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A review by katykelly
The Surface Breaks: A Reimagining of The Little Mermaid by Louise O'Neill
5.0
Classic tale rewritten for older, contemporary readers.
And it's all the better for it. It's been years since I read Andersen's original, but phrases stood out as possibly taken from the tale, whole scenes were very familiar.
But the empowerment, the focus on subjugation, the new look at rose-tinted love objects, this was new. And very very welcome.
What Gaia goes through for her 'love' is even more horrific, and clearly so. The Sea Witch is no longer a creature of horror but a female who has broken free of her chains and is revelling in a life of her choosing.
This is not for young readers. There are some graphic descriptions of sexual coercion/rape, physical brutality, emotional abuse. This is for those who have read their fairy tales, dreamed their dreams and are growing up into a world where the stark reality differs vastly from their old stories.
O'Neill has done a marvellous job of interweaving the ultimate princess tragedy into something contemporary, powerful and uplifting.
Loved the audio version, narrated with an Irish accent, giving a 'Celtic myth' feel to things. Very easy to listen to, and no singing crabs in sight.
And it's all the better for it. It's been years since I read Andersen's original, but phrases stood out as possibly taken from the tale, whole scenes were very familiar.
But the empowerment, the focus on subjugation, the new look at rose-tinted love objects, this was new. And very very welcome.
What Gaia goes through for her 'love' is even more horrific, and clearly so. The Sea Witch is no longer a creature of horror but a female who has broken free of her chains and is revelling in a life of her choosing.
This is not for young readers. There are some graphic descriptions of sexual coercion/rape, physical brutality, emotional abuse. This is for those who have read their fairy tales, dreamed their dreams and are growing up into a world where the stark reality differs vastly from their old stories.
O'Neill has done a marvellous job of interweaving the ultimate princess tragedy into something contemporary, powerful and uplifting.
Loved the audio version, narrated with an Irish accent, giving a 'Celtic myth' feel to things. Very easy to listen to, and no singing crabs in sight.