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3.11 AVERAGE
3.11 AVERAGE
I loved so much about this - the place, the nature of story, the realness of Neen's struggle to make sense of her circumstances, the tales within the tale, the gentle flashes of humor, the tension between Christianity and paganism. So it killed me with the needless anachronisms. In the year 900-something (because Vikings and near the millennium), they didn't have figs or almonds on the Isle of Man. I want to give this five stars, but every time one of these references cropped up I was tossed out of the story and it just spoiled this nearly perfect little novel.
I think it's a really nice, simple book about stories and secrets. I'm not entirely certain who I would give it to, or how I would describe it??
Beautiful, poignant, and deep. 4.5 stars. Review to come.
I love mer-anything, and I tried really hard to get into the writing, but it didn't keep my attention. Then I came here and saw it was part of a series, and I'm done with series. Done, I tell you.
Mermaids, mystery, caverns, stranger washes ashore, and folklore. So different from what I’ve been reading lately and it was a lovely break. Beautifully written story. The imagery was fantastic! #merrow #yalit
A good story...Well written and complex. Not what I expected in places but still good.
If you're looking a mermaid story, keep looking. Despite the cover, title, and tease of a description this is not a mermaid story.
If you're looking for the story of a young lady trying to come to terms with her own story instead of focusing on everyone else's version of her story then this is a pretty decent read so long as you can get beyond the slow start.
If you're looking for the story of a young lady trying to come to terms with her own story instead of focusing on everyone else's version of her story then this is a pretty decent read so long as you can get beyond the slow start.
Read by Liz at North Heart Hub
Looking at the front of this book, and even the back, you'd believe it's another fluffy, vapid, mermaid romance full of cliches and nonsense. If that's what you actually wanted out of this book, you would be sorely disappointed. Merrow is a poetic, dreamy coming-of-age tale that reads the way your reflection looks in the water; wavy and edgeless and softer than you truly are. Also, there's no romance to be spoken of.
It reminded me a little of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe -- it's kind of stream-of-consciousness. A little bit lacking in direction. Full of feelings and curiosity and a yearning for adulthood. I know this is my second tortured metaphor in about 100 words, but this book reads the way you might remember a fairy tale told to you while you're falling asleep. It's very literature-y.
We follow Neen, a 12-year-old girl who's pretty convinced she's a grown up. She lives with her aunt, Ushag, who's cold and stalwart and refuses to believe in the folklore of merrows (mermaids) and the like. That wouldn't be a problem, except that Neen suspects that her mother, Ushag's sister, was part merrow, or became a merrow, when she left years ago. She knows Ushag has a story to tell, and she's determined to hear it.
During her journey of attempting to get to the bottom of her mother's disappearance, we hear many other stories within the story. The supporting characters in this book are thoroughly nuanced and interesting in their own rights. I would probably pick up a book about any one of them. From the Norseman who washes up on the beach, to the blind boy who spent his first seven years of life with fairies. I mean-- this book is packed with interesting characters.
That said, it is a lot of just experiencing-- the action in this book is unfocused and sometimes harder to follow than it maybe should have been. Part of the way through it I maybe wouldn't have been able to explain the plot to you. Only that it made me feel relaxed and sleepy to listen to the audio-book, haha. If you're looking for something action-packed and visceral, this is not the book for you.
If you want a bedtime story about merfolk and the magic of stories, this is it, right here.
Subjective Hearts: 4/5
Objective Hearts: 4/5
Looking at the front of this book, and even the back, you'd believe it's another fluffy, vapid, mermaid romance full of cliches and nonsense. If that's what you actually wanted out of this book, you would be sorely disappointed. Merrow is a poetic, dreamy coming-of-age tale that reads the way your reflection looks in the water; wavy and edgeless and softer than you truly are. Also, there's no romance to be spoken of.
It reminded me a little of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe -- it's kind of stream-of-consciousness. A little bit lacking in direction. Full of feelings and curiosity and a yearning for adulthood. I know this is my second tortured metaphor in about 100 words, but this book reads the way you might remember a fairy tale told to you while you're falling asleep. It's very literature-y.
We follow Neen, a 12-year-old girl who's pretty convinced she's a grown up. She lives with her aunt, Ushag, who's cold and stalwart and refuses to believe in the folklore of merrows (mermaids) and the like. That wouldn't be a problem, except that Neen suspects that her mother, Ushag's sister, was part merrow, or became a merrow, when she left years ago. She knows Ushag has a story to tell, and she's determined to hear it.
During her journey of attempting to get to the bottom of her mother's disappearance, we hear many other stories within the story. The supporting characters in this book are thoroughly nuanced and interesting in their own rights. I would probably pick up a book about any one of them. From the Norseman who washes up on the beach, to the blind boy who spent his first seven years of life with fairies. I mean-- this book is packed with interesting characters.
That said, it is a lot of just experiencing-- the action in this book is unfocused and sometimes harder to follow than it maybe should have been. Part of the way through it I maybe wouldn't have been able to explain the plot to you. Only that it made me feel relaxed and sleepy to listen to the audio-book, haha. If you're looking for something action-packed and visceral, this is not the book for you.
If you want a bedtime story about merfolk and the magic of stories, this is it, right here.
Subjective Hearts: 4/5
Objective Hearts: 4/5