Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen had me from the cover and I was captivated from the open paragraphs right through to the end.

As a genre fantasy/ mythology is not one I often choose, but it was nice to see gods from the Yoruba tradition referenced in the book.

As YA it was lovely to see Black mermaids, as we have been accustomed to believe these characters are white and usually blonde. I'm looking forward to seeing people dressing up as Simdele rather than Arial from a Little Mermaid, as this book has been described as a reimagining of the classic fairytale.

***Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Simi is a Mami Wata, on an adventure after she saves a boy named Kola who has been tossed off a slave-ship into the sea to die. Though it is forbidden, she rescues him anyway and is told her actions will have detrimental consequences for her kind. So she sets out to help Kola return to his village and find his siblings who have special abilities and get these very powerful rings they possess.

This was such a good story that combines so many mythical creatures, legends, gods, and people into a beautiful narrative. The characters are so interesting and you want to find out about them and you'll fall in love with them.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

3.5 stars

It took me a while to get round to reading Skin of the Sea but I’m still very much glad I did.

As a Nigerian girl, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Orisa and a new spin on classic story, The Little Mermaid. It warmed my heart to read about these two themes combined. The description of the environment was stunning and it really immersed me into the setting of the story. Even though Bowen set the story during the time of slavery, I appreciated that this aspect was gently presented in a way where that was suitable for a teen to consume and not be too traumatic,

There were some things I didn’t really connect with:

- the romantic subplot: I didn’t feel there was much interaction with Simi and Kola for there to be a convincing romantic storyline between the two so I found it difficult to buy in to the developing feelings

- writing: there were some sentences that read a bit awkwardly to me and there were others that contradicted the essence of what the sentence was attempting to convey but it wasn’t too much of an issue

I will keep my eye out for the sequel (which I think there will be after that ending!) to see how Simi’s story ends up finishing.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC

This took a while to get going. I loved the West African folklore in it, and it sent me off to look up more. The world-building is excellent. But I did find it a little slow and I didn't really connect with the love story angle.

Natasha Bowen wrote a beautiful story about love, loss, the importance of family and trust. All layered and cantered around West African mythology and folklore. Her debut novel ‘Skin of the Sea’ is a beautiful testament to the limitless mind and the power in ancestral history.

Bowen centers around Mami Wata and delves back to one of the horrors of human history - The TransAtlantic Slave Trade. We’re introduced to Simi, a Mami Wata who travels the seas looking for slaves thrown overboard so she can help them crossover to the next life.

From this alone, it's somewhat comforting and admirable that Bowen focuses on Simi like this. The middle passage is without a doubt, one of the most inhumane moments in history. The reader immediately understands Simi’s frustration and helplessness. You want Simi to do more. To tear the boats to pieces on their passage.

Simi’s persona is in constant conflict that is a main feature in the book. Her love for the sea reflects her future and her human form is meant to be her past. It very much navigates the plot but I found it quite interesting.

The love between Simi and Kola, her Prince Eric, begins to blossom slowly and I’ll be honest until I found out that this book was a duology I was confused as to how it could end like that.

Now I know that it’s a duology – I’m more hopeful as Bowen laid the serious groundwork with this book. She layers the narrative and the main character with complicated relationships and a fragmented past.

The pacing was a little slow and I did put this book aside before coming back to it later on. Nevertheless, I’m very curious to see what happens next. It’s a fantastic start to a duology

DNF’d at 40%

May just have been the wrong book at the wrong time for me. Simply couldn’t hold my attention.

This is a fabulous book and also a great introduction to mythology from West Africa.

Simi is a Mermaid guiding the souls of those who have died. Set in the 1400s, this is an era of slavery, slave ships and mythology. The author weaves in the mythological creatures, spirits, gods of West African culture into the story of how Simi became be and how she saved Kola.

Simi and Kola join to try and halt demigods rise to power. This task is not an easy one and they will need help along the way. The roads they travel are fraught with danger and a myriad of creatures and tales.

I really enjoyed this story as not only did it have a historical element to it but also a cultural one. The author tells of so many creatures, Mami Wata, Esu, Orisa, Ninka Nanka, Ibeji that I have not read about before.

This is a book that I would recommend to those who like myth, legend, culture, history and young adult stories.

DNF at 55%

I’m not sure why I never finished this one, but I put it down for a bit and then just never picked it up again. Even when I was actively reading it, I didn’t really want to pick it up.
There were promising parts of this. I liked the world building and getting to see West African mythology explored in it.
I didn’t vibe with the romance or the main character either tbh. And I just don’t think the plot made me want to read on

Skin of the sea was an enjoyable tale, with a powerful story. The plot was interesting, however the pacing of the story felt a little too slow and I struggled to maintain interest at some points because the writing felt too descriptive (although that may be because of personal preference). I was also dissatisfied with how abrupt the ending felt, but I still had a really fun time reading this and any fellow mermaid enthusiast would really love this book!!

Ariel who? I don’t know her, never have because Skin of the Sea is beyond the comparison of being called a ‘Little Mermaid’ retelling. It is in a class of its own.

Meet Simidele (or Simi) is one of the Mami Wata. She is a mermaid tasked with collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing them for their journey to Olodumare. Yet, Simi is still haunted by memories of her time as a human. Spending as much time as possible reverting back to her four-limbed form. In the hope, she might remember more than the glimpses of her past life.

Maybe that’s why she forgoes her duty of collecting souls and saves a drowning boy thrown overboard instead then witnessing the sea claim another soul.

As a result of saving the boy, Simi sets off a chain of events that takes her on a journey to not only save her family, friends but challenge forces greater that could cause chaos for land and sea.

***

Skin of the Sea is a beautiful love letter to West African mythology, fantasy and folklore. To be honest it is so refreshing to see West African culture and history cherished and celebrated with such love and positivity. Whilst the story is set in the backdrop of what would eventually become the Transatlantic slave-trade Bowmen make it clear this story is about showcasing the magnitude and brilliance of what African history is. Bowmen puts so much effort and dedication into expressing the wondrous, rich and mesmerising niche of West African culture, history and legends. It’s uplifting to see my ancestral culture represented with such respect and grace.

The worldbuilding in Skin of the Sea is truly captivating. Straight off from page one, the world is so easy to be drawn into. The lore of the world was vivid and breathtaking. Bowen creates a rich fantasy landscape with gods and magical creatures. I loved learning about these gods and their myths. With prose so colourful and lush woven effortlessly into each page.

Ok now here’s where I fangirl about Simi because she’s fantastic!

I loved Simi! There’s something truly admirable about her. Despite all the challenges she faces within the story her determination and perseverance shine through. What I like in particular was the clever use of analepsis to dive into Simi’s past life and character. Not only did it feel organic to the story. Witnessing Simi coming to terms with remembering her ‘past’ self and how it impacts who she is. Seeing the internal struggle between what Simi wants to do versus the expectations placed on her is what makes Simi an engaging protagonist to enjoy.

My only real qualm with the story would be the side characters. They felt underdeveloped. By the time you start to get a hint of who they’re taken away way too quickly. However, I might also put this down to the pacing of the story. Especially in the last ¼ of the book. But I can oversee it since I could see that Bowmen had the intention of leaving the story at a cliffhanger for the sequel. I just hope in the next book Bowmen fleshes out these characters more.

Oh while on the topic…the ending it was bittersweet. Like gosh I need to know what going to happen next. You bet I will be grabbing the sequel when it comes for sure.

Overall, Skin of the Sea is an immersive tale of magic, legends and wonder. An amazing YA fantasy debut. Whatever Bowmen has in store for the sequel and beyond, I for sure will be invested in her works for the long run.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you so much Netgalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK, for providing me with an e-arc of Skin of the Sea in exchange for an honest review

Please check trigger warnings prior to reading.

There are so many good Black-authored fantasy novels around at the moment, but this one really stands out thanks to its skilled incorporation of West African mythology. The main character, Simidele, has been transformed into a Mami Wata - a kind of mermaid - and has the responsibility of collecting the souls of the dead people thrown overboard from slave ships, and ensuring that their journey back to the creator is blessed.

One day, she finds someone who has been thrown overboard and is still alive. Although she is not meant to intervene in human affairs, she cannot allow him to drown. Of course it turns out to be a beautiful young man - so there is a bit of a love story in there as well!

But now she must reckon with the fact that she has broken the rules. Will the creator, Olodumare, be angry with her? Together with the young man, Kola, she must go on a quest to find the rings of Ile-Ife, which will allow her to speak to Olodumare directly and beg their pardon. Of course there are many twists and turns and challenges along the way...

The novel is completely immersed in West African (particularly Yoruba) mythology, and also has a wonderful sense of place, conveyed through lush prose. It is also a Little Mermaid retelling, and the various mythologies are woven skilfully together to create a dazzling whole.

Skin of the Sea is the kind of book that reminds not only why I love reading but why fantasy speaks to me so much! I could barely put it down and even walked straight into a door when walking around reading it, if that isn't a sign of an incredible book I don't know what is.

Skin of the Sea is so much more than just a Little Mermaid retelling, it blends together fairytale elements with historical events, African Mythology and a fantastical world that will pull you in from the first page.

Fast paced but without neglecting any other element of the story, Natasha Bowen crafts the most incredible tale. In Skin of the Sea, we follow Simi a Mami Wata who is tasked with collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing them on their journey. However, she was once human and these memories haunt her. And one day she does the one thing we shouldn’t, she saves a boys life, putting her on a path against the gods and putting her sisters at risk.

I cannot wait for a sequel and Natasha Bowen is now a auto buy author for me.

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen is a fantastic debut YA novel that I was thrilled to see out in the world after following its beginnings in a DVpit tweet 3 years ago.
It was a perfect pitch back then and it’s a great read now.
Infused with West African Mythology, it tells the tale of Simi, a mami watu (mermaid) who saves the souls of the slaves thrown from ships, until the day she saves a live boy.
It’s beautifully written with a real hook of an opening and such an intriguing world. It’s inclusion of the early stages of the slave trade gives it such gravity and relevance, and even as it moves into African mythology and fantasy the truth of this history is still apparent. Myth is part of the belief systems of a lived reality after all.
The way it embraces and explores the Ifa spiritual system is beautiful and fascinating and the section with Olodumare was particularly powerful .
The play on Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid also works brilliantly and I found this a really enjoyable and important read.
I found it lulled just a little after a brilliant opening and the love connection might have been a little more developed, but ultimately this story didn’t disappoint and I’d highly recommend it to YA readers young and old!

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen follows the journey of Simi who is Mami Wata - a mermaid - as she travels the sea, collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their souls for their journey home. Until one day when Simi comes across a boy, and just as she is about to collect his soul . . . she see's he's alive. She then has a split second to make, to not interfere and leave him to die or to save his life - the very thing she is not meant to do. But she does it anyways. Thus begins the journey of Simi and Kola, as they journey to save family, themselves and the world.

I really did enjoy the adventure/quest aspect of the novel. It really allowed for some great worldbuilding and I loved the exploration/inclusion of West African Mythology. It's not something I'm really familiar with, so I enjoyed learning and being introduced to new myths and magic systems.

The writing was great too! In particular, I loved the exploration of Simi's character and the use of analepsis. The structure of Simi recalling her past whenever she was reminded of something that prompted the memory felt organic. And oh my gosh! It was very emotional. Seeing this 'past' Simi and then the current one as she tried to remember who she is, and how that impacted who she was now was written really well.

I think the novel also blended real life history well, without shying away from the horrors of what happened, while also not letting it be the sole focus of the novel.

The only negatives I'd have to say about this is that I wasn't really invested in the romance? I think Bowen had to walk this line very carefully anyways because of the whole 'Simi can't fall in love with a human thing' but still, there was a lack of chemistry that was hard to ignore. And while I did enjoy the plot, I sometimes found it slow paced and 'jumpy' - as in it didn't always feel as if the plot was unfolding organically but just following a structure.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Skin of the Sea is a brilliant mix of little mermaid retelling, African mythology and some also heart breaking historical aspects, particularly around slavery, so I would definitely recommend you look up trigger warnings if you think you could possibly be sensitive to the topic. For me it handled a lot of the original elements of Hans Christian Andersons tale and brought them into a fresh new way with dieties and mythical elements. It's quite possibly one of the most exciting retellings I have read in a way and I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a retelling specifically.
It is at it's heart a typical travel adventure so there is a bit of a lull in the centre that slows down the flow a bit but overall I think it was plotted well. I really enjoyed the storyline and I think I would be equally happy if this stayed as a standalone or continues as a series.
I definitely liked the characters in this one but I think there could have been a little bit more dimension to them, for this reason I would say that this book is more plot driven than character driven.
Overall I really liked it but something was missing for me to give it a higher rating.

This is a mermaid book with a difference
The cast is varied and there is a bug question around acceptance of those who are different and being proud of who, or what you are.

Headlines:
West African fantasy wow
Slavery and fighting back
Lush cover

I'm blown away by the cover on this book, it is stunning and provides such a fantastic visual for Simi the main character. I really bought into this story initially, Simi being a mermaid-esque being but able to transform to human on land. Her job was to collect the souls of those dying at sea, particularly slaves killed on the boats taking them away from their native shores.

I really loved the early elements of the folk lore& gods but it did get more complicated and a bit harder to follow at times. It wasn't a long book but the second half felt a little longer than it should have to me. Kola, the human alongside Simi had a joint quest to fulfill with Simi and that premise for the story was interesting but again with a rather complex set of gods and magical elements to follow.

I liked this book but sadly I didn't love it like I thought I might. I'd definitely read this author again however and I really appreciated the slavery perspective and generally the African fantasy context.

Please check out some black reviewers on this book. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through netgalley.

I just finished Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen @skinofthesea, amazing #UKYA full of West African myths. A fairytale quest, I love the story of Mami Wata, with gasp-out-loud moments of pleasure & sadness...definitely one to pick up! https://t.co/s4JF3drxEJ

3.5

I was in two minds for this rating. I loved the idea of having a Black mermaid because representation matters. But Skin of The Sea is so much more than that. In the authors notes (which I enjoyed reading!) Natasha says its "a blend of history, and fiction." She skillfully weaves the heart wrenching horror of slavery with African mythology and this made the book soooo fascinating. The use of Yoruba language, deities and beings was cool that I was even googling some. So I definitely be exploring more West African mythology.

The book is poetic in its writing, the descriptions vivid. Whilst there is loads to praise for this book (esp the GORGEOUS cover), I found the pace quite slow at times and i would find myself lost as the journey took a bit too long. The book definitely picks up in the last quarter of the book and the ending made me soooo sad! Which is strangely refreshing. Not everyday happy endings looool. But deffo recommend !

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I found this story to be very addictive and bingeable. It was so visceral and emotionally evocative. It was dark at times and pulls on your heartstrings - but a must read.