*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I had started this audiobook at some point last summer and bounced off of it pretty hard, but I am glad I gave it another chance! Set in a vaguely historical fantasy world, Dark Water Daughter is full of swashbuckling adventure, magic, deathless pirates, and fascinating worldbuilding. Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin deliver excellent performances as always.

The plot is fast paced and action packed and I loved the magic system and world that Long created. It all felt very fleshed out and exciting, which I think made the main characters feel even more flat. Both Mary and Samuel have interesting backstories and internal conflicts, but I found it hard to connect to them and even harder to connect to secondary characters, which left me feeling less invested in some of the conflict and resolution.

While not a new favorite, I do think this is a really solid pirate fantasy and would recommend. I am interested in seeing where the sequel Black Tide Son goes.