Scan barcode
nurseshan24's review against another edition
4.0
The Little Mermaid is one of my very favorite fairy tales, and I'm happy to say this is my favorite reimagining of this beautiful story! Melanie Cellier's creative twists brought the story to life for me in a very creative way! Thoroughly enjoyed it!
rebecca_bluedragonskeep_books's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
5.0
sonshinelibrarian's review
4.0
Another solid entry in this fairy tale retelling series. I liked the way Cellier twisted some of the little mermaid plot points and, of course, there is a happily ever after. I didn't really connect with Isla the way I have with others, but I still enjoyed the story.
allie_schick's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
kairosdreaming's review
4.0
I think this is one of my favorites in the series, just based on the different premise and adventure it had as compared to the others. As a remake of the Little Mermaid, I'm sure you can somewhat guess how different it was. And while I always recommend reading a series in order, you probably could get away with reading this as a stand-alone.
Isla has been pretty well stuck at home most of her life. The daughter of the King, their safety lies in their underwater home. While she has negotiated for guard duty that lets her leave those depths, the surface is still unavailable to her, and all she dreams of is the man she secretly rescued one night, and the adventure the surface brings.
Isla was by far the most adventurous heroine we've had so far. She was active and didn't let a whole lot stop her. While her love interest wasn't quite as developed, I still found their story engaging and sweet. I also enjoyed her uncle who accompanied her, as he provided some comic relief and was a great character in his own right.
Like all of these books, this is a quick read. The adventure moves it swiftly along. It's marketed towards young adults, and I would say its entirely appropriate for that age group. It's fun, light reading.
Nice addition to the series! I've continued to enjoy Cellier's books.
Review by M. Reynard 2020
Isla has been pretty well stuck at home most of her life. The daughter of the King, their safety lies in their underwater home. While she has negotiated for guard duty that lets her leave those depths, the surface is still unavailable to her, and all she dreams of is the man she secretly rescued one night, and the adventure the surface brings.
Isla was by far the most adventurous heroine we've had so far. She was active and didn't let a whole lot stop her. While her love interest wasn't quite as developed, I still found their story engaging and sweet. I also enjoyed her uncle who accompanied her, as he provided some comic relief and was a great character in his own right.
Like all of these books, this is a quick read. The adventure moves it swiftly along. It's marketed towards young adults, and I would say its entirely appropriate for that age group. It's fun, light reading.
Nice addition to the series! I've continued to enjoy Cellier's books.
Review by M. Reynard 2020
divensar's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
katherinejensen00's review
5.0
A Dreamer Ready to Fight for a Cause
Isla, despite being a princess of Merrita, is the often overlooked youngest child who doesn't fit in and dreams of a better future for her people. She tends to rush into things. She has a big heart and a sense of adventure. Isla's uncle/essentially older brother who is only a few years older than her, Ray, is less impulsive but also brave, adventurous, and humorous which are all traits he needs as he looks out for his niece. Teddy and Milly are twins who are also the prince and princess of Trione. Teddy is the minutes older crown prince who is also a dreamer, but has his feet firmly rooted in his beloved kingdom of Trione. He enjoys being in the middle of the action, but he also has a more fun-loving and laidback yet caring personality. Millie is a good contrast to her brother as she is more practical and down to earth. She is the more diplomatic of the two and does a good job of keeping her brother on track and making his dreams a reality.
The story focuses on Isla and Teddy, but Ray and Millie get plenty of adventure as well. There are other amazing supportive characters, such as Teddy and Millie's 12 year old sister, Daisy, who is spunky and observant. The descriptions of both kingdoms make the story even more imaginable and engaging. The plot and the setting show a lot of attention to detail. The story has lots of twists and turns as dangers are encountered in both kingdoms. Teddy and Isla need to learn how to balance dreams with reality both when saving a kingdom and falling in love. There are thoughtful insights nestled in between lots of adventure and some sweet romantic moments. The ending also has a lighthearted and thorough epilogue that wraps up the entire Beyond the Four Kingdoms series.
This would be a fun read for those who enjoy A Little Mermaid retellings, strong women, non-gory fight scenes, humor, enchantments, adventure, mermaids, clean romance, surprises, the fate of the kingdom level stakes, and strong supporting characters.
Isla, despite being a princess of Merrita, is the often overlooked youngest child who doesn't fit in and dreams of a better future for her people. She tends to rush into things. She has a big heart and a sense of adventure. Isla's uncle/essentially older brother who is only a few years older than her, Ray, is less impulsive but also brave, adventurous, and humorous which are all traits he needs as he looks out for his niece. Teddy and Milly are twins who are also the prince and princess of Trione. Teddy is the minutes older crown prince who is also a dreamer, but has his feet firmly rooted in his beloved kingdom of Trione. He enjoys being in the middle of the action, but he also has a more fun-loving and laidback yet caring personality. Millie is a good contrast to her brother as she is more practical and down to earth. She is the more diplomatic of the two and does a good job of keeping her brother on track and making his dreams a reality.
The story focuses on Isla and Teddy, but Ray and Millie get plenty of adventure as well. There are other amazing supportive characters, such as Teddy and Millie's 12 year old sister, Daisy, who is spunky and observant. The descriptions of both kingdoms make the story even more imaginable and engaging. The plot and the setting show a lot of attention to detail. The story has lots of twists and turns as dangers are encountered in both kingdoms. Teddy and Isla need to learn how to balance dreams with reality both when saving a kingdom and falling in love. There are thoughtful insights nestled in between lots of adventure and some sweet romantic moments. The ending also has a lighthearted and thorough epilogue that wraps up the entire Beyond the Four Kingdoms series.
This would be a fun read for those who enjoy A Little Mermaid retellings, strong women, non-gory fight scenes, humor, enchantments, adventure, mermaids, clean romance, surprises, the fate of the kingdom level stakes, and strong supporting characters.