Of Mountains and Seas

De: Emily Renk Hawthorne

Narrado por: Natalie Naudus

For some, the only way to possess magic is to steal it from others.

Born without magic, Davis is an outcast in his own shapeshifter family. Yearning for his father’s approval, he sets down a path that intertwines with Iris, a girl whose own ambitions are hindered by a mysterious illness.

Their quest leads to Yuras, one of California’s smallest towns, unremarkable until they discover a cave of magic-transferring stones. Now they have a chance to change their fates. But they’re not alone.

When locals stumble upon the cave, they unknowingly set into motion a series of events that threatens to expose Davis’s past.

As dark truths surface, one question endures: How much are they willing to take in their quest for power?

©2024 Emily Renk Hawthorne (P)2024 Emily Renk Hawthorne

Unique magic system and interesting story

This book is told from several POVs, which is overwhelming at first but pays off in the end. The story samples Chinese mythology buy set in an American urban setting over several decades. The various time periods. weave in and out of the story, which can be challenging. The magic system and world is unique and interesting. Definitely worth a read/listen.

Phenomenal Narration!

Wow, Natalie Naudus was a phenomenal narrator for the audiobook!
Overall, this was a great read! YA fantasy, Chinese mythology, a dash of mystery, a unique magics system, compelling characters... I ate this up! The timelines and multiple POV's did trip me up a couple times in the audio format but I loved how the different paths were all connected.

Loved it

Great reader and writer. More complexity than your average fantasy novel due to the nonlinear timeline, made me pay attention but was worth it in the end. It’s like piecing together a mystery as the timelines come together. The narrator did a great job differentiating characters without making them seem overdone.

Immersive and Intriguing

Davis, born without magic, feels like an outcast in his shapeshifter family and seeks his father's approval through a dangerous path. His journey intertwines with Iris, a girl struggling with a mysterious illness, as they discover a cave of magic-transferring stones in the small town of Yuras. However, their newfound power attracts the attention of locals, setting off a chain of events that could reveal Davis’s dark past.

The author, Emily Renk Hawthorne, weaves a captivating story filled with intricate timelines, unexpected character connections, mystery, magic, and compelling characters. Although the shifts in timelines were initially confusing, they became easier to follow as the story progressed. Each character was fully developed to align with the narrative, adding greater depth to the storyline. The dialogue felt authentic and seamlessly blended into the narrative.

The narrator, Natalie Naudus, delivers a compelling performance, bringing each scene to life with energy and emotion that perfectly matches the characters and situations. Her clear, enthusiastic delivery is enhanced by deliberate pauses and a well-paced cadence, adding depth to the narrative. Through precise vocal intonations, she infuses the storytelling with intensity and authenticity, creating a truly immersive listening experience.

This audiobook was highly engaging, though the shifting timelines were initially a bit challenging to follow. I highly recommend it.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

A Beautifully Layered Tale

Of Mountains and Seas is a wonderful debut novel that blends magical realism, rich world-building, and an intricately woven narrative.

The story’s shifting points of view and timelines may feel disorienting at first, but they ultimately coalesce into a beautifully layered tale. The gradual unveiling of connections between characters and events kept me hooked, as each chapter offered fresh revelations.

The book’s prose is vivid and immersive, painting scenes so detailed that the world came alive in my imagination. As the story unfolds, the threads of different perspectives intertwine seamlessly, leading to a satisfying and twist-filled conclusion that left me eager for the sequel.

Fantastic merging of Chinese classical mythology with American-chinese immigrant history.

I am intrigued by the author’s depiction of a society mixing the “statics” and “shifters” together. The story plot is pretty creative that combined quite a few well known Chinese mythological creatures in one setting fighting against an evil power. The narrator’s ability to voice each character makes the audio reading more dramatic and interesting.

Riveting story

Talented author. Riveting story with outstanding character development. A very well executed masterpiece. Will definitely recommend to my friends.

An Ambitious Tale by a Talented Author

This was my first encounter with "shifter" books. I figured it would be more accessible to an epic fantasy/adventure reader like me because there didn't seem to be a strong romantic angle, and there indeed was not, which was welcome. Of Mountains and Seas focuses on the politics of shifters, and at what level they should integrate into society with "statics" or normal people.

The strongest element of this story is the quality of writing. Hawthorne has a talent for putting words together. The prose is simple and easy to follow. None of the language is verbose or flowery. But this does not result in a bland writing style. There is clear intent in the flow of the prose, an intent that paints a clear picture of every scene, whether its the 1930s or the 2000s.

Speaking of time jumps, this story has a lot of them. We move back and forth between the 1930s and the 1990s and the 1950s from chapter to chapter. For some people, this may be a positive. I found myself confused at this style of storytelling. It also made it difficult to connect with the characters with such a disjointed narrative.

The connection between the story and the characters felt impersonal. The characters acted as vessels for the plot rather than people that I was supposed to empathize with. This was further emphasized by the way that the narrator refers to the POV characters' family members and friends. "Her daughter, her mother, his gradmother, her father, her friend." Not only did this make for repetitive action and dialogue tags, it resulted in it being difficult to connect with any of the characters. It also made it hard to keep them straight, especially in combination with the time jumps.

The shifter-static politics were the crux of the plot. This element of the worldbuilding was quite creative and intriguing to read about. It was a well structured world, with provocative parallels to our own. I do wish that there was a little more focus on the actual shifter magic. The novel almost acts as if I am supposed to be familiar with how the magic works: the rules, the limitations and the variations of power sets. There is an implication of more going on behind the scenes like the shifter academy. But we never really get to see it.

The story does pick up the pace in the final act. But I would have liked to see more steady rising action.

All and all, this is a well written story by a very talented writer. I did take issue with the characters, the pacing and the structure, but if you are looking for a shifter story with a heavy dose of political drama, this is the story for you. I look forward to seeing what else Hawthorne releases.

The narrator gave an excellent performance, from the accents to the emotions to the passion that she read with. She was well-cast for this work.