One That Got Away

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau

Adolescent Fantasy

This is the first book in the series and the last one I'll read.

Jade has all the same problems that other adolescents do with a couple of big differences--her mother disappeared without a trace a couple of years ago and Jade turns into a mermaid when her feet touches water.  Ooops, her father forgot to tell her that her mom was a mermaid and drowned only she isn't actually actually dead but has been kidnapped by evil mer-people, or 'pesco-sapiens' if you are politically correct, who want to be able to change into a human. What?

It was just so implausible and unrealistic, even for a fantasy novel.  For example, Jade finds her mermaid mother after several years of the woman missing.  She calls her father for help and then....falls asleep waiting for him.  When the dad finally arrives, he says it's too late at night and they'll look for the mom tomorrow.  Perhaps ridiculous is a better word than implausible.  Young girls might like the book, very immature young girls.  There is a lot of slang and MTV-type talk which got really irritating.  It was most certainly not the best mermaid book I've ever read but the covers are just gorgeous.

I really wish the author had spent a little more time on character development.  Jade had such promise--she's a little chubby and neurotic and overly dramatic.  Usually, this is just the kind of character I like.  And, there were some good moments.  I especially liked how Jade reacted to her first period, both realistic and funny.  But, overall, a stinky fish of a tale.