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The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall: Book Review
The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall is a young adult fantasy novel that is not to be missed. In fact, you should stop reading this review, skip to the buy link below and read it right now.
Oh, you’re still here? Okay, fine. Here’s what it’s about.
Flora was a street urchin who joined a pirate crew with her brother. To stay safe aboard the Dove, she takes on the identity of Florian, a man who can be as brutal as the rest of the crew.
The Dove runs a clever scam: because it looks like a passenger ship, they pick up people who think they’re going on a sea voyage, only to sell them into slavery. That’s how we meet Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, an upper-class girl of the Nipran empire, and Flora/Florian’s love interest.
Evelyn and her parents don’t have the best relationship. Evelyn realizes how bad it is when her parents tell her they’ve arranged for her to marry a man who is so far away that she’ll never come back. Aboard the Dove, Evelyn doesn’t know why Florian is assigned to spend time with her (we know, because we see the captain tell Florian that virgins fetch a higher price), Evelyn is determined to pass the time by getting to know him and teaching him to read.
Everything changes when the crew captures a mermaid and Florian and Evelyn know they need to help her. Their escape takes them on a wilder ride than they could have imagined, full of magic, love, and the opportunity to truly learn about themselves.
The Characters
There’s a lot to love about the characters in The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, especially because the character work goes so deep for many of them.
Flora/Florian is bi-gender and we see her shift between the Black girl who’d had to survive on the streets with her brother and the male pirate who will slit a throat if he has to. That’s one of the core parts of her character arc and, as someone who identifies as a genderqueer woman, I found Flora/Florian’s journey incredibly validating. There are a couple of twists and turns that I don’t want to spoil, but that one character arc alone is well worth the price of the book.
Evelyn also goes through tremendous change, shifting from a pampered girl to someone who has to learn how to use her wits to fend for herself. When we first meet her, she’s used to doing whatever she wants and commanding her servants, which we spill out when she’s on the ship. Evelyn also has a big old streak of spite related to her parents, which is fair, since they’ve sold her through marriage to the highest bidder. Seeing the way Florian/Flora changes Evelyn is beautiful and just as satisfying as his/her arc.
There are a bunch of other characters in this book that are interesting, including some of the other pirates on the Dove, a witch, and the Pirate Supreme, who is a nonbinary pirate who rules the sea. The one other character I want to call out specifically is the sea itself. We actually get to read the perspective of the sea in some short chapters and I was blown away. The sea comes across as vast, powerful, and unknowable, and yet also all-knowing. It’s perfectly done.
The Writing Style
Much like the characters, I adored how this book is written. Depending on whose perspective we’re following or what’s happening, sometimes the style changes. For example, as I just mentioned, the sea’s perspective feels entirely different from everything else in this story.
Another thing I loved about is how magic works in this world. When we see the witch later in the book, she makes spells by telling stories. And in those, we basically get short stories that sit within the novel.
The Pros
Everything? I mean, yeah, everything. I adore the book and everything about it works for me.
But my favourite thing of all is the way the idea of “story” informs how The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea is written, as well as the character arcs. In particular, the book’s central message, which says we each get to write our own stories, is empowering. Other people might have their concept of us, but we’re the only ones who get to affirm who we are. It’s such an important lesson for kids to learn and I’m glad it’s part of this narrative.
Content Notes
This book and its world are pretty brutal, so we see torture in a few instances. And, although it’s not shown on the page, there are references to sexual assault.
The Conclusion
This might be a YA novel, but I recommend it to older kiddos and adults alike. It’s one of my favourite books this year and I’ve been talking about it to anyone who will listen. In fact, I loved it so much that even though I got a review copy, I got a hard copy for my daughters to read when they’re older. If you’re into fantasy adventure stories, don’t miss out, because The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea is one of a kind.
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Reviews for "From Acne-Fighting Rines to Age-Defying Serums: Targeted Solutions for Common Skin Concerns"
1. Samantha - 1/5 stars
I found "Rines for Beauty" to be a complete waste of my time and money. The author lacked any sort of originality or creativity in their writing, and the plot was completely predictable. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it impossible for me to connect or care about any of them. The dialogue was also incredibly cheesy and forced, making the reading experience cringe-worthy. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-written and engaging story.
2. John - 2/5 stars
While "Rines for Beauty" had an interesting concept, the execution fell flat for me. The pacing of the story was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest multiple times throughout. The writing style was also quite dry, lacking any sort of emotional depth or descriptive language to truly immerse the reader in the world being created. Additionally, the plot twists were easily predictable, making the supposed "shocking" moments fall flat. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations and I found it to be a disappointment.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars
I had high hopes for "Rines for Beauty" based on the rave reviews I had read, but unfortunately, I was left feeling underwhelmed. The characters were incredibly clichéd and lacked any sort of development or growth. The love story felt forced and unrealistic, with no chemistry between the two main characters. The world-building was also quite lacking, leaving me with many unanswered questions and a sense of confusion. Overall, this book did not live up to the hype and left me feeling unsatisfied as a reader.