Hi ForeverBookers,
How are you all? I hope you’re well!
I’ve just finished “Sky,” book 2 in the Huntress trilogy by Sarah Driver and oh my goodness, I loved it SOOOOOOOOO much! It’s a very episodic book. I could literally see everything playing out in my head, which I loved.
5 Stars!!!!!
Spoilers below for “Sea,” book 1...
“Sky” basically sets off from where “Sea,” book 1 finished. Mouse, our main character has lost her grandmother, and Captain of her ship because of an evil person, who’s trying to control the sea and the sky. Mouse needs to find answers and quickly if she’s to get things back the way they were. With her friends and little brother from “Sea,” and a few new alliances in “Sky,” can she change what’s been put in motion before it happens? You’ll need to read to find out...
“Sky” is told from first person perspective. Mouse is the character’s who’s perspective we see from. It was interesting to see her grow from the young girl she was in “Sea” to the young woman she becomes in “Sky.” I LOVE when books follow one person specifically, throughout. I feel I can connect to them and I definitely did that with Mouse! Yes, she’s younger than me, but in “Sky” she goes through so much and has lots of new experiences, some of which I’ve had so it was nice to see those reflected.
“Sky” is marketed as Middle Grade (9+), however there are some scenes that I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting a 9/10/11 year old read. Nothing too bad, just some violence and gun action. It is down to personal preference, though.
* The Cardcaptor-a-thon on Facebook - I read it for a middle-grade read, which is for the Little Card - Read a Middle Grade book - https://www.facebook.com/cardcaptorathon/?modal=admin_todo_tour - #2.
Reading Rivalry on Facebook - Book featuring a road trip - There are lots of trips that the characters venture on in “Sky.” They travel on horses, walk and sail on the sea.
* Fiction Feud Society on Facebook - Friendship - 15 points!
* Sims-a-thon - Read something set in another world - I’m not quite sure what the world is called in this series. I don’t think it’s ever said but there are fantasitcal creatures, so it’s not our world.
* Ghibli-a-thon - Kiki’s Delivery Service - A childhood favourite - I’m kind of messing with this a little because I didn’t read when I was a child, also this book wasn’t written when I was a child but it’s middle-grade as I’ve already said, so it counts I think. It’s now definitely a favourite too!
* A book revolving around a puzzle or a game - Mouse is trying to solve the mystery of the Storm Opals that we see her discover in Sea in this sequel, and what they mean. I class a mystery as a puzzle.
Spoilers Below for “Sky”...
“I have to make things right and claim our ship back - there enta beat to lose.”
This is a thought from mouse. She’s very much a pirate. We can tell this from the language “enta beat.” She’s also very stubborn and knows that when something needs doing, it needs doing. After her ship, The Huntress, is taken in “Sea,” she just wants to find it and get it back again. Will she? You’ll need to read to find out.
When Mouse and her companion, Crow venture into Sky they’re at first treated like they don’t belong there because they’re from a different place.
“Grandma would take no nonsense from these leather-wings, so I hold tight onto the heart-strength that she stitched into my bones and shine it out at the girl. For a beat, Lunda’s fierceness is startled away.”
This shows that Mouse wants to be like her Grandma and show that she’s strong to whoever sees her. I admired this about Mouse. She was never willing to let anyone see her crumble. She stayed strong and focused throughout. I wish I had been more like her as a child. I think Mouse is a great role-model for young girls to look to. Lunda is a harsh character at first. Does she start liking Mouse at any point? You’ll have to read to find out. I believe that the people of “Sky” will play a role in “Storm,” book 3 too! Can Mouse learn to forget what she’s been told and embrace new ideas? That’s also what “Sky” is about, accepting that it’s okay to be wrong sometimes, and embracing new ways to live.
While imprisoned on Sky, Mouse meets Kestrel, the Protector’s daughter. The Protector is like the God of the Sky, who doesn’t take kindly to Mouse and Crow. Kestrel on the other hand befriends Mouse almost straight away.
“Travel’s how my tribe live. It’s who we are.”
Kestrel gazes at me with a gentle, eager fierceness. “I think it might be who I am, too.”
This shows just how similar Mouse and Kestrel are. They may be from different Tribes but that doesn’t mean they can’t be similar too. It’s like in real life, a black person can like the same things as a white person, just as a queer person can like the same things as a straight person. There’s nothing stopping them. I believe that’s the kind of meaning the author was trying to get across here to a middle-grade audience, that everyone should be accepted, no matter who they are.
“He is the Skybrarian and will be treated with due respect.”
The characters, Mouse, Crow and Kestrel go to see one of Kestrel’s friends, Yapok, the Skybrarian’s apprentice. Reading about the Skybrary is one of the parts of “Sky” that I really loved. It’s like a library but on an iceberg. I think ANY fantasy reader will love reading about the Skybrary too. I’d say it’s where the majority of the book is set, although, there are a few settings. All of which were written really well. I knew where Mouse was at every point in the book and I could imagine it well.
I kind of said this above but with evidence this time, Mouse has grown from a girl into a woman during the events of “Sky,” I believe. “I know I can’t do what Crow said. I ent leaving without the wrecker, Opals or no Opals,” is what Mouse thinks when Crow, her friend, companion and potential love interest that we meet in “Sea” gets in trouble and needs to be saved. Mouse is willing to put everything on the line for Crow. Again, I admired this about her. There isn’t any romance in “Sky” between these two but I REALLY hope there’ll be at least something in “Storm.” There is, however LGBTQ recognition in “Sky.” Kestrel is a lesbian. It’s LGBTQ awareness month in June, when I read this too, so it was a pleasant surprise to find this representation. The LGBTQ reference ends where it begins, because this is middle-grade but it was good to at least see LGB themes brought up in middle-grade literature.
“Do you know if there’s a book here about gems like this?”
The gems or Opals, as they’re known throughout the book are what will save the land, sea and sky. Mouse asks this of one of the Owls, the protectors of the Skybrary. She needs to find out all she can about the Opals to be able to find the other two. At this point she’s only found the Sea-Opal. Mouse and her comrades are on a mission to find all three of them. At the same time though, the evil character, who I don’t want to spoil the name of here, is also on the hunt for them. Who will find them first? You’ll have to read to find out. Mouse also finds someone she’s been search for. I won’t spoil who but I think they’ll play a big role in “Storm.”
I really enjoyed reading about Mouse’s adventures in “Sky.” There were definitely some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming too, which was a nice surprise! I highly recommend this if you want a fun, meaningful, fantastical older middle-grade/younger YA adventure. I’ll say again, though that this is book 2. “Sea” is book 1 and should definitely be read first! “Sky” also ends on a cliffhanger or a run-on, I suppose you could say, so if you can’t wait, you’ll want “Storm” too so you can complete the story. All books are released in English now. I don’t know about other countries/languages, sorry.
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
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