The Mermaid’s Mirror by L.K. Madigan
Summary:
Lena has lived her whole life near the beach—walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves—the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.
As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.
But her father – a former surfer himself – refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.
Yet something lures Lena to the water … an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman—with a silvery tail.
Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.
And soon … what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life …
My Review:
I’m going to say something that will probably strike you as completely odd, given this books title.
This book would have been better without the mermaids.
Okay, now before you get all “but you knew what you were signing up for..” let me tell you what I mean.
I really enjoyed the story and dynamics of Selena, her brother Cole, her father Brian and her step-mother, Allie. I enjoyed her friendships with Kai and Pem (although.. Pemberley was a bit of a hokey name). I was more interested in learning how the family relations progressed through some rocky spots and we healed and felt a resentment toward the fantasy aspect of the book as it began to creep its way in.
The story of the mermaids wasn’t badly written or uninteresting (although Lena’s mother having the large vocabulary after years of “forgetting” was stretching it). I just felt as if the book might have been better without the fantasy element – because out of the two very different settings, the one on land had more strength and potential, potential that didn’t get realized because of the mermaid section of the story.
But yes, I realize that this was a book about Mermaids and I was prepared for it – I just wasn’t prepared for liking the first portion of the book as much as I did.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
