In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?
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This book let me down. Of Poseidon had it's issues, but overall it was a good YA novel. The sequel, however: ugghhh.
This book picks up immediately after Of Poseidon ends. Emma's mother has been found out and has, quite frankly, gone off the deep end. Is it possible for an author to write their own characters "out of character"? Because that's what it looked like to me.
Emma's mother - long lost Princess Nalia - suffers a complete personality change. Gone is the somewhat oblivious, caring mother from the first book. She is now replaced with this bratty, selfish woman who puts her own needs before her daughter's, and damn the consequences. Maybe it's but me, but I thought that it's a parent's prerogative to put their child first. After all, they're the one's that had the child. Nalia made her choice when she ran away from her responsibilities and had a baby - mistake or no.
Another things I just couldn't wrap my head around: Nalia's "mating circumstances". Nalia has been living on land for about twenty years now. She is forty years old, because on land, the mermaid people age faster. Now Grom, her One True Love, has been living in the water, so he hasn't aged much at all. Add to that the fact that he is Emma's boyfriend's brother and I get all sorts of disgusted and creeped out. Seriously, on top of everything else, we are now going to add pedophilia to the novel??? If my mother was dating my boyfriend's brother - no, wait, she wouldn't. Because it's weird and freaky!
Also, Emma. I liked her considerably less in this book. While I would be super supportive if she were to, I don't know, hold an Intervention for her mother, or excommunicate her, or even GET ANGRY - she doesn't. All we get is this inner monologue of brattiness and self-hatred. The only thing "bratty" about her is that she's not rejoicing to the heavens that Nalia and Grom have found each other, like everyone else is. And then she hates herself because she's "not being happy for her mother". Seriously.
I guess I just felt very alone reading this book. It was very frustrating and I felt like screaming "Does nobody else find this weird!!!??"
I would give detailed synopsis, but the whole book is pretty much Nalia-related politics. There is some action and revolutionary overhauling, but the plot doesn't make much sense and the characters suck.
This book gets:
One hat. Not even Galen's hotness could save this thing.
Am I right? Wrong? What did you think? Let me know. :)
