January 15, 2024
Anxious Betsy Young hardly has the courage to leave her house; her half sister Ophelia, by comparison, is bold and assertive, and dreams of escaping the teens’ island hometown, where she’s regarded with suspicion because of her late mother’s reputation as notorious pirate Ophelia Cray. Shortly after Cray is executed, Ophelia steals Betsy’s identity and joins the navy. When she learns of Ophelia’s ruse, Betsy too takes to the sea to bring her sister home before she’s arrested. While Ophelia conceals her identity from a mutinous crew she’s not sure she can trust, Betsy is forced to confront vicious pirates, and both sisters grapple with their own identities and sense of self-worth. Ophelia and Betsy spend most of Calella’s debut apart, but their alternating POVs deftly render their complex relationship and parallel arcs. Some of its many plot and worldbuilding elements—such as the lore surrounding Cray’s secret island and information about her other daughters—are underdeveloped, but swashbuckling action and hints of magic make this a rousing jaunt for fans of fantasy adventure. Most characters read as white; Betsy’s love interest, Ravi, has brown skin. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laurel Symonds, KT Literary.