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readingwithsammi's review against another edition
3.0
A quick easy summer read for a middle grade audience
panda_the_pandit's review against another edition
4.0
Very cute book, full of smiles, and laughter. But it has its sad parts.
bellesbooknook's review against another edition
4.0
I can't believe it took me until this moment in time to discover that one of my favorite early 2000s movies was based on a book! I was really curious how this would hold up to the movie, so I was really eager to read this. In some ways it very much felt like returning to the same story I know. The writing is so lovely and descriptive, and you really get a sense of the deep friendship between these two girls who've grown up with each other their whole lives. On the other hand, this didn't take long at all to read because it is verrrry short. You could basically fly through this in under an hour, and unfortunately this was one of its downfalls, as I just found myself wanting so much more!. It's basically a very stripped-down version of the movie in short story form. I think this would've benefited so much more if it had been novel-length and been given more focus on the growing friendship between Claire, Hailey, and Aquamarine in the same way as the film.
As it was, this was more or less the same story, but it didn't feel like Aquamarine was as fully developed of a character. We get none of her backstory with her arranged marriage or her wanting to stand up to her father and prove him wrong about love, or any of the personality that we saw in the movie. In fact, she comes across as much more of a bratty child and doesn't really even form a bond with Claire and Hailey at all. She mostly just wants to fall in love and refuses to go back into the ocean until she can go on a date with Raymond, but... there isn't really a deeper reason for her wanting this? So it just felt like there was a lot lacking in Aquamarine's character and in her relationship with Hailey and Claire.
Of course on its own it is a really heartwarming short story of two friends, but it didn't give me the same warm-fuzzy feelings that the movie does and I couldn't help but seeing so much more potential that this story could've been if it had been expanded upon. All in all a fun read!
As it was, this was more or less the same story, but it didn't feel like Aquamarine was as fully developed of a character. We get none of her backstory with her arranged marriage or her wanting to stand up to her father and prove him wrong about love, or any of the personality that we saw in the movie. In fact, she comes across as much more of a bratty child and doesn't really even form a bond with Claire and Hailey at all. She mostly just wants to fall in love and refuses to go back into the ocean until she can go on a date with Raymond, but... there isn't really a deeper reason for her wanting this? So it just felt like there was a lot lacking in Aquamarine's character and in her relationship with Hailey and Claire.
Of course on its own it is a really heartwarming short story of two friends, but it didn't give me the same warm-fuzzy feelings that the movie does and I couldn't help but seeing so much more potential that this story could've been if it had been expanded upon. All in all a fun read!
daythinking's review against another edition
4.0
such a cute book that was super fun 30 min read, the relationship between the girls in the novel is so pure and innocent and real. i’ve definitely felt the feelings they went through in the book and with a splash of mermaid magic, it was adorable.
e_lace's review against another edition
4.0
A short story that quickly chronicles the tale of a mermaid swept into a chlorine pool in the midst of a storm, Aquamarine was short and sweet with only about five chapters. It was a simple love story that was completely different from its movie counterpart and very whimsical.
jessica_dw's review against another edition
3.0
A cute little story that closely resembles the movie. Would be great for Primary school ages.
cohnaron's review
3.0
The book's plot is mind-numbingly simple, with as many plot gaps as Swiss cheese: Two BFFs, Claire and Hailey, are spending their last summer together before they go separate ways. One day, they run into a beautiful mermaid washed up from a storm in the pool. While they try to coax her into returning to the sea, she refuses, having fallen for the "incredibly hot" lifeguard with the suave name Raymond. They finally convince her by promising one date with him before returning to the ocean for her safety.
So many questions.
1. The whole oh-no-we're-never-going-to-see-each-other-again plot was dropped once Aquamarine was discovered, so why even have it in the first place?
2. Aquamarine must have known that she would die if she rotted in a pool waiting for Mr. Dreamy-Lifeguard to come smooch her, and it wasn't a tragic forbidden love story. So why did she go all gaga?
3. If Claire and Hailey wanted to get rid of Aqua, then why couldn't they? I personally would've appreciated it if they'd drop-kicked her scaly butt off the Atlantic.
4. Why was Raymond such a dumbass? If he was the lifeguard, he would've spotted Aquamarine at the pool. Therefore her little acrobatic tricks as well, proving that she wasn'ta handicapped girl.
5. If Aquamarine was this important princess, than why weren't her parents out looking for her? I mean, I get that she ran away, but still, they'd probably look for her if they were any kind of parent.
So as you can see, there were tons of issues. Much of the magic and mermaid part of the novel was left unexplained, as if we were just supposed to assume that mermaids indeed existed and washed up in swimming pools. Claire and Hailey seemed like twins, and not in a good way. Their personalities seemed identical, without any substance. They were just there.
In fact, the only character with a personality was Aquamarine, who seemed incredibly schizofrenic, excuse my spelling. On one hand, she was an obstinate, stubborn, rebellious girl, the next she was drooling and dreamy-eyed. While she was supposed to be made out as determined and love-crazy, she just seemed incredibly shallow, like The Little Mermaid meets that Devil Wears Prada character. Don't even get me started--it seems like our friend Alice watched a couple too many Disney movies.
I'll end my character shpiel withEric Raymond. There wasn't even a point to him; he wasn't even described physically past being "hot." Hot what? Since the only descriptive language in the whole book was about the weather, is it possible that he wasn't even attractive, that he was just sweating and burning in the smoldering sun?
Ah, more questions.
Forgive me-she did describe one more thing: the smell of the pool water as "fishy." Brilliant. Oh, and constantly how beautiful Aquamarine is, but she didn't actually describe Aquamarine beyond that, so I'm not counting it.
So many questions.
1. The whole oh-no-we're-never-going-to-see-each-other-again plot was dropped once Aquamarine was discovered, so why even have it in the first place?
2. Aquamarine must have known that she would die if she rotted in a pool waiting for Mr. Dreamy-Lifeguard to come smooch her, and it wasn't a tragic forbidden love story. So why did she go all gaga?
3. If Claire and Hailey wanted to get rid of Aqua, then why couldn't they? I personally would've appreciated it if they'd drop-kicked her scaly butt off the Atlantic.
4. Why was Raymond such a dumbass? If he was the lifeguard, he would've spotted Aquamarine at the pool. Therefore her little acrobatic tricks as well, proving that she wasn't
5. If Aquamarine was this important princess, than why weren't her parents out looking for her? I mean, I get that she ran away, but still, they'd probably look for her if they were any kind of parent.
So as you can see, there were tons of issues. Much of the magic and mermaid part of the novel was left unexplained, as if we were just supposed to assume that mermaids indeed existed and washed up in swimming pools. Claire and Hailey seemed like twins, and not in a good way. Their personalities seemed identical, without any substance. They were just there.
In fact, the only character with a personality was Aquamarine, who seemed incredibly schizofrenic, excuse my spelling. On one hand, she was an obstinate, stubborn, rebellious girl, the next she was drooling and dreamy-eyed. While she was supposed to be made out as determined and love-crazy, she just seemed incredibly shallow, like The Little Mermaid meets that Devil Wears Prada character. Don't even get me started--it seems like our friend Alice watched a couple too many Disney movies.
I'll end my character shpiel with
Ah, more questions.
Forgive me-she did describe one more thing: the smell of the pool water as "fishy." Brilliant. Oh, and constantly how beautiful Aquamarine is, but she didn't actually describe Aquamarine beyond that, so I'm not counting it.
iceangel9's review
3.0
Nothing like the movie! This is the story of two friends, one of whom is about to move away. As the deadline for the move approaches the girls return to their favorite place, a deserted and neglected beach club that is about to be demolished. In the old pool after a huge storm they discover a mermaid. The girls attempt to befriend the stranded mermaid and return her to the sea before she is discovered. A cute story.