I saw a piece of art on Instagram by Alicia MB depicting a scene from Oceans of Sin and Starlight by Karina Halle, and it was so captivating that I had to read the story that inspired it immediately.
Oceans of Sin and Starlight takes dark fantasy romance and gives it a whole new vibe with a historical setting in colonial Chile, and a vampire and a siren in a vicious enemies-to-lovers entanglement.
Priest has to kill to survive, even though it’s a sin. As both a vampire and a Catholic priest, he’s constantly at war with himself, fighting to keep his base instincts in check. He doesn’t want to be a monster, but his body demands blood.
When a siren attacks two fishermen in his village, it presents the perfect opportunity. Siren blood can sustain a vampire for far longer than that of a human. If he can keep this fellow monster captive, he won’t have to kill to get what he needs.
Larimar has been searching for her sister for years, with no luck. Her sister made a deal with a sea witch for legs, and Larimar hasn’t seen her since. When she finds herself on land, nailed to a cross by a dark and dangerous Priest, she needs to find a way to turn the situation to her advantage.
While Priest and Larimar are busy violently using each other for their own ends, they can’t help but fall deeper into the treacherous attraction building between them. The only question is, will love win out, or will they give in to the monstrous beasts they truly are?
Oceans of Sin and Starlight is without a doubt driven by the plot — and the spice. The characters, while entertaining, were not particularly deep. They dance on the surface level, with their violence and sexuality being their main draw.
The story is set in colonial Chile, something that made the story unique, but also a little awkward. I was worried this was going to be a story that romanticized colonialism, which it didn’t, but it also didn’t mention any of the historical realities. It was a plot device that was sort of glossed over, which is fine, but if you’re going to use real historical settings it might be prudent to actually explore the nuances.
That said, the storytelling here was efficient, so nothing was particularly explored all that much. Nothing that didn’t have to do with sex or the immediate pushing forward of the plot was included at all. It doesn’t explore or dig deep, just keeps it all moving. It’s a choice that makes for a quick and entertaining, if not particularly satisfying read.
The spice is without a doubt the pinnacle of this book. It has a feral and animalistic energy, with plenty of kinkiness and an excellent repeated use of chains. This one is definitely not for the faint of heart, though.
Oceans of Sin and Starlight certainly was interesting, and I loved the premise of the vampire priest and the mermaid. It successfully kept me engaged even when I wasn’t quite sure if I liked the book. The spice alone made it worth it, especially given that this was such a quick read.
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