This week's review is a throwback!
The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan, published over ten years ago.
One-Minute Review
For my first month's theme, I thought I'd pick mermaids because I live near the ocean now :)
I love YA fantasy, and I love mermaids, so you know it didn’t take much to sell me on this book. The books opens with the main character, Lena, sleep-walking around the ocean in her seafront California town.
The author slowly builds the mystery around the surfing accident that drove her dad from the ocean and what happened to Lena’s birth mom. She also shows the common teen longing of wanting to try something your parent's don't quite approve of!
When she finds the Mermaid’s Mirror hidden in her dad’s closet, the pieces click into place and take her on an underwater adventure. This book has queer representation – her best friend has two moms – and a character of color – her best friend is from Guatemala – and a strong message about family and belonging.
Longer Book Review
The book opens with the main character, Lena, sleep-walking and waking up with sand between her toes. She lives in a seaside community in California and all her friends surf, but her dad has forbid her from learning. The author slowly gives readers clues about Lena's true nature and what happened in the "surfing accident" that drove her dad from the ocean.
Lena has a tight-knit and loving family and a close relationship with her younger brother, Cole. I kind of like that a YA book showed strong but complicated family relationships as her "mom" isn't her birth mother. It's not all fighting and slamming doors when you're a teenager, but there's still tension as Lena starts to sense that her parents are hiding something.
I think the novel is strongest in showing Lena's eventual rebellion and decision to learn how to surf. Even though I've spent time in both Hawaii and California (the perks of growing up on the West Coast!), I've never tried surfing so I really enjoyed learning about it and reading Madigan's descriptions. The book wasn't quite as as strong - though still very enjoyable - when it moved underwater. The balance between above and below sea felt a little lop-sided and I wanted more of the underwater world.
There is queer representation, though off the page, but I appreciated that a book in 2010 mentioned "two moms" and treated it as normal. Her best friend, Pem, is also from Guatemala so there's a POC who has a life and interests on her own. As well as a very cute bit between the friends with synonyms.
The girls have boyfriends but also talk about surfing and other interests - so it passes the Bechdel test - and Allie, Lena's adoptive mom, has a career and is shown working and having a life of her own. So pretty strong what I would consider to be feminist content.
I enjoyed the Mermaid's Mirror and thought it held up, nothing felt dated or "old" to me even though the book is eleven years old. If you, too, have a weakness for mermaids, check it out!
Comments