I have been hearing about this book for as long as I can remember, but other than some minor details, I essentially went in blind. To say that I was delighted to find myself in the midst of an unexpected creature feature is perhaps understating things just a touch.
We quickly learn that a previous mission to find mermaids, all hosted by a major TV and film studio, went south, with the boat being found abandoned and all souls lost. The footage found on the vessel suggested that mermaids were indeed real, and that they were not the lovely creatures written in fairy tales and Disney movies.
Fast forward a few years and the same studio is sending out another ship. This one is top of the line and filled to brimming with scientists of all shapes and sizes, all looking to further their research into the ocean, and perhaps even some mermaids. It’s not long at all before things start going south, with the one main feature designed to protect all on board malfunctioning.
What I loved about this book was the character development, which was excellent, as well as the astonishing amount of research that went into delivering the science behind the discovery of creatures that are not at all what we expected. While the science part does bog it down in a couple of spots, it’s not enough to pull you out of the story.
I was all set to give this book maximum stars, but then the ending came rather abruptly. It seemed to be setting up for a blockbuster finish, but instead, it fizzled out a little and left me wanting more. Still, for the most part, this was an enjoyable read, and I will certainly be reading more from this author.
4 stars out of 5
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!