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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
informative
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:
Complicated
A solid win for me. This book made me think. The author uses real-life scenarios of Nature, and they can be awful, but I checked a few of the facts, and they're true. She's woven current day horror (because humans suck) into a fantasy story.
Her writing style is so great. It's fresh and doesn't rehash the same old thing. I've been getting bored with romantasy lately because it feels like the same story with different names. Not this one. This is different.
Some people mentioned the romance was too much. I didn't think so. I mean, they're mermaids on the surface for the first time with 'human' men with legs, so of course they're going to be giggly about it. From her descriptions of the guys, I think my tongue would hang out too. I thought the love story was hot but not smutty. I liked that.
Easy five out of five. After reading this book, I've changed a few things in my life, really looking at plastic in the grocery store, and not to give away the ending... I've swapped!
Her writing style is so great. It's fresh and doesn't rehash the same old thing. I've been getting bored with romantasy lately because it feels like the same story with different names. Not this one. This is different.
Some people mentioned the romance was too much. I didn't think so. I mean, they're mermaids on the surface for the first time with 'human' men with legs, so of course they're going to be giggly about it. From her descriptions of the guys, I think my tongue would hang out too. I thought the love story was hot but not smutty. I liked that.
Easy five out of five. After reading this book, I've changed a few things in my life, really looking at plastic in the grocery store, and not to give away the ending... I've swapped!
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book. The premise is great; warrior mermaid is angry about the great pacific garbage patch? Yes please. I love the idea of using fantasy to address real-world ecological devastation. I love the relationships betwen the animals and the magical mermaids; a lot of the world building is quite good conceptually.
Unfortunate the execution was pretty disappointing. The writing is just... bad. Like, bad dialogue, and even poor grammar that is just distracting to read. The romance plotline, which is supposed to be characters in their late 20s, feels like it was written by a horny teenager.
There are two extremely disappointing parts. One is backstory, whereinthe villain causes mindless human consumption (and therefore the ecological crisis) for reasons that are not very clear. Because he'a a cartoon villain, i guess? In the author's note at the end, she says that all the facts about plastic are true and up-to-date research. She wants people to understand the problems with plastic. However, this backstory ruins that, by obscuring the very real cause of the ecological crisis, which is capitalism .
Which brings me to the second terrible disappointing thing, which is the ending,where the characters try to address the plastic issue by selling eco-friendly laundry soap that doesnt need a plastic jug. As if we can save the planet without a total reorganization of the economy . Its just an absolutely milquetoast resolution.
Unfortunate the execution was pretty disappointing. The writing is just... bad. Like, bad dialogue, and even poor grammar that is just distracting to read. The romance plotline, which is supposed to be characters in their late 20s, feels like it was written by a horny teenager.
There are two extremely disappointing parts. One is backstory, wherein
Which brings me to the second terrible disappointing thing, which is the ending,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, War
Minor: Cultural appropriation
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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:
Complicated
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
It has a lot more adult and explicit content than I would have guessed. And it’s very dark content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The initial idea for the book has a lot of potential. The characters are interesting and loveable for the most part, though somewhat flat. I really loved the concept of the conscious pearl that Jelly has to cooperate with and that amplifies her strength. Obviously I adored Oggie and his development. I feel like this could have been a 5 star read if the author had kept more of a focus and also refined the writing style a bit. As it is, the writing is a bit derivative and a little cringe sometimes and the story kind of jumps around a lot between being about Jelly and her ideas around 1. environmentalism, anti plastic and the humans who caused all the pollution, 2. the unfair government of the Mers and how that causes a rift between magical species and 3. the “big bad” villain of Terrun, who kidnapped Simmi. Of course those topics intertwine a bit but I feel like those were three separate ideas for a plot that all could’ve been interesting if focused on. However, in the book’s execution it feels like it doesn’t quite focus at all. Thus, none of them could be properly built and Terrun feels cartoonishly “evil for no reason but hot”. Especially because we get TOLD he is so incredibly powerful, but never really SHOWN and he’s defeated fairly quickly at the end. The resolve for the government issue and the ending presentation of environmentally friendly laundry detergent seems like an afterthought and reads quite dull. The concept of “fated mates” was very nice even though here too I wish it had been elaborated on more. Like how does it affect the two mates? Is it just like marriage in human life or does it carry a specific form of magic? Does every magical creature have a (potential) fated mate and if so, why have the “fertilization missions”? (now that I think of it, that plot point also kind of went nowhere in general). If not, then what makes someone so special that they get to have one?
Anyway. In a nutshell I think this book could have been amazing but is fairly good, especially for a debut novel. I am convinced Andie Holman will hone her skills as she writes more and will publish great work in the future. I am interested in what ideas she has and how she will focus on them.
Anyway. In a nutshell I think this book could have been amazing but is fairly good, especially for a debut novel. I am convinced Andie Holman will hone her skills as she writes more and will publish great work in the future. I am interested in what ideas she has and how she will focus on them.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
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