Daughter of the Pirate King

“The trapdoor lifts, and a hideous face comes into view, complete with a foul, scraggly beard, yellow teeth, and a broken nose.”

Daughter of the Pirate King originally did not sell well because pirates are traditionally thought to be a childish theme that is better suited for middle-grade novels. Befitting the humorous tone of the narrative told through Alosa’s perspective, Levenseller employs irony in this passage with a stereotypical, cartoonish depiction of what most people conjure when thinking of pirates.

“Draxen removes his right hand from his belt and reaches down for one of his pistols. As soon as he has it, he points it at the first of my men in line and fires. The pirate behind him jumps out of the way as the body of my crewman falls backward. […] He is certainly eager to prove his reputation. But if he thinks he can intimidate me, he is wrong.”

In this passage, Draxen’s over-eagerness to prove his ruthless reputation adds a layer of tension and danger to Alosa’s captivity on his ship. Though the fact that her capture is planned grants her a hidden modicum of control, Draxen’s nonexistent limits when it comes to violence prove unpredictable and potentially fatal. Draxen’s erratic nature reflects his inclination to embrace the same darkness that haunted his father, and Riden must also grapple with this internal conflict as he adheres to Loyalty as Familial Duty.

“The crew is to be unharmed and released. I will come aboard your ship without resisting. Also, you will bring my accessories over.”

In this passage, the duality of “femininity” and “masculinity” in Alosa’s character is highlighted when she displays supreme confidence and superior fighting skills. Her ability to wield a sword against several opponents at once and to gain the high ground in hostage negotiations with Draxen is conclusively proven. To further enhance her position of implied strength, she displays a boldly unapologetic attachment to her various accessories, thus proving that “feminine” qualities do not detract from her overall competence. Additionally, her request for her belongings reflects her hidden cunning, as her accessories serve dual purposes, hiding weapons, lock picks, and poisons that will aid her in her quest to find the map.

“After all, Father suspected that most of the men would be killed once Draxen took me. Lucky for them, I was able to save most of their miserable lives. I hope Father won’t be too upset.”

In this passage, Levenseller subtly hints at the separation in morals and personal values between Alosa and her father. Her high value of human life, even in situations where mercy is not obligatory, will later prove to be a point of contention in Alosa’s relationship with her father, the ruthless pirate king. Her growing feelings for Riden and affection for certain members of his crew will constantly throw her loyalty to her father into question as she continues in her mission to procure the legendary treasure map on his behalf.

“Regardless, my age has nothing to do with anything. I have a special set of skills that make me a better pirate than most men can ever hope of becoming.”

Levenseller employs repeated instances of foreshadowing to allude to the various aspects of the siren heritage that Alosa keeps secret from most people. According to her claims, her special set of skills is tied to her gender, and because sirens are always female, they are considered to be the greatest threat to men in her world. In this particular quote, Alosa’s words imply that she also believes this to be true.

“It doesn’t matter that my father would have me fight boys older and stronger than me every day while I was growing up. Now I can beat them all. It doesn’t matter that he shot me once to show me the pain of a gunshot wound, to have me practice fighting while injured. Because now I can do it. It doesn’t matter that he would starve me and weaken me, then give me tasks to complete. He taught me endurance. Now I can handle anything.”

The pirate king’s ruthlessness, even toward his own daughter, is exhibited in Alosa’s memories and internal thoughts about her father. His cruelty invites suspicion and doubt as to his motivations regarding Alosa and her abilities and puts his love for her in question. Alosa’s quickness to defend his honor and justify his abuse of her exhibits her sense of Loyalty as Familial Duty, which compels her to follow his commands unquestioningly in order to gain his approval.

“Draxen has nothing interesting to say. He’s hoping to see me squirm with fear. He’s a man who feeds off of others’ pain. So far, none of his intimidations have worked.”

Draxen’s treatment of Alosa while she is his prisoner reflects the dark side that he shares with his deceased father, Jeskor the Headbreaker. Riden’s loyalty and familial duty to his brother motivate him to look after Draxen’s soul by preventing him from crossing too far into that darkness of character. However, Draxen’s obsession with becoming even more notorious than their father presents Riden with a constant battle, as he is always trying to protect his older brother from the consequences of his violent ambitions. This self-appointed role often prohibits Riden from pursuing his own desires or remaining true to his far superior sense of ethics.

“Father said once that if you can catch and imprison a man, then his life is yours to take or do with as you please. His philosophy is that if you have the power to do something, then you should do it.”

As with most pirates in Alosa’s world, her father believes that the power to do anything is equivalent to the right to do anything. Unfortunately, this outlook (which most male pirates hold) results in the poor treatment that many women and female pirates must endure. In the world of the novel, whatever most men see is what they believe they can rightfully take. Draxen therefore believes that he can rightfully subject Alosa to any physical or sexual abuse that he pleases. A similar philosophy compels Ulgin to indulge in torture and murder whenever possible. Fortunately, men like Riden and Enwen have more honorable morals.

“I have no such creatures within my own crew. I value other traits above an affinity for torture and power over those weaker than oneself. I value brilliant minds, honest souls, and those with long endurance. I forge relationships based on trust and mutual respect, not fear and control.”

Alosa highlights the differences between her and her father. Whereas he values populating his crew with the most depraved men possible, she values other, more honorable traits such as intelligence, honesty, and resilience. Her preference for trust and respect rather than the fear and control that her father exhibits will eventually serve as a point of contention that will fracture their relationship.

 “Empathy for human life is something my father tried to beat out of me. He thinks he succeeded. Most people do. And while I can kill evil men without guilt, the suffering of others pains me as well as it does them. It hurts, but I can handle it. Bad things happen to people who may not be deserving of such punishment. The world continues on. I continue on. Because of nothing else, I’m a survivor.”

This passage builds upon the cracks in Alosa’s relationship with her father. Her empathy for human life and his lack thereof will prove an insurmountable difference in morals, especially when she discovers the depths of his depravity in the sequel.

“I stare at him, stunned. He let me cut him so he could take my weapon from me. It’s a bold and stupid move. I like it. I’m so impressed, I can’t even muster up the right amount of anger. I have underestimated Riden.”

Riden uses Appearance as a Weapon to manipulate Alosa and win their swordfight. By faking an opening in his defense and allowing her to strike a supposed weakness, Riden gains the upper hand and steals her weapon away from her. This tactic both angers and impresses Alosa, who has been using false appearances to best him and his crew during her time on his ship. The result is the same; just as the crew has been underestimating her, she underestimates Riden, to her detriment.

“A spectacle for all the pirates. They stole me. I am a prize to them, clearly strung for all to see. But I’m also stronger than they’re used to seeing.”

This passage helps illustrate the theme of The Treatment of Women in Male-Dominated Spaces. When Alosa is hung from the rigging for the entertainment of Draxen and his crew, she becomes a spectacle. As she endures their scrutiny and their laughter, Alosa feels like an object and a prize. It is her belief that she is stronger than they are, and this conviction allows her to endure the brutal treatment.

“Hanging at the end of the rope, I wait. It’s the only trick I have left. It’s moments such as these when I’m truly grateful for my father’s blasted endurance tests. They made me strong. They made me aware of how much I can handle.”

In this passage, Levenseller provides a glimpse of the complexities of Alosa’s relationship with and loyalty to her father. Though others have no complications with seeing the pirate king for the ruthless man he is, Alosa’s experience is different, for as much as his brutal lessons hurt her, they also allowed her to survive more than most people ever could. Her resentment of his abuse constantly battles with her gratitude for his training.

“The truly agonizing thing is that I could free myself. If I didn’t have to hide what I can do, I could get out of this in no time. But I need to stay on this ship longer. I can’t give myself away.”

Levenseller foreshadows the existence of Alosa’s siren abilities through the internal frustrations that the protagonist struggles to overcome. The slowly increasing mentions of her unnatural strength and mysterious abilities are suggestive of the mounting desperation that Alosa feels as she struggles to locate the map in order to avoid her father’s displeasure.

“‘Brother,’ Riden tries again. This time more forcefully. It’s the most backbone I’ve seen from him.”

This is the one time Riden shows any force in standing up against his brother. The fact that it’s on Alosa’s behalf emphasizes the growth of his feelings toward her and signifies that their budding romance is forcing him to challenge his unquestioning loyalty to Draxen.

“Toying with Riden is certainly more entertaining than scouring the ship.”

This sentence references the slowly developing romance between Alosa and Riden and the subtle changes taking place in the larger plotline because of it. At the beginning of the novel, finding the map is the one and only thing of interest to Alosa. At this point in the novel, however, she has come to enjoy Riden’s company and finds more joy in toying with his thoughts and emotions than she does in the tedious task of searching the ship.

“[M]y father has a room he alone enters at the keep. His private getaway. I’ve been tempted many times to sneak in. I even made an attempt once. When Father found me outside fiddling with the lock, he said if I was so interested in his locked doors, he’d put me behind one. And he did. In a cell deep down. For a month.”

This passage illustrates the double standard between Alosa and her father. Whereas he is her confidant and the only person who knows all her secrets, he does not extend the same confidence to her. His secrets and the lengths he is willing to go to in order to keep them imply conflicts yet to surface—conflicts that might completely transform Alosa’s relationship with him.

“I lose myself in others if I’m focused on their feelings and desires for too long. They start to become my own, and I forget who I am. It’s terrifying.”

This quote of Alosa’s mirrors Riden’s own struggles for identity, especially when his loyalty to Draxen threatens to eradicate his sense of self. By focusing on Draxen’s feelings and desires, Riden loses himself in his brother’s needs and forgets how to live his own life. The first-person insight into Alosa’s struggles with similar things effectively depicts how conflicting the situation must be for Riden as well.

“I try to rein in the desires of the siren. This is why I cannot replenish my song unless I can take the time to get my bearings. For using the ocean to nourish me opens me to a siren’s instinct. And a siren’s instinct is not to care about anything except herself, her sisters, and the ocean. This man is nothing to me. What do I care if they kill him? He does not matter. I matter.”

Many of the technicalities surrounding the effects of the siren abilities on Alosa are not explored in Daughter of the Pirate King. It’s not until Daughter of the Siren Queen that Alosa begins to fully understand her abilities and appreciate what it means to be a siren. While the desires of the siren are depicted as selfish in this instance, it’s likely due to Alosa’s fear of her own abilities. In the sequel, these same abilities will gain a more positive portrayal as she begins to value her own life over her loyalty to her father.

“I narrow my gaze in his direction, attempting to focus my thoughts. Don’t become some soulless creature. You are a woman. Think of your crew, your friends, your family. Remember the time you stole a ship and made it yours. Remember how it feels to be a captain, to have earned the respect and gratitude of your crew. Think of the pride in your father’s eyes when you please him. Think of Riden. Remember when you had fun fighting him, sword against sword? Remember the taunts and jabs. Remember the dagger. Remember his kisses. Think of Riden, who doesn’t deserve to die all because you can’t control yourself. That does it.”

Despite Alosa’s continued loyalty to her father, her growing feelings for Riden have complicated the strength of that loyalty. During moments in which her siren nature attempts to suborn her human conscience, she attempts to think of her father or her crew to recover her sense of humanity. However, it is telling that the only method that works is thinking of Riden, who has come to love both sides of her equally and unconditionally.

“This is an act. I want them to think that using my powers weakens me momentarily. Might help me get the drop on them later. I pull the water into myself as it falls. I feel it running through me, rushing into all my limbs. Doubt becomes certainty. Weaknesses become strengths. Fear becomes resolve. These men don’t know who they’re dealing with. I am power and strength. I am death and destruction. I am not someone to be trifled with. They are beneath my notice.”

Even when every possible advantage seems to have been taken from her, Alosa uses Appearance as a Weapon to gain any foothold she can against Vordan and Theris. By pretending that the use of her siren powers renders her physically weak, she can later surprise them with brute force once she escapes her cage.

“There were some days, shackled deep beneath my father’s keep, when I thought that might be my life. I would live as an eternal prisoner. I refused to use my powers back then. I pretended they didn’t exist. It was only when I was faced with being trapped forever or using them to escape that my father could coerce me into using them.”

This passage contradicts everything Alosa claims about being free from her father when she denies Vordan’s offer of alliance. Alosa’s childhood was spent shackled and imprisoned to the point where she believed she might have to live out her life as a prisoner. When Draxen’s ship comes close to meeting up with her father’s forces, she suffers from nightmares of being locked up until she can produce the map for the pirate king. Subconsciously, some part of Alosa knows that she is not as free as she claims to be.

“Finally, he stops struggling. Instead he puts his hands on either side of my face, straining to look into my eyes. He presses his lips to mine once before he is still. At that simple motion, something awakens inside me. Riden. This is the man who got himself shot by helping me escape Vordan, and now I’m letting him drown.”

Throughout the novel, Alosa has viewed Riden’s unconditional love toward his brother as cowardice. However, it is Riden’s unconditional love for Alosa that leads him to trust her siren half with his life and allow him to summon enough compassion to kiss her even as she drowns him. In this moment, for the first time, Alosa sees his unconditional love for others as a source of courage rather than cowardice.