Rachael recently received an e-ARC of The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall through NetGalley from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea was released on May 5, 2020 and has a Goodreads rating of 3.82 out of 5.
Short Summary:
Since Flora was around 9 or 10 years old, she has lived on the Dove. She adopted the name Florian as a way to fit in with the men onboard. The Dove occasionally takes on passengers and this time, they are headed towards the Floating Islands to meet Evelyn’s, an aristocrat aboard the Dove, soon-to-be husband, Commander Callum. Evelyn changes Flora’s life forever when they embark on the adventure of their lifetime. On this adventure, they learn more about themselves. This novel is a story of love, betrayal, friendship, and brotherhood.
Rachael’s Thoughts:
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea had a slow start, but the plot eventually thickened, causing me to breeze through half of the novel in one day. I really enjoyed the slow reveal of Flora’s story and Rake’s background; information dumps at the beginning of novels are usually too much world-building for me. However, my favorite part of the novel had to be the main characters’ growth. Flora learned how to perform magic while also discovering that she was more than just a slave to the nameless captain on the Dove. After saving a mermaid at beginning of the novel, Evelyn was able to find her true purpose. Alfie accepted his sister’s decision, realizing that their paths have now diverged. Saving the others caused Rake to became a better man. Overall, I really liked the adventure of The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea. If Maggie Tokuda-Hall decides to write a sequel, I am excited to see where everyone’s storylines will go next.
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
As we have been doing in previous reviews, I am also going to recommend some novels that are similar to The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea. These recommendations are going to focus on the pirate aspect of the novel.
1. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
2. These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch
3. Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
4. The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
If you read The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, what did you think of it? Do you want a sequel? What was your favorite part of the novel? Let me know in the comments! If you have yet to read it, it’s a really well written story and I enjoyed reading it.
Always,
Bookish Lovers
(Rachael)
Always, Bookish Lovers 