Book Review: Brine and Bone, by Kate Stradling

Well, it’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it. But I’m here again, with a book review! Try to contain your excitement, please.

Today’s book: Brine and Bone, by Kate Stradling

TL;DR: This is the Little Mermaid retelling that I never knew I always wanted. The book is short (I believe it’s novella length), sweet, and completely not what I expected. The author’s preface begins with “Stop. If you’re expecting a clone of a certain redhead underwater songstress... prepare for disappointment.” But if you’re interested in a Little Mermaid retelling that actually addresses the foot-knives, the seafoam, and the rather unsatisfying ending—read it.

Rating: 4.5

What I liked:

The outstanding part of the story is how the perspective switch makes everything just work so well. It seems like such a little change, but it just made me love it. Stradling’s writing is also lovely and spare and really fits the fairy tale tone.

I enjoyed getting to know the main character, Magdalena, and learning about her backstory and her future. I liked the prince. I liked the magic involved—just enough to add excitement and some pretty severe problems without feeling like it was also going to be a deus ex machina.

Also, let’s just admire that pretty pretty cover for a minute. It fulfills one of my reading bucket list items for the year (a book with a typographical cover), and it’s fancy, so I give it extra imaginary points.

What didn’t work for me:

Two minor things come to mind.

I wish I understood a bit more about the characters’ backgrounds. They come with some pretty frustrating baggage attached, and while we get to see bits and pieces of how it all happened, I just wanted more.

The POV switch from first to third to first. I’m not sure if this was done to stay in keeping with other books in this series (it was my first Kate Stradling, but it won’t be my last), or if there was some other reason that is unclear to me as a reader. But... well, it was unclear to me as a reader, and I found it distracting. Still, it was only the bookends, so my brain will just pretend that it didn’t exist at all, and that works for me.

Clean rating: PG. There’s some pain and stabby-stabby feelings, but there’s no gore, no sex, nada. It’s a light read. I’m subtly trying to convince my 15yo to read it.

Last thoughts: Enjoyed it, LOVED the perspective switch, bought another one.