to see what happens when the trap is sprung. The story is constructed pleasingly, without being a convoluted Rube Goldberg machine of moving parts.
Some of the vibe of this story was similar to Deeplight by Frances Hardinge, but this is more aimed at a younger audience.
Although this isn't literary masterpiece it's been one of the more enjoyable reads I've had for a while. I have the third one waiting in my to-read pile for later in the week!
July 13, 2024
Note: I read this book at the wrong stage of my life. If I'd read it when I was between 9 and 12, I daresay I would have enjoyed it more. Reading it now in my mid 50s, it doesn't have such appeal. That's not a criticism of the author, it's more of a statement about myself. I would signpost this book to middle grade and YA readers.
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I wasn't able to get hold of the first book in this series but there are enough references to previous events for me to fill in the gaps.
The world-building is skilfully done. I love the concept of innocent (or mostly innocent) humans as vessels for the Gods. The struggle for control between vessel and God makes for intriguing reading.
The characters are entertaining and well-developed. Their banter is witty and fun. I like the fact that there are morally grey characters as well as clear-cut villains and heroes.
The plot kept me interested the whole way through. Morals and ethics are explored in a way that doesn't present as overly preachy. Basic political concepts are introduced which I hope will make the target audience think and learn. The vagaries of friendships made and friendships lost are dealt with in a sympathetic manner.
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I wasn't able to get hold of the first book in this series but there are enough references to previous events for me to fill in the gaps.
The world-building is skilfully done. I love the concept of innocent (or mostly innocent) humans as vessels for the Gods. The struggle for control between vessel and God makes for intriguing reading.
The characters are entertaining and well-developed. Their banter is witty and fun. I like the fact that there are morally grey characters as well as clear-cut villains and heroes.
The plot kept me interested the whole way through. Morals and ethics are explored in a way that doesn't present as overly preachy. Basic political concepts are introduced which I hope will make the target audience think and learn. The vagaries of friendships made and friendships lost are dealt with in a sympathetic manner.
August 25, 2025
Add this to the list of middle grade books that absolutely slap even as an adult because DANG. Murray’s prose and worldbuilding is just so fantastic and this book really just takes everything great about Orphans of the Tide and builds on it. The lore we get around both Ellie, Seth, and new character Kate is so incredibly gripping and adds to their characters. The Ellie and Kate dynamic in particular was incredible to read, and really punched me in the gut by the end. Loren was an enjoyably smug antagonist, Viola an endearing friend (my one complaint was that we don’t get more of her since she’s the only one on the money from jump), and Molworth is the funniest character in the book. WHO is letting this twelve year old run a hotel, someone please give this kid a juice box and a break. This cast of characters endeared me even more than the first, and Ellie and Seth were both engaging in this story as well—though I do think the singular Ellie PoV made Seth’s story/development take a bit of a backseat at times (like I would’ve wanted Seth PoV of his friendship with Viola or the drowning), though it was effective with what we did have. Whenever book 3 comes out I am READY.
March 14, 2023
I stayed up late because I had to finish this. I needed to know what had happened. Ellie and Seth have been through so much already after all of the tidings of the first book. I really wanted a respite here in the second book, but we know that adventures make for drama and so they won't get a sunny vacation day at the beach.
Thankfully Murray gives us more details of Seth's past though they are painful and I was shocked. I love it when an author catches me by surprise. Murray is so gifted at the twisty turns of storytelling and taking a reader all over before leading them in a completely unexpected direction. Our characters go through so much here on this very different island, and I ended up loving them all the more. New villains crop up and so much is unexpected. I am still thinking this all through. (I did stay up frightfully late.) Making villains attractive is such a wonderfully wicked thing to do. Bother, I am afraid that I've spoiled it so I shall stop. Very much looking forward to the 3rd book when it arrives here.
Thankfully Murray gives us more details of Seth's past though they are painful and I was shocked. I love it when an author catches me by surprise. Murray is so gifted at the twisty turns of storytelling and taking a reader all over before leading them in a completely unexpected direction. Our characters go through so much here on this very different island, and I ended up loving them all the more. New villains crop up and so much is unexpected. I am still thinking this all through. (I did stay up frightfully late.) Making villains attractive is such a wonderfully wicked thing to do. Bother, I am afraid that I've spoiled it so I shall stop. Very much looking forward to the 3rd book when it arrives here.
January 15, 2023
"Orphans Ellie and Seth have crossed an endless ocean in search of freedom and peace.
Arriving on the shores of a colourful tropical island ruled by a mysterious queen, it seems they might just have found the perfect new home.
But there is trouble brewing in paradise and soon Ellie and Seth find themselves caught up in a dangerous struggle for power - and forced to confront terrible truths from their past . . ."
The first Orphans of the Tide book absolutely blew me away. The uniqueness, the characters, the plot...oh my word. I found every single page incredible. I desperately awaited the sequel.
It didn't disappoint. Now in a new setting, there are different obstacles to overcome, ones that really threaten their friendship and ones that threaten their lives!
It had everything that the first book had - excitement, thrills, devastation, joy... Struan Murray is a force and I can't wait for book 3.
Arriving on the shores of a colourful tropical island ruled by a mysterious queen, it seems they might just have found the perfect new home.
But there is trouble brewing in paradise and soon Ellie and Seth find themselves caught up in a dangerous struggle for power - and forced to confront terrible truths from their past . . ."
The first Orphans of the Tide book absolutely blew me away. The uniqueness, the characters, the plot...oh my word. I found every single page incredible. I desperately awaited the sequel.
It didn't disappoint. Now in a new setting, there are different obstacles to overcome, ones that really threaten their friendship and ones that threaten their lives!
It had everything that the first book had - excitement, thrills, devastation, joy... Struan Murray is a force and I can't wait for book 3.
March 16, 2023
Just as good as the first! Missed Anna, but got Molworth, who was hilarious. Loved the contrast between these two islands, one fearing the god's Vessel, and this one worshipping theirs. Kate is a cool new character, I'll be curious to see where that goes in the final book... the balance with her character was very interesting and well done.
Still don't love that there are no rules or limitations to the whole god thing, especially when it comes to Seth (what can he do, when is it too much for him, why is Ellie the one who is so special to him...), but also regarding all the things the Enemy can do .
Still don't love that there are no rules or limitations to the whole god thing, especially when it comes to Seth (what can he do, when is it too much for him, why is Ellie the one who is so special to him...), but also regarding all the things the Enemy can do .
June 17, 2023
Absolutely enjoyed reading this and couldn't put it down.
I'm really sad for Ellie, nothing seems to go right for her. There were twists and turns I did not expect, and the characters had depth and complexity to them which is surprising for YA.
I can't wait to read book 3.
I'm really sad for Ellie, nothing seems to go right for her. There were twists and turns I did not expect, and the characters had depth and complexity to them which is surprising for YA.
I can't wait to read book 3.
October 19, 2024
Aaaaaa! I'm so happy with how it turned out and the cliff hanger is too much! I need the third! That's all I have to say, no words could describe how amazing this book is, just have to read it yourself 😉
November 3, 2025
oh my lord that ending made the entire first half entirely better on the reread.
this was praise i had for the first installment of this trilogy, but murray is extremely competent in creating believable societies. the colloquial speech "praise her" and subtle diction capitalizing She and Her were simple but effective ways to show the cultural teachings of shipwreck island.
the whole book in general was a great inspection of the way a society behaves. loren was a great example of how press can affect politics and how public opinion can be extremely influential to those in power. we don't often see that in fantasy, as most power comes from the magic system.
kate was a fantastic character, sensible motivations but senseless execution. she paralleled ellie nicely, an orphaned queen who longs to be a vessel and an orphaned inventor who longs to be rid of her god, but what truly made her character shine was her presence as queen. the way the townspeople revered her foreshadowing both her devotion and deception for her kingdom. it was whiplash when she alternated between being her citizen persona and her official persona, so much so that by the end of the book you feel simultaneously like ellie's fallout with what was supposed to be her best friend felt like a fallout with a stranger.
but what i really adored this time around was ellie and seth. a god who's chased by the past as he chases after the future and a vessel who's chased by the future, shielding herself with the past. on reread i could fully appreciate their dynamic, how the author allows them to fight and make up (more believably as twelve-year-olds in this book, also, seeing as the whole island is going hungry their less rational decisions are contextualized). i was pulling out my hair in frustration with them at first, but i'm glad i stuck it out because what annoyed me on the first read now rereads as strategic manipulation. because the enemy is temporarily defeated following the events of this book's predecessor, it's only on the second read you remember what made the enemy a threat.
i think in general the cast of this book was stronger and more developed, i loved anna but in comparison to viola, kate, loren, and even leila/varu/the crone? yeah murray stepped up his game.
another thing i definitely should've talked about but for some reason didn't in my review of the first book, the little excerpts from leila's diary were 1000x better than the excerpts from claude hester-whatever. in one breath i downplay the first book's excerpts, but honestly both books masterfully interweave the excepts into the story, telling a parallel tale that eventually overlaps with the current narrative in some clever way. it's just done so smartly i can do nothing but applaude.
the only slight i had while reading was the treatment of finn's character (oops, spoilers). in the first book in we saw past interactions with dialogue and memories set in a scene that helped us buy into ellie's care for her brother, but in this book his presence was reduced to describing his appearance, memories more summary than substance, and we didn't get that tangible read on the person he used to be to ellie. it made him feel more disembodied, and ellie using him as a defense against the enemy ended up feeling cheaper than it did in the first book.
actually, that's not true, i also wasn't sure how to feel about ellie's supposed fragility. the cane and sling are liberally mentioned, as some of the feats ellie pulls off can't realistically be achieved by a frail girl whose inner god supposedly prevents her healing, while other times it does feel genuinely debilitating. it could've been good disability representation, but it also can't be.
with that being said, onto the next book i go!
this was praise i had for the first installment of this trilogy, but murray is extremely competent in creating believable societies. the colloquial speech "praise her" and subtle diction capitalizing She and Her were simple but effective ways to show the cultural teachings of shipwreck island.
the whole book in general was a great inspection of the way a society behaves. loren was a great example of how press can affect politics and how public opinion can be extremely influential to those in power. we don't often see that in fantasy, as most power comes from the magic system.
kate was a fantastic character, sensible motivations but senseless execution. she paralleled ellie nicely, an orphaned queen who longs to be a vessel and an orphaned inventor who longs to be rid of her god, but what truly made her character shine was her presence as queen. the way the townspeople revered her foreshadowing both her devotion and deception for her kingdom. it was whiplash when she alternated between being her citizen persona and her official persona, so much so that by the end of the book you feel simultaneously like ellie's fallout with what was supposed to be her best friend felt like a fallout with a stranger.
but what i really adored this time around was ellie and seth. a god who's chased by the past as he chases after the future and a vessel who's chased by the future, shielding herself with the past. on reread i could fully appreciate their dynamic, how the author allows them to fight and make up (more believably as twelve-year-olds in this book, also, seeing as the whole island is going hungry their less rational decisions are contextualized). i was pulling out my hair in frustration with them at first, but i'm glad i stuck it out because what annoyed me on the first read now rereads as strategic manipulation. because the enemy is temporarily defeated following the events of this book's predecessor, it's only on the second read you remember what made the enemy a threat.
i think in general the cast of this book was stronger and more developed, i loved anna but in comparison to viola, kate, loren, and even leila/varu/the crone? yeah murray stepped up his game.
another thing i definitely should've talked about but for some reason didn't in my review of the first book, the little excerpts from leila's diary were 1000x better than the excerpts from claude hester-whatever. in one breath i downplay the first book's excerpts, but honestly both books masterfully interweave the excepts into the story, telling a parallel tale that eventually overlaps with the current narrative in some clever way. it's just done so smartly i can do nothing but applaude.
the only slight i had while reading was the treatment of finn's character (oops, spoilers). in the first book in we saw past interactions with dialogue and memories set in a scene that helped us buy into ellie's care for her brother, but in this book his presence was reduced to describing his appearance, memories more summary than substance, and we didn't get that tangible read on the person he used to be to ellie. it made him feel more disembodied, and ellie using him as a defense against the enemy ended up feeling cheaper than it did in the first book.
actually, that's not true, i also wasn't sure how to feel about ellie's supposed fragility. the cane and sling are liberally mentioned, as some of the feats ellie pulls off can't realistically be achieved by a frail girl whose inner god supposedly prevents her healing, while other times it does feel genuinely debilitating. it could've been good disability representation, but it also can't be.
with that being said, onto the next book i go!
Read
January 1, 2023I don't think I'm smart enough for this book series. Lol. Trying to stay focused on this storyline, but it's not that exciting. Lost interest. Is it a split personality story or what?
May 10, 2023
This one was just okay.i don't know what I was hoping for but it wasn't this.
September 23, 2023
3.5 stars
Unique twists!
Unique twists!
Read
January 23, 2024Really good, suspenseful
June 1, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
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