Reviews

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition

3.0

“

ambrose_7's review against another edition

4.0

Found this on a Likewise list and wow am I glad I did. It’s very rare to come across a fantasy book with such real characters. I love the justifications in the minds of the “bad” characters and the way that the harshness of life is portrayed. Another really cool thing was the gender fluidity stuff. I like the way it was shown. Also stick around to the end heck of a plot twist. I found out after reading that this was the authors first book and I sure hope it isn’t the last.

yaboylevi's review against another edition

1.0

Was hoping for more queer rep and less historical stuff about some genderqueer kid (feels more like crossdressing than genderqueerness tbh) in Japan who knows how many years ago

rainbowrachel's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

ladyarchaeopteryx's review against another edition

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

4.75

ladykaylee's review

inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This book did a lot of things well.  I really loved the realistic characters.  Every single character in this book had very real flaws, and real problems that you don't always see in fantasy, especially not in YA.  I also really liked the way the author showed gender flexibility, with the Pirate Supreme who uses they/them pronouns to the main character of Flora/Florian who was able to figure out her own gender identity, taking the trope of a girl disguising herself as a boy and turning it into a genderfluid character who contains multitudes.  

One thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the ending, and that might be entirely based on the book I read immediately before this one. 

In Out of the Blue and in this book, the queer merperson had to choose between family and a world they had always known, and staying/becoming a merperson.  This book chose the love of a significant other and becoming a merperson (which is clearly the correct choice), leaving behind a family member in the process.  I wish the dichotomy of sea vs. land weren't so set it stone in these queer YA merperson books.

thessur's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

hanna_chandler's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I find that a lot of people didn’t enjoy this book due to Florian’s flaws and ways of navigating love and relationships, but I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect. Growing up surrounded by criminals and murderers, I found that he was constantly looking out for himself, committing selfish acts, and making impulsive decisions- but all of these things make perfect sense for the character. While it is not the greatest love story of all time, it is sweet and fast and tender and works well in the story. It is very fast, but it suits the book well. Seeing as both characters come from such a traumatic background and are forced together by circumstance, I think it is only natural for them to fall for eachother as they do. They both desperately need a way out of their currently lives, and that was is in eachother. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of the characters and system- such as Genevieve, Lady Ayer, and the Pirate Surpeme plot, but overall, I enjoyed this book. I do wish that we got more of the mermaids, as there is only small sprinkles- but I can tell that those small sprinkles are a set up for the next novel; especially given the ending. I will eagerly be waiting for The Siren, The Song, and The Spy!

qbg2341's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

frannieman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5