Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford told a tale of two sisters whose very beauty will set them apart, one to be bound by land and the other by sea. It had a betrothal to a bloodthirsty prince, forbidden romance (and tons of it!!) and even more drama that will leave you full of emotions. Rutherford crafted a world where one’s very survival may cost you your life and your only way out was with your beauty. You had to work to live but working cost you the one thing you craved more than anything else; your freedom. The whole concept was ingenious! I did find the beginning slow but the amount of time Rutherford took to create this sea-dependent world definitely made up for it. Once the main character, Nor reached land and to her new home in the mountain things definitely ramped up. After that I couldn’t put the book down until I finished. Sadly, I found the ending a little rushed and I seemed to notice a shift in many of the character’s personalities, most notably was with Talin. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I think the mix of sea and eerie, mountain life just resonated with me a lot. It made the book take a creepy turn and I enjoyed that unexpected twist immensely! I want to thank Netgalley, Harlequin TEEN and Inkyard Press for this opportunity to review this ARC.
“I wanted to believe that my value went beyond my beauty. I helped to feed our family; I cooked and repaired fishing nets; I made smart trades at the market. But it was Zadie who would bring in the bride price that would feed and clothe our family for years, all thanks to her beauty.”
This idea of idolizing beauty in the hopes of a payout would cause any relationship to crack even for these twin sisters. Nor was scarred after a diving accident and she lost her chance at providing a stable future for her family. That’s hard to deal with but the fact that she wanted to be known for more than her looks was a refreshing outlook for someone in Varenia. She never stopped trying and her tenacity is admirable. Throughout this entire book, not once does she compromise her fundamental principles even if that was the smart choice. She held her ground and stood up for those who couldn’t. I really liked her character. I especially liked the sheer amount of times Rutherford showcased her talents of the sea, first with her impressive diving and then again when she saves the Prince and fights the Salandrin. She is a main character who never takes it easy. Her desire to be seen for more than looks reminded me of Evie from Melissa de la Cruz’s Descendants series!
“She leaned back to look me in the eyes. ‘Mother always told us that beauty is power. She believed that our value was something that could be weighed and measured like a pearl at market. But for the last seven years, since I scarred your cheek, I have watched you become independent and strong. Your curiosity leads you to ask questions other girls never even think of. You’ve always been beautiful, Nor. That scar on your cheek? Most people in the village don’t even notice it. That’s not what made the elders choose me over you. They chose me because they believed I would go along with their plans, that I would make the prince a docile and subservient wife.’ She placed her hands on my shoulders. ‘Mother was wrong, Nor. You have the power to do anything and everything you dream of, more than any person I’ve ever known. And that power, that inner strength, that is what makes you the most beautiful girl in Varenia.”
I almost lost full respect for Zadie until she said this. She was so dependent on Nor for everything. Nor took everything on her shoulders so that Zadie wouldn’t have to risk her beauty and sometimes it was too hard to read. She was too pampered and it made her insufferable. I read this and I was like, ‘Finally she gets it!’ and I was so grateful that Rutherford included this. It made all the difference in how I perceived Zadie. That scene with the jellyfish was the last straw for me until I stumbled upon on this paragraph because I couldn’t believe someone would force their sister to watch as they scarred themselves. It was such a disturbing scene but looking back I see it was definitely necessary for the plot to progress. Their sisterly bond seemed a little too much at times like they were too close and for me I feel like that made it hard to believe and therefore slow to start and get into the actual plot.
“Sometimes I wonder if it was our names that determined our fates, or the other way around. Nor and Zadie: Coral and Pearl. Both precious to our people, both beautiful enough to adorn the necks of queens. But whereas a pearl is prized for its luster, its shape, its lack of imperfections, coral is different. It grows twisted. In its natural form, it can hardly be considered beautiful at all.”
Rutherford is elegant in describing how Nor sees herself and her sister. This created some beautiful poetic drama.
“I’m the perfect seashell you pick up from the ocean floor, only to turn it over in your hand and see the crack. I’m the fabric with the tear in the seam that you give back to the trader and demand first quality. As far as everyone in Varenia is concerned, I’m you, only ruined. So don’t tell me I have no idea what you’re going through.”
Oh, did I forget to mention how much Rutherford breaks our hearts with her words?
Yeah this happens a lot so have tissues near!
The sea town of Varenia relying on Ilara for resources and subsequently running out of those said resources made them entirely dependent on their neighbouring kingdom and having all that control was a recipe for disaster and I craved the strife. They had complete control over them and what they could do and on top of that they would send their most beautiful bride to wed their Prince? All I kept thinking was that they got the short straw, who would choose that losing side? But you know that just caused a more enticing read because I wanted to know what would happen, how they function etc. I also liked how they would tie their skirts almost conforming them to a pants hybrid for suitable use in the water; it was a nice touch.
The cold, dank and dark mountain (aka Nor’s new home) had such an eerie atmosphere to it, I absolutely loved it! She was isolated and that only added to the appeal.
I couldn’t believe how well thought-out her romance was in here. Weaving a tale of two princes with a warning imbedded in a song about two dangerous fish was so clever and I loved how it was mentioned throughout the entire novel. It added lore
and mischief to the forbidden love between Nor and Talin.
“Did you know that tears have approximately the same salt concentration in them as blood?”
This was probably the creepiest thing Prince Ceren ever says to Nor and I couldn’t help but compare him to Joffrey from GoT. He had that same spoiled brat privilege whose solution was always murder. The clash in personalities between him and Nor made their scenes so good to read. She never sacrificed her morals and he set them all on edge. They loathed one another and their hatred made for some golden dialogue! Like this one.
“Rid of her?’ I asked in disbelief. ‘She’s a person. You can’t just toss her out like a pair of worn slippers.’ He flashed a brief, wolfish grin. ‘Thank you for putting that so eloquently, my dear. That’s exactly what she is. Damaged. Used. Worn.”
I felt like I wanted to scream at her when she saved him from drowning (minor spoiler—but too infuriating to not mention)
“For my entire life, I had been told that there was another me, and that she was better in every way that mattered. But from the moment Talin had met me in the governor’s house, soaking wet and arguing with Sami, he had seen me. Not just Zadie’s twin, but me: impetuous, stubborn, silly, competitive, flawed, loyal, determined, and yes, beautiful.”
Overall Crown of Coral and Pearl makes for a fun, fast-paced read that’s perfect for summer!