Genre: Fantasy | Mermaids
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old mermaid Abby Carson thought she had her secret under control. Who cares if after "the change" took place, she became so beautiful that all the girls at school hated her. And the boys, well, when they look at her, hate isn't exactly what's going through their minds.
But when Abby witnesses a teenage girl's murder by a preternatural creature off the coast of Cape Cod, her carefully controlled life slips into chaos. Hiding in the water until the killer's gone is a must. Getting spotted by Brian Baker, a boy from school, isn't. Neither is falling in love with him. That definitely wasn't part of the plan.
Combine all this with the mysterious mermaid box Abby receives as a postmortem birthday gift from her dad, and she's pulled even deeper into the world of shades and monsters. Once the full force of Abby's deadly siren powers are revealed, the only one she can hurt more than herself is the boy she loves.
Review:
Maija Barnett's Black Waters is a very interesting spin on the classic siren mythology. From the beginning I was intrigued by the darker aspects that surround Abby's existence. Sure, she's the stereotypical gorgeous girl that all the boys lust after and the girls hate; however, the twist that Abby is actually a siren instead of a mermaid was delightful and added more complexity to her character. Though her character is completely gullible and often annoying, Abby is endearing in the sense that she is so desperate for her mother's attention that the reader forgives her flaws. The story's transition from a disturbing murder mystery to scenes full of woeful teenage angst keeps the audience engaged and appeals to a variety of readers. Overall, what I enjoyed most from Barnett's novel were the intense and suspenseful plot devices that kept me on my toes and second guessing my instincts.
Sixteen-year-old mermaid Abby Carson thought she had her secret under control. Who cares if after "the change" took place, she became so beautiful that all the girls at school hated her. And the boys, well, when they look at her, hate isn't exactly what's going through their minds.
But when Abby witnesses a teenage girl's murder by a preternatural creature off the coast of Cape Cod, her carefully controlled life slips into chaos. Hiding in the water until the killer's gone is a must. Getting spotted by Brian Baker, a boy from school, isn't. Neither is falling in love with him. That definitely wasn't part of the plan.
Combine all this with the mysterious mermaid box Abby receives as a postmortem birthday gift from her dad, and she's pulled even deeper into the world of shades and monsters. Once the full force of Abby's deadly siren powers are revealed, the only one she can hurt more than herself is the boy she loves.
Review:
Maija Barnett's Black Waters is a very interesting spin on the classic siren mythology. From the beginning I was intrigued by the darker aspects that surround Abby's existence. Sure, she's the stereotypical gorgeous girl that all the boys lust after and the girls hate; however, the twist that Abby is actually a siren instead of a mermaid was delightful and added more complexity to her character. Though her character is completely gullible and often annoying, Abby is endearing in the sense that she is so desperate for her mother's attention that the reader forgives her flaws. The story's transition from a disturbing murder mystery to scenes full of woeful teenage angst keeps the audience engaged and appeals to a variety of readers. Overall, what I enjoyed most from Barnett's novel were the intense and suspenseful plot devices that kept me on my toes and second guessing my instincts.
Book Trailer:
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| Rating: 4 out of 5 owls |
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