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mars_aria's review
2.0
I read this book when I was in like 3rd or 4th grade and back then I was completely enraptured by it. But now, I'm older, and know that were I to read this book today, It would not make it on my list of awesome books. I recommend it for younger age groups).
cuddlesome's review
1.0
I’m really surprised this got published and can only assume it had to do with the success of this author’s other well-known work, Babe. The story just fails on a conceptual level, never mind the execution.
You see, the premise is that a ten year old girl repeatedly secretly meets up with a one hundred and forty year old merman for swimming lessons and miscellaneous bits of general education. I’m sorry, it’s really not great to have a story about a stranger adult (who her parents don’t know exists, by the way, AT HIS INSISTENCE) putting himself in a position of authority as a teaching figure and then coercing her to do things, including one thing she explicitly says she doesn’t want to do at first: swimming.
I don’t think that the merman Marinus is intentionally made out to be a foreboding figure, but he comes off that way. My eyebrows just about flew off my head when he repeatedly told the girl Zeta not to tell her parents about him (for no stated reason, not that that would have made it better). Similarly, I was aghast when she repeatedly reveled in her secret relationship with him.
Ironically, I watched Disney’s The Sword in the Stone earlier today, which also featured an old man character inserting himself into a child’s life with the intention of giving them an education. I didn’t get skeezed out by that relationship, which I thought was interesting. Just to be clear, Merlin isn’t perfect (he lets Arthur get assaulted by a squirrel, laughs it off, and sings about heteronormativity) but he didn’t ring nearly as many alarm bells.
I think there are some key differences between Merlin and Marinus:
-Merlin doesn’t hide himself from Arthur’s guardian and in fact goes out of his way to introduce himself to him. Marinus, again, does not want Zeta’s parents to know about him.
-Merlin wants to educate Arthur to give him more opportunities and to be a better person, Marinus wants to educate Zeta because he’s going to die soon, I guess, and she’s conveniently there?????
-Merlin isn’t portrayed as being super hot. Marinus is.
Yeah, this book repeatedly dwells on how handsome/beautiful Marinus is and hoo boy it’s weird. Friendly reminder he is a naked 140 year old merman with a young face/bod and we are in Zeta’s perspective.
The goodish parts are the fun facts that Marinus tells Zeta and the little adventures to go see a seal pup and the like. The illustrations are passable to good.
You see, the premise is that a ten year old girl repeatedly secretly meets up with a one hundred and forty year old merman for swimming lessons and miscellaneous bits of general education. I’m sorry, it’s really not great to have a story about a stranger adult (who her parents don’t know exists, by the way, AT HIS INSISTENCE) putting himself in a position of authority as a teaching figure and then coercing her to do things, including one thing she explicitly says she doesn’t want to do at first: swimming.
I don’t think that the merman Marinus is intentionally made out to be a foreboding figure, but he comes off that way. My eyebrows just about flew off my head when he repeatedly told the girl Zeta not to tell her parents about him (for no stated reason, not that that would have made it better). Similarly, I was aghast when she repeatedly reveled in her secret relationship with him.
Ironically, I watched Disney’s The Sword in the Stone earlier today, which also featured an old man character inserting himself into a child’s life with the intention of giving them an education. I didn’t get skeezed out by that relationship, which I thought was interesting. Just to be clear, Merlin isn’t perfect (he lets Arthur get assaulted by a squirrel, laughs it off, and sings about heteronormativity) but he didn’t ring nearly as many alarm bells.
I think there are some key differences between Merlin and Marinus:
-Merlin doesn’t hide himself from Arthur’s guardian and in fact goes out of his way to introduce himself to him. Marinus, again, does not want Zeta’s parents to know about him.
-Merlin wants to educate Arthur to give him more opportunities and to be a better person, Marinus wants to educate Zeta because he’s going to die soon, I guess, and she’s conveniently there?????
-Merlin isn’t portrayed as being super hot. Marinus is.
Yeah, this book repeatedly dwells on how handsome/beautiful Marinus is and hoo boy it’s weird. Friendly reminder he is a naked 140 year old merman with a young face/bod and we are in Zeta’s perspective.
The goodish parts are the fun facts that Marinus tells Zeta and the little adventures to go see a seal pup and the like. The illustrations are passable to good.
jordantaylor's review
1.0
This children’s novel is the story of how 10 year old Zeta meets a merman while on a family vacation in Scotland. The merman, Marinus, teaches her to swim, and many other things about the fantastical ocean world.
I read this book due to recognizing the author of two classic children’s novels, Babe and The Water Horse.
I found the writing pretty good - whimsical and engaging - but I simply could not get past the plot!
A little kid is being invited and encouraged to sneak out behind her parent’s backs, early each morning while they are asleep, in order to go have lessons alone with a grown man - or, merman. I know that this is intended to be an endearing kid’s book with friendship themes, but I kept cringing!
The merman, Marinus, is described by Zeta as being a younger man, presumably looking to be in his 20’s in 30’s, despite his white hair (he is actually 140 years old).
10 year old Zeta even describes his body frequently, as being “slim” and “strongly built.” Many more descriptions follow, of Zeta referring to Marinus as “handsome” and “beautiful.” Further praise is made of his “powerful” physique and “flowing hair” and “clear blue eyes.” For example take this passage:
“Whether it was the grasp of his strong hands, or his gentle smile, or the look in those sea-blue eyes that were fixed upon hers, she did not know, but whatever it was, she felt relaxed…”
I could easily have assumed that the above passage was taken from a light romance novel. Why does Zeta keep describing the man’s “strength” constantly??
Marinus encourages Zeta to take swim lessons with him each morning, investing a ton of time into her. When Zeta goes for her first lesson and has doubts, he urges her to “Trust yourself to me.” He holds her hands as soon as she first gets in the water - yes, to help her swim, but still. He is also aware that Zeta is spending time with him against her parent’s permission, and encourages her to keep it a secret and lie to them. And even outside of their lessons together, Marinus is still keeping tabs on Zeta! He creepily knows all about her life, even including what she was served for dinner last night! He watches her constantly, whether she is walking on the beach with her parents or out on a boat. Zeta questions how he can possibly know so much about her, but she shuts down her own doubts, telling herself “He just knows these things.” Within 2 days of knowing each other, many behaviors between the pre-teen girl and the merman seem romantic, like something that lovers would do - for example, buying and gifting each other jewelry. And when Zeta asks Marinus if he will come back to the same sea next year, he says “Only if you do.” In the real world, obviously these enormous red flags would scream predator, but kids won’t get that impression at all in this story.
Based on the premise, I would not recommend that children read this. There are plenty of other great children’s books to choose from.
I read this book due to recognizing the author of two classic children’s novels, Babe and The Water Horse.
I found the writing pretty good - whimsical and engaging - but I simply could not get past the plot!
A little kid is being invited and encouraged to sneak out behind her parent’s backs, early each morning while they are asleep, in order to go have lessons alone with a grown man - or, merman. I know that this is intended to be an endearing kid’s book with friendship themes, but I kept cringing!
The merman, Marinus, is described by Zeta as being a younger man, presumably looking to be in his 20’s in 30’s, despite his white hair (he is actually 140 years old).
10 year old Zeta even describes his body frequently, as being “slim” and “strongly built.” Many more descriptions follow, of Zeta referring to Marinus as “handsome” and “beautiful.” Further praise is made of his “powerful” physique and “flowing hair” and “clear blue eyes.” For example take this passage:
“Whether it was the grasp of his strong hands, or his gentle smile, or the look in those sea-blue eyes that were fixed upon hers, she did not know, but whatever it was, she felt relaxed…”
I could easily have assumed that the above passage was taken from a light romance novel. Why does Zeta keep describing the man’s “strength” constantly??
Marinus encourages Zeta to take swim lessons with him each morning, investing a ton of time into her. When Zeta goes for her first lesson and has doubts, he urges her to “Trust yourself to me.” He holds her hands as soon as she first gets in the water - yes, to help her swim, but still. He is also aware that Zeta is spending time with him against her parent’s permission, and encourages her to keep it a secret and lie to them. And even outside of their lessons together, Marinus is still keeping tabs on Zeta! He creepily knows all about her life, even including what she was served for dinner last night! He watches her constantly, whether she is walking on the beach with her parents or out on a boat. Zeta questions how he can possibly know so much about her, but she shuts down her own doubts, telling herself “He just knows these things.” Within 2 days of knowing each other, many behaviors between the pre-teen girl and the merman seem romantic, like something that lovers would do - for example, buying and gifting each other jewelry. And when Zeta asks Marinus if he will come back to the same sea next year, he says “Only if you do.” In the real world, obviously these enormous red flags would scream predator, but kids won’t get that impression at all in this story.
Based on the premise, I would not recommend that children read this. There are plenty of other great children’s books to choose from.
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