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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
My second DNF of the year. I made it through the first 1.5 hours of The Siren on audiobook - and only because I was laying in the dentist's office, literally, actually, physically undergoing dental surgery while listening. The book was better than dental surgery... but not much.
It's a cool idea: The Ocean is a living entity that needs to be fed. Sirens are her servants, young women whose very voices charm people to that watery grave. Unfortunately, Kahlen's a twit. The other sirens are worse. They live limited versions of human life, never speaking in public, only to babble moronically to each other in their apartment they share. It's like a reality TV show full of airheads who murder people on the side. They're the Real Housewives of Your Watery Grave.
For much better twists on the siren myth, try Atlantia by Ally Condie and Undertow by Michael Buckley (it's a subplot, but still A+).
It's a cool idea: The Ocean is a living entity that needs to be fed. Sirens are her servants, young women whose very voices charm people to that watery grave. Unfortunately, Kahlen's a twit. The other sirens are worse. They live limited versions of human life, never speaking in public, only to babble moronically to each other in their apartment they share. It's like a reality TV show full of airheads who murder people on the side. They're the Real Housewives of Your Watery Grave.
For much better twists on the siren myth, try Atlantia by Ally Condie and Undertow by Michael Buckley (it's a subplot, but still A+).
I really enjoyed this book. I don't find many books about sirens that are interesting.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
❤️ Akinli x Kahlen
Kahlen was in an awful shipwreck one night and as she was drowning pleaded for help not knowing it would turn into her life for the next one hundred years. She became something special and along the way faced many difficulties such as:
-Learning the world of the sirens and figuring out what her job was
-Singing with her sisters for eighty years
-Moving to Florida and meeting a guy named Akinli
-Leaving for four days, just to go back to him and make a cake together
-Saving her new sister from India named Padma
-Having to tiptoe around her sister and the ocean so she didn't mention Akinli in front of them
-Moving away from Akinli, but going back to visit because she missed him
-The ocean finding out Kahlen was in love and adding 20 years to her service
-Both Kahlen and Akinli fall sick but are far away from each other
-The sisters doing research trying to figure out how to heal them
-Kahlen being turned back into a human and being dropped off to live with Akinli
-Kahlen only knows her own name and Akinli's but slowly learning some details back. "On one wrist someone had written You are Kalen . . . He is Akinli."(Cass 322)
-Akinli and Kahlen healing together and living a happy life
I absolutely loved this book. Anyone who loves a fantasy romance story would love to read this book. It is for pre and young teens and was very easy to follow and understand.
-Learning the world of the sirens and figuring out what her job was
-Singing with her sisters for eighty years
-Moving to Florida and meeting a guy named Akinli
-Leaving for four days, just to go back to him and make a cake together
-Saving her new sister from India named Padma
-Having to tiptoe around her sister and the ocean so she didn't mention Akinli in front of them
-Moving away from Akinli, but going back to visit because she missed him
-The ocean finding out Kahlen was in love and adding 20 years to her service
-Both Kahlen and Akinli fall sick but are far away from each other
-The sisters doing research trying to figure out how to heal them
-Kahlen being turned back into a human and being dropped off to live with Akinli
-Kahlen only knows her own name and Akinli's but slowly learning some details back. "On one wrist someone had written You are Kalen . . . He is Akinli."(Cass 322)
-Akinli and Kahlen healing together and living a happy life
I absolutely loved this book. Anyone who loves a fantasy romance story would love to read this book. It is for pre and young teens and was very easy to follow and understand.
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The cover was undeniably pretty. Its synopsis on the back of the book was interesting. And honestly, it was. Until...
I was already halfway through it when I realized it starts to bore me. Nothing EXPLOSIVE was happening yet. For me, at least. I might have finished this book in a day, yeah, but it's because I'm looking for something that's intriguing. Something movinglike the currents of an ocean.
The characters were okay, though. No issues here about that. I can say that even if it's considered a fantasy book, it's a light read. I wept in some parts, near the ending most especially, but it's not heavy to take in. It's a good one.
I was already halfway through it when I realized it starts to bore me. Nothing EXPLOSIVE was happening yet. For me, at least. I might have finished this book in a day, yeah, but it's because I'm looking for something that's intriguing. Something moving
Spoiler
I thought the story was about Kahlen and Akinli... it wasn't. It contained mostly of Kahlen and her sisters (who wasn't even mentioned in the synopsis), and the Ocean. The plot went around and around Kahlen. Their daily lives as sirens. I admit, I expected more from this, and it didn't highly meet my expectations.The characters were okay, though. No issues here about that. I can say that even if it's considered a fantasy book, it's a light read. I wept in some parts, near the ending most especially, but it's not heavy to take in. It's a good one.
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Once upon a time, I picked up The Selection when everyone was talking about it and after a few chapters in, I was confused; people liked that? Okay, maybe I was wrong for judging it so quickly when I was easily 3 chapters in and bored to death. But hey, that was 3 years ago. I don’t read like that anymore. But the fact that I’ve heard more and more people not really liking it did not encourage me to go further with the first book. And then, I became aware of The Siren. Mostly, I fell in love with the cover. I mean, come on! Isn’t the cover the most gorgeous thing ever??? So of course, I had to pre order it.
This book was a surprise. Completely. Before reading it, I saw on instagram that while some liked it, others did not enjoy it. So I was like, “if ever I don’t like it, it’s okay, it has a gorgeous cover anyway.” So for sure, I carefully lowered my expectations for this one. And guess what?…. I was wrong?
This book has been advertised as a romantic one. I am not saying that it isn’t a romantic book but it is so much more than romance! There’s sisterhood, motherly love, self-discovery… So many themes that I did not even think would be in there! At first I thought it was going to be a cheesy, nonsensical and cliché romance with instalove but noooo! (okay, so, in a way there was instalove but I’m going to talk about it later)
Before jumping into some fangirling talk about the themes, let’s talk about the writing. Oh god, it was great *~* I mean, seriously. I was not expecting the writing to be engrossing, especially after reading a bit of The Selection (but then I read like 3 chapters so who am I to judge?). The way the story flowed was amazing and made me read the book in one sitting. It was intriguing and compelling and made me want more.
This book was sisterhood at its best. I loved how they were supportive of each other and how they want to help each other! Their relationship was amazing and cute and wonderful, and I love every bit of it. I mean, even Kahlen, our main character, thought about her sisters above anything else, and I loved it.
Then we have the love of the mother. Let’s talk about the Ocean. She was… how to say it? I liked and disliked Her. I loved how she was protective of her “daughters” but the way she was overprotective and overbearing annoyed me. I mean, I understand that, being who – or rather what – She is, She does not – or cannot…? – have a counterpart, which is why She behaves this way with her “daughters”. But her behaviour at a point drove me insane!
This book was also about self-discovery. Kahlen has been a siren for so long, and yet she still does not know what she really wants. Sure, she has a goal, as average as it sounds – getting married. But it seems that beside that, she does not want much; or more, she does not know what she wants. In this book it’s like she discovers herself a second time – or more like a third time, and I enjoyed reading about that.
The thing that annoyed me though was the instalove. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is instalove. *rolls eyes* Maybe what makes it salvageable is
1. The famous love triangle element critical in all YA stories today is not preset. Hurray!
2. She fell in love with Akinli with, I think, pretty decent reasons. Mostly because it was as if Akinli was able to see through her “glamour”, that is, the real her and not her generic siren beauty; and Akinli is such a cinnamon roll.
For once in my life, I think that the generic instalove is acceptable in this case, mostly because it is not the only thing the book is about. So yes, I enjoyed this book. A lot.
I feel like I should talk about Akinli too - but the only thing I can say and that you really need to know is that he is a cinnamon roll. You want to know more? Then there's only one thing left to do ;)
***You can read this review, as well as many others, on my blog here!***
I adored this book. It was written so well with a great story line and twists. Highly recommended!