Selina Penaluna [Import] [Hardcover]

Jan Page (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 27, 2008

Selina Penaluna is a merrymaid - or so she believes...Taken as a baby to the seashore, she slips from her mother's grasp and plunges deep into a rockpool. When her mother finally gets a hold of the slippery creature, she finds a mermaid child looking back at her - her baby taken and replaced by a mermaid changeling...Ellen and Jack are twins, evacuated from the East End of London to Cornwall during the Second World War. The family that takes them in are middle-class and a little stuffy but Ellen relishes the opportunity to better herself. But Jack is different. He finds their attentions stifling and seeks freedom in the arms of Selina, the mysterious local girl he sees at the shore. Selina, Ellen and Jack's lives are intertwined in a series of events that lead to tragedy. Could Selina have finally reverted to her merrymaid roots?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JAN PAGE is a novelist, screenwriter and television producer, whose experience ranges right across the age spectrum.Over the years she has written hundreds of episodes of television and thirteen of her plays have been professionally staged.Jan lives in London and is co-founder of Adastra, an independent production company specialising in the children's sector.This is her seventh book.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday UK (May 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385613725
• ISBN-13: 978-0385613729
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,610,028 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 20, 2009

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Selina Penaluna (Hardcover)

SELINA PENALUNA by Jan Page is a story told from two different people, but in three different ways.

Selina grew up thinking that she was a merrymaid. She knew all about the story that her mother told her - that one day her mother dropped her into a deep pool but swears a different child came up. She tells her version of the story in the viewpoint of a child/teen.

Ellen and Jack are twins. Due to the war, they had to evacuate and live with a different family. Ellen loved the new life, but Jack never adjusted. The story is told from Ellen's point of view as a child/young adult, and later as a senior citizen.

Jack and Selina fall in love, but Ellen is jealous. When tragedy befalls Jack, Ellen blames Selina and sees her ghost everywhere.

This was an interesting story, although it took me a while to get into it. The language told from Selina's viewpoint was a little hard to read at first. I felt sorry for Ellen; she just wanted to be loved, both by the family that took the twins in and by her brother. But I didn't like Jack or Selina. I felt that Jack's character was just rude and obnoxious and I couldn't connect with Selina.

However, I really liked the twist at the end. I didn't see it coming at all! And just as a side note - I absolutely LOVE this cover. It's beautiful!

Reviewed by: Andrea

3.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting tragedy, August 12, 2009

By 

A. Mason (Windermere, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Selina Penaluna (Hardcover)

Selina Penaluna is a story told from two different people, but in three different ways.

Selina Penaluna grew up thinking that she was a merrymaid. She knew all about the story that her mother told her--one day her mother dropped her into a deep pool but swears a different child came up. She tells her version of the story in the viewpoint of a child/young adult.

Ellen and Jack are twins. Due to the war, they had to evacuate and live with a new family. Ellen loved the new life, but Jack never adjusted. The story is told from Ellen's point of view as a child/young adult, an as a senior citizen.

Jack and Selina fall in love but Ellen is jealous. When tragedy happens to Jack, Ellen blames Selina and sees her ghost everywhere.

This was an interesting story. It took me a while to get into it. The language told from Selina's viewpoint was a little hard to read and to get into at first. I felt sorry for Ellen--she just wanted to be loved, both by the family that took the twins in, and by her twin. But I didn't like Jack or Selina at all. I felt that Jack's character was just rude and obnoxious and I just couldn't get into Selena. I really liked the twist at the end. I didn't see it coming at all! And just as a side note--I absolutely LOVE this cover--it's beautiful!!!!