Two princesses from two very different worlds find themselves vying for the same handsome Prince’s affections, and in doing so, their lives are interconnected for the rest of their lives.
In Carolyn Turgeon’s latest book, “Mermaid,” she takes on the ominous task of re-telling the beloved Hans Christian Anderson fairytale of “The Little Mermaid.” And she hands the task with grace, well-written prose, and just the slightest touch of magic – just the ingredients necessary for any good love story.
The lovely Margrethe is living in an isolated convent, shut away from everything and everyone she loves. Thought to be a simple novice, she actually a princess in hiding. Her father is the king of the Northern lands, and there is talk of war brewing with the Southern lands, so he has hidden his only child away from the danger. Little did he realize danger was closer than he ever dreamed.
Red-haired Lenia is the youngest daughter to the Sea queen, a mermaid that lives in the sea near the convent. She loves her home in the water, but finds herself constantly longing for more than she has. On her eighteenth birthday, she is permitted to travel to the surface for a quick viewing. While up above, Lenia is caught in a terrible storm and sees a large ship on the brink of sinking forever. In a moment of weakness, she rescues a man from drowning, carrying him instead to land and dropping him at the feet of Margrethe.
It is this act of unselfish heroism that will ultimately bind these two women from very different worlds together forever. Both girls fall in love with the handsome Prince Christian, son of the Southern King. While Margrethe makes plans to bring peace to her country by uniting the two families together, Lenia makes the unimaginable sacrifice to gain her heart’s desire – she gives up her beautiful voice, and her way of life, to be able to spend the rest of her days as a human girl – a decision that would bring her to the heights of love, and the depths of despair all too soon.
Carolyn Turgeon stays faithful to the original story of the young mermaid who gives up everything for love in this beautiful fable, but she also adds her own twist to the tale, bringing in an element of sensuality and eroticism that make this version very much an adult story. This isn’t your Disney Little Mermaid! It is a wholly fascinating and captivating story that will renew a belief in happy-ever-after in a whole new way.
Check out Carolyn's delightful blog, http://www.iamamermaid.com/ for more information on her writing and any and all things mermaid!
This book is from my personal library.
