The last retelling I read was Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen, the first volume of the saga which is inspired by the story of the Little Mermaid and West African mythology.

Simidele is now a Mami Wata, a mermaid in the service of the goddess Yemoja.
Her task is to collect the souls of the deceased in the sea to have them blessed by the goddess.
Everything changes when she saves a human from drowning, risking unleashing the wrath of Olodumare, the Supreme Creator, and causing the death of all the Mami Wata.
The only way to save them is to leave on a journey, where dangers lurk around every
corner.

Unfortunately, the book didn't convince me 100%, despite the good premises!

First of all, the story from the second half onwards continues too quickly, without giving the reader time to digest what is happening.
This also has repercussions on the characters who react almost without emotion to the most tragic situations. Furthermore, I didn't find the love story credible, in fact, I'd say it's actually non-existent.
It's all based on what the famale protagonist feels (very weakly), because we'll never know what he thinks.

Secondly, I didn't like the writing.
I didn't like the descriptions, they were too similar to each other and at times repetitive.

Despite all this, I found the part about African mythology really interesting.
Overall it was a nice read, but I don't think I'll read the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen.

I enjoyed Skin of the Sea and got through it quickly, but I felt like it was so fast paced that it didn't allow me to get to know the characters all that well.

I liked the Little Mermaid retelling, and loved the culture and mythology used- It was really beautiful and juxtaposed such a terrible time in human history.

I really enjoyed reading Skin of the Sea, a story about Simi - a mermaid.

Simi is a complex character and I really enjoyed the plot of Skin of the Sea, but the cliffhanger at the end was (brilliantly) painful! I can't wait for the second book to come out.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It was well plotted, well written and I read it in a day.

Despite this, I felt like something was missing. There was a certain spark that kept this book as good instead of great and I don’t see myself re-reading this one.

"Skin of the Sea" by Natasha Bowen is a unique and ambitious novel that blends elements of mythology and fantasy with contemporary themes of identity and belonging. While the book has moments of brilliance, the uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters prevent it from reaching its full potential.

The story follows a young mermaid named Simi who is forced to leave her underwater home and navigate the world of humans in order to save her people from extinction. Along the way, she discovers shocking truths about her past and struggles to reconcile her dual identity as both mermaid and human.

The concept of the book is intriguing and the author's use of mythology and folklore to explore themes of identity and cultural heritage is commendable. Bowen's prose is also evocative and vivid, painting a rich and immersive world beneath the waves.

However, the book's pacing is uneven, with some parts dragging on while others feel rushed. The plot is often convoluted and difficult to follow, and the characters feel underdeveloped, making it hard to fully invest in their journeys.

Simi, the protagonist, is a sympathetic character, but her arc feels incomplete and her decisions sometimes lack clear motivation. The supporting characters, particularly the humans that Simi encounters, feel one-dimensional and lacking in depth.

Despite these flaws, "Skin of the Sea" is a bold and imaginative work that will appeal to readers who enjoy unconventional stories and mythic elements.

3.5 rounded up to 4

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for this ARC.

Full disclosure, because I am useless and trying to get back on track with my arcs, I actually listened to this on audiobook from the Library.

This story is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid set during the horrific era of the slave trade in Africa. It is also absolutely full to the brim with stunning West African Mythology and Orisha (gods).

Firstly, this book is exhausting; it's absolutely non stop from start to finish. I just kept thinking
to myself 'can this group please just have ONE NIGHT where they can rest and recharge???'. 😅
Unfortunately because of this constant action, reaction & planning I feel that we didn't get to know the characters very well.

Simidele is a Mami Wata, a West African water spirit / mermaid and is one of only 6 created by Yemoja, a water Orisha. Simi can still take the form of a human when she is on land, although she can no longer heal and her legs & feet are in constant pain when she does so. She is encouraged to forget about her previous life and devote her new life to carrying the dead souls that are lost from the slave ships to Oludamare. Although one day she finds someone who's not quite dead and decides to save him, setting off a chain of events where even gods are after her.

I genuinely loved all the mythology and orisha in this story and found it all fascinating. I also kind of felt like Simi & Kola's story was almost a side quest to the main characters in another story (his twin siblings).

I don't think we really got enough one on one time for Simi & Kola's romance to be believable, a friendship sure but the romance felt very quick considering these two barely had a few hours between each attack. That being said I still felt sad at the ending and will definitely be reading the sequel. I just wanted more time to get to know them both!
And I'm still sad about Issa!

CW: injury, slavery, blood

This was a fabulous debut to read.

I particularly loved the setup for the protagonist, Simi.

Taking elements from West-African history and when the Portuguese first started enslaving them, it was a moving and tragic reworking of The Little Mermaid. It was a very engaging story, and I cannot wait to see what else Natasha Bowen will come up with!

Skin of the Sea is such a beautifully written fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. Natasha Bowen has earned herself a spot on my auto-buy authors list. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Skin of the Sea today.

Skin of the Sea is a story that grabs you from the outset, with its blend of African mythology and links to The Little Mermaid. Evocative and enchanting, with an ending that had me very relieved to have a copy of book two on hand to find out what comes next.
Our main character, Simi, is a mermaid; someone who was human but rescued on the condition that she played her role in saving the souls of the dead. Unfortunately, her memories of her human life make it harder for her to fully accept her instructions. When she finds Kola he is injured and she cannot let him die. At risk to herself, she rescues him…and sets in motion a chain of events that could have grave repercussions.
The pair journey to his home as he needs to find his twin siblings. Along the way both are challenged and forced to think about what is important to them. We see a journey fraught with danger, and though we sense things are not going to go quite according to plan there were moments that really took me by surprise. Though I didn’t quite predict the ending, Simi’s decision makes sense…though I hope she’ll be afforded a better deal in book two.

‘Skin of the Sea’, aside from having one of the most striking and beautiful covers I’ve seen in a while, is also rich with history and mythology, different cultures, lovely writing, vivid world-building and immersive flashbacks.

The quest aspect was great, if a little unevenly paced. Some parts were quite slow and didn’t really compel me to pick the book up again, but I binged the last quarter or so until the early hours of the morning and they’re probably the most memorable chapters too. At first I didn’t find any of the side characters as compelling nor interesting as our protagonist Simi, but the latter parts made me reconsider this. This change was particularly marked for Kola, and I went from being fairly neutral about the secondary characters’ fates to actively rooting for their survival. (Did they? You’ll have to read it and see…) The romance felt quite typical for YA, but I could understand the attachment under the circumstances.

There was a supposed major ‘twist’ that was probably meant to be the biggest shocker in the book, but I saw it coming a mile off. However, there were myriad other things that I didn’t expect. One example was the ending; while I was certain that there would be a price to pay, I didn’t predict how it would play out.

I’m conflicted about the ending, though in a positive fashion. It would have been such a brave and non-formulaic way to close out a standalone, despite the lack of closure we get about some other characters. Yet I’m also so curious to see what comes next for Simi! (And certain side characters who shall remain nameless for fear of spoilers!)

‘Skin of the Sea’ was a strong debut with fascinating mythology, a high-stakes quest and a protagonist that you can really get behind. Though I still stand by my original feeling that this would have been a powerful and haunting open ending for a standalone, I’m glad that since I read this book, a sequel has been confirmed!

This started fantastically and now I need more stories that feature mermaids!
I loved how African mythology and folklore were woven into the story. The story had a lot going on: adventure, history, and a potential romance. I devoured the first half but found the pace slowed in the middle. Luckily it does pick up at the end, but I do wish that I was gripped throughout.

A good start to a new series but there were a few issues with pacing. I loved reading about mermaids so I'm looking forward to picking up the next book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Gorgeous and so much fun to read, I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author. What a brilliant book.

This book is utterly gorgeous, and entirely worth the hype. We rarely come across modern stories about mermaids, but Bowen weaves a stunning one. I love how her approach is entirely different to any other we've seen, and her well-crafted characterisation of Simidele is so powerful. I didn't want this book to end :) x

I LOVED this book! it was one that i COULD NOT put down. I have a very short attention span so to have a book keep me hooked and reading is a very rare thing and this book did just that! this book is a book that needs to be read by everyone it is that good!!

Overall, I thought this book was brilliant and I’m so glad it exists. Black Mermaids stole my heart, the cover the concept behind it; I loved it. The execution: I think that slightly more effort could have gone into building up the big twist in the story, which felt predictable, and some small tweaks could have made it harder to spot. However, despite the big twist being predicable, absolutely nothing else in the book was, so I can’t judge too harshly for that. I loved the setting, during the beginnings of the transatlantic slave trade, a book adjacent to slavery but not just about black people suffering; I think it's a brilliant springboard for more learning about African myths, culture and science pre-slavery. There are some brilliant resources in the back.

The cover of this book is so gorgeous too!

I sadly DNF’d this book. Whilst the concept sounded amazing, I just couldn’t get into the novel. I’m not quite sure I can put my finger on it but it wasn’t for me.

I know so many others loved this book though so I’m disappointed.
Do not write this book off though - I think it’s me personally that the book wasn’t for.

(I don’t actually want to give it 1 star but I couldn’t do a review and not click a star)

Unfortunately this book was not for me. Other readers may enjoy it more, but I could not get into it and ultimately did not finish it.

A mermaid who protects and guides the souls of the those who die at sea, desperate to return to a human life that lives on as a memory rescuers a living boy who threatens the peace of her people. Skin of the Sea is a wonderfully beautiful story, woven through with a mixture of mythologies to shine bright as a new tale. It's rich in lore and filled with beautiful descriptions in perhaps one of the most aesthetically pleasing stories I've ever read, and I really loved the diversity brought into an otherwise old fairy tale and bringing in history and insight into horrific real events. The author actually includes further reading on slave ships too, which I really appreciated. Authors should never feel the need to shy away from introducing important topics into their narrative.

However, I did think that the overall pacing and plot were a little of. Everything feels a little bit rushed, not allowing the reader time to really dive into the story or get a better understanding of who Simidele really is and the plot is pretty standard YA. I also found the romance a little bit contrived. That said, I absolutely loved the representation in this and want to see more diversity like this in retellings.

Skin of the Sea is a strong YA fantasy novel with a unique take on the Little Mermaid fairytale being a beautiful mix of the retelling and African mythology along with some heart breaking historical moments.

I found it hard to get through this book at some points but glad to have finished it. This was an enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC

I originally chose to read this book because of the cover. The black mermaid on the front was so gorgeous that I couldn't help but want to read a retelling of the Little Mermaid with her as the main character.

But a few pages into it I realised that there was no way I could do this book justice with my Anglo-centric brain trying to make sense of the names and language in a way that would be easy for me.
So I waited until I could download the audiobook and hear the names and the language in the way that the author intended.

I feel like this made the story come alive for me in ways that it just wouldn't if I were reading it alone.
Simidele is a Mami Wata, tasked with helping those souls who are thrown from the slavers ships to eternal rest and blessing. This is her purpose. But one day a man is thrown into the deep still alive and Simi saves him, unknowingly starting a chain reaction of death, destruction and desire. In an attempt to find redemption, will she find who she really is?

This is the Little Mermaid but not as you know it. Tied with fantastic world-building, historical research and rich African culture, I can only say that this is a book that should be read in school- replacing Mice and Men and other classics. I knew of the practice of braiding maps into the hair but nothing about the use of concentric circles to navigate. Fascinating and illuminating.

If you are white I would suggest listening to the audio as the rich smooth voice of Yetide Badaki helps the story to flow beautifully and pronounces the names and prayers fluently and correctly.

Ms Bowen also has a bibliography of other books to read on the subject matter which I'm hoping will teach me more about this historical period.