Ann Claycomb

I received an Advance Readers Copy thru the LT Giveaway. Hard to write a review without spoilers :) but here goes:

This is a somewhat complex retelling of the Little Mermaid. I had a bit of a rough time starting out but was drawn into it. The story is told via each character via different chapters.
Katherine is a soprano student in the opera, her father a composer and piano player himself. Harriet (Harry) is Katherine's live in girlfriend/significant other and a mezzo singer as well. She is the stronger character, always doing and supporting Katherine who happens to be the Daughter of (Eighth generation) a Mermaid and the Great Granddaughter of the Original Little Mermaid.
Having moved to the USA as a baby she has no knowledge (nor does her father, Robin) of her heritage and the reason for her chronic pain. With Harry's help they discover her history and "only" cure for her affliction.
Harry and Robin decide to try another solution and the result is surprising.

Really enjoyed reading this book!!… (meer)

I loved The Mermaid's Daughter. The dark tale drew me in immediately and would not let me go. Each character carried their personal pain throughout the story and was forced to face it in different ways.

The ebb and flow of the voices as each chapter is told from a different character's perspective fit the story perfectly like the waves breaking and retreating from the shore. The sea has more than a physical presence here.

Song and voice, light and dark, above and below, fairy tale and opera. There are no happy endings here - only choices that lead to variations on sadness.… (meer)

This was similar to Hans Christian Andersen's, The Little Mermaid, but with a modern day twist. Kathleen has always suffered from intense pain in her legs and sometimes her tongue feels as though it is being cut. Her grandmother and mother have both died young from suicides. Kathleen begins to feel she is headed in the same direction. When her girlfriend, Harry suggests they travel to Ireland to learn more about where Kathleen's mom and family were raised. In doing so, she hopes to figure out clues to what is happening to Kathleen.

I enjoyed the magic of this story. It was passionate and descriptive. The only thing stopping me from giving it more starts is that the book seemed to get very long winded upon Kathleen's return from Ireland. I thought that the author could have shortened the section of how Kathleen's dad and Harry worked to find a way to save Kathleen. That part of the story just seemed to go on and on for me and I found myself speed reading to get back to the gist of the story.

Overall a magical, passionate retelling of an old fashioned mermaid story! I received a complimentary copy from Librarything Early Reviewers.… (meer)