The Mermaid's Mirror: 11/04/12

The Mermaid's Mirror by LK Madigan blends surfing with the legend of the selkie. Lena has the sea in her blood and for her sixteenth birthday she desperately wants to learn how to surf. Her father, refuses, having nearly drowned while surfing many years ago. Meanwhile, a mermaid watches from off shore.

A series of events that start with sleep walking, help Lena unravel some secrets of her past. She already knows her current mother is actually her step mother but they are so close, she has been content to call her Mom. Now though, something is out of whack in Lena's life. Part of it is the natural teenage rebellion. But there is something more pulling Lena away from her family.

Ultimately Lena learns the truth and has to make a decision. She can leave the family she's known all her life behind and take on a completely new life, or she stay with them with full knowledge of who and what she is.

Lena lives in Crescent Cove, near Magics. For anyone familiar with the Bay Area, it's a fictionalization of Half Moon Bay and Mavericks. For me, the fictionalization a distraction and detraction from an otherwise delightful retelling of the selkie tales. It seemed that the town's location and geography changed repeatedly through the book to fit the plot. There was nothing about The Mermaid's Mirror that couldn't have worked if set in Half Moon Bay and points nearby.

Four stars

Comments (2)

Comment #1: Thursday, November 08, 2012 at 18:15:38

JoAnne

Mermaids. I have to admit those creatures are not my favorite. But I would have to give this one a chance.

Comment #2: Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 14:19:18

Pussreboots

I'm not a huge mermaid fan but it was still pretty good.