Lena has lived by the beach her whole life, and can't imagine life without it. But although she spends time on the beach, watching the waves and the surfers, she is unable to join in. Her father suffered through a surfing accident that nearly killed him, and won't allow Lena to learn the dangerous sport. Lena's sixteenth birthday is coming up though, and she promises herself that she won't just watch from the sidelines anymore. The waves beckon to her, and she will heed their call. She finds herself sleepwalking to the beach and spacing out or fainting at inappropriate times. But when Lena glimpses the head of a woman with a tail in the water, she realizes why she has been drawn to the deep blue her entire life. Lena undergoes a dangerous journey that will leave her old, normal life behind. Her life will never be the same again.
I'd been craving some mystery and magic lately, so when I began this book, I found it very hard to put down. I love mermaids. Mermaids and fairies are pretty much my top two mythological creatures. They're enchanting, and they provide that little bit of magic that humans crave. This book definitely delivered on that aspect: there was plenty of magic. Although not all of it was the sweet, innocent sorcery that belongs in fairytales, I still found it provided the reader with that carefree state of mind associated with childhood, and magical beliefs. The underwater world created by L.K. Madigan was so vastly different from the land world, and yet was completely believable. I enjoyed the fact that although what was happening to Lena would normally seem completely unbelievable, Madigan's writing gave it reason. The plot was good; the storyline was well-thought out; and descriptions were thoroughly vibrant.
One thing that caught me off-guard about this story was the fact that the mermaid was Lena's mother. When Lena first caught sight of the mythical creature in the waves, she was too far away to see much detail in the mermaid's face or body - the only thing she was sure of was the silvery tail. Whenever the perspective was that of the mermaid's, she was always referred to as 'the mermaid'. When I pictured her in my head, I imagined a young girl, about Lena's age. I'd expected a friendship to emerge between the two girls and a bond to form; I hadn't thought that there would already be family ties. There weren't many hints leading up to the revelation, either, since the mermaid had lost her memory and Lena had been too young when her mother disappeared to truly remember her. I both enjoyed, yet didn't enjoy, this. I liked the surprise factor; however I wish there'd been a few more hints, not necessarily to Lena, but to the reader, as to what was coming.
One thing I disliked about this book was the ending. It was completely unsatisfying. Spells were reversed and curses laid at the same time. Lena's freedom was compromised in the most important way. The unfortunate thing is that the reader must decide how they want the future to turn out, since there will never be a sequel; Madigan passed away in 2007 at the age of forty-seven. I was deeply disappointed by these news. I hate when the ending of a book - or series - is left up to the reader to decide. I much prefer it when the author continues to carry the story until the satisfying end. When the reader pictures the ending, it's never the same assurance as when the author passes it out in the form of a book. I was looking forward to the sequel, too, once I'd finished this book, until I heard the tragic news of Madigan's untimely death.
This is a book that I would actually recommend. Most books, I enjoy, but don't bother suggesting them to anyone else. I loved the magic in this story, though. It was convincing and mesmerizing. Overall, I would rate this book four stars. It was an enchanting read, one I may pick up to go through again someday. I would tell someone to read this book if they're interested in romance, magic, or mystery.
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