Book Review: "Son of a Mermaid" by Katie O'Sullivan

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Son-of-a-Mermaid-ebook/dp/B00CRLSH9G/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372271744&sr=1-1&keywords=son+of+a+mermaid

Amazon description:
Shea MacNamara’s life just got complicated.

After a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, the fifteen-year-old orphan is whisked away to Cape Cod. Struggling to make sense of his new surroundings, he’s trying hard to deal with feelings of abandonment… and the emotions stirred by a girl he meets along the shore.

Kae belongs to an undersea world hidden from drylanders. The daughter of royal servants, she knows the planned marriage of her Princess to the foreign King should put an end to the war between the clans. But two things stand in the way of lasting peace: the ambitions of the foreign King’s regent, and rumors of the Princess’s bastard child.

Sparks fly when she meets Shea, but could the cute drylander really be the Son of a Mermaid?

My review:
3 out of 5 stars--I liked it, and would read it again.

Shea is your average teenage boy. He worries about fitting in, about how to talk to the girl he likes, about whether or not his dad will let him go out and have fun with his friends. Then disaster strikes, and his whole life changes. He moves to Cape Cod with his grandmother, and begins to piece together the mystery of his own past--namely, his mother's true identity and why she left her husband and infant son. He also slowly discovers that he's not so average after all. Rather, he bridges the two worlds of humans and mermaids, and he is uncertain where he belongs. In the undersea world, Shea finds himself in the center of a political struggle, and he races to help those who need him and his unique abilities.

I'm not normally into paranormal fiction, but I found this to be an enjoyable read. The author's easy style of storytelling draws the reader into a world where it's natural to believe that mermaids exist. The author's descriptive writing engages all of the senses, making the whole experience immersive. There were practical details that I enjoy finding in a fantasy book. For example, mermaids have exceptional memories due to the fact that things cannot be written down. Little bits of realism such as that sell a story to me. I also appreciated how well the author captures the emotions of young love--especially first love. I remember being fifteen and feeling exactly the same way. Some of the dialogue seemed a little out of place when considering the age of the speaker, but I was able to dismiss this by imagining that the culture of merpeople is more youthful and playful. Over all, I found this book to be fun and relaxing to read. I would definitely read it again.

For more information on my rating system, click here.