Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn

A Library Journal Editor's Pick! Flowers for the Sea is a dark, dazzling debut novella that reads like Rosemary's Baby by way of Octavia E. Butler We are a people who do not forget. Survivors from a flooded kingdom struggle alone on an ark. Resources are scant, and ravenous beasts circle. Their fangs are sharp. Among the refugees is Iraxi: ostracized, despised, and a commoner who refused a prince, she’s pregnant with a child that might be more than human. Her fate may be darker and more powerful than she can imagine. Zin E. Rocklyn’s extraordinary debut is a lush, gothic fantasy about the prices we pay and the vengeance we seek. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

I don't understand why this book is considered horror/dark fantasy/ cosmic horror. There wasn't much cosmic about it except for maybe the description of Iraxi's child. There's not much back story. Why is she carrying this creature child? How is her child a creature when the father is human? There are a lot of plot holes and gaps in the story.

Something that really bothered me was the depiction of pregnancy in this story. I'm not entirely sure if the author has children, or has experienced pregnancy, but a lot of the information surrounding it was inaccurate or lazily researched. Also as a mother of 3, I know for a fact no woman wants to have passionate sex while experiencing active labor, and that's with a human child, nevermind some cosmic creature shredding your insides. I also find it weird how often the author mentions the main character's vagina scent. It's odd.

Characters are flat and not interesting. I was confused the entire time about this messy love triangle that didn't make sense. There are barely any horror elements in this novella and honestly I feel like the plot was thrown together just
To set up for the final scene.

There's not a lot of information on who Iraxi is, or why she's having a hybrid baby/creature that can speak full sentences at its birth.

Overall a very messy story. The cover is beautiful and the writing is good so I'll leave it at a 2 star.

Thank you to TorNightfire and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

read for the tarot readathon 2023: queen of wands

i had a great time reading this and i absolutely loved the themes of isolation and anger throughout the story. the write was so lyrical and dreamlike but also dense for such a short book. i enjoyed the descriptions of the ocean and birth throughout the story and thought it was done so well. i love a fever dream horror so much but this wasn't necessarily fever dreamy but more just disjointed which left me confused and not in a cute way. but i would still highly recommend this story if this seems like the type of story you are looking for

This is a very strong novella. Every single word holds so much weight. I am 50/50 horrified in a good way and a shudders icky way, excited I've read it while also wishing I hadn't.

Am I making sense? No? I don't really like horror, but I couldn't put this down and can't put a finger on a single thing I'd want to be different. I look forward to reading more from Rocklyn in the future.

3.5 stars

This novella is a mixture of many genres. There's Gothic, horror, post-apocalyptic.
Iraxi is pregnant and on an ark of survivors fleeing their flooded kingdom.
Her child could be the end of them all or it could be what saves them. Either way, Iraxi doesn't want this child. She has a feeling it isn't entirely human.

I enjoyed this. The ending made me want the next one right away. I loved the narrator. She is fantastic. I also found this creepy. I'm intrigued to see where this is going to go.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an audio review copy.