The publisher kindly sent me a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.
Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.
A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes — and hearts — of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.
But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart — harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.
Sea Witch Review
Since I’m a big Disney fan, I’ve been looking forward to reading this book. While it is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, this book fell flat for me.
The characters in this book are good. Although they’re not my favourite characters ever, I enjoyed them nonetheless. There are interesting aspects of antics and witty banter as well as a huge tone of friendship.
My favourite thing about this book is the Danish history. Most people know of The Little Mermaid from Disney. But it was actually based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author.
In this sense, I really love that the setting of this book is 19th century Denmark. Not only is it an interesting setting for the story but it’s also a wonderful nod to the original creator.
The Danish history is so well incorporated and it’s not one I’ve been introduced to in the young adult genre. I have been to Denmark and know a little bit of their history, but I certainly learned more with this book.
The romance in this novel is just really underwhelming for me. It’s kind of there and kind of not. Most of the time I was frustrated with the prospect of romance and then just feeling let down.
The writing of this book is really enjoyable. While this book isn’t necessarily what I hoped it would be, I’m excited for more stories from Sarah Henning in the future.
Overall, Sea Witch is an enjoyable read with a fantastic setting. While it fell short of what I hoped it would be, it’s still worth the read.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Favourite Quote
Though magic can shape life and death, love is the one thing it cannot control.
About the Author
Sarah Henning is a recovering journalist who has worked for the Palm Beach Post, Kansas City Star and Associated Press, among others. While in South Florida, Sarah lived and worked through five hurricanes, which gave her an extreme respect for the ocean. When not writing, she runs ultramarathons, hits the playground with her two kids and hangs out with her husband Justin, who doubles as her long-suffering IT department. Sarah lives in Lawrence, Kansas, which, despite being extremely far from the beach, happens to be pretty cool.
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Ahhh…I just got this book today
I agree! the pacing of the book was too unbearable for me. I actually gave up about half way through the book, which is sad since I really enjoyed Evie as a character.
Ah, I’m glad you agree – It’s sad for sure because it was tough! But I totally understand the conflict of liking Evie!
brilliant review, i agree with a lot of it. the ..twist? at the ending gave me a bit of whiplash but i still enjoyedit