“Mermaids are not the monsters you humans think we are.”
This is admittedly my second attempt at reading the novel. I read it again at the encouragement of Rachel, and I'm extremely glad I did so. This go around, I chose the audiobook version. It was a rather short audiobook, at around 8 hours - and I finished it in 2 nights, during my breaks from work. <3
“Magic was barter—the right words, actions, potions for the right result.”
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Author: Sarah Henning
Publisher:
Format/Source: Audiobook
From GoodReads: Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.
Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.
A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.
But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.
"The sea is a fickle witch. She is just as likely to bestow a kiss as to steal the breath from your lips."
HERE'S WHAT I THINK...
I am always here for retellings of "The Little Mermaid" but this one isn't really a LITTLE MERMAID retelling, it's more a sea witch origin story, really. Yes, there were direct quotes from the little mermaid, direct links etc but over all, this book was about the sea witch (formerly known as Ursula). It surprised me that people were saying it was a Little Mermaid retelling because it's marketed as a Villain Origin Story, not the other way around. Her second novel in this duo "Sea Witch Rising"is a Little Mermaid retelling.
While it is not a complete TLM retelling, it does have many connection to it, enhancing and familiarizing us with the story. Henning's writing was lyrical and beautiful, while being filled with easter eggs for those of us that love both the Disney and original versions of TLM. The connections and mixed versions made a unique blend of a magical, lush product. It was fun recognizing the lines from it (IE: the mermaid turning back into seafoam, that just tickled to the bone!)
....The Plot....
The story was a slow burn; a build up to the crescendo that will shatter your hearts and decimate your soul. Like I mentioned previously, this is my second attempt at the book - primarily becuase of that slow build. However, once things start falling into place (for obvious ones, it starts about 3/4 into the book) about half way through, I was able to quickly get sucked into the world once again. The plot is more event driven than character driven, although some of the characters, like Evie, make a very satisfying arc through the novel. Others, not so much (I'm looking at you Ikar!). If I'm honest, trying to pass a mermaid off as a noble, while lying to everyone already made for an interesting book, but the majority of the action was in the beginning and end of the book. The audiobook was short though, and the narrators kept me engaged and hooked through the entire thing.
....The Cast...
The characters are the typical mismatched friends, the rich prince and the poor girl - but I'm here for it. The star of the show is Evie. She is the royal fisherman's daughter, and best friend to Crown Prince Nik.
The love interest through book is Ikar. He is the crown prince of a neighboring kingdom, and cousin to Nik. Ikar has a wonderful disposition. He really brought out a side of Evie that she struggled to hide. It was clear that she was smitten with him from the get go. BUUUUUT, I couldn't really figure him out. Like WHY did he flip so fast?! I thought he was in love with Evie. It never really made much sense. There were signed of this throughout the novel, but they did not all connect until the very end. Evie really defends him, even to the very end, which frustrated the shit out of me. He was a great character, he added depth to the story, but he was not a good guy by any means. Several times it is mentioned that he's a player, a flirt and more. Evie's desire for him to love her seemed misplaced.
I really like the twists that came with Anna/Annametta. And I mean, let's be real; we know who this is right away. Otherwise, she was just the catalyst to push the story forward, and it worked extremely well. I didn't get attached to her in the way I maybe SHOULD have, but that was because I already knew who the sea witch was, I just didn't know HOW she would come to be her.
BUT, let me tell you someone I DID get attached to in a way too unhealthily fashion - Tante Hansa. Her Aunt was fantastic. She added depth, and truth; sacrifice to the story. Hansa was a beautifully under recognized character that deserves all the love in the world! <3
....Other Thoughts....
Why'd I rate it a 4 star read if I loved it so damn much? Quite honestly, because the build up took so long. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book, it really wasn't the main event. By the 3/4 mark, things were really started to pick up, another POV is thrown in the mix and knives start flying into backs. Until that point, it is a largely back story, build up and romance. It's not that it's a bad book by any means, but I felt like if we knew some of the twists a little sooner, it would have made for a better paced novel. It really did feel like all the action was at the very beginning, and the very end. I can understand why many people did not make it through, but my friends - let me tell you - IT. IS. WORTH. IT.
“I return to my lair, the new silence ringing in my ears. Somehow, it's more painful than before."
TL;DR
I mean, the story of the Sea Witch, laced with magic, heartbreak and sacrifice. What more could you POSSIBLY want from a novel about Mermaids and Witches?! Henning's broke the mold with her Sea Witch Origins story, and I highly suggest any lovers of water creatures to pick up a copy! My friends - let me tell you - IT. IS. WORTH. IT.
“My father, the sea king, says that when everything is as you hoped, you are blind to the imperfections.”
About the Author:
Sarah Henning is a recovering journalist who has worked for the Palm Beach Post, Kansas City Star and Associated Press, among others. While in South Florida, Sarah lived and worked through five hurricanes, which gave her an extreme respect for the ocean. When not writing, she runs ultramarathons, hits the playground with her two kids and hangs out with her husband Justin, who doubles as her long-suffering IT department. Sarah lives in Lawrence, Kansas, which, despite being extremely far from the beach, happens to be pretty cool.
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