Aimee Friedman

"It was easy to go a little mad out on the ocean, I thought, with no specific chart or guide other than the sky. But madness could be lovely sometimes."

Meh. This one was just okay. While I agree there aren't many mermaid stories and there need to be more, I wasn't a fan of how light and fluffy this one is. and probably most frustrating is you close the book still with huge unanswered questions.

it felt dreamy without the fun of a real, flushed out world. it was less about merfolk lore and more about getting a crush.… (more)

Selkies! One of my favorite legends growing up was about Selkie Maidens--they were always up there with mermaids and sea monsters for things I had to look for whenever I was at the shore (never mind I lived in NJ). And Sea Change manages to preserve the mystery of those mythical creatures quite well. We're not told, one way or the other, the truth behind the legend so like Miranda we can only guess based upon circumstantial evidence and our own fanciful thinking. It doesn't help that everything she imagines about Leo can easily be explained in a totally not mythical way--she's a scientist after all, so logical explanations for previously mysterious things should be first nature to her.

There's a sense of wonder to the book--not just because of the legend and the island itself, but about the society that Miranda suddenly finds herself in. These are not the type of people she is used to being around--these teens who act like they are college students and not in high school and who's parents are proud of such things as being able to hold their liquor at fifteen better then their friends. Miranda can logically explain away the occurrences with Leo, but understanding the signals and wordplay that CeeCee and her friends engage in...well that's a whole new science in and of itself.

The Selkie legend is more of an undercurrent to the story, then the actual driving force. Its always brewing in the back of Miranda's mind, but between her mother's shift in behavior (her sensible mother begins to act just like all the other society's ladies), her own pain over what happened with her first boyfriend and the attraction she feels for Leo, she is understandably distracted from obsessing over the matter. The narrative gives a good feeling of the frustrations she feels, the irritation she tries to keep contained and the growing separation she feels from her mother.

Some of the book took a bit too long to occur--Miranda's questioning Leo, the showdown she has with her mom--while others occurred quickly and were gone just as quickly. Also aside from CeeCee none of the other Summer Kids are given much depth. CeeCee fills Miranda in that squares them out a little bit, but overall I was left with a distinctly shallow impression and a need to shake them. CeeCee grows up a little bit, proves herself better then her original appearance predicted at least.

Leo...oh gosh Leo is kind of perfect. Not in the 'he has no flaws at all' way, but in the 'every teen girl wants one' sort of way. He listens, he cares, he gives Miranda thoughtful gifts, talks about their problems, is sweet, and saves her...I mean if you ignore his total evasiveness in regards to his family, where he goes when Miranda doesn't see him, how he just 'appears' when she needs him, his stubbornness about night time swims...he's the perfect summer guy.

Miranda is very mature for her age, but I couldn't tell if that's the product of being a scientist and keeping tight control on her feelings or if she is just that way. She remarks a few times that her older brother was the one who did all the wild stunts and she is happy to be the 'good' child. As we only have a two line conversation between her brother and her on the phone to go by, I can't say what that means. Pretty much her father and brother are non-entities as far as the book is concerned--they're off in California, and thus mentioned but not elaborated upon.

The ending is a left to interpretation. It depends on if you are a glass is half-empty or a glass is half-full sort of person on how you take it. Personally I'm a glass is half-full sort of gal when it comes to my romances, so hope blooms eternal for me.… (more)