Book Type: YA Novel
Author: Mari Bianca
Pages: 254
Summary(goodreads.com): The mermaid met the Witches eyes - they had turned from a deep shade of amethyst to bloodthirsty scarlet. She couldn't look away from them. Fighting the urge to do just that, she asked, 'Payment?' The Witch's smile broadened. 'Now now, young one. Nothing in this world is free. You want a chance at your immortal soul? At true love? You must first give something in return.' Mermaid princess Sirenia has waited her whole life for one special day to come. Her 17th birthday. On this most eagerly anticipated occasion, mermaids of age are allowed to satisfy their curiosity of Humanland for the first time. When each rises to the surface, they always return gratified by their journey, but ultimately agree it is better to be home under the sea.
Not Sirenia.
When she rises to the surface on the day she comes of age, the youngest daughter of the Sea King realises what she's been missing her whole life. And she's not ready to let it go. So she goes to see the one creature in the seven seas that might be able to help her - but it will cost her everything she has. Her family. Her home. Even her voice. A tale of magic, sacrifice and true love, Serenade is a twist in the classic tale based on Hans Christian Andersen's celebrated fairy tale The Little Mermaid.
My Review:
The Little Mermaid provides an endless source of inspiration for writers, not only for its rich detail, but complexity as well. Bianca is a creative author, and combines her own new elements while still keeping to the story's main traditional aspects. She also added some moments that hint at the Disney version. For example, all of the sister's names start with S, similar to how Ariel and her sisters share the same first letter in their names. Sirenia also has a dolphin side kick named Kai, and a seagull named Whiskers.
Sirenia is one of my favorite YA mermaid characters, not only for her personality, but her transformation throughout this emotionally-traumatic process. She is very curious and gentle, but also somber and more mature than her sisters. Her intuitive nature also hints at her maturity, as she knows what bothers her and how to solve her inner conflicts. Hans Christian Anderson also makes an appearence as one of the main characters. He provides guidance to both the prince and Sirenia, while slowly playing some matchmaking games between the two.
One of the most popular scenes in The Little Mermaid is the shipwreck because it's such a pivotal moment in the story. Bianca stayed true to it's traditional beauty while still keeping it modern and fresh for a younger audience. Another popular scene is when the Little Mermaid visits the witch. Bianca again uses elements mixed from Disney and the classic to create a new scene. As Sirenia sings to the witch, black smoke reaches in to take her voice, which then extracts her tongue into a vial. While this scene is normally gruesome, Bianca tones it down for younger readers. There is also a cliffhanger when the reader realizes the witch has some of Sirenia's blood! What slimy scheme is she upto?
The main problem I had with this book was the editing. As a writer, I am keen to pick up errors, such as comma splices and passive voice, which detracted from the rich detail in the plot. WIth the editing errors aside, this is a brilliant, tragic, and romantic version of The Little Mermaid and has become a favorite!
I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie