Publishers Weekly
11/30/2020
Poetic as myth, but studded with spaceships, gene-modification technology, and alien species, Ogden’s debut delivers an emotionally mature if occasionally labored reimagining of “The Little Mermaid.” Atuale’s husband, Saaravel, is dying of the disease that’s ravaging their community, while Atuale, the Greatclan Lord’s daughter who left the ocean for land, is immune to the sickness. It’s up to her to save her husband and his people, but to do so she must join forces with her former lover, the World-Witch Yanja, as they travel the galaxy looking for a cure. With this slim space opera, Ogden delves deep into Atuale’s psyche, probing her love for both Saaravel and Yanja, her longing for adventure, and her desire for motherhood. Unfortunately, Ogden’s literary flourishes sometimes obscure the action with purple prose (“Light splinters on dissolved particulates with the wisdom of a thousand ancient suns”). Tonally, the novella is mostly a cerebral rumination, but it occasionally slips from pondering to ponderous. Fans of feminist fairy tale retellings and thoughtful speculative fiction will appreciate Atuale’s quest but may find themselves skimming flowery passages to get to the heart of the story. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"Absolutely gorgeous and deeply moving, this novella is familiar and strange at the same time, like a new interpretation of a beloved recipe."—Seanan McGuire
“A taut, heartfelt intergalactic fairy tale, with cosmic and personal vision.”—Max Gladstone
"Familiar and fresh, intimate and expansive — a fairy tale flung into the future.”—Kerstin Hall
"Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters draws you in with its fascinating look at families, gender, and biology in a hauntingly alien far future, before breaking your heart with aching nostalgia and then putting it back together with a bittersweet hope." —Lina Rather
"A feast of worldbuilding and creativity fills this novella, which explores the ways in which tribalism and bias can affect human culture, even though humanity has mastered its own genetic destiny. Aimee Ogden crafts powerful imagery and themes that linger in your thoughts long after you read the last word."—S.B. Divya, Hugo and Nebula nominated author of Runtime, and co-editor of Escape Pod
"As breathtaking as a journey through the stars."—Kate Heartfield
"Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters is a short page-turner that feels epic in its world-building craft and the depth of its protagonists. At once a fairy-tale retelling and a lyrical space opera, it straddles many genres to tell one nostalgic yet utterly new story." — Booklist, starred review
"Poetic, emotional prose and a science fiction setting give an original twist to an old fairy tale. VERDICT Ogden (Frozen Fairy Tales) takes "The Little Mermaid" to outer space and imagines the desires beyond love and land. This novella will tug at the heart of every reader." — Library Journal
"This novella will leave readers eager for more from Ogden." — Shelf Awareness
Library Journal
02/01/2021
Humanity has spread beyond the stars, finding ways to populate worlds not meant for them through genetic modification. Atuale was the Greatclan Lord's daughter in the water, but she gave it all up for the love of a land-dwelling man—and spurred a long war that incurred losses on both sides. Now her husband and new clan are dying from a mysterious plague, and Atuale must once again beg for help from the World-Witch, Yanja. Yanja knows where to go to find answers, but requires Atuale to come along on an off-world trip that could bring a cure—or cost Atuale everything. Yanja is Atuale's former lover, and knows every secret and hope she had. A painful past and conflicted desire for what exists off-world are only pieces of the barrier in front of Atuale and Yanja. Poetic, emotional prose and a science fiction setting give an original twist to an old fairy tale. VERDICT Ogden (Frozen Fairy Tales) takes "The Little Mermaid" to outer space and imagines the desires beyond love and land. This novella will tug at the heart of every reader.—Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
