Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book will definitely stay with you after you close the pages. There have been a lot of retellings of fairy tales or myths recently, but Bowen does something different with this alternative The Little Mermaid by anchoring the story to the history of the African slave trade. She fully immerses the reader in African culture and mythology, from the use of Yoruba in the text to the references to many different orisa. It's not an easy read at times but definitely worth it.

This is an African fairytale of mermaids and gods called Orishas. Borrowing predominantly from Yoruba folklore we are taking to a time when the slave trade first started and people were taken by the white man and transferred by sea to be sold. The gods are affronted by this and some chose to attack the ships whilst others chose to stand back and not interfere in the machinations of humanity. There are also others like Yemoja, who chooses to help the lost souls that die during the crossing. She makes mermaids to help capture the souls and deliver them with blessings to - the high God.

One of these mermaids is Simidele, who in trying to perform her normal tasks, discovers a young man called Kola that isn’t actually dead and decides to save him, thereby breaking Yemoja’s rule of doing nothing else but delivering souls. This rule break has severe ramifications for the gods and mermaids and leads to an adventure - where Simi and Kola have to look for some ancient rings to contact Olodumare and beg his forgiveness. They face lots of mythical creatures, and other gods including Esu (the Trickster god) who is also looking for those rings in an attempt at a power grab.

I loved the mythology and reading about these stories that come directly from my region in the world. I feel like the author did really good research and wove an interesting story combining elements of lore from different African countries. I like that it is diverse and has good representation of young black people as the protagonists and heroes. The writing is a little slow and some of the plot points are obvious but I still found it an enjoyable read. The ending is a little bit of a cliffhanger so I’m guessing this will be a series. I look forward to seeing where the author takes the story next.

3.5⭐️

A beautifully imagined fantasy tale of mermaids (Mami Wata) in West African mythology. When Simidele saves a boy thrown overboard a slave ship, the consequences are far more wide-reaching than she can possibly imagine, and sets her down a path to face the ancient Gods and save the natural order of her world.

This story was full of really beautiful world building and really only fell down for me in parts with the first person narrative. I can see why it was used and how it benefited the stroy by grounding it in Simi's experiences, there were just places where it took me out of the story and wasn't necessarily adding to the narrative. I do think for younger readers though, this is likely a non-issue.
It took a while for the story to come around to and build the central conflict but that build up was used really well to expand the world and flesh out the characters being introduced.
This then allowed the main story when it did reach its zenith to be all the more gripping and the pay off more satisfying.

Overall, this was a stunning YA fantasy about taking on the Gods, reclaiming bodily autonomy and undeniable female empowerment. Well worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for the e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely intoxicating, this beautiful reimagining of The Little Mermaid through the lens of West African mythology should be on the top of everyone’s phone tbr pile. It’s heart-shattering, immersive and filled with memorable gods and beasties, I couldn’t put it down.

QOTD: Have you ever felt like you have waited your whole life for a book?

Thanks to Michelle Nathan at at Penguin Books for my stunning proof copy and to Natasha for being so patient with my excitement for her book! Thanks also to Netgalley for my e-copy

This is the story I have been waiting for since I was a little girl and I watched The Little Mermaid. To see a black mermaid, a mermaid who looked something like me, is a dream come true.

Skin of The Sea is a blend of history, myth and fiction. It’s has made me want to learn more about African history, culture and stories.

I loved the descriptions of the Orisha’s and the magical creatures and their abilities.

There are not enough words for how much I love this book. To become absorbed in the world in a book is fairly normal for me but this book was different. I felt like a child again, first discovering the little mermaid. Only this time she looks something like me.

The fluidity of the story was just magical and I felt like there were easy traditions between Simi’s present and past.

I loved the parallels drawn in the book between the water and its power and Simi and Yemoja.

To see Simi learn to trust those around her to help her on her quest and how she took them into her heart.

That ending tho 🥺 💔

I read this via the stunning physical proof and then again via the audio read by @yetide which just made it that bit more real to me 💙

Whether you are a lover of mermaids and black girl magic or not, this is a book you want to dive into 🌊

#SkinOfTheSea #SOTS #BlackMermaid #BlackGirlMagic #MermaidBook #Yemoja #Orisha.

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen is a beautiful and magical retelling of The Little Mermaid with West African mythology galore and a driven main character with so much compassion in her heart. I loved it.

I don’t know much about African mythology so I was eager to discover something new to me, and I really did. The use of indigenous language, the details about clothing, hair, and food made diving into this world so easy. The folklore was so rich and Natasha did a wonderful job of just throwing the reader in, learning all these amazing beings as we went along on the journey. Honestly, it’s the best way to discover stories.

I know The Little Mermaid has been used a lot to describe this book, and yes it does have parallels, both with the traditional tale by HC Anderson and the Disney film, but it also feels unique and not just a copy. Mermaid stories are not just a Danish thing.

Simidele is such a compassionate person and I felt that her past was carefully and sensitively handled. We learn over the course of the book key moments of her life before she became a Mami Wata, which made me care about her. Did I want her to remember everything? No, but I did find myself feeling her loss for her previous life. While Skin of the Sea is set in the 1400 (from the author’s notes in the back of the book) the slave trade is not the focus of the story. It’s there, of course, Simidele is rescuing the souls of the slaves thrown into the sea, which itself is very touching, but there’s not a need to focus on the trauma that these people are suffering. Enough is told to give an idea of what’s happening.

Skin of the Sea is about the people and their stories, their history before the slave trade. I hope Skin of the Sea shows readers what was stolen and that Africa is a country of a rich and vibrant history with its own stories that deserve to be remembered and told. Natasha Bowen has packed a lot into her tale; not only are there all the orisa and the deities, but the economic links, fractals, meals, the meanings of different colours of wrappers, there’s so much detail that is just there on the page for the reader to soak in.

The plot flows naturally from one place to another. It’s a quest story, but with a lot on the line. The main characters are developed honestly; certain situations bring out changes and other sides to personalities and Simidele and Kola felt like fully rounded people. There is peril because no quest is without peril, and there is pain. The stakes feel high and I believed there were serious consequences to even completing the quest, never mind failing it. But the violence is never just for show. The fights are brutal and harsh; I felt the injuries that the characters sustained.

When I reached the end of the Skin of the Sea, I thought it was a perfect, bittersweet ending. And then found out there’s going to be another book, which there is a sneak peak of in the back of the book.

Skin of the Sea is a lovingly written tale of compassion and determination full of rich mythology and magic. It’s well worth reading, and I look forward to seeing where Simidele’s story goes to next.

I really enjoy mermaid (and the little mermaid) as well as Mami Wata legend, which i discovered on a Podcast last year. I was really excited when I found this book and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the world building and the story, and Natasha Bowen writing was very fluid and almost poetic. I enjoyed the reference to all the different culture and myth from the African continent and will definitely check out some of the reference the author gives at the end of the book.
The ending was both heartbreaking and satysfying simply because I was rooting for Simi to not give her power up, and I am so glad she decided to kept them !
I would highly recommend this book, its definitely one of the highlight of my reading year.

This was unlike anything I've ever read and even though it took me a few days it was a really good. It was written beautifully and i enjoyed the characters as heartbreaking as this was.

After being told by her goddess not to break any more riles, Simi saves the man when he falls into the sea surrounding her as she tracks a slave transportation ship. She knows her job, and has promised that she will stick within the boundaries of it, but he is alive, and she cann’t stand to just watch him die. So she does the unforgiveable – she takes him to the sacred island, and lets him see her transform.

Fuelled by her determination to make it up to her goddess, and the secret growing feelings for Kola, Simi embarks on an adventure to apologise to the chief of gods. Throughout her journey, she meets more humans than she has known since changing to a mermaid, and the recommendation from the goddess that she remembers what she is and keeps her distance becomes harder to heed. As she spends more time in her human form, more of the memories of her past life that have been washed away by the water start to come back to her, and staying focused on her mission becomes more and more difficult.

I really enjoyed Simi as a protagonist. She is a complicated character, and I really like that; things weren’t staightforward for her, and often the person she’s battling against is herself. Little details, like the fact her feet are not used to walking when she transforms, are really good at building the atmosphere and akllowing a full picture of the story to form.

One thing I will say that was very personal to me is that being visually impaired and relying on the shape of words often to read, meant it took me longer to read than normal. There were so many unfamiliar words and many with accents which confused me.

However, it was brilliant to read such a badass in a young person’s book about mermaids, and finding out where you fit in, whayever the cost.

To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about embarking on reading a story that felt very Little Mermaid in its opening pages. I'd previously read To Kill a Kingdom, which I enjoyed ... but it hadn't exactly gripped me. But the story told in Skin of the Sea was much more detailed, much more exciting and was just packed with Nigerian and West African folklore that quickly made the story much less of a retelling, and more of a novel in its own right.

Simidele is one of the Mami Wata, water spirits (like mermaids) that were created to collect souls that have been lost in the sea and to bless them on their journey back to Oludomare, the Supreme Creator. At the time that this novel is set, many Black lives are being lost at sea, as slave traders are tearing communities apart.

Simi legs only reappear when she is back on dry land, and with them her memories of her life before becoming one of the Mami Wata, and she finds herself plagued by these forgotten memories of her humanity.

But one day, when collecting souls, she finds a boy, Adekola, who is still alive. Rather than waiting for him to drown, she drags him back to land. But Simi has now gone against the reason why she was made; instead of collecting souls she has saved one. She must now find a way of reaching Oludomare to beg forgiveness for transgressing, and to protect Kola's life.

Kola, however, is desperate to return home. He has family to protect not just from the slavers, but from a greater threat that could place more than just his village in danger. Will he trust Simi enough to get her help in protecting his family?

We very quickly move away from 'aren't humans interesting, look, one just fell over the side of a ship' and instead embark on a story that is rich with a clearly explained culture, mythology and folklore, all set against a real period in history - one that shadows the book but doesn't overpower the story between Simi and Kola.

I wasn't particularly made up about the romance that builds between Simi and Kola - it feels very 'first boy I ever met and he's a cutie', but the wealth of fun characters, different environments and host of orisa spirits.

I really enjoyed the story, and would give it 4.5 stars overall.

With inspiration from West African mythology, Skin of the Sea tells the story of Simi - a newly appointed Mami Wata (mermaid)- who must venture and collect the souls thrown overboard/ in the sea and ensure they rest in peace. But things spiral out of control when Simi ends up saving Kola, instead of his soul...

I absolutely adored this book! Mermaid stories have been a miss for me in the past, but wow did this book deliver! I loved Simi and her character introduction- she's so driven and I loved reading about her journey to summon the supreme creator. The developing relationship between Simi and Kola was so interesting to read about. We learn a lot about Kola's family and his past and it made me care for these characters all the more.

The writing was absolutely beautiful. It was so compelling that every time I picked it up, it seemed more and more difficult to put it down. The blend of culture and the way Bowen writes about slavery and its impact during such a dark time was written so so well. I loved the mix of mythology and commentary on society and history, and the vivid descriptions made this book very intriguing.

The plot was enjoyable albeit a little predictable, but I didn't mind because everything else about this story really solidified my love for this book. The pacing was so well done, it kept me hooked throughout! And that cliffhanger really convinced me that I need the next book in this duology ASAP!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-arc for review! i will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this beauty- I mean just look at that cover!

Skin of the Sea is a slow-paced, reflective piece of literature that pulls inspiration from West African mythology and the Ifá spiritual system. It is set during a harrowing time in history; the slave trade. In here we follow Simidele - a Mami Wata tasked with escorting souls from people who have died in the sea. When she saves a human from the sea that is still alive, she risks the very existence of Mami Wata’s and her mother Yemoja and must embark on a perilous journey to seek the god Oludumare for absolution.

Being a Mami Wata causes Simi to forget about her past life, however when she returns to land and swaps her tail for legs, she is able to recall bits and pieces of her family, her hometown and events. I think this is an extremely valuable story with themes of storytelling and a strong sense of various cultures.

One thing that really stood out to me was that Bowen told this story through a positive lense. She doesn’t linger on the slavery of Black people, nor the suffering (though she doesn’t sugar coat them and they are still present) and instead she chose to tell us a story of Black history that doesn’t start with slavery. It’s learning about ancient cultures and how deeply mesmerising and detailed they are. I loved exploring the mythological beings in here, such as the Orisa’s, Sasabonsam’s and Yumboes and the way Bowen weaves them into the story is just magical. Side note - I really appreciated that this book had trigger warnings at the beginning and would love this to become normal!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Natasha Bowen and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.



Tw: death, slavery, gore, violence

Amazing! This book is east African myth and folklore set during the beginnings of slavery. It tells the story of Simi who is a mami wata and her journey to gain forgiveness after saving a boy who was drowning. It is a story of love and sacrifice entwined within folklore. The description of the Yemoja, a powerful orisa, and the role she plays in helping souls find peace with the help of her seven Mami Wata helps us to understand the beliefs of those who suffered at the hands of slave owners during this period. The description of the orisa Oya and Sangu destroying slave ships and the protection that is given to the African people by the Orisas shows how folklore is intertwined in cultures.
Most importantly though is the importance this books role is in terms of representation. For all those children who know the story of the Little mermaid this tells similar story but one seeped on African culture and myths, showing that mermaids are not all white europeans. This book should be on every secondary school library shelf.

This is honestly one of the most beautiful books out this year. The cover is stunning and is the main reason that I was interested in this book. The plot did interest me too, but this was total cover love.

Skin of the Sea follows Simidele, who is one of the Mami Wata. She’s a mermaid who harvests the souls of black people who die in the ocean thanks to slavers. One day she comes upon a boy who is still alive, so she rescues him. She didn’t know it was against the rules and had to go on a journey with him to make amends for her mistake.

This was a somewhat historical fantasy. I can’t say if it’s technically set in our world, but I believe it’s a fantastical setting that uses 15th-century history. It weaves together West African folklore and gods with something that felt a lot like it was a The Little Mermaid retelling but wasn’t quite. There are trigger warnings in this book for slavery, violence, suicide and death. I wasn’t quite expecting this book to be as dark as it is, but it really worked and made the story more powerful.

My favourite part of this book was the use of folklore. I’ve never heard of most of these gods or creatures before, but now I want to know more. The yumboes are clearly a type of fae, and I’d never thought of West African fae before though I knew they would be a thing. I’d also love to cuddle the abada. They sound so cute. I want to go on and read more about these creatures now because I’m completely fascinated.

Something that came with the territory of folklore and Africa is storytelling. It was a prominent part of this story and featured in a challenge near the end of the book. I really enjoyed it as it helped pass on information without feeling like an infodump. The storytelling within the book had the same sort of rhythm as the tales, and that worked really well.

I was so sure that this book was going to be a favourite, but it wasn’t. I definitely appreciated the characters and the story, but something about the writing just didn’t gel with me. I basically read this entire book – apart from one chapter – in a single night. It was a fast read and isn’t too long, which was a joy. But the writing really made me feel like I was on the outside looking in. Sometimes I found my eyes skimming over the text, and I had to go back to focus as I was less interested in the part I was reading.

This is a debut book though, so I can forgive it any flaws. And I think it probably is a me problem this time as I’d have no problem recommending this book to others. I’ll definitely be getting the second book too.

Skin of the Sea is a magical, lyrical novel that will have you tearing up whilst wanting to dive into a West African story collection. Check it out!

I've seen this book described as a, "Black Little Mermaid'. It totally nails that brief. It has all the atmosphere of The Little Mermaid, but has the raw observations of Africa, the slave industry and the magic of African mythology.

In Skin of the Sea, Simidele is our mermaid, of sorts. Set aside your Disney expectations though, because there is nothing pretty about this gloomy, corrupt world (thank goodness!). Shepherding the souls of the dead, Simidele has one purpose and one purpose alone. Until she messes up and saves the life of Kola. Now Simidele must account for her sin and journey with Kola to beg forgiveness of their leader.

Natasha Bowen gets the atmosphere, world building and writing so right. It's magic. But the characters, in particular the dialogue, just fell so flat. I couldn't believe how juxtaposed the two were in fact. I would have easily given this book 5 stars for writing, and I expected to utterly adore these characters (I was, perhaps unfairly, expecting characters akin to Tomi Adeyemi's creation), but they were so wooden and jilted in their dialogue that I almost couldn't carry on.

Exceptional writing, but disappointing characters.

ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Skin of the Seais an imaginative take on the Little Mermaid fairytale weaved with lush West African mythology.

We follow Simidele who is a Mami Wata—a water spirit whose purpose is to gather the souls of those who pass in the sea to bless and help them to return to Olodumare. Simi was made into a Mami Wata taking the form of a mermaid after she departed her past mortal life. One day—Simi is swimming in the sea seeking out souls to collect but she discovers a boy who fell from a slavers ship and was drowning to his death. Instead of awaiting for his death, Simi rescues the boy—Kola—unknowingly breaking an ancient decree could mean the end of all Mami Wata.

To remedy this grave mistake, she embarks on a journey with Kola to save her kind and Kola's world.

What I appreciate about this book is the fact that it takes place at a time Africa was at its darkest age because of the slave trade, but the author did not allow it to overshadow the rich African culture because that tragedy does not take away the vibrancy of this rich culture and its mythology. As a fan of mythology, this book sparked my interest in learning more of African mythology because in the media we are exposed more to European and Chinese mythology and have little to no knowledge about African mythology.

Now, let's talk about this book:

• It had a rich fantastical setting and was quite atmospheric.

• The writing style was immersive and poetic.

• It had excellent pacing.

• I liked the characters but they felt one-dimensional to me so I struggled to connect to them.

• I felt like there was more traveling and less plot so sometimes I feel myself lost in the story.

• The ending was... just that? I was surprised and disappointed to see the acknowledgements page after flipping the page.

However, I'm very happy to see a fantasy novel starring a black mermaid as it celebrates diversity and creativity. Especially with the Little Mermaid live-action in the works and casting Halle Bailey as Ariel—there was some ridiculous outrage of having a black mermaid and even the author Natasha Bowen had a random person telling her mermaids are white not black; I am truly happy for all the little girls and every mermaid fans that can finally see themselves through beloved characters and mythological figures. Diversity and representation is always a plus.

This story is so rich with West African history that I am in awe.

This book follows Simi who is a Mama Wati or mermaid whose job is to collect the souls of the dead. However, she makes a mistake when a living boy is thrown of a slave ship and saves his life. Now she must ask for forgiveness from the supreme creator, though there is something out there who is determined to see her fail and makes her journey a lot more difficult.

First off while I am black, West African history and culture is not my history meaning that I came into this not knowing anything about anything. Bowen has a way of writing that makes you understand while still quickly emerging into the story so here I learnt a lot.

The character was loveable and complicated and overall fun. I loved Kola and Simi didn't annoy me too much which was brilliant. The side characters as well even with the length of the book had their distinct personalities which I loved.

The plot itself was brilliant and interesting. My only fault is that I wish it was longer. While I'm all here for fast-paced books this felt a little rushed once you got past halfway. I just wish I had longer to learn about the world and characters and also see more of the character that I wanted to.

This also meant that the ending felt a little rushed, the plot twist at the very end made sense but it still like there could have been more around it I would have loved to see the aftermath of everything.

Overall this could have easily been split into a duology which I would have happily read and I'm kind of upset that it wasn't. Although it was fun and short and I enjoyed it a lot.

I absolutely loved this book!

Once I got into it, I physically couldn’t put it down. The writing is stunningly beautiful, it’s evocative and descriptive. It’s a very visual book that I loved reading.

The story is exciting and new - I haven’t read many mermaid narratives and this made me fall in love with the story even more. It’s original and the mythology is amazingly written.

It’s dark at times and heartbreaking, but 100% worth reading. Absolutely loved it.

Firstly thank you so much to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the arc of The Skin of The Sea in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I do have a soft spot for fairy tale retellings and mermaids definitely figure in that genre, and when I’m promised a black mermaid, African magic, Gods and adventure I just can’t say no, and I’m so glad I didn’t!

This book is heart wrenching, beautiful, engaging, exciting, and ultimately opens up the world of fantasy in an amazing way. The world building is stunning, magnificent in its beauty and danger, abundant the magic system is perfect.

The main protagonist Simidele is a mermaid, who collects the souls of the people who die at sea, but she is plagued with memories of her previous human life and is struggling to find her fin in her new life.

The other characters in this story, including Kola, Bem, Issa and Yinka are well written, bringing depth, back stories and foundations to the story.

All in all, a great plot, well told and paced, with a frisson of romance that keeps you on your toes throughout the book and a definite twist in the tale. Overall, a great read that tugged at my heartstrings, kept me hooked and desperate to read what happened next.

What a read!
This book was amazing. I love mermaids and this book enticed me. A beautiful journey of finding out who you are and where you fit in the world to falling in love and protecting those who are closest to you.