Book Review: Blue Mermaid

Do you know Miranda, AKA The Blond Duck?  She's a writer of short stories and, now, two novels published by a small firm.  Her writing is very lighthearted and imaginative, so when she contacted me and asked if I'd read and review her newest novel, I jumped at the chance.  After all, how often do you know, even just remotely, a real author?

BLUE MERMAID
by Miranda Pike Koerner
c. 2013

 There's a legend that the oceans and seas were once ruled together by a King and Queen.  The Queen ruled the waves and wind and shallow waters, and the King ruled the stars, moon, tides and deep sea.  They quarreled constantly, but they got together one time, and the King scattered 13 stars in the sky, and the Queen scattered 13 shells in the sea.  When all the stars found all the shells, the King and Queen would rule together.

Or something like that.  I'm not as lyrical as Miranda.

A girl named Meredith, and called Mer-e-maid, is a few days short of her 13th birthday, and things are getting really weird.  She's the captain of her synchronized swim team, so obviously a great swimmer, but of late she has been waking up in her family's swimming pool.  Add to that dreams of black tentacles coming up out of the pool drain to grab her, and Meredith is rather distressed.  Then one morning she finds a talking dolphin named Blue in her pool.  He's there to protect and guide her, as is the old lady in the white gauzy dress with the long grey hair.  Strange things are happening all around Meredith, and even her best friend's support can only go so far.  When a new boy moves to town and is put on Meredith's synchronized swim team a few days before the final meet (which also happens to be her 13th birthday), everyone around Meredith is smitten, although she's horrified, certain that he's part of some sort of plot from which Blue is trying to protect Meredith.  Miranda writes great, detailed descriptions of characters and settings, which help the reader to picture what's going on, without the details going an overly long time and becoming oppressive or a hindrance to enjoying the book.

This was a lighthearted, nice book.  Since I had just finished a very intense, rather dark book (which I have yet to review), it was exactly what I needed.  It's a good read for a restful weekend (but probably not at the beach), and it's one that a young teenaged girl could read and enjoy, too.  (Pam in Oregon, I was thinking of you and your daughter both enjoying this book as I read it.)  5/5



Note: I received a copy of this book for my Kindle for free, but the opinions are all my own.