Content levels
Trigger warnings
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
Felicita fakes her own suicide to escape from the strict confines of her aristocratic family and an arranged marriage, only to be confronted with the harsh realities of living in the slums and the ultimate discovery that the boy she has fallen in love with is plotting a rebellion to destroy her family.
Is When the sea is rising red appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 14 and up.
This YA fantasy features a heroine who fakes her death to escape an arranged marriage, discovering poverty and harsh realities while falling for a boy plotting to destroy her family. Contains moderate violence related to rebellion, class conflict themes, and mild romantic content.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include fake suicide, class struggle, and deception (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will be drawn to Felicita's desperate escape from her privileged life and the forbidden romance that forces her to question everything about her family and social class.