Wouldn't you think that a mermaid and a prince would make a horribly mismatched marriage? I guess Kate Stradling does too, since that's the point of this novel. (She also has a throw-away reference to this idea in Goldmayne, which you should definitely read.)

Here the prince's true love is a land-woman, not the mermaid; the mermaid tries to become his bride, for noble reasons of her own that become clearer at the end. The protagonist (the land-woman) has a rare gift that allows her to feel the emotions of others, a gift which she is currently assigned to explore at the doctor training school. This gift is a fascinating plot device which allows her not only to understand other people, but to understand her rival, the mermaid.

Some reviewers commented that the ending was sad. Maybe a little. But the rejected mermaid does get something. Maybe not exactly what she thought she wanted, but she gets the understanding and respect of her rival, and... maybe something else as well. ( )