Kirkus called this book, “A swashbuckling steampunk mashup of Mark Twain and Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines Quartet.” It’s on Seventeen Magazine’s best novels of 2019 list. #1 New York Times BestSelling Author Sabaa Tahir calls it, “a compelling, serpetine journey into the heart of grief, the way it can threaten to destroy, and what it looks like to survive.”
Which book am I talking about?
The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie, released March 26, 2019 from Bloombury Children’s Books.
The cover is insanely gorgeous.
The design is the creation of one of my favorite designers, Anna Booth. I really love her work. The dark blue paired against sparkling gold is simply stunning. And in case you’re obsessed with book spines like I am, the spine matches the book, What is really fun, is that the book design throughout also matches the cover, which I love.
When I saw who the author was, I knew I would LOVE it.
I have read every single book by Ally Condie. I am a fan of her fast pacing and writing style and I’m super excited that she’s written something new that is right up my ally…get it. Ally. Alley? See what I did there? Okay, nevermind.
Wondering what it’s about? Here’s the blurb.
Who do you become when you have nothing left to lose?
There is something Poe Blythe, the seventeen-year-old captain of the Outpost’s last mining ship, wants far more than the gold they tear from the Serpentine River.
Revenge.
Poe has vowed to annihilate the river raiders who robbed her of everything two years ago. But as she navigates the treacherous waters of the Serpentine and realizes there might be a traitor among her crew, she must also reckon with who she has become, who she wants to be, and the ways love can change and shape you. Even–and especially–when you think all is lost.
Intricately crafted and emotionally gripping, The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe is the compelling story of one young woman’s journey to move beyond the grief and anger that control her and find the inner strength to chart her own course.
indiebound | b&n | amazon
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Inspiration Collage
I had a lot of fun reading this book, feeling the pain and emotions of the characters, and immersing myself in this amazing world and aesthetic. I made a collage inspired by my experience and I wanted to share it with you.
What drew me to this book?
Anyone who knows my reading tastes know that I am intrigued by stories that revolve around murder, revenge, and female captains. This book has all of these and more. I loved the adversion of gender tropes and the aches and pains of real characters going through life, just trying to figure things out. I also loved the main character Poe, the voice, and the pacing that kept me engaged and reading more.
Honestly, this book will have you sure that you really don’t need sleep and really, you should just stay up forever until you finish because you really care about these characters and you HAVE to know what happens next. Consider this your warning.
Also, I appreciated the themes of death, revenge, and healing and I feel like the processing of grief through Poe’s story that can transcend genres and is something that everyone can understand.
Stay gold, ponyboy. Poe and her team’s search for gold and revenge and answers to hard life questions was rich and worth more than any gold one can find. Read this book. You wont regret it.
Visit Penguin Random House’s website
Visit Penguin Random Houses’s website to read an excerpt for free and check out buy links.
Author Bio
Ally Condie is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Matched trilogy and co-author of the Darkdeep middle grade series. She is also the author of the novel Summerlost, an Edgar Award Finalist. A former English teacher, Ally lives with her husband and four children outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She has an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is the founder and director of the nonprofit WriteOut Foundation.
Twitter @AllyCondie