3 stars
An interesting twist on mermaid legends featuring a full-building aquarium, a motherly octopus, and a young mermaid with a mysterious past.
This one was a bit difficult to get into at first. It follows an unnamed mermaid, referred to only as “Fish Girl”, who teases guests with glimpses of herself at the aquarium and collects coins from the bottom of the tanks. Much of the beginning follows her thoughts and mental communications with the animals at the aquarium. Because of the choppy format of the text, it was a little hard for me to engage with the story.
The book tackles some heavy subject matter including manipulation and psychological abuse. It weaves in elements of fantasy and lore while also providing the resources the mermaid, later named Mira, needs to escape her abusive environment.
Overall, the artwork was lovely. There were some areas that fell flat for me, especially the people and their expressions. But there were also some real gems such as the intricate layout of Ocean Wonders and some of the transformation scenes.
An empowering tale of gaining knowledge, new friends, and independence. I really loved the ending and Mira’s growth and resulting confidence.