When Adrianne comes face-to-face with the mermaid of Windwaithe Island, of whom she has heard terrible stories all her life, she is convinced the mermaid means to take her younger sister. Adrianne, fierce-willed and courageous, is determined to protect her sister from the mermaid, and her family from starvation. However, the mermaid continues to haunt Adrianne in her dreams and with her song. (Picture and summary from goodreads.com)
My Review: You know how you're just reading along and thinking "Hmm…I think I may be too old for this book" and then the next thing you know, you're all "But what happened to the pretty green mermaid!?"
That was totally me.
I've read quite a few books in this new genre that
rehashes fairy tales for JFic and YAFic, so I'm no newcomer. I enjoy the
retelling of the stories, and sometimes I really like the fun twists. This one
does not disappoint. First of all, it's got a really old school fun feel; think
more along the lines of Keturah and Lord
Death than, say The Lunar Chronicles.
And I liked this style, actually, because it's fun to have that old-timey feel
when there are mythical creatures and deep-seated lore involved. Also, having
it take place on an island gave it a feel of isolation and fear from a secluded
population who know that they're just sitting there, waiting to be captured by
the mermaid.
The author is a children's librarian and you can totally
tell that she knows her way around a good story and is a really competent
writer. I've found that sometimes authors feel they have to dumb things down
for kids or make the writing more basic than it needs to be. Not in this case.
The author writes clearly and accessibly both for kids and adults alike. It is clear, concise reading, and I also
loved that the love story was age appropriate. I'm totally over the whole
"I'm 16 and he's my destiny!" scenario that so many books, especially
in YAFic, sport today.
And mermaids! How fun is that? I don't think I've read a
book about mermaids yet, and we all know there have been quite a few mythical creatures marching around in book land these
days. I liked these mermaids, too. I
wish I could tell you more about them, but you're just going to have to read
it. There is so much mythology and lore
surrounding mermaids in many cultures, and although this book gives a nod to
those, it also takes its own path to create some really cool new mermaid lore.
The story is fun—it's got all the elements of a good
story. Strong characters. Plenty of opposition. Nearly impossible odds. A good
ending. Really, it's something you should read if you like this kind of thing.
My book club just recently read it and we all enjoyed it. It's a fast, fun
read, and due to its depth and thought-provoking themes can be enjoyed by old
and young alike.
My Rating: 4 stars
For the sensitive reader: This book is squeaky clean.
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