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A review by gen_wolfhailstorm
The Mermaid's Daughter by Ann Claycomb
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a beautiful exploration of the little mermaid. I loved he direction the story took with the curse of the blood line and the mystery behind all the women passing tragically and by their own hand.
The backdrop of opera leant a powerful touch, especially through the magic being emphasized in the music and performance of it all.
I really liked Harry as a character but didn't like Kathleen that much. She annoyed me and I didn't like how she treated her girlfriend and dad at multiple points.
A major dynamic that threw me was that if the characters in this book knew the story of Ariel, the little mermaid and the original, much darker tale from Hans Christian Anderson, why then did it take until half way through for Harry to bring it up and why was Kathleen shocked at every step of the way, with each reveal? This brought me out of the story quite a bit.
Overall, the storyline was absolutely lyrical and mesmerising. I enjoyed the depth to the fairytale that Claycomb evolved on.
The backdrop of opera leant a powerful touch, especially through the magic being emphasized in the music and performance of it all.
I really liked Harry as a character but didn't like Kathleen that much. She annoyed me and I didn't like how she treated her girlfriend and dad at multiple points.
A major dynamic that threw me was that if the characters in this book knew the story of Ariel, the little mermaid and the original, much darker tale from Hans Christian Anderson, why then did it take until half way through for Harry to bring it up and why was Kathleen shocked at every step of the way, with each reveal? This brought me out of the story quite a bit.
Overall, the storyline was absolutely lyrical and mesmerising. I enjoyed the depth to the fairytale that Claycomb evolved on.