I just adored this book in every which way possible! Mermaids, magic and adventure, all taking inspiration from African folklore - this is one not to miss out on folks!

This is a beautifully written book, full of a rich culture ad history, and not to mention mythology. I was hooked from the first page, and pulled into this world where you feel what the main character is going through, her every wonder, joy and hurt. I can only hope there will be more to come in this series, and my only criticism... it was over far too soon!

Skin of the Sea reminds me a lot of Children of Blood and Bone because they both take inspiration from West African mythology and their world of Orisha. Simidele is a Mami Wata, a mermaid, who has the duty of collecting the souls of people who dies in the sea. Often they are slaves captured by the White coloniser and thrown from the ships. Simidele saves her soul and brings them to Yemoja for the final blessing. One day, she sees a boy, Kola, falling into the sea, but when she realises that he is not dead yet, Simi goes against her duty and saves the boy’s life, even if it means facing Yemoja and the god Oludumare’s anger. Simi and Kola find themselves on a journey that will bring them unexpectedly towards the same enemy.

I have to admit one of the main reasons I wanted to pick up this book is the stunning cover. I also usually enjoy mermaid stories and Skin in the Sea really hit the spot. The world-building with personified Orisha was amazingly introduced within the first chapters and it was easy to grasp and understand. As a debut novel, this book was amazing, super descriptive and fast-pacing and action-packed.

It is a fluid combination of West African mythology and Black history. On one hand, it will bring to the surface the dark moments of Black history and slavery. On the other hand, with this world filled with magical elements, it will also celebrate the unity of the community and the colourful traditional African culture.

I thought that the romance was fast and too obvious, but I am actually willing to close an eye on it, considering the richness of this debut novel. I think, and I am pretty sure I am not alone in this, the ending is a bit of a question mark. It was brutal, in the sense that it was abrupt and still now I am not sure if there is going to be a sequel or not (if you have the answer please enlighten me). I understand that there is a lot left to explore and a few characters that needed closure. However, if this is the end, I would say “Bravo”, this was brilliant. Finally, a story that will make me think, a character that I will find myself thinking about from time to time. Finally, a story that depicts a badass brave, courageous female character who has the balls to do what is right.

And if this is not a standalone, well… I am becoming less and less a fan of sequels, to be honest, I will be a bit disappointed. I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to give out spoilers, but I guess if there is a sequel I will eventually try to pick it up in this sea of sequels and trilogies.

If you love mermaid stories and you want more from the world of Orisha, and you are looking to lose yourself in a fantastic world-building, this book needs to go on your radar.

Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

A mermaid story mixed with West African folklore? So far so cool.

This story tells the tale of Simidele, a Mami Wata, essentially a kind of mermaid tasked with collecting the souls of the drowned so that they can move on. It’s been a while since I’ve read any good mermaid books and this one looked promising. The fact that it incorporated West African mythology was interesting as well. The book also ties in with the West African slave trade. Simidele was also human once. This isn’t really developed very much but there are flashbacks to her past and these gave an interesting glimpse into her backstory. This part of her character wasn’t fully developed in the book. I’m guessing this is being set up as a series so that’s probably an element that will be picked up in any future sequels.

In terms of the plot, it started quite well. I’m not sure whether this book is supposed to be a riff on The Little Mermaid but there are some crossover elements e.g. Simidele rescuing a Prince from drowning etc. As the story progressed, I felt like the pacing fell apart a bit. This was one of these books I call a ‘journey’ book where people are kind of wandering about and going from one point to the next to check something off their To-Do list and it felt a bit like filler.

The mythology aspect with the Orisas was pretty cool. I didn’t get much of a sense of them though, maybe it’s just my lack of familiarity with West African mythology but I ended up having to Google a lot of them just to try and get an idea in my head of what they might look like. Maybe there could have been a bit more description of the to bring them to life and what powers etc they are associated with.

I didn’t really connect with the romance in this story at all. I felt like there was a fundamental lack of chemistry between the main romantic coupling. Kola didn’t even seem like he was interested in Simidele at all until he suddenly was. I know it’s supposed to link into her conflict between the earth and the sea but meh, Simidele deserves better.

I also wish there had been more of a focus on Simidele herself as I felt she was the heart of the story. It would have been nice for there to be more of her actually in the water as I liked these parts best. I always find in these mermaid books that the mermaid character seems to spend most of the time out of the water and maybe it’s just quite tricky to write a story set in the sea as compared to other settings but it seems strange to me to remove the most interesting part of the character and just make them like everyone else.

The ending also felt a bit rushed. Maybe it just seemed that way because there was a bit of a lag in the middle with all the wandering to and fro. It’s pretty obvious that it’s been set up for a sequel so maybe some elements I’ve complained about here will be developed in future books I don’t think I’ll rush to read them. There’s nothing wrong with the book, it just didn't grab my attention that much.

Overall, decent enough but didn’t set my world on fire.

This a mermaid story with a twist. As she has to collect souls. Simidele was an amazing MC. I really enjoyed how she was so strong and feisty. The love story was a bit insta lovey but I think overall it worked as it didnt over shadow the main story. Overall this was a great debut novel.

I love reading about mermaids and this book was no exception. As a debut novel, this book was a mix of history, myths and the author’s own imagination. The mermaids are what drew me to it, but the story is what made me stay.

Skin of the Sea follows Simi, a Mama Wata (mother of water), whose job is to save the souls of the dead that end up in the sea. She does this until she finds a boy drowning, but still alive. Simi saves him, which in turn sets off a whole journey of events as she must journey to find two rings that allow her to speak to Olodumare, the superior God, in order to ask for forgiveness as she should not have saved his life. Kola, the boy she saved, joins her on her journey as he has something he desires to get home quickly for.

‘Because if you act on loving a human, your form will be revoked and you will be nothing but foam upon the sea.’

The Little Mermaid has always been one of my favourite fairytales, and I loved that this took inspiration from that, as well as history. The author notes that there are stories of Yemoja, the superior Mami Wata, comforting Africans whilst they were on the slave ships during the transatlantic slave trade. It was so interesting reading about the African mythology woven into this story and the author does a beautiful way of showing these myths. This book has lots of positive depictions of African culture and history, which was really interesting, and really important to have in fantasy books. It has made me want to know more.

‘You were the one to find someone alive. To save them. Save me. And now, because of that, you’re doing even more.’

In addition to the worldbuilding, I loved the strong characters of Simi and Kola. I like dhow they grew closer over the course of the novel, despite Simi being forbidden to ever love a human, as she would turn to foam. The ending was a little bittersweet, and I was a tad disappointed but it fit with the story. Simi and Kola were both conplex characters in their own right. Simi was struggling with having flashes of memories from when she was human and seemed to be yearning for that feeling once again. Kola was very family-oriented, which I loved, and he never gave up.

I really recommend this fantasy book, as not only is it rich in African culture, myths and knowledge, but it is a beautiful story about mermaids and long journeys. I loved it!

The cover of this book enticed me as soon as I saw it because I love mermaid stories. But Skin Of The Sea is no ordinary mermaid story. Using West African mythology, Natasha Bowen set her tale in a version of the mid 1400's, when European sailors started stealing people to sell into slavery. The main character, Simidele, is one of the Mami Wata created by Yemoja. They are mermaids whose purpose is to save the souls of the enslaved who are thrown overboard on the journey. When Simi finds a young man, Kola, still alive, she saves him and unwittingly breaks a decree from the Supreme Creator. To save her kind, Simi must embark on a perilous journey.
The world building is wonderful. I really liked that Bowen highlighted the magic of the natural world, both in the sea and on land, while adding carefully selected fantastical elements from mythology. Although Simi can take on a human form, walking weakens her and she is always drawn to water. The most magical beings in this book are the orisa, of which there are hundreds. Bowen only introduced an orisa and their powers when they entered the story, so it never felt like too much information at once.
The plot has a classic quest structure with some brilliant twists and turns that I didn’t expect. The pacing is great. I loved that Bowen gave a complete story while opening doors for the sequel. I would have liked Simi to have a strong friendship with one of the other Mami Wata to provide more motivation for her taking on this quest. The age of Kola's twin brother and sister could have been made clear earlier in the story. I didn’t understand Kola's level of urgency to get back to them because I assumed they were 14 or 15, when they’re actually only 8 (and very cute in my imagination).
I would die for Simi. She is exquisite as the protagonist. She had a human life, but when she became a Mami Wata, she lost all her memories of that life. As she spends longer in her human form during the quest, her memories start to return. Watching Simi experience these memories, both happy and traumatic, was extremely emotional and really helped me connect to her. Her journey to find her identity as a mermaid beautifully mirrors her progress with the quest and ultimately helps her complete it. The romance between Simi and Kola is *chef’s kiss*. It’s a forbidden romance and a slow burn. The yearning is truly top-notch.
Bowen wrote with great compassion and empathy about difficult topics such as people being stolen from their families and homes. One of my favourite parts of this book was how Bowen seamlessly blended the Yoruba language into the narrative. It was not at all confusing. I even learnt a few words from the context alone. This was not part of the story but I loved that Bowen provided further reading recommendations for areas of interest which could have been piqued by Skin of the Sea. I added a few to my ever-growing TBR.
I highly recommend this incredible YA fantasy debut. I am so excited for the sequel and to return to this world and these extraordinary characters.
Thank you Penguin Random House for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I got 30% through but just couldn't engage with the story. I'm quite a demanding reader and need to have a bit more excitement from the beginning, otherwise I get bored. Hopefully I'll be able to give this another go at some point as I'm sure the story does pick up

This is such a beautifully written story, with magnificent world building. Simidele is a mermaid, who spends her days collecting the souls of the people who die at sea. However, memories of her time as a human keep surfacing, and she finds it difficult to reconcile herself with them.

This was a really well crafted plot, with a painstaking attention to detail throughout. There was a hint of romance, but fundamentally I felt that the focus was on the fantasy aspect, which I really loved!

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, can we talk about that cover? I fell in love with it, it's what pulled me in and then that blurb had me totally hooked!

'A way to survive.
A way to serve.
A way to save.'

Simi is a Mami Wata, a mermaid who collects souls from the dead that are pushed from slave ships and passes the soul to Yemoja to be blessed. But one day a boy is pushed into the water, alive, and Simi decides to save him......but she really shouldn't have.....this was a beautiful, heartbreaking and totally captivating story.

The authors writing style was just beautiful, the pacing was spot on and the romance, although happened quickly, was so sweet! The world that was created here and I'd say all the characters were wonderful and I couldn't believe it was a debut novel.

I dont know if there is going to be a book 2 but I really want one!!!

4.5 stars
This absolutely stunning and captivatingly unforgettable fantasy debut blends West African mythology with one of histories’ darkest chapters to create a powerfully poignant and thought provoking tale of love, courage and resistance. It’s an absolute MUST READ!

Simidele is a Mami Wata, a mermaid duty bound to collect the souls of those who die at sea, blessing heir journeys back to the supreme creator, Olodumare.

But when a living boy is thrown from a slave ship, Simi saves his life which goes against an ancient decree bringing danger to the Mami Wata. Now, Simi must journey to Olodumare to make amends—a journey of vengeful gods, dangerous lands and legendary creatures. If she fails she risks not only the fate of the Mami Wata, but also the world as she know it...

Honestly, Skin Of The Sea is a beautifully written, I was absolutely enthralled. I loved the detailed setting and spectacular world building—the way in which the culture and customs were portrayed (through Simidele’s past memories as well as through Kola and his village was so vividly immersive. It really added depth and brought the world (and characters) to life.

I absolutely adored Simidele and couldn’t help but cheer her on especially after seeing how much she’s had to endure. Her strength, determination and sheer fierceness as a protagonist makes her my favourite character, though I also really loved little Issa.

It’s hard to believe that this is Natasha Bowen’s debut book, the writing is just flawless and utterly awe-inspiring.

Though Bowen touches upon the horrific (and very real) beginnings of one of the darkest eras of history,she also highlights fascinatingly rich and complex, ancient African history, culture and knowledge, which truly deserves a wider audience to appreciate just how incredible it is. I absolutely loved learning about the Mami Wata and the Yumbo (seneagalese fairies) —honestly, I’m soo excited to see what Bowen writes next!

Overall, Skin Of The Sea is a richly diverse and captivatingly addictive YA fantasy that I urge everyone to read—it’s just so Amazing! If you love mythology inspired stories or just love mermaids, then you should definitely give this a read.

Thanks to Penguin UK and NetGalley for the arc.

Not only is the cover absolutely awe-inspiring but so is this Little Mermaid inspired adventure. Full of wrathful God's, African mythology, wonderful poetic and lyrical writing and a spectacular female protagonist. This is the kind of perfect story that anyone, of any age can get lost in. A beautiful, diverse and Magical escapade

This is an early reviewers copy issued to me via Netgalley. I was drawn to it first by the beautiful cover art. It is possibly the best cover I have seen this year.

Just as beautiful as its cover is the story. A re- inventing of the Little Meraid story but with the Yurba mythology and religion mixed it. Simply wonderful!

It's pure magic all the way through and once you start you can't put it down.

Skin of the Sea blends African myth with the Little Mermaid for a fresh perspective on this classic tale. At the same time, this story explores a horrific period of history with repercussions that reach the present.

I truly enjoyed reading a fantasy based on non-Western mythology and folklore. It's so rare to find a story that completely takes readers into a rarely explored culture and belief system. The author writes the characters' prayers, for example, in the Yoruba language. She uses terms and phrases from the language without translation, so that readers who don't speak the language understand their meaning through context. I truly loved this about the book because it made me feel immersed in the world, making me work harder for the complete picture of the story and characters. At the same time, this created a sense of alienation from the world that was profound and meaningful, particularly because this was one of the themes of the story.

The inclusion of various entities and characters from African mythology also created a truly unique story and world. I loved meeting these creatures and seeing Simi's interactions with them. I only wished that we could see Simi more in her Mami Wata form. I really loved reading the scenes of her in the sea and the feelings the author evoked through her imagery and descriptions.

Of course, this book is historical fiction as well, as the main plot is based on the slave trade and the horrors that the characters and their families suffer. Simi's memories of her family, especially her mother, are so poignant and heartbreaking. But the characters' strength, love, and friendship give a sense of hope as well.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys retellings of classic stories and wants to read a fresh fantasy based in non-European myth. Importantly, read this book if you want to learn more about slavery and the far-reaching impact it has had on racism today.

An unforgettable fantasy debut inspired by West African mythology, this is Children of Blood and Bone meets The Little Mermaid, in which a mermaid takes on the Gods themselves.

Simi is a mermaid – saved by her Goddess and destined to collect the souls of those who die at sea, tossed overboard from slave ships, she blesses their journey home. Simi makes a difficult decision when a living boy is thrown overboard, choosing between breaking her oath to her Goddess or saving the boy’s life. She saves his life and must face the consequences of her actions and await the God’s punishment. Soon Simi is tasked with not just saving the life of the boy and herself but the entire world as a treacherous God, wants all the power for himself, even if it means sacrificing the land and its population.

Skin of the sea is ‘The Little Mermaid’ for the next generation, a generation that advocates human rights, a generation that advocates for scrutinising our history, celebrating our diversity/cultures and above all a generation that advocates for doing the right thing. The history and folklore of West Africa is celebrated in this novel and will inspire readers to want to know more about the rich stories and traditions. The monsters are incredibly unique and interesting, evoking West African legends and myths. The Gods and Goddesses, inspired by the Ile-Ife religious system are full of personality and depth and are concerned with what happens in their lands and oversee every function of it. Together with the main protagonists, they weave a rich tapestry of worship and human complexities.

I hope many young girls reads this tale and are inspired to write, to learn, to celebrate and to reflect.

A copy was gifted via NetGalley for an honest review.

I requested this book because it looked like all the things I love, mermaids, African mythology, and a strong female protagonist! From the very first page I was drawn into Simi’s story, and the rich world Bowen had created.
What I loved:
- I love any sort of story based (however loosely) on The Little Mermaid. It was a favourite of mine as a child, and as an adult I've loved finding other books that are retellings or use it as inspiration.
- The writing style was absolutely stunning. Lush, evocative, it felt like every character stood right in front of me. The descriptions were incredible, especially of the people.
- The plot was exciting, and moved at a great pace. It never dragged, and wasn’t bogged down by internal monologues.
- The focus on African mythology was so welcome, and I loved being immersed into stories I was previously unfamiliar with. It could have easily been another The Little Mermaid retelling, but instead it moved away from the source material and stood proudly on its own.
- Simi was an absolutely fantastic main character. Her fierceness, determination, and bravery will be an inspiration for girls everywhere. I really loved all the other characters too, and they all felt fleshed-out and it was easy to connect to them all.
- The front cover is absolutely stunning!

What I didn’t love as much:
- I didn’t love the romance. Now, I'm incredibly picky about romance in books at the best of time, but I just didn’t feel like it was needed here. There are so many ways you can love another person, and it feels frustrating for me that it nearly always ends up being romantic in books.
- The ending felt so rushed that I did a double take when I realised that I'd actually finished the book and that there wasn’t going to be any explanation for some of the final plot points. I don’t know if Bowen is planning a sequel, but it just felt like the story wrapped up too quickly without the full resolutions that I would have wanted.

Aside from a couple of points, I did really enjoy Skin of the Sea. There was lots to love, and I can't believe that this is a debut novel! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future books Bowen comes out with, as I think she's going to be a big name in YA. Overall, I highly recommend this book!
I recieved an eARC of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

Actual rating 4.5/5 stars.

Simidele 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. However, memories of her time as a human haunt her and she spends as much time as possible reverting back to her four-limbed form. Perhaps that is why she is more inclined to save the drowning boy rather than waiting for his life to end? Perhaps that is why she neglects her role and sacrifices the safety of her sisters for a stranger? Perhaps that is why she will prove to be the kingdom's, both above and below, only hope.

This was such a flawless and well-crafted story. It took a few pages to orientate myself in this world, as the reader is introduced to Simidele and her watery abode with no other, prior introduction. I quickly caught up with all that was occurring and was hooked from then on.

Events moved at a fast-pace but Bowen never neglected one element when crafting this fantastical world and her setting proved as seamless a creation as her writing of it was slick. The characters that roamed there were treated with the same intricate and authentic production and I fell in love with them all. Simidele stole the show though, and proved immediately herself a feisty, fearless, and fabulous heroine I adored reading about.

The only element that did not enthral me was the quickly-budding romance that featured. Little was acted upon and the romance did in no way overshadow the plot, but I thought emotion was built too quickly to be truly believable, for me.

However, this minor negative was a very small one in the grand scheme of this wonderful debut novel. I'm hopeful that a sequel is forthcoming and Bowen has ensured a faithful reader of anything she produces in the future, with the high-calibre of all I have read here.

This should be a World Book Day choice and on the syllabus for schools.
It is a beautiful tale which is rooted in Yoruba culture and mythology - something that we do not see nearly enough of and I would say that this is so unique and special it doesn't even need to be linked to 'The Little Mermaid' - it strongly stands on its own.
The prose is lyrical, the world-building is lush and the story is absorbing right up until the final words.
Simi is a wonderful main character and her conflict as she straddles two worlds is heartfelt and relatable.
The main draw for this though is the context - setting it against the backdrop of the slave trade is a powerful move and the origin story of the Mami Wata (mermaids) is compelling.
Despite being so hard-hitting, this book is still easy to read and digest.
One thing that I would have liked to be drawn out were the gender dynamics between the characters - what happens between Esu and Yemoja springs to mind here but this is something that could underpin a fantastic classroom discussion.
I don't think I can express enough how worthy and fantastic this book is - a story that is rooted in black history and lives where the characters receive the attention they deserve. I look forward to seeing more from this author and maybe Simi (although the ending was pretty perfect to me!).

When Simidele dies, she is given a choice by the goddess, Yemoja. She can serve Yemoja by collecting the souls of the stolen people cast to their deaths in the watery depths from the slave ships above, so they may be blessed and sent safely onwards to the creator, or simply be sent onwards herself. She chooses to stay, and becomes a Mami Wata, a mermaid, patrolling the waters for the despicable ships with their horrific human cargo. But when one of the discarded bodies still shows signs of life, she makes the decision to save a life rather than reap a soul and sets in motion a chain of events that she never could have foreseen.

Skin of the Sea is a beautifully detailed dark fairy tale set in the seas and lands of West Africa in the fifteenth century. Told from the perspective of the now Mami Wata, Simidele, it follows her journey as she attempts to atone for her actions, pitting her against the Orisha of the Yoruba pantheon and the mythological creatures of the region.

The novel is pitched as YA, but this doesn’t mean that Bowen has pulled any of the punches - this is not a sanitised Disneyesque story, by any means. There is blood and death and slavery, and nobody is guaranteed a happy ending. All these things make the story that much more compelling, and Simi that much more of a wholly realised and sympathetic character. Slavery is obviously part of this tale, but perhaps more important is the depiction of the rich West African history, culture, and mythology of this time.

Two last points. In the author’s afterword, she says something which is just too important a point to be hidden away in the bit that many readers don’t bother to look at, so I’m just going to quote it here: “Representation matters. There is no escaping the fact that readers engage in stories where they see themselves.” The other thing I want to mention is the cover. I’ve read this novel, as I normally do with review books, on my Kindle Paperwhite, a device that only deals in greyscale, and rarely starts you off at the cover image anyway. This cover is absolutely outstandingly stunning and needs to be seen in the biggest ‘real’ format possible – buy a paper copy of the book.

Incredibly, Skin of the Sea is Natasha Bowen’s debut novel. If this is the quality of writing she produces in her first book, I really can’t wait to read the next.

A short, poignant story that looks at one version of the African mythological creature – mermaid or water spirit. This was beautifully written and an interesting take on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid (impossible to write about mermaids without mashing a little of his version in, right?). There was a lot to like about this and if you’re a mermaid enthusiast, then I’m sure you’ll love it. Ultimately something just failed to please for me – possibly the folklore didn’t feel as fleshed out as I wanted it to be? But recommended for mermaid fans.