I first heard about this book on one of the many book sites I visit, but didn't have the opportunity to pick it up until I stumbled on it at the library and remembered I wanted to read it. Interesting interweaving of present day and family history, with some unusual twists. I mean, not everyone comes from a family of mermaids who die young, on the same date, and have a sister (also a swimmer) who is troubled, and the death date is approaching. Solve a mystery? Sure? Track your heritage? Sure. Crack your heritage curse? Read the book and find out.
A couple of side comments, though: I liked the glimpses into Carni-life and the circus folks. I wish I knew more about Tarot cards. I liked that Simon, the central character in the modern telling, is a librarian. The script used for text of the letters included in was hard for me to read (old eyes.) And, it was fun that the author included drawings in the book, though I wish they'd been a bit more detailed and in color.
tags: thank-you-charleston-county-library, books-about-books, first-novel-or-book, taught-me-something, made-me-look-something-up, made-me-think, read-in-2015
The cover doesn't give any hint that it's about mermaids! (Can't tell a book by its cover!)
ReplyDeleteCircus performers who are "mermaids"....
ReplyDeleteMy younger granddaughter, age 4, is fascinated with mermaids now. I guess that's why I focused on mermaids and didn't notice the circus part, and the librarian part sort of passed by unnoticed until I read your review again.
DeleteGrandkids have a way of doing that to you. :) What bothers me about this cover is that the central character, the librarian, is male.
ReplyDeleteHmm, that definitely does not look like a male librarian. He wasn't a cross-dresser, was he?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to read *that* book, too!
ReplyDelete