2022-07-27
Revisits a beloved fairy-tale classic from another perspective.
Prince Eric of Vellona is in a precarious situation: inheriting the crown amid growing civil conflicts, erratic coastal storms, and pressure to marry. Eric finds a secret, hidden letter from his mother, who was lost in a shipwreck two years ago, detailing more information about her last voyage and his curse. He can only ever kiss his true love or he will die instantly. Determined to help his people and free himself from his restrictive circumstances, Eric sets out to locate an uncharted isle. Along the way, he encounters pirates, ghosts, and a powerful witch. Meanwhile, he thinks he might have met his true love, but he can only remember her beautiful voice. There’s also the remarkable (but mute) redheaded girl who washes up from the ocean....Interwoven with scenes taken directly from the 1989 animated feature, this expansion of Disney’s The Little Mermaid takes the already active role of the prince and gives his story more depth and intrigue. Fans of the film will enjoy the additional scenes between the main couple, and many readers will appreciate Eric’s struggle to chart his own destiny and redefine what true love even means. Miller is confined to using the same primary cast as the movie, but she expands the world’s representation with several original secondary characters (human and merfolk) who bring diversity of race and sexuality.
An extended tale worth the telling. (Fantasy. 12-18)
