Dance of the Starlit Sea
Kiana Krystle
Peachtree Teen
Published August 6, 2024

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About Dance of the Starlit Sea

“Hades and Persephone” meets Phantom of the Opera by way of Laini Taylor, in a sensually rendered world that seethes with intrigue and indulges the senses. Welcome to Luna Island.

Lila Rose Li arrives at her aunt’s cottage with dashed dreams. For years, she pushed herself to become the perfect ballerina her parents would approve of, but after collapsing on stage, she snapped and lashed out violently. Now, exiled to Luna Island, with its sparkling blue waters and rose-covered boutiques, Lila struggles to believe that a girl like her—a natural disaster—deserves good and gentle things.

As the islanders gear up for their beloved tradition, the Angel of the Sea pageant, Lila vows to remain on the sidelines. But the more she learns about the island’s lore, the more she grows suspicious. Luna Island was nothing more than a failed fishing village before angels supposedly came and blessed them with abundance. The pageant is a competition to seek a High Priestess for their commune. To win is to be loved and adored by all, the ultimate blessing.

However, the Angel of the Sea is supposed to reign for seven years, and the previous winner only reigned for one. Something is haunting the island, throwing off the balance the pageant ensures. And as an eerie voice calls to Lila, drawing her closer to the ocean—to its depths—she worries its haunting her, too. The only way to discover what’s really going on, and protect herself, is to win the pageant. But how can a monstrous girl like her ever hope to be crowned by angels?

Kiana Krystle’s enchanting debut simmers with forbidden romance and dark secrets. A lush and sinister blend of paranormal mystery and mythology, wrapped up in fairytale about a teen girl’s hard-earned journey toward loving every part of herself.

My Review

I really struggled with this book. It has a definite ethereal feel, but the voice keeps the reader at a distance. Lila often describes things in terms of metaphors or symbols, so I found myself struggling to interpret what was meant literally versus what was meant metaphorically. For example, one chapter ends with characters watching the sunset and then a statement about the island beginning to burn. In the next chapter, there’s no reference to a fire, so I assume that comment is metaphorical.

Lila frequently references an altercation she had with her mom that resulted in her parents sending her to the island. Late in the book, Lila revisits that moment again, but we stay in her head, steeped in how she felt and these brief slices of descriptions of what happened. This style left me feeling disconnected from her as a character and unsure about what specifically had happened.

I enjoyed the references to ballet and the descriptions of Lila dancing. I loved that her magic was so connected to dance. The connection between dance and magic added something unique to the story. It felt a little bit like reading a ballet, like Giselle or Swan Lake or something.

On the whole, I wish I felt more connected with Lila and understood the story more deeply. The story world is interesting and the ballet references beautiful, but this one kind of went over my head.

If you like dark, ethereal stories, especially those with a forbidden romance or dance theme, this one might be worth checking out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Lila is Chinese American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A few F-bombs and other profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to a romance between two girls.

Spiritual Content
Lila encounters angels and hears a voice in her head she believes to be the devil. The islanders worship the moon goddess, Luna.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Instances of self-harm. References to a violent assault. References to domestic abuse. In one scene, a man whips his son. Near-drowning experiences.

Drug Content
Lila eats a hallucinogenic fruit as part of a ritual.

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