A review by sarah_moynihan
Sea of Secrets by Amanda DeWees

3.0

I was really excited by the premise of this book and in the end, it was a good book: engaging and layered, if a bit slow to get started. I liked the writing style and the successfully historic feel to it. But oh dear, were the characters disappointing. The villian was a bit too much. He came across as more of a cartoon villian; too unfeeling, manipulative, and evil. It just wasn't believable as the story progressed, with no balance of a soft spot or...literally anything to humanize him. Oriel was willfully blind and obtuse at times. When all the signs were screaming in her face, when she overheard all the clues she needed she still couldn't put two and two together. She let sentiment get in the way of logic so many times. Which I guess sort of makes sense when you take in to account the environment in which she was raised. Herron was supposed to be this troubled and grieving young man, but instead he spent most of the book in a state of insanity basically, with a touch of tantruming toddler thrown in. He behaved in a manner that was entirely inexcusable and completely unacceptable. His half-hearted explanation at the end of the book was woefully inadequate and frankly nowhere near even being in the realm of acceptable reasoning for his actions. And his mother! The duchess is worshiped by essentailly everyone in this book, but I find her completely undeserving of such adoration. What kind of mother would EVER accept and look past her husband making attempts on her son's life on more than one occasion, mind you. Simpy because she's managed to convice herself that it's not truly in his nature and that he never would have attempted it had he not been pressured. Okay...but he still tried to kill your son, whether he relished the idea or not. You worthless woman.
In the end we are left to decide for ourselves whether we think Herron's father was killed or not and, if so, by whom? I quite liked that it was left open. And I am glad that Oriel didn't forgive Herron to the extent of looking past his actions and taking him back. I never would have been able to respect her character after that.