Seven emotionless princesses.
Three ghostly sirens.
A beautiful, malicious witch haunted by memories.
A handsome, self-mutilating prince.
Belonging to a race that is mostly animal with little humanity, a world obsessed with beauty where morality holds no sway, a little mermaid escapes to the ocean’s surface. Discovering music, a magnificent palace of glass and limestone, and a troubled human prince, she is driven by love to consult the elusive sea-witch who secretly dominates the entire species of merfolk. Upon paying an enormous price for her humanity, the little mermaid begins a new life, uncovering secrets of sexuality and the Immortal Soul. As a deadly virus threatens to contaminate the bloodstreams of the whole merfolk race, the little mermaid must choose between the lives of her people, the man she loves, or herself.
A complete reinvention of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, this is a magical-realist fable that captures the essence of sacrifice and the price of humanity.
My Review:
The title to this one is completely accurate. It is definitely a twisted take on the Little Mermaid. However it is one of my favorite versions. It was so similar yet so vastly different then the classic tale we all know. The Little Mermaid knows she is different then her sisters. She feels. She wants more then the life she has. She feels for a boy. A boy who's life she saved one night when he had given up on life. What is she to do? There is only one option. That option is to go to the sea witch and ask for what she wants most. To be on land with the man she loves. Love to these creatures is something they have long forgotten. It killed many of their kind and their hearts have grown cold and no longer beat. Why would the Little Mermaid want this? She is destined to be heartbroken and in pain forever. How will the Little Mermaid adapt to this new life? Will she get what she desires so much?
This tale is full of love, despite the stigma it has with the Mermaids. The Mermaids are not a loving race. They are cold and emotionless. Which is partly why the Little Mermaid must get away. She wants to love and have an immortal soul. The sea witch helps her with this but, in return she loses her ability to speak in a way not like the original tale. When the Little Mermaid gets to land she discovers it is not as easy to gain the love of another. There are obstacles and surprisingly other men that make it difficult. There are tender moments between the prince and her but, nothing to graphic. I hoped for more but, not with the Prince. I was a fan of someone else. You will have to read to find out who!
I loved this version of the story. I was sad at the ending. If you are looking for a happily ever after you may be surprised by this one. Which was good for me. It is an intense tale of love, sexuality, and heartbreak. It's the perfect mixture. If you are looking for a darker version of the Little Mermaid then this is the one you want.
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