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meghan_rasnake's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
speevlovestoread's review against another edition
4.0
Good, cute book. Sad, but a happy ending. Amazing concept. Not really scary at all, but still semi-high stakes.
stardust_06's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
kimiloughlin's review
4.0
Quite the realistic and yet magical story. I like the woven history/mythology and the storyline of a young girl coming to terms with her mother's death.
amdamsgard's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lilacs4b's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
story_sanctuary's review
5.0
I loved the mysterious feel of the chapters from Ophidia the mermaid's perspective. The chapters from Kela's point-of-view were perfect, too. Her grief felt so real, and the challenges it presented to all the relationships in her life made perfect sense. I loved the lush, beautiful descriptions of her island home. I felt like I was right there with her in that tropical setting.
The story is set on an island similar to Barbados, where the author's father is from. Kela learns folktales from a local woman and from her mother, who collected and transcribed the stories for a local museum. So the story celebrates both an island community and storytelling traditions in the way it's set up. I love that, and I love how well integrated those elements are in the story. All those pieces came together to create a rich, immersive tale that I'm still thinking about long after I finished reading the last pages. I definitely recommend this book!
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
The story is set on an island similar to Barbados, where the author's father is from. Kela learns folktales from a local woman and from her mother, who collected and transcribed the stories for a local museum. So the story celebrates both an island community and storytelling traditions in the way it's set up. I love that, and I love how well integrated those elements are in the story. All those pieces came together to create a rich, immersive tale that I'm still thinking about long after I finished reading the last pages. I definitely recommend this book!
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
audreylee's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Atmospheric and magical with just a bit of creepiness. This tale of mermaids and wish fulfillment, grief, and hope was so close to being great. However, the plot holes kept it from being spectacular. That said, the storytelling and atmosphere are enough to make it a fun read.