Most people think that mermaids and mermen, aka "Merfolk," are creatures of myth and legend and that they don't exist. But what if they do exist? We rooted for Ariel and her prince to live happily ever after, so with that in mind allow the fantastical aspect in your brain to take over for a moment and you have Aimee Friedman's newest book, SEA CHANGE. With an air of mystery and some romance, this book will suck you in with the cover alone. It's just gorgeous, foreshadowing things to come.
Miranda is spending the summer on Selkie Island, a small island off the Georgia Coast. She is helping her mom pack up the house her grandmother left to her mother when she died. You ask anyone who lives around there about Selkie Island and they can tell you all sorts of interesting local legends and lore.
The most interesting one is about the Merfolk. According to the legend, Captain McCloud fell in love with a mermaid, married her, and they lived on an island he named Selkie, which is the Scottish word for a creature than can turn from a seal into a human. They had several children, who took after their mother and were Merfolk - human on land and fish-like in the sea. Many of their descendants are still living on the Island today.
But Miranda is a girl of science who needs proof and knowledge to proceed forward. Did I mention she is headstrong and stubborn, as well? She is not one of the those girls that swoons at the sight of a gorgeous guy. But then she meets Leo......
There is something about Leo. He is not like the people that flock to the Island over the summer. Leo is a local - he lives on the Island year-round. Miranda is instantly drawn to him, but remember, she is a girl of science, and this so goes against her logical nature. There is just something about Leo, and no matter how attracted she is to him, it's just not sitting right with her.
Just go for it, girl! I know many girls who would love to have a guy like that. But could Leo possibly be hiding something, or is there really something to the stories Miranda has come across?
To put it simply, I liked this story because I really enjoyed Miranda and Leo and the realm of possibilities. It was the magical possibilities that drew me in. I would have been very happy leaving the other characters out and just reading about Leo and Miranda. It was implied what Leo was, but never said outright, and this just made the story all the more enjoyable. Friedman leaves you hanging at the end, too. I would like to see a second book that delves deeper into Miranda and Leo's relationship.
All in all, this book is absolutely a great summer read.
Reviewed by: coollibrarianchick
