A Love Story in Three Acts
Oh. My. Goodness.
Where do I even START?
Okay, okay. How about here? I loved this book. In fact, this book was enough to pull me out of a major reading slump following a series of disappointing books I felt compelled to read (because that's just how I am).
This book is the reason I bought books again.
Let me reiterate that. This book is the reason I have a to-be-read shelf AT ALL.
First of all, I've discovered I love these sorts of re-imaginings of classic fairy tales. There is something intriguing about taking a classic story and transplanting it into modern times. I'm ESPECIALLY thrilled when that story is intended for ADULT (rather than YOUNG adult) audiences (not because I dislike young adult fiction in general, but because I find books written for younger audiences often lack the rich prose of literary fiction).
It was the language that hooked me. (See what I did there? Haha, fish puns.)
Surely I would have continued reading had the language NOT been so compelling and rich (that first chapter is a hard sell, let me tell you) but it was the language which impressed me. It's a rare thing to meet a book in which the language is so provocative but in which it doesn't completely take over and bog down the narrative. (No doubt you've read at least one fantasy novel in which the description and world building was so extensive it was difficult to follow the story line or the characters. If not, pick up any novel by Anne Rice or see my review of The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco.)
The Mermaid's Daughter starts strong with an introduction to the first act: Soprano Kathleen's love affair with the Opera. Her voice is stunning, remarkable, something special, even among students of opera. She is destined for tragic ingenue roles, to die a thousand deaths on the stage. Kathleen must embrace these roles in spite of her own tragic past.
Next, the reader is introduced to the second act: Kathleen's love for her girlfriend, Harry (Harriet), a Mezzo at the same school (and more deserving of a special place with instructor Ruzena than the student selected for instruction). It is Harry who takes care of Kathleen when the mysterious pain in her feet or mouth become too much to bear, Harry who consoles Kathleen, who encourages her, who supports her.
Not long after, you will learn of the third act: Kathleen's tremendous love for the sea. It is the sea which provides the most comfort from the stabbing pain in her feet, the pain which plagues her mouth. She longs for the ocean, for the salty water which claimed her mother when she was only a baby in Ireland.
These are Kathleen's three great loves. A love story, in three acts.
I could wax lyrical like this for any length of time, but you could get this easily enough from the back of the book, and that's not REALLY what you're here for.
Let me tell you what I loved about this book.
I loved (LOVED!) the way the fantasy blended seamlessly with the modern world. I'm a sucker for the type of story in which the supernatural exists quietly alongside the natural without interference by science or politics. (Let's just say the Sookie Stackhouse novels did NOTHING for me.) It's always intriguing for me when one of those very supernatural creatures considers themself to BE human.
The fantasy elements are unveiled from the start, but the main character comes to understand them slowly, which I loved. What seems impossible in the beginning is unveiled later in the novel.
But, I'll admit, it's unveiled a bit too quickly, somewhat haphazardly, as though the author was in a rush now that she'd written nearly half a novel without revealing all the information.
I would PERSONALLY have enjoyed this book more (and yes, I DID love it. LOVE it!) had the author taken her time, introduced more of these elements to the story earlier, and allowed the reader to savor Kathleen's emergence, her growing understanding of what she was. Instead, it happened ALL AT ONCE in this book, leaving me feeling frustrated, and a bit disappointed.
This has led me to a general confusion surrounding this book. I loved the language (I did!), and in spite of her whiney, needy, UNPLEASANT personality and behavior, I enjoyed Kathleen. I loved the story as well, though this has left me with another issue in reviewing.
I both love it and accept its faults. There were some things missing, and some things which bogged down the narrative.
What was missing? All that history! This is a story which goes back for GENERATIONS, for more than 400 pages and the only story we walk away UNDERSTANDING is Kathleen's. Yet how can we understand her story if we don't understand the women who came before her?
There is SUCH a missed opportunity here. I hope Ms. Claycomb will read this and take it to heart for her future endeavors. Each of these love stories was unique and in its way could have contributed to the story, bolstered it, proven it through the generations. These stories were RELEVANT to Kathleen's experience, and the story of the original Little Mermaid.
I felt some of these stories were skirted instead of addressed the way they deserved to be addressed, and I was disappointed.
(The way Claycomb tied the story to Hans Christian Andersen was fascinating, and I appreciated that part of the story. It gave the narrative some credence.)
I also enjoyed the alternating perspectives. I'm partial to this style of writing because each person exists differently in the minds of others, and it was fascinating to see the way Harry felt about Kathleen vs. how Kathleen felt about herself.
On the other hand, I would have been satisfied with these TWO alternating perspectives, and often felt Robin's parts of the story (told in the third person perspective instead of the first person perspective of the two leading females) could have been omitted and the story wouldn't have lost anything.
I'd have much preferred the absence of Robin's Composer's Notes in exchange for more development of the previous generations of mermaids.
The ending of the novel was beautiful and tragic, but also wholly predictable. It didn't let me down (though as I have said, I enjoy those twists and turns in a story!), but I feel you should know, as MY reader, that you may be able to anticipate the ending of this novel, and therefore could be disappointed by it.
This book has been difficult to review precisely BECAUSE I loved it so. I try to be realistic, even about the books I love the most, but often by the time I'm finished writing a critical review, I find myself confused. WHY do I love this book so much?
Sometimes I think the reasons why defy explanation.
I loved this book. That's enough for me.
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(The way Claycomb tied the story to Hans Christian Andersen was fascinating, and I appreciated that part of the story. It gave the narrative some credence.)
I'd have much preferred the absence of Robin's Composer's Notes in exchange for more development of the previous generations of mermaids.
