Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Queen is unworthy of her cool magical world in finale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In ALL THE TIDES OF FATE, newly crowned Queen Amora already got off on the wrong foot with her advisors. Some of the older men don't want to listen to the 18-year-old. Some have noticed that she hasn't used her soul magic to rid the prisons of criminals and suspect the truth: that she hasn't been able to use her magic since her father was killed. And every one of them wants her to find a suitor on the islands to secure the family line with lots of heirs. That last one stings Bastian almost as much as freedom-loving Amora. Ever since the pair had been cursed to share a soul, Amora has been avoiding Bastian. She doesn't trust that her feelings for him are real. She's so determined to break the curse that when she finds out that a powerful magic may exist hidden on one of the kingdom's islands, she agrees to take the husband-hunting trip as a front to search for it. Of course the best ship for the job is the Keel Haul, Bastian's ship, and Amora will need him to sail it.
Is It Any Good?
Just as the main character has lost her magic, this finale has lost some of the magic of the first book and trades more in secrets and lies than in the curious possibilities of its magical world. The magic is still cool. Especially with each island specializing in different forms and now allowed to mix them and experiment. But that's just the set dressing. Queen Amora ignores all this like she does the suitors on each island, and her friends, and lies to all her friends, all in pursuit of some seriously dangerous magic. She even tries to ignore her cursed soul connection to her love interest, Bastian. It's too bad she (or the author) didn't explore this more. It would have brought these characters closer, at least in the minds of readers. There's only a vague idea of what each senses about the other.
When Amora finally gets close to her goal (alone, with friends later fuming over why she didn't ask for help or tell them what was going on) she's face to face with an ancient creature who tries to guide her. She grabs what she wants from it and runs before she hears it out. With all this power suddenly hers, it takes all the friends she's lied to the whole time to guide her in the right direction, and more sacrifice on their part than she really deserves. The twists at the end of the story would have been much more satisfying if Amora was easier to root for. Still, it's worth rooting for this novice author to keep the magic coming and build more positive depth to her characters in the future.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the press touring Queen Amora gets in All the Tides of Fate. How are stories spun to make her look good or bad? Who does the spinning? How much control does Amora have over how she is perceived? Can you relate this struggle to the experiences of any celebrities in real life?
What do you think about how magic is portrayed and used in All the Tides of Fate? How is it different from or similar to how magic works in other fantasies you've read?
Would you read more about these magical islands? What other characters would you like to follow on a story?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Imprint
- Publication date : February 2, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 15 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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