Review: I cannot wait for other readers to be swept up in this book!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 2, 2014
When I picked up Urchin, I was both excited and curious. After all, S.K. Munt's The Fairytail Saga Series was modern, sexy, and full of fun humor. How would a Young Adult mermaid book set in the 11th century play out? Could this coming of age plot compete against the heated romance in The Marked Ones that has had many buzzing?In Urchin, Anna is an unassuming, independent, and inquisitive apothecary. She wants nothing more than to be near the sea, or to share her knack for the healing arts with those in need of it. She is unprepared and bewildered when the prince of France himself sets his sights on only her.In a tone similar to The Other Bolelyn Girl, Anna's story is one of a beautiful and clever girl at the mercy of those who hold a higher station than herself. While she dreams of a future beyond the brutal grasp of her drunken father and brutish brothers, those who should protect her use her as a bargaining piece to further their own selfish agendas. Anna refuses to be broken or to hold her tongue as she ought to. She struggles again and again, in heartbreaking ways to hold to her dignity and independence in a world where a women such as herself has very little say.Instead of a summary of events in this book, I will just note that the ups and downs between Bernard and Anna were woven in such a crafty fashion, that I kept changing my mind about what I hoped the outcome would be. Brava Miss Munt. Although many fairy tales include a girl who can only hope for castles and a crown, I'm so thrilled that this plot included a heroine who had more unique goals and desires.Indeed, much like Griet in Girl With a Pearl Earring, Urchin's heroine has a steely resolve that sets her apart. Do not expect frolicking fish, mermaids splashing in the surf, or a love story that is all butterflies and stolen glances. But do prepare yourself for a rainbow of emotions and for a tale that boldly holds its own against many classic folktales.Urchin has far surpassed my expectations. Not only did Urchin toss my emotions about, like a rickety rowboat in a blackening sea, but Anna L'Autienne has now surpassed Ariel herself as my most beloved of mermaid characters. Urchin is certainly a book to be watched. And I cannot wait for readers to be swept up in it.