Of Poseidon

March 12, 2012
For a sweet mermaid romance, Emma McIntosh’s story starts out rough. Her father has recently died of cancer, and her best friend is mauled to death by a shark in the opening scene. Baggage enough for any 18-year-old, but then the hot guy who witnessed the carnage at the beach shows up in Emma’s world history class. Galen is gorgeous, seems to have money to burn, and is completely focused on Emma. He claims to know Emma’s “secret”—one she doesn’t even know she has. He also has a sister with a big mouth, whose willingness to wade into any fray soon pushes Emma into awareness that her love-hate feelings for the ocean are more than just a consequence of her friend’s death. Banks’s first novel has some beginner’s bumps, notably the lack of a self-contained plot, but also a great deal of charm. The mix of first-person and third-person present-tense narration is not seamless, though it imparts immediacy and warmth. Much background is given and few questions are answered, but Emma’s emotions propel the narrative. Ages 13–up. Agent: Lucy Carson, the Friedrich Agency.

April 1, 2012
Another twist on the mermaid theme comes with a hefty dose of romance and a heavier dollop of comedy in this debut. However, the word "mermaid" just isn't allowed; call them "Syrena," instead. Heroine Emma begins the book by failing to save her best friend from a shark attack. After the realistically bloody death, the book doesn't wait long to plunge into comedy, complete with sitcom-style dialogue, that falls awkwardly flat at first. Banks works out some of the kinks in the humor as the book proceeds, and readers should get a kick out of it. Emma literally crashes into Syrena royal Galen, with whom she will become romantically entangled, and then not, in standard oh-no-will-they-ever-get-together style. Both appealing characters, they find themselves irresistibly attracted to each other, although they often argue. Emma overcomes her shock when she learns that Galen is a sea creature but must then learn that she, too, has paranormal powers in the sea. The author juxtaposes her brisk comedy against more serious, but still mild suspense that tends to fade into the background. The narrative shifts between Emma's first-person and Galen's third-person perspectives, a mixture that doesn't quite jell. Best read for the comedy, then. A sequel appears probable. Entertaining for readers riding the wave of mermaid fantasies. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

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June 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Eighteen-year-old Emma never believed she was anything special, but after she literally runs into handsome Galen at a Florida beach, her true identity slowly unfolds. Like Galen, she is a Syrena, a mermaidlike being, and Galen believes she is the girl with the gift of Poseidon, the ability to communicate with fish, whom he has been commissioned to find. When Emma and Galen meet, they feel a strong connection, but their relationship gets off to a rocky start that only gets more complicated as he realizes that she is the only one who can save his kingdom from extinction. The story is told from their alternating perspectives. As usual, this literary tactic gives a broader knowledge of what is really going on despite the bias of one character or another. The dual setting of dry land and under the sea is intriguing and different; however, very little time is spent observing the Syrena kingdom or way of life, and readers are left wanting more. Emma and Galen are adequately depicted as angsty teenagers, but the melodrama often overshadows them, reducing the pair to implausible and tiresome characters. While the plot follows a predictable trajectory, the book does end with unanswered questions, which sets up the next volume in the projected series.-Elizabeth C. Johnson, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2012
Grades 9-12 Banks' debut novel has teen movie written all over it: a gory opening death by shark bite, paranormal romance, incredibly good-looking nonhumans, and even a visit to the ruins of the Titanic. Pale, clumsy high-school senior Emma first (literally) runs into Galen, prince of the Syrena (or merpeople), on a beach in Florida while on vacation. There is definite electricity between them, based not only on their mutual attraction but also on the fact that Emma is actually part Syrena as well. Much of the plot is devoted to Emma's lineage: she is clearly not fully human, but how much of her is Syrena? Subplots involve Syrena history, arranged marriages, and Galen's fierce twin sister, but what drives this slight yet pleasing fantasy is strong character development and a sense of humor. Galen and Emma are likable because they are complex, confused, and intelligent. There's a lot of the standard superpowered-guy-rescues-human-girl moments, but Emma grows into strength and powers of her own. The cliff-hanger ending promises at least one sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)