Spoiler-Free Review

If you want a cozy, refreshing take on the classic adventure tale, with humor and plot similar to The Princess Bride, you’ll like Tress of the Emerald Sea.

What’s Tress of the Emerald Sea about?

When the boy she loves disappears, Tress sets sail to find him – except on her planet, the seas are made of deadly spores.

It was wholesome and funny in a unique way.

This is my second read by Brandon Sanderson (after Warbreaker last year), and also my second read set the Cosmere, the vast interconnected universe Sanderson has created in which many of his stories take place. Two down, approximately a million to go for me to catch up – at this rate, he will likely write and publish at least two or three more books in the time it takes me to read everything.

If anything stands out so far, it’s that Sanderson is a master at moderating his narrative voice according to the story he wants to tell. And I respect that. I’ve never read a book narrated by a background character who was not the story’s main character, and it created a standout reading experience.

I truly enjoyed this story. It was fun, whimsical, wholesome, and witty in a way that made me laugh several times. Did this break many plot or genre molds? Not really. But did it feel modern and unique? 100%! The worldbuilding here was excellent, just as it was for Warbreaker. And also like Warbreaker, his female main character was interesting, relatable, and well-written.

The only reason it wasn’t a full five stars is that I felt the climax and falling action at the end was a bit cut short, but then again, it’s a cozy fantasy – so some degree of that is to be expected.

Should you read Tress of the Emerald Sea ?

If cozy fantasy is your jam, this for sure needs to be on your list. It’s also a great palette cleanser if you need something wholesome or lighthearted to break up heavier reads. It’s the kind of story you can enjoy as an adult, but also read out loud to kids.

You don’t need to have read any of Sanderson’s other works to read this one, but I can definitely tell where there is likely some references and Easter eggs that you’ll probably appreciate more if you’ve read the rest of the Cosmere. But it’s not necessary, and for me (as someone has not read the Cosmere), these things just contributed to the quirky charm of the story and narration.

If you have read his other works, know this one is different. From what I’ve gathered from other reviews, if you go into this expecting Sanderson’s usual high fantasy writing style or plot, you’ll be disappointed. I had no such expectations, and loved it.

If you liked Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, you’ll probably like this one as well.