***2012 Debut Author***
" I couldn't get past the awkwardness of the characters to really enjoy the story line..."
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 336
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: I received a free ARC for review from the publisher
Summary:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance. (from Goodreads)
My thoughts:
Of Poseidon was a book I really really wanted to like. I love the ocean and I love mermaids but YA mermaid stories have been hit or miss for me in the past and unfortunately, Of Poseidon was a miss.
There are quite a few little things I didn't like and some very specific points that didn't work for me but overall if I had to pick one issue I had with this book it would be it's characters. I never felt a connection to any of them and really, not one of them was believable. The things they did and the things they said and the way they interacted with each other...it just didn't feel plausible in the least.
For instance, Emma agrees to go out on a date with Galen after he convinces her she already said she would before she walked into a door and got a concussion. After about a day, they both agree that it is wise to tell Emma's mother that they are dating so it wouldn't be weird if they spend time together. A relationship is born - complete with a bout of caveman behavior in which Galen practically drags Emma off by her hair while she's on a date with another boy.
To say I wasn't a fan of the 'romance' in Of Poseidon would be an understatement. There was nothing sexy about Galen for me and his way with Emma really made me want to slap him. Emma is a very weak female character. We are given the impression that she is tough and has a lot of snark but she lets people treat her pretty badly and then asks for more. That kind of personality never works well with me. And Galen really is a jerk most of the time.
Not appealing at all.
Final verdict:
I'm going to put this one in the 'not for me but maybe for you' category because unlike some YA paranormal romance books that I would hesitate to recommend to anyone, I think Of Poseidon will appeal to other readers. I couldn't get past the awkwardness of the characters to really enjoy the story line but I do feel like the underlining story is a strong one. Lots of myth and some mystery with a lot of things left open for book 2 to flesh out.
Will I be picking up book 2? Probably not but if you do enjoy Of Poseidon I think you'll be eager to see how Emma and Galen's story plays out.
Overall Rating:
2 / 5 Stars
Books in the Series:
#0.5 Legacy lost
#1 Of Poseidon
#2 Of Triton (2013)
Mermaid books have been mostly miss with me but I haven't completely given up on finding one I like. Of Poseidon has been recommended to me several times but from what you say, I don't know if it will be for me either. One of my pet peeves is characters that do not feel authentic or whose actions aren't logical. I did just read a review of Monstrous Beauty that sounds like it may be a mermaid book worth reading, maybe check that one out. :) Great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your honesty :) I'm considering this one.
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