Review: An amazing new take on mermaid lore!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 10, 2012
Ah, what a pleasant surprise! I'll admit, when I read books that aren't somewhat "widely known" - I have a preconceived assumption that it won't be great. Well, I feel like a jerk now, because this book blew me away. Don't go into this expecting something like The Little Mermaid, because you'll be sorely disappointed. This story is much more than a silly fairy tale.Between the Land and the Sea is about Marina. Her father (a single parent) is going away to Afghanistan for a year (for work) and plans to leave Marina to live with her aunt Abby and cousin Cruz in Aptos, California. This is where she is to attend her senior year of high school. Marina has never attended actual school, public or otherwise; she's had tutors. High school is intimidating enough, but after nearly drowning in the sea, Marina misses the entire first week of school - and is automatically pegged as a "freak" and turns out to be the subject of numerous rumors. Needless to say, she isn't feeling very excited about the next year of her life.The good news is, Marina is hitting it off really well with her cousin (whom she hasn't seen in years) and his friend Megan. Marina also meets the gorgeous surfer, Ethan, during her first week in Aptos. Only, when Ethan first lays eyes on her, he flips out - acts as if he's seen a ghost and all but runs away! What's up with that?One morning while Marina is taking in the view of the sea from the pier, she sees a mermaid. She thinks that surely her eyes must be deceiving her. Only, she soon discovers this mythical creature is anything but a trick of the eye. Not only that, but mermaids are nothing like the stories say. Finding and talking to this creature soon becomes a near-obsession for Marina - for various reasons. An obsession that becomes very dangerous and potentially deadly. The mermaids want something from her, and she needs to find out what that may be.- - -There are so many elements to this story. It's very hard to tell you how amazing it is without giving away too much!First of all - the way the author has described Aptos just makes me want to go live there right now. If there is truly a place like this, I need to be there. It seemed magical, and not just because the water is laden with mermaids! An extremely clear picture was drawn, and it was easy to imagine yourself inside the story.I had no difficulty what-so-ever getting lost in this book. I read it in less than a day. I needed to know what was around the next corner. It was like a drug. "JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER!" I even stayed up well past 5:30 in the morning because I just couldn't stop. That's a big deal, considering I am usually asleep by midnight!The character development was fantastic, and I loved each character personally. Marina was realistically portrayed. She was 16, going on 17. She was petty at times, and strong-willed at others. She wasn't overly-mature for her age like you often see in YA books. I appreciated greatly that her personality and demeanor fit the age she was supposed to be. Marina's cousin, Cruz, was a very fun character! I think he brought a lot to the story, as did her aunt Addy. A very cheerful and upbeat person. She also fit the image of what I would imagine your average California mom to be like. :) Ethan was more than just your average high school pretty boy. He has the hot, tan, surfer thing going on, but he wasn't shallow by any means.I think the romance was realistically spread out, but also very intense. I loved Marina and Ethan together. Ethan was every gal's dream.The mermaids were so different from what you normally read about. They weren't plucked out of your average mermaid fairy tale. They had a feral air to them, and I could never decide if I wanted to like them or not! Even though they kept referring to themselves as "sisters", their world seemed to have a form of hierarchy, but the small glimpse we got of that wasn't built upon very far. I am curious to see more of their strange ways as the series progresses. It was a nice taste that left me anxious for more!I was never bored with this book. It had surprises and plot twists. Oh, and the epilogue/book 2 teaser was a jaw-dropper. Like, I absolutely have to know what is going to happen. I plan to begin reading book 2 very very soon!I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy tale, or a book that strays a bit from the "norm". It is a very unique story. Truly a diamond in the rough!