Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Feiwel & Friends (2012), Hardcover, 336 pages
Description
Galen, prince of the Syrena, is sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. He finds Emma and after several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, Galen becomes convinced Emma holds the key to his kingdom.
User reviews
LibraryThing member mexgirl
I was lucky to recieve this book from Goodreads First Reads. Let me just start by saying that Anna Banks created a great story. I was hooked by the first page and it kept me really interested during the whole book. It was humorous and kept me laughing through out the book. The ending was surprising
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and fantastic! I will keep a look out for the sequel to come out. Show Less
LibraryThing member Annesanse
As soon as I saw the cover for Of Poseidon I wanted to read it. So, as soon as it was released I downloaded it from Audible.
I really enjoyed the idea of the Syrena ("They're NOT MERMAIDS!!" lol) and wish that we would have learned more about them in this book. However, it is the start of a series
I sometimes felt that Emma was being overly dramatic (the opening scene for example), but she was sweet and I did like her.
I had two slight complaints with the book, but I think the fact that I listened to the audio version is mostly to blame for both of them. First was that It was difficult to tell when the book was switching between Emma's and Galen's point of view. Secondly, It was also difficult to tell when there was a break in the story. Thankfully it wasn't so annoying as to take away from my enjoyment of the book. To me this book felt a lot like Josephine Angelini's "Starcrossed," so if you liked that one (I did!) you'll most likely enjoy this one as well.
I really enjoyed the idea of the Syrena ("They're NOT MERMAIDS!!" lol) and wish that we would have learned more about them in this book. However, it is the start of a series
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so I'm sure we'll get more in depth next time. Another thing I really enjoyed was the chemistry between Galen and Emma. Galen was hot (of course) and funny and sweet, and Emma had a hard time resisting him. I sometimes felt that Emma was being overly dramatic (the opening scene for example), but she was sweet and I did like her.
I had two slight complaints with the book, but I think the fact that I listened to the audio version is mostly to blame for both of them. First was that It was difficult to tell when the book was switching between Emma's and Galen's point of view. Secondly, It was also difficult to tell when there was a break in the story. Thankfully it wasn't so annoying as to take away from my enjoyment of the book. To me this book felt a lot like Josephine Angelini's "Starcrossed," so if you liked that one (I did!) you'll most likely enjoy this one as well.
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LibraryThing member summerskris
I haven't read many mermaid books in the past, so I was pretty excited to read this one, especially with its gorgeous cover. The mermaid (or Syrena) lore is interesting, and I enjoyed learning more about Galen's beautiful underwater world as the story progressed.
The story is told from Emma and
Emma is easily likable. She's funny, and she has personality. However, what there is of her is unstable at the moment. She's been voted sweetest girl and yet she can't try to get along with Galen. Her personality is constantly at odds with him, defying him, and she even attacks his sister. And when she isn't opposing him, she's wishing that he will kiss her? Then Galen. He's interested in Emma, but he orders her around, expecting her to listen to him. For someone so interested in the human world, he doesn't know much about how to communicate with the one girl who isn't trying to throw herself at him. Emma and Galen's relationship is sweet and has its amusing moments, but for the most part their characters seemed juvenile to me although Emma is eighteen and Galen is older.
While there were elements that kept me from fully engaging with the story, there is potential for the plot to expand and settle. Anna Banks leaves us hanging on a cliffhanger answers many questions that have been posed over the course of the novel while opening readers to so many more, and it suggests that there is going to be more action in book two. I'll be picking it up in the hopes that it is the case!
The story is told from Emma and
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Galen's alternating perspectives. Emma's side is told in first person narrative while Galen's is told in third person, which threw me off at first. While I did adjust to it, it still feels weird, and I never was able to fully relate to either character. This doesn't help in a novel that is pretty character driven, from Galen's motive in approaching Emma to Emma's role as one who has inherited Poseidon's gift.Emma is easily likable. She's funny, and she has personality. However, what there is of her is unstable at the moment. She's been voted sweetest girl and yet she can't try to get along with Galen. Her personality is constantly at odds with him, defying him, and she even attacks his sister. And when she isn't opposing him, she's wishing that he will kiss her? Then Galen. He's interested in Emma, but he orders her around, expecting her to listen to him. For someone so interested in the human world, he doesn't know much about how to communicate with the one girl who isn't trying to throw herself at him. Emma and Galen's relationship is sweet and has its amusing moments, but for the most part their characters seemed juvenile to me although Emma is eighteen and Galen is older.
While there were elements that kept me from fully engaging with the story, there is potential for the plot to expand and settle. Anna Banks leaves us hanging on a cliffhanger answers many questions that have been posed over the course of the novel while opening readers to so many more, and it suggests that there is going to be more action in book two. I'll be picking it up in the hopes that it is the case!
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LibraryThing member Kr15tina
What I Loved
Merfolk
I haven't read many merpeople stories, not because I don't like them, only because I haven't gotten my hot little hands on many of them. I personally am not much of a sea person, but if I grew a tail and could transform into a mermaid I would sure love the sea then. Love
Characters
Galen: Oh swoon! I am completely in love with him! Love his I'm a tough bad ass merman superior to all the mere mortals. Love the attraction and how defensive he gets over Emma, so touching and cute.
Emma: She a quite an enjoyable character too. Her coming of age discoveries of herself and capabilities are fun to read. Her hot little temper adds some spice to her interactions with Galen and his sister.
Romance
Loved the romance in this book, it was perfect, cute, touching and sweet.
Rotating POV
Loved that we get to know both Galen and Emma's feelings through out the book with each chapter rotating characters. I Did think it was kinda odd that Emma's chapters were from 1st person while Galen's were told in 3rd person. I guess it was an easy way to distinguish who's chapter it was since the chapters weren't labeled as Emma or Galen.
Killing Me
Oh that ending! When I read the last sentence I was like "What?! I NEED MORE! NOW!" A tortuous cliffhanger ending, love them, but they do kill me.
Recommendation
Got to read this fantastic merpeople book.
Merfolk
I haven't read many merpeople stories, not because I don't like them, only because I haven't gotten my hot little hands on many of them. I personally am not much of a sea person, but if I grew a tail and could transform into a mermaid I would sure love the sea then. Love
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mermaids, especially the mermen after reading this story. Where can I find my own hot merman? I also enjoyed the merpeople history and use of both Triton and Poseidon with tie ins to Atlantis.Characters
Galen: Oh swoon! I am completely in love with him! Love his I'm a tough bad ass merman superior to all the mere mortals. Love the attraction and how defensive he gets over Emma, so touching and cute.
Emma: She a quite an enjoyable character too. Her coming of age discoveries of herself and capabilities are fun to read. Her hot little temper adds some spice to her interactions with Galen and his sister.
Romance
Loved the romance in this book, it was perfect, cute, touching and sweet.
Rotating POV
Loved that we get to know both Galen and Emma's feelings through out the book with each chapter rotating characters. I Did think it was kinda odd that Emma's chapters were from 1st person while Galen's were told in 3rd person. I guess it was an easy way to distinguish who's chapter it was since the chapters weren't labeled as Emma or Galen.
Killing Me
Oh that ending! When I read the last sentence I was like "What?! I NEED MORE! NOW!" A tortuous cliffhanger ending, love them, but they do kill me.
Recommendation
Got to read this fantastic merpeople book.
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LibraryThing member pacey1927
"Of Poseidon" isn't all that different from a lot of YA paranormal novels. We have a boy and a girl who will soon be a couple...one of more of the two is a paranormal creature who must learn about or come to peace with their true nature. This book had a cute premise; the creatures don't want to be
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called mermaids, but that is essentially what they are. They are fish who can split their fin into two legs and take on human qualities and live, for a time, on land. When Galen (the prince of Syrena, naturally) and his sister care called to the land to check out a girl on the beach, they quickly can tell their is something about Emma. Her eyes are violent like their sea people. She is pale and has the blondest of hair. Galen worms his way into her life by buying a house nearby and enrolling in her school...in fact her enrolls in every one of her classes. He wants to observe Emma and see if what he believes about Emma is true. Of course the rest of the book follow along neatly. Emma learns about the Syrenian people and begins to discover her own special gifts. There is a twist to Emma's heritage and as a reader I could see this coming almost from the very beginning. I had to roll my eyes a little when everyone else discovered what was going on because it was so very obvious. I liked the characters though and there really were some laugh out loud moments. I really enjoyed Galen's sister, I thought she was a very unique character. The book was a very quick read and it was entertaining. There are some inconsistencies and I had to suspend reality a few times to buy some of the more outrageous aspects of the story. Even for a paranormal book, there were more of these cases than usual. I may read the next books in this series but I don't know that this will be a book I remember long after I read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member thehidingspot
I was hesitant to read Of Poseidon. If I'm going to read a book about mermaids or sirens, I prefer the mermaids to be a bit more monster than fairy tale. While the mermaids, or Syrena, in Of Poseidon aren't monstrous, they were interesting, and that's what really set this novel apart for me.
The
Emma, on the other hand, is just a normal girl... or so she thinks. She's practical, but she can't deny what Galen claims when the proof is right in front of her. Honestly, I'm glad that she didn't try to deny her heritage for a large chunk of the book because it was much more fun to see her embrace and explore her gifts rather than fight them.
There were times that I was unsure of whether I really liked the romantic elements of this novel, but I think, overall, I liked the love story. I enjoyed Galen and Emma together, they definitely had chemistry, but I found their denial of their feelings and Galen's overwhelming commitment to delivering Emma to his brother tiring at times. I understood where he was coming from, but, for goodness sake, if you feel that strongly about a girl, take the time to at least explore other options. Why are you giving in so easily, mister?
I'll definitely be reading the next book, which I hope will take readers off dry land and into the sea. I really would like to learn more about the Syrena and meet more friends of Galen & Co!
The
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Syrena population is composed of two kingdoms which have been divided for years due to a tragic accident. The only way to repair the rift between the two kingdoms is by royal marriage. Galen thinks he might have found a lost heir to the Poseidon throne. If he's right and Emma really is - somehow - descended from Poseidon, he must convince her to take her rightful place at his brother's side which will reunite the two kingdoms and preserve the Gifts she uniquely carries.Emma, on the other hand, is just a normal girl... or so she thinks. She's practical, but she can't deny what Galen claims when the proof is right in front of her. Honestly, I'm glad that she didn't try to deny her heritage for a large chunk of the book because it was much more fun to see her embrace and explore her gifts rather than fight them.
There were times that I was unsure of whether I really liked the romantic elements of this novel, but I think, overall, I liked the love story. I enjoyed Galen and Emma together, they definitely had chemistry, but I found their denial of their feelings and Galen's overwhelming commitment to delivering Emma to his brother tiring at times. I understood where he was coming from, but, for goodness sake, if you feel that strongly about a girl, take the time to at least explore other options. Why are you giving in so easily, mister?
I'll definitely be reading the next book, which I hope will take readers off dry land and into the sea. I really would like to learn more about the Syrena and meet more friends of Galen & Co!
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
This is an amazing book! From the very beginning, I was hooked!
I love stories of mermaids, unknowing powers, and girl who hold the very key to everything. Love this book. So much going on in the book that it captures the reader. I loved that Emma is strong with all the news that is presented to
Now, the love interest.Can I say major drama??? Yes indeed. Emma goes through some rather crazy rules that she must abide by. They have lots rules and even standards. This creates a rather great build in the story. I like learning facts about this underworld, the society, and the way that they do things. I especially love watching Emma learn everything and falling in love.
The best part of the book for me is learning the secrets. I love secrets! Emma learning who she really is but OMG! Who her mom is like BAM! I totally gasp at the end of the book. So cool! Ms. Bank took my breath away with that tidbit.
Of Poseidon delivers a wide range of fantasy and love! The revelation of secrets, the touch of power flowing through Emma and what she is meant to do entices the reader the keep reading. The perfect combination of suspense, action, and love leaves the reader wanting more. Of Poseidon is tantalizing!
I love stories of mermaids, unknowing powers, and girl who hold the very key to everything. Love this book. So much going on in the book that it captures the reader. I loved that Emma is strong with all the news that is presented to
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her. Man can this girl fight!Now, the love interest.Can I say major drama??? Yes indeed. Emma goes through some rather crazy rules that she must abide by. They have lots rules and even standards. This creates a rather great build in the story. I like learning facts about this underworld, the society, and the way that they do things. I especially love watching Emma learn everything and falling in love.
The best part of the book for me is learning the secrets. I love secrets! Emma learning who she really is but OMG! Who her mom is like BAM! I totally gasp at the end of the book. So cool! Ms. Bank took my breath away with that tidbit.
Of Poseidon delivers a wide range of fantasy and love! The revelation of secrets, the touch of power flowing through Emma and what she is meant to do entices the reader the keep reading. The perfect combination of suspense, action, and love leaves the reader wanting more. Of Poseidon is tantalizing!
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LibraryThing member hrose2931
First I'd just like to take a moment and say that this cover could be a work of art hanging on my wall. It really is beautiful with the bubbles and the long white dress flowing behind Emma like a tale and yet not. And her white blond hair as if she's flying and she is in a way, flying through the
But, in this case, the book more than lives up to the cover! I was bowled over with how truly great this story was and how well it was told. Two friends, Chloe and Emma spending the last days of their summer on vacation in the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico. sharing a surfboard. They're laughing at Emma's complete lack of grace which she had just demonstrated when she ran cheek first into Galen, the most gorgeous of boys either has ever seen. Must be the siren in him. Then the tranquility and happiness is shattered with the deadly strike of a shark.
Emma dreads senior year. But is shocked to find Galen in her class, all her classes and that he remembers her. Not only does he remember her, but seems to have a special interest in her. Their relationship, to me , is what makes this novel work so beautiful. There are cover ups, and lies and deceptions, and pretending. Galen is torn between what he wants and what he should do. There is a huge mystery, that unfortunately I saw through right away, but hopefully not everyone will. It is such a huge romance story, I think that eclipses the rest of the story. Or maybe I just wanted a great romance, I'm not sure. As I read it, I felt like I was reading Starcrossed by Josie Angelini. It's that big sweeping story with a mythology behind it and incredible stories to support secrets of the world and stories we've grown up on.
I loved all the characters. Emma was warm and caring, protective. I really liked her. She learned how to find her anger and use it. And she doesn't let herself get pushed around. I really, really liked her. She's someone you can root for, and stand behind, I'm team Emma if there was someone she was up against.
And Galen, whoa! Galen definitely has my attention. From the time Emma has her face plastered against his bare chest. He is, to quote a friend "hot fish on a stick!" And yes, he's extremely possessive, arrogant telling Emma she is one of his subjects, and extremely attractive, most of the girls in Emma's school follow him around like a school of fish!
But the story is more than just the romance, is about finding Emma's roots, is she or isn't she Syrena, who in her family was Syrena, was she adopted, can she grow a tail, will she have all the traits of a Syrena?
Okay, you all know when I really love a book I don't write a very good review and I'm still riding the good feelings after having read this one two days ago. I just loved it! I love mermaid stories (Sorry Galen and Toraf!) and this seems to be my year! This one delivered everything I wanted and more! I absolutely want the next one yesterday! Ms Banks- may I please be a BETA READER for you? PLEASE????
Thank you to the publishers Feiwel and Friends for the ARC through NetGalley. I received it at no cost but it in no way influenced my review.
It's going swimmingly ,
Heathe
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water. And that title is just right! So yes, I'm swoony over the cover already! But we know that books don't always live up to their covers. But, in this case, the book more than lives up to the cover! I was bowled over with how truly great this story was and how well it was told. Two friends, Chloe and Emma spending the last days of their summer on vacation in the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico. sharing a surfboard. They're laughing at Emma's complete lack of grace which she had just demonstrated when she ran cheek first into Galen, the most gorgeous of boys either has ever seen. Must be the siren in him. Then the tranquility and happiness is shattered with the deadly strike of a shark.
Emma dreads senior year. But is shocked to find Galen in her class, all her classes and that he remembers her. Not only does he remember her, but seems to have a special interest in her. Their relationship, to me , is what makes this novel work so beautiful. There are cover ups, and lies and deceptions, and pretending. Galen is torn between what he wants and what he should do. There is a huge mystery, that unfortunately I saw through right away, but hopefully not everyone will. It is such a huge romance story, I think that eclipses the rest of the story. Or maybe I just wanted a great romance, I'm not sure. As I read it, I felt like I was reading Starcrossed by Josie Angelini. It's that big sweeping story with a mythology behind it and incredible stories to support secrets of the world and stories we've grown up on.
I loved all the characters. Emma was warm and caring, protective. I really liked her. She learned how to find her anger and use it. And she doesn't let herself get pushed around. I really, really liked her. She's someone you can root for, and stand behind, I'm team Emma if there was someone she was up against.
And Galen, whoa! Galen definitely has my attention. From the time Emma has her face plastered against his bare chest. He is, to quote a friend "hot fish on a stick!" And yes, he's extremely possessive, arrogant telling Emma she is one of his subjects, and extremely attractive, most of the girls in Emma's school follow him around like a school of fish!
But the story is more than just the romance, is about finding Emma's roots, is she or isn't she Syrena, who in her family was Syrena, was she adopted, can she grow a tail, will she have all the traits of a Syrena?
Okay, you all know when I really love a book I don't write a very good review and I'm still riding the good feelings after having read this one two days ago. I just loved it! I love mermaid stories (Sorry Galen and Toraf!) and this seems to be my year! This one delivered everything I wanted and more! I absolutely want the next one yesterday! Ms Banks- may I please be a BETA READER for you? PLEASE????
Thank you to the publishers Feiwel and Friends for the ARC through NetGalley. I received it at no cost but it in no way influenced my review.
It's going swimmingly ,
Heathe
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LibraryThing member squirrelsohno
Oh, OF POSEIDON, where do I begin? Ever since the wonderful, sweet author Anna Banks followed me on Twitter (and I followed her back), I have wanted to read OF POSEIDON. I requested it from Macmillan, was denied, requested it again through another channel, was denied again (by denied, read:
OF POSEIDON is the story of Emma, a girl on vacation with her best friend in Florida, and Galen, the extremely hot Syrena (think mermaid…er, merman) she literally runs into on a beach. During a freak accident, she watches a shark kill her best friend and finds out that she can control aquatic life, meaning she has the Gift of Poseidon. Galen immediately knows that she can be the key to fixing the wrongs between the followers of Poseidon (her clan) and Triton (his clan) – but that means he has to marry her off to his brother, Grom.
I just need to get this part off my chest. This book came off as rather…misogynistic would be a word that probably doesn’t fit but I’ll use anyway. Emma’s life is being dictated by men (Galen = major control freak), and we meet Rayna, Galen’s sister who has been married off without her permission – or her knowledge. The boys in the Syrena world “sift” for their mates, finding a girl in two weeks who they can stand and who can bear their offspring. Girls have no say. A boy asks for her hand in marriage and then they’re off to mate! But that was my number one far and away issue. Whew, with that off my chest, I think I can get to the nitty gritty.
Emma is a character I quite enjoyed, even if she was a bit of a flip flopper and more defined by her looks than her personality. She’s feisty, and I do love a good feisty character. Galen was your typical handsome boy – not my favorite – but I LOVED Rayna until the last 20% of the book. I am a big fan of girls that stand up for themselves and know what they want and don’t want. The characterization in this one is pretty well done, minus a few weird aspects. Emma by far is the most developed character, since the story is 50% in her first person point of view, and I really think Banks did a great job with the teenager viewpoint. It’s hard for a lot of authors to get this right, or even CLOSE to right, but Emma sounded like a believable teen most of the book!
And I quite enjoyed the plot! I am not well-versed at ALL in mermaid novels, besides The Little Mermaid and the ones where mermaids are evil and suck the life out of people. I mean, it was a little on the cliché side – girl meets boy, boy turns out to be a fish, girl finds this whole deal fishy, girl finds out she is part-fish, and her mother is completely clueless.
The mythology in OF POSEIDON was one of the best done parts in my opinion, and probably my favorite in a mermaid story so far (note – I have read a grand total of 3 mermaid books ever that I can remember). The only problem – there wasn’t enough of it! Also, there were some fishy things – like Galen being able to swim over 600 miles an hour, able to survive at extreme depths and still be able to chat and act calmly, able to go to caves beneath the Arctic. It’s like the Syrena’s only fault was that if they spent too much time on land, they aged. I wish they had more weaknesses.
This book is going to be the type of book that people will love or hate. The fence here is rather narrow, and for good reason. But mysteriously, I fell on it. Galen is not my type of hero that I fall in love with, and the situation wasn’t 100%. In fact, I rooting for some twists to happen that never came, and the final twist didn’t really please me – especially since it ended on something of a stiff cliffhanger. Maybe the story just didn’t satisfy me as much as it could have, but the presentation of girls as objects to be controlled by men – unable to choose their own partners, their own destinies, their own lives, and with girls who do this the object of scorn by their family and people – just was a big no-no for me.
VERDICT: Another victim of ‘Overbearing Boyfriend Syndrome’, OF POSEIDON has all the makings of a successful addition to the paranormal YA market – and the beginnings of a very interesting new series.
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*crickets*, but I totally understand why). Eventually I was approved on Netgalley and I squeed a bit. But then I found myself in a conundrum – what if I didn’t like the book as much as I was sure I would?OF POSEIDON is the story of Emma, a girl on vacation with her best friend in Florida, and Galen, the extremely hot Syrena (think mermaid…er, merman) she literally runs into on a beach. During a freak accident, she watches a shark kill her best friend and finds out that she can control aquatic life, meaning she has the Gift of Poseidon. Galen immediately knows that she can be the key to fixing the wrongs between the followers of Poseidon (her clan) and Triton (his clan) – but that means he has to marry her off to his brother, Grom.
I just need to get this part off my chest. This book came off as rather…misogynistic would be a word that probably doesn’t fit but I’ll use anyway. Emma’s life is being dictated by men (Galen = major control freak), and we meet Rayna, Galen’s sister who has been married off without her permission – or her knowledge. The boys in the Syrena world “sift” for their mates, finding a girl in two weeks who they can stand and who can bear their offspring. Girls have no say. A boy asks for her hand in marriage and then they’re off to mate! But that was my number one far and away issue. Whew, with that off my chest, I think I can get to the nitty gritty.
Emma is a character I quite enjoyed, even if she was a bit of a flip flopper and more defined by her looks than her personality. She’s feisty, and I do love a good feisty character. Galen was your typical handsome boy – not my favorite – but I LOVED Rayna until the last 20% of the book. I am a big fan of girls that stand up for themselves and know what they want and don’t want. The characterization in this one is pretty well done, minus a few weird aspects. Emma by far is the most developed character, since the story is 50% in her first person point of view, and I really think Banks did a great job with the teenager viewpoint. It’s hard for a lot of authors to get this right, or even CLOSE to right, but Emma sounded like a believable teen most of the book!
And I quite enjoyed the plot! I am not well-versed at ALL in mermaid novels, besides The Little Mermaid and the ones where mermaids are evil and suck the life out of people. I mean, it was a little on the cliché side – girl meets boy, boy turns out to be a fish, girl finds this whole deal fishy, girl finds out she is part-fish, and her mother is completely clueless.
The mythology in OF POSEIDON was one of the best done parts in my opinion, and probably my favorite in a mermaid story so far (note – I have read a grand total of 3 mermaid books ever that I can remember). The only problem – there wasn’t enough of it! Also, there were some fishy things – like Galen being able to swim over 600 miles an hour, able to survive at extreme depths and still be able to chat and act calmly, able to go to caves beneath the Arctic. It’s like the Syrena’s only fault was that if they spent too much time on land, they aged. I wish they had more weaknesses.
This book is going to be the type of book that people will love or hate. The fence here is rather narrow, and for good reason. But mysteriously, I fell on it. Galen is not my type of hero that I fall in love with, and the situation wasn’t 100%. In fact, I rooting for some twists to happen that never came, and the final twist didn’t really please me – especially since it ended on something of a stiff cliffhanger. Maybe the story just didn’t satisfy me as much as it could have, but the presentation of girls as objects to be controlled by men – unable to choose their own partners, their own destinies, their own lives, and with girls who do this the object of scorn by their family and people – just was a big no-no for me.
VERDICT: Another victim of ‘Overbearing Boyfriend Syndrome’, OF POSEIDON has all the makings of a successful addition to the paranormal YA market – and the beginnings of a very interesting new series.
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LibraryThing member breakingdownslowly
I was sure I was going to love this one, I really was. Mermaids! A release date on Boy's birthday! Pretty cover! Macmillian as a publisher! Super nice author! So much potential!
I was really, really let down.
Emma and Galen were okay on their own. Most of the time. But as a couple? They had a
And Galen? Galen also has issues. He's ridiculously over protective. There's this part where he's texting and calling Emma repeatedly and she's deliberately ignoring it because she's on a date and she's mad at Galen. So, he then follows her on her date. Which is going to take place an hour away. And he threatens harm repeatedly to Emma's date for being a nice guy and telling her she doesn't have to go with Galen. By time Galen gets Emma home, they're a couple again. That's not okay. You don't stalk people. It especially bothered me because the reason he was bothering her wasn't time sensitive. Her grandma wasn't dying and he wasn't trying to bring her to the hospital.
There's also a lack of logic in this book. For example, it's established pretty early on that Emma can talk to fish. It's something she's aware of basically from the time she finds out she's a Syrena. Talking requires oxygen. But there's a couple instances where Emma mentions being afraid to not hold her breath underwater and they're always mentioning how she's learning endurance for holding her breath. I'm not sure how you can talk and hold your breath at the same time.
There was also this alternation is perspective. First person for Emma, but third person for Galen. It was kind of confusing and kind of annoying going back and forth. I don't mind switching characters, but I like my books in first OR third, not both.
Despite all this, it wasn't a totally horrible book for me. I did really like two of the side characters, Rachel and Toraf, and I would love to read more about them. I also liked the idea of this story. What the summary doesn't mention is that there are two kingdoms and because Emma is of Poseidon, she's supposed to marry the king of the other kingdom and the king happens to be Galen's older brother, Grom. And he has to marry Emma because the girl before her who was of Poseidon - and also Grom's love - died years before in a mine accident. I found that pretty interesting. Is Emma really going to have to marry Grom? If not, who will he have to marry? The ending was also a really big cliffhanger that made me want book 2 desperately. I kind of wish I had decided not to finish this book because now I really want to make it through the next one despite how much it'll annoy me.
So...yeah. Of Poseidon was not the right book for me...but I might be picking up book 2 anyway.
I was really, really let down.
Emma and Galen were okay on their own. Most of the time. But as a couple? They had a
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horrible relationship. He would request that she do something reasonable. Example: She had a stalker they could sense in the water. He asks her to stay out of the water when he's not there. Does she listen? Not only does she not listen, she gets angry at him. She yells at him. This isn't the only instance where this happens. I'm happy that a female character wants to be independent but...really?And Galen? Galen also has issues. He's ridiculously over protective. There's this part where he's texting and calling Emma repeatedly and she's deliberately ignoring it because she's on a date and she's mad at Galen. So, he then follows her on her date. Which is going to take place an hour away. And he threatens harm repeatedly to Emma's date for being a nice guy and telling her she doesn't have to go with Galen. By time Galen gets Emma home, they're a couple again. That's not okay. You don't stalk people. It especially bothered me because the reason he was bothering her wasn't time sensitive. Her grandma wasn't dying and he wasn't trying to bring her to the hospital.
There's also a lack of logic in this book. For example, it's established pretty early on that Emma can talk to fish. It's something she's aware of basically from the time she finds out she's a Syrena. Talking requires oxygen. But there's a couple instances where Emma mentions being afraid to not hold her breath underwater and they're always mentioning how she's learning endurance for holding her breath. I'm not sure how you can talk and hold your breath at the same time.
There was also this alternation is perspective. First person for Emma, but third person for Galen. It was kind of confusing and kind of annoying going back and forth. I don't mind switching characters, but I like my books in first OR third, not both.
Despite all this, it wasn't a totally horrible book for me. I did really like two of the side characters, Rachel and Toraf, and I would love to read more about them. I also liked the idea of this story. What the summary doesn't mention is that there are two kingdoms and because Emma is of Poseidon, she's supposed to marry the king of the other kingdom and the king happens to be Galen's older brother, Grom. And he has to marry Emma because the girl before her who was of Poseidon - and also Grom's love - died years before in a mine accident. I found that pretty interesting. Is Emma really going to have to marry Grom? If not, who will he have to marry? The ending was also a really big cliffhanger that made me want book 2 desperately. I kind of wish I had decided not to finish this book because now I really want to make it through the next one despite how much it'll annoy me.
So...yeah. Of Poseidon was not the right book for me...but I might be picking up book 2 anyway.
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LibraryThing member GRgenius
This was one of those reads that sports a rather interesting combination…a curious cover with a gorgeous color scheme and a title that demands explanation; that later part, is done throughout the book but even now I’m still a wee bit fuzzy on it. First, let’s talk general story…
If you
Something is in the water; a presence felt but not yet understood….by any parties. You see, Syrena can sense each other when in water, some better than others, which not only helps them to communicate but to stay out of each others way. This presence is something…or rather someone new; so new in fact, they don’t even know they exist. Okay, well not that side of them anyway. Convincing them is going to be a task and a half too, especially when the explainer and the explainee get a wee tad too close in the feeling department, if you know what I mean. Let’s talk characters…
Emma is a spirited albeit clumsy girl who never quite fit in. She wasn’t an outcast or anything, but she made a close friend or two and just muddled through life the best she could without falling on her face. Her clumsiness pays off during her Florida visit as she crash lands right into…the arms, excuse me, chest of one beachly hottie by the name of Galen…with a scowling Rayna at his side. She’s embarrassed of course, and the girl’s scowl does nothing to help the situation but she dusts herself off, makes sure there’s no damages and scurries away with her bestie Chloe at her side; too bad for Chloe, Florida is not only known as the sunshine state but the last destination. Things take a turn for the worst before getting better and then WAY worse, but she for the most part keeps her head about her, even if she is one to jump to conclusions a bit too much without enough information. Moving forward….
Galen is a Prince who despite his monitoring of the human world, doesn’t really know a thing about how they work, feelings or otherwise. To make it worse, he’s trying to balance his life under the sea with the world at his feet and the girl he may have just fallen for…HARD. With a language barrier to break, a mystery to solve, and high school to conquer, he really didn’t need something else to muddle his brain like “the pull”. Remember I mentioned that Syrena can sense each other in the water? Yeah, well it seems Galen can sense Emma OUT of the water as well ... complications anyone?
Rounding out our group is Rayna, Galen’s younger sister and Toraf, and Rachel. Rayna tries, but I never really felt comfortable with her character. I think she’s always going to hold a grudge against Emma for whatever reason she chooses. Toraf on the other hand, he’s a good guy…even if a bit dense at times. They are an interesting pair and despite their feelings about Emma and/or Galen, rally when needed (or commanded) as the case may be. Rachel is Galen’s assistant with a shady past, but my goodness can she get the job done! Give her a task and it’ll be done in no time flat from securing a house several states away to getting a worried mother to agree to an away trip for her daughter with her new boyfriend to visit his sick grandmother. Yeah, she’s cunning…just don’t get on her bad side. Now for a few other things to note…
There were two other aspects of the book I wanted to mention briefly. First, I found the setting to be really enchanting, if you’ve ever read a book about somewhere you’ve been or lived…you know that connection I mean; its that little something extra that hooks you into the story because you can actually visualize the exact location they are in or perhaps even stood in that same spot. The second item was a bit of a downer. The histories of the two clans, families, groups, Syrenians I suppose…were a bit confusing to me. It sorts its way out by book’s end with their visit to the archives and Galen’s solo visit to further understand Emma’s heritage or lack thereof, but for a good portion of the story I was left questioning the “of Poseidon” aspect. What exactly did it mean to be “of Poseidon”? You could simply talk to fish? You were direct offspring or related somewhere down the line? It was a bit befuddling but I think I’ve got my sea legs under me now with a clearer head.
In the end, it’s a story about discovering who we really are for better or worse and deciding what we’re going to do with it all...with a little romance along the way. Life throws us a myriad of things, but it’s up to us if we catch them and run with it, or toss them aside and seek calmer waters. Emma’s world is changed forever, but what that change means for her exactly remains to be seen. All I know is that book 2 is definitely on my wish list…especially with an ending like that! What were they doing? How did they do it? WHY did they do it? So many questions…and so much time until they are answered (no set time on the sequel as of this post). Join me in my quandary?
*review copy received in exchange for an honest review...full post can be seen on my site
If you
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haven’t guessed, we’re dealing with mermaids…oh wait, excuse me, Syrenians in this case. They are essentially the same mythical creature with a much more sordid history and the ability to change at will into human form. Once upon a time there were two kingdoms residing under the sea, in an effort to not steal Galen’s thunder, I won’t divulge all the details but suffice it to say a accident occurred, followed my a HUGE misunderstanding and now the two factions never wish to cross fins. It’s a bit of a mess, but things are looking up now that an old law thought obsolete may come into play. It has to do with the royals of both families marrying to keep the gifts of Triton and Poseidon from being lost and…it never really mattered since the king swore he’d never be mated again. Anyone else smell a secret brewing here? Ah, yes, but it’s not what you might be thinking…Something is in the water; a presence felt but not yet understood….by any parties. You see, Syrena can sense each other when in water, some better than others, which not only helps them to communicate but to stay out of each others way. This presence is something…or rather someone new; so new in fact, they don’t even know they exist. Okay, well not that side of them anyway. Convincing them is going to be a task and a half too, especially when the explainer and the explainee get a wee tad too close in the feeling department, if you know what I mean. Let’s talk characters…
Emma is a spirited albeit clumsy girl who never quite fit in. She wasn’t an outcast or anything, but she made a close friend or two and just muddled through life the best she could without falling on her face. Her clumsiness pays off during her Florida visit as she crash lands right into…the arms, excuse me, chest of one beachly hottie by the name of Galen…with a scowling Rayna at his side. She’s embarrassed of course, and the girl’s scowl does nothing to help the situation but she dusts herself off, makes sure there’s no damages and scurries away with her bestie Chloe at her side; too bad for Chloe, Florida is not only known as the sunshine state but the last destination. Things take a turn for the worst before getting better and then WAY worse, but she for the most part keeps her head about her, even if she is one to jump to conclusions a bit too much without enough information. Moving forward….
Galen is a Prince who despite his monitoring of the human world, doesn’t really know a thing about how they work, feelings or otherwise. To make it worse, he’s trying to balance his life under the sea with the world at his feet and the girl he may have just fallen for…HARD. With a language barrier to break, a mystery to solve, and high school to conquer, he really didn’t need something else to muddle his brain like “the pull”. Remember I mentioned that Syrena can sense each other in the water? Yeah, well it seems Galen can sense Emma OUT of the water as well ... complications anyone?
Rounding out our group is Rayna, Galen’s younger sister and Toraf, and Rachel. Rayna tries, but I never really felt comfortable with her character. I think she’s always going to hold a grudge against Emma for whatever reason she chooses. Toraf on the other hand, he’s a good guy…even if a bit dense at times. They are an interesting pair and despite their feelings about Emma and/or Galen, rally when needed (or commanded) as the case may be. Rachel is Galen’s assistant with a shady past, but my goodness can she get the job done! Give her a task and it’ll be done in no time flat from securing a house several states away to getting a worried mother to agree to an away trip for her daughter with her new boyfriend to visit his sick grandmother. Yeah, she’s cunning…just don’t get on her bad side. Now for a few other things to note…
There were two other aspects of the book I wanted to mention briefly. First, I found the setting to be really enchanting, if you’ve ever read a book about somewhere you’ve been or lived…you know that connection I mean; its that little something extra that hooks you into the story because you can actually visualize the exact location they are in or perhaps even stood in that same spot. The second item was a bit of a downer. The histories of the two clans, families, groups, Syrenians I suppose…were a bit confusing to me. It sorts its way out by book’s end with their visit to the archives and Galen’s solo visit to further understand Emma’s heritage or lack thereof, but for a good portion of the story I was left questioning the “of Poseidon” aspect. What exactly did it mean to be “of Poseidon”? You could simply talk to fish? You were direct offspring or related somewhere down the line? It was a bit befuddling but I think I’ve got my sea legs under me now with a clearer head.
In the end, it’s a story about discovering who we really are for better or worse and deciding what we’re going to do with it all...with a little romance along the way. Life throws us a myriad of things, but it’s up to us if we catch them and run with it, or toss them aside and seek calmer waters. Emma’s world is changed forever, but what that change means for her exactly remains to be seen. All I know is that book 2 is definitely on my wish list…especially with an ending like that! What were they doing? How did they do it? WHY did they do it? So many questions…and so much time until they are answered (no set time on the sequel as of this post). Join me in my quandary?
*review copy received in exchange for an honest review...full post can be seen on my site
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LibraryThing member Abibliophobic1
This book was especially exciting to read because I was just able to meet Anna Banks at one of her stops on the Fierce Reads tour. Let me say that the witty and hilarious way in which Banks writes her books and portrays her characters reflects her real life personality. This woman is hilarious and
Of Poseidon is a story of a young girl named Emma and a boy named Galen. Galen, a prince of the Syrena must search the shores for a girl he believes can communicate with fish. As he tries to accomplish his task, he quite literally runs into Emma and her friend Chloe on the beaches of Florida. While he is sure that there is something special about Emma, he's not positive that she is the one he's searching for. After tragedy strikes and Emma begins to change, Galen finds that she is the girl he is looking for and is possibly the only one who can save his people.
Now before starting this book, I was a little hesitant to start about merpeople because after reading Lies Beneath, I really didn't think I could handle another book about sea folk. This book did surprise me and I ended up loving it. One of my favorite things about this book is the humor with which Banks writes. Her character's banter left me quite literally laughing out loud and the playful tone of this book made it so that I could hardly put it down. Overall, I really welcomed Bank's fresh style of writing.
I also appreciated the tone of this book. Just like I felt with The Selection, I felt like this book had a very soft tone that left readers happy and content with the story as a whole. While the tension in this book didn't leave me on the edge of my seat and the cliffhanger could be seen from a mile away, this book fit my mood exactly. If you're looking for an intense thrill ride, this book isn't for you, but if you're looking for a comforting swim through the warm waters of the Florida Panhandle, this is a book to pick up.
7 out of 10
Happy Reading
Allison
imabibliophobic.blogspot.com
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meeting her in person made reading her book that much more enjoyable.Of Poseidon is a story of a young girl named Emma and a boy named Galen. Galen, a prince of the Syrena must search the shores for a girl he believes can communicate with fish. As he tries to accomplish his task, he quite literally runs into Emma and her friend Chloe on the beaches of Florida. While he is sure that there is something special about Emma, he's not positive that she is the one he's searching for. After tragedy strikes and Emma begins to change, Galen finds that she is the girl he is looking for and is possibly the only one who can save his people.
Now before starting this book, I was a little hesitant to start about merpeople because after reading Lies Beneath, I really didn't think I could handle another book about sea folk. This book did surprise me and I ended up loving it. One of my favorite things about this book is the humor with which Banks writes. Her character's banter left me quite literally laughing out loud and the playful tone of this book made it so that I could hardly put it down. Overall, I really welcomed Bank's fresh style of writing.
I also appreciated the tone of this book. Just like I felt with The Selection, I felt like this book had a very soft tone that left readers happy and content with the story as a whole. While the tension in this book didn't leave me on the edge of my seat and the cliffhanger could be seen from a mile away, this book fit my mood exactly. If you're looking for an intense thrill ride, this book isn't for you, but if you're looking for a comforting swim through the warm waters of the Florida Panhandle, this is a book to pick up.
7 out of 10
Happy Reading
Allison
imabibliophobic.blogspot.com
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LibraryThing member dulcibelle
The start of a new YA series about mermaids (called Syrena in the book). I really enjoyed this one. Even though it's YA, there's not a lot of teen angst going on. Written in alternating POVs (Emma's is first person, present tense; Galen's is third person, present tense), it took me a bit to get
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comfortable with the writing - but once I did, look out! I liked getting the story from two different viewpoints, and the alternating voice made it easy to keep straight whose story I was reading. The only drawback to this story - it ends in a cliffhanger!! Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member pnh002
First off, I want to say thank you to Amanda over at Beneath the Jacket for her wonderful giveaway that I won! This wasn't the original prize, but she was nice enough to add this in the package after a little mix up occurred. Anyways, thanks again. You provided me with my first summer read of the
What's funny, is the fact that I was not expecting to get this, nor was I expecting it to be the way it turned out to be. But in a gooooooodddd way. It was my first true Summer read, and it certainly fulfilled its purpose by sweeping me off to Florida to play in the water with the fish, Emma, and certainly Galen (hehehe). I found myself out by the pool reading this, imagining that I was in the sun and in the sand with the characters. Banks was able to create a whole new world in the "normal one" of Florida.
Another thing I liked were the characters. Emma is HILARIOUS. Her humor kept me engaged in her for the entire book. And on top of that, she was a strong person, not one of those "OMG my boyfriend's so hot so I'm going to do everything he says" spineless wimp people. And I loved Galen. Because he is so genuinely in love with Emma, but he can't explain his feelings, and he is harboring this secret for too long. I also enjoyed Toraf and amazingly Rayna too. Especially Rayna. She has some of the spicy attitude that I posess, so I know exactly what she was going through.
The number one thing I loved about the book though, was the mythology. This is a very refreshing take on the Siren myths. I was able to learn something about them as well as enjoy the story. I really liked how it wasn't bogged down with the legend the whole time. It was kind of spread out and made me keep reading to the rest of the story to find out the whole thing.
I also loved Banks' writing. She kept the water theme going by including all things fish, in their arguments, as well as what they eat and all. It really feels that she thought of everything. Including the title in the book. (IDK about you, but I
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year! What's funny, is the fact that I was not expecting to get this, nor was I expecting it to be the way it turned out to be. But in a gooooooodddd way. It was my first true Summer read, and it certainly fulfilled its purpose by sweeping me off to Florida to play in the water with the fish, Emma, and certainly Galen (hehehe). I found myself out by the pool reading this, imagining that I was in the sun and in the sand with the characters. Banks was able to create a whole new world in the "normal one" of Florida.
Another thing I liked were the characters. Emma is HILARIOUS. Her humor kept me engaged in her for the entire book. And on top of that, she was a strong person, not one of those "OMG my boyfriend's so hot so I'm going to do everything he says" spineless wimp people. And I loved Galen. Because he is so genuinely in love with Emma, but he can't explain his feelings, and he is harboring this secret for too long. I also enjoyed Toraf and amazingly Rayna too. Especially Rayna. She has some of the spicy attitude that I posess, so I know exactly what she was going through.
The number one thing I loved about the book though, was the mythology. This is a very refreshing take on the Siren myths. I was able to learn something about them as well as enjoy the story. I really liked how it wasn't bogged down with the legend the whole time. It was kind of spread out and made me keep reading to the rest of the story to find out the whole thing.
I also loved Banks' writing. She kept the water theme going by including all things fish, in their arguments, as well as what they eat and all. It really feels that she thought of everything. Including the title in the book. (IDK about you, but I
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick and Dirty: A very clumsy girl finds out she is Syrenian and can speak to fish. A boy tries to help her form her fins while trying to keep it professional and keeps a very important secret from her.
Opening Sentence: I smack into him as if shoved from
The Review:
Ohmysweetgoodness. I absolutely ADORE this book! But first…
Emma thinks she’s just on a vacation with her friend Chloe. But the day she runs smack-dab into Galen, her life is about to flip upside down. I think the synopsis is tad misleading, but it gets the point across. Emma and Galen run into each other, Galen saves her from a shark and Galen decides she’s the one. Although it sounds like Galen is sent specifically for Emma, he’s supposed to anyway because it’s his job and he has nothing better to do as an ambassador for humans. And it doesn’t take multiple scenes to convince him. It probably takes about a chapter or two. In the same day. Scratch that — same hour. So when Galen turns up at Emma’s high school in New Jersey, she’s more than a little shocked. Of course it doesn’t help that Galen is almost obsessed with her. In fact, she runs straight into a cafeteria door and knocks herself unconscious just to get away from him. But eventually Galen convinces her to come with him to the beach to tell her. And it all swirls into one big whirlpool of action, hilarious-ness and intrigue after that.
So, back to how much I ADORE this book. Banks truly has a talent for keeping the audience’s attention with the best type of writing — humor. From the very first page I was hooked. The absolute embarrassment Emma felt when she “assaulted his pecks” had me giggling continuously. And it gets better. This book is filled head-to-flipping-fin with witty comments and comic relief scenes (see scene below — one of my favorites). Somehow even important scenes had me laughing out loud. The game Emma and Galen played on their “date” is genius! Girls – if you don’t like a guy you’re on a date with, play Upchuck. Ohmysweetgoodness it’s so funny! Also, Emma’s favorite phrase “Ohmysweetgoodness” is great.
The mythology behind the story is intriguing, with the multiple layers and history Galen learns as the story progresses. There are two tribes of Syrena — the Tritons and Poseidons. Galen is of Triton. Emma is of Poseidon. But there’s more to the tribe than just names. When the tribe split, each general (Triton and Poseidon) granted a gift to someone so the Syrena could live in times of hardship. Emma happens to have the Gift of Poseidon. She can speak to fish (which Galen says is used to feed the tribes in case humans go overboard).
Galen…he deserves several ohmysweetgoodnesses. A prince. A merman (don’t tell him I called him that). A loyal Syrenian that puts the kingdom before love. Well, at least for a while. Galen tries so hard to resist “the pull” — a mythical superstition that is supposed to indicate his perfect mate. But Emma is Of Poseidon — the other clan of merpeople that currently are at odds with the Tritons. But not even that — every three generations the firstborn of the Tritons and Poseidons are supposed to mate to “keep the peace.” And Galen’s oldest brother Grom just happens to be the third generation, and the King of Poseidon refuses to bear again. Stuck between duty and love, Galen has to choose which one he is willing to risk: the end of Syrena’s existence, or true love with the only girl he’s ever fell for.
All of the characters in the story have a special role and I love all of them. Toraf (Galen’s best friend and mate of Rayna) and Rayna’s (Galen’s twin sister and refuses to be Toraf’s mate) relationship is full of ups and downs, but it’s so cute how it plays out. Emma is a strong heroine and as long as she isn’t wearing flip-flops, has the potential to do/be great. And I love Rachel.
The ending…OHMYSWEETGOODNESS IT’S BRUTAL. MAJOR CLIFFHANGER ALERT!! As soon as I read the last sentence, I ran to the internet to see when the sequel comes out. Unfortunately, Of Triton doesn’t have a release date yet. As much as I love the book and want y’all to read it ASAP, if you hate waiting and suspense, wait until Of Triton comes out. It’ll save you a lot of grief. And thoughts of throwing the book out the window. Just saying!
Notable Scene:
“I think that’s right after you hurt it. I’m pretty sure I’m okay to sleep now. I mean, I slept last night, right? Actually, I’m not sure I can even stay awake right now.”
“But… you’re not passing out, you’re just sleeping? There’s a difference.”
I yawned again. “Just sleep. Maybe I just need a nap.”
He nods into my hair. “You did look tired today after school.”
“You can put me on the couch now.”
He doesn’t move, just keeps rocking me. Staying alert is a slippery slope right now.
“Galen?”
“Hmm?”
“You can put me down now.”
“I’m not ready yet.” He tightens his hold.
“You don’t have to hold–”
“Emma? Can you hear me?”
“Uh, yes. I can hear fine. I just can’t see–”
“That’s a relief. Because for a minute there, I thought maybe you didn’t hear me when I said I’m not ready yet.”
“Jackass.”
He chuckles into my hair. “Go to sleep.”
It’s the last thing I remember.
FTC Advisory: Feiwell & Friends/Macmillan graciously provided me with a copy of Of Poseidon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick and Dirty: A very clumsy girl finds out she is Syrenian and can speak to fish. A boy tries to help her form her fins while trying to keep it professional and keeps a very important secret from her.
Opening Sentence: I smack into him as if shoved from
Show More
behind.The Review:
Ohmysweetgoodness. I absolutely ADORE this book! But first…
Emma thinks she’s just on a vacation with her friend Chloe. But the day she runs smack-dab into Galen, her life is about to flip upside down. I think the synopsis is tad misleading, but it gets the point across. Emma and Galen run into each other, Galen saves her from a shark and Galen decides she’s the one. Although it sounds like Galen is sent specifically for Emma, he’s supposed to anyway because it’s his job and he has nothing better to do as an ambassador for humans. And it doesn’t take multiple scenes to convince him. It probably takes about a chapter or two. In the same day. Scratch that — same hour. So when Galen turns up at Emma’s high school in New Jersey, she’s more than a little shocked. Of course it doesn’t help that Galen is almost obsessed with her. In fact, she runs straight into a cafeteria door and knocks herself unconscious just to get away from him. But eventually Galen convinces her to come with him to the beach to tell her. And it all swirls into one big whirlpool of action, hilarious-ness and intrigue after that.
So, back to how much I ADORE this book. Banks truly has a talent for keeping the audience’s attention with the best type of writing — humor. From the very first page I was hooked. The absolute embarrassment Emma felt when she “assaulted his pecks” had me giggling continuously. And it gets better. This book is filled head-to-flipping-fin with witty comments and comic relief scenes (see scene below — one of my favorites). Somehow even important scenes had me laughing out loud. The game Emma and Galen played on their “date” is genius! Girls – if you don’t like a guy you’re on a date with, play Upchuck. Ohmysweetgoodness it’s so funny! Also, Emma’s favorite phrase “Ohmysweetgoodness” is great.
The mythology behind the story is intriguing, with the multiple layers and history Galen learns as the story progresses. There are two tribes of Syrena — the Tritons and Poseidons. Galen is of Triton. Emma is of Poseidon. But there’s more to the tribe than just names. When the tribe split, each general (Triton and Poseidon) granted a gift to someone so the Syrena could live in times of hardship. Emma happens to have the Gift of Poseidon. She can speak to fish (which Galen says is used to feed the tribes in case humans go overboard).
Galen…he deserves several ohmysweetgoodnesses. A prince. A merman (don’t tell him I called him that). A loyal Syrenian that puts the kingdom before love. Well, at least for a while. Galen tries so hard to resist “the pull” — a mythical superstition that is supposed to indicate his perfect mate. But Emma is Of Poseidon — the other clan of merpeople that currently are at odds with the Tritons. But not even that — every three generations the firstborn of the Tritons and Poseidons are supposed to mate to “keep the peace.” And Galen’s oldest brother Grom just happens to be the third generation, and the King of Poseidon refuses to bear again. Stuck between duty and love, Galen has to choose which one he is willing to risk: the end of Syrena’s existence, or true love with the only girl he’s ever fell for.
All of the characters in the story have a special role and I love all of them. Toraf (Galen’s best friend and mate of Rayna) and Rayna’s (Galen’s twin sister and refuses to be Toraf’s mate) relationship is full of ups and downs, but it’s so cute how it plays out. Emma is a strong heroine and as long as she isn’t wearing flip-flops, has the potential to do/be great. And I love Rachel.
The ending…OHMYSWEETGOODNESS IT’S BRUTAL. MAJOR CLIFFHANGER ALERT!! As soon as I read the last sentence, I ran to the internet to see when the sequel comes out. Unfortunately, Of Triton doesn’t have a release date yet. As much as I love the book and want y’all to read it ASAP, if you hate waiting and suspense, wait until Of Triton comes out. It’ll save you a lot of grief. And thoughts of throwing the book out the window. Just saying!
Notable Scene:
“I think that’s right after you hurt it. I’m pretty sure I’m okay to sleep now. I mean, I slept last night, right? Actually, I’m not sure I can even stay awake right now.”
“But… you’re not passing out, you’re just sleeping? There’s a difference.”
I yawned again. “Just sleep. Maybe I just need a nap.”
He nods into my hair. “You did look tired today after school.”
“You can put me on the couch now.”
He doesn’t move, just keeps rocking me. Staying alert is a slippery slope right now.
“Galen?”
“Hmm?”
“You can put me down now.”
“I’m not ready yet.” He tightens his hold.
“You don’t have to hold–”
“Emma? Can you hear me?”
“Uh, yes. I can hear fine. I just can’t see–”
“That’s a relief. Because for a minute there, I thought maybe you didn’t hear me when I said I’m not ready yet.”
“Jackass.”
He chuckles into my hair. “Go to sleep.”
It’s the last thing I remember.
FTC Advisory: Feiwell & Friends/Macmillan graciously provided me with a copy of Of Poseidon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member ewyatt
Emma is clumsy and trips into the most gorgeous guy she's ever seen when vacationing in Florida. He has the same unusual purplish color eyes she has, a color she's never seen on anyone else before. Soon after while she and her best friend are in the ocean, a shark attacks which kills her friend and
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awakens an unusual power in Emma. When she goes back to New Jersey, Galen and his sister Raina follow wanting to investigate if she is one of them, a Syrena. As Emma discovers her new gifts and falls for Galen, the traditions of the Syrena are discussed as the group looks for someone else with the gift of Poseidon, the gift of communicating with fish that Emma has, to marry their older brother, the Syrena king. There is a mysterious presence that is only revealed at the end of the story. I was on to it at about half way through, so while it took a long time to get to the reveal, the story ended right after that happened. The chapters alternated between Emma in the first person and third person narration. Maybe I would have liked this better had I read the book rather than listened. Show Less
LibraryThing member BurgandyIce
I have been in love with this cover since the first time I saw it and posted it on Waiting on Wednesday back in November. That means I can claim it as my own, right?
What do I like about it?!?! The color, the fogginess, the way the girl is swimming fully dressed in the dark?! I'm not sure. I tell
"I SMACK into him as if shoved from behind. He doesn't budge, not an inch. Just holds my shoulders and waits. Maybe he's waiting for me to find my balance. Maybe he's waiting for me to gather my pride. I hope he's got all day."
I had just slipped into bed and cracked the book open (figuratively speaking) to see if I wanted to read it next (in my compulsive way of avoiding my "to do" review list.)
And instantly I was cracking up. When I thought I was done laughing, I was laughing again. And then I wanted to cry... and then laugh... and my husband thought there was a problem with me and there was... I was getting a loaded dose of Anna Banks.
I would like to say it's only this book that's the problem, that the author had a moment of confusion where snarky humor overtook her writing, that she settled down after a chapter or two. No such luck. Check out her picture below... innocent right? But then read her email to me. Uh-huh!!
So what did I think of the book?
My Review:
I didn’t mean to read the entire book in one day. *ahem* Really. I didn’t have the time, and I really wanted a book I could wander through slowly on my Nook, so Of Poseidon was very inconvenient.
It's light & fun… if death and survival-of-the-species is “light & fun”. The author’s humor leaks out everywhere, from the exclamations, to the slapstick situations that got reactions out of me (yes, I think tripping is funny. I’ve done my fair share of it.)
I saw in other reviews that procreation was criticized as a goal. In answer, my reply is, "it was explained". I am all about WHY’S!! There is plenty reason behind the procreation focus, not to mention the characters complaining about it themselves and I didn't feel any one person, like Emma, was more put out than anyone else. It made plenty of sense, although, I agree the system stinks. Who wouldn't?! You'll have to read it to see what I mean.
Emma is a fun character. She has deep, strong relationships and a good grasp on her own feelings. Garen is excessively handsome, which borderlines cliché, alrighty, especially with the hormonal-type romantic attraction firin’ up every scene. (Think Firelight or Twilight wolves.)
The story is told very interestingly. Emma’s point of view is in first person, whereas Garen’s is in omniscient third. I was jolted out of the story a few times settling into the pov over and over. The overall effect is understanding the situation from both sides, while feeling as if I am Emma.
So, what did I like best? The world-building. The irreverent humor. The Syrena were believable. Their history and general life are explained a little, enough to answer some initial questions. There is plenty more that is not explained, but the story is not complete in this volume. (Semi-cliff-hanger, anyone?!) And the humor caught me by surprise too many times to count.
I would so love to discuss deeper plot stuff... like...
When did I catch on to who was who? What's up with Grom's love life?! What in the world is Garen going to do with the pickle he's gotten himself into?! And can we see more of Toraf and Rayna PLEASE?! I love 'em!!
My Rating: 4 - Good!! This is a snarky light read with a well-developed concept.
What do I like about it?!?! The color, the fogginess, the way the girl is swimming fully dressed in the dark?! I'm not sure. I tell
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you what, though... this cover has NO HINT of Author-Snarkiness!! To find that, you gotta read the very first paragraph in the book:"I SMACK into him as if shoved from behind. He doesn't budge, not an inch. Just holds my shoulders and waits. Maybe he's waiting for me to find my balance. Maybe he's waiting for me to gather my pride. I hope he's got all day."
I had just slipped into bed and cracked the book open (figuratively speaking) to see if I wanted to read it next (in my compulsive way of avoiding my "to do" review list.)
And instantly I was cracking up. When I thought I was done laughing, I was laughing again. And then I wanted to cry... and then laugh... and my husband thought there was a problem with me and there was... I was getting a loaded dose of Anna Banks.
I would like to say it's only this book that's the problem, that the author had a moment of confusion where snarky humor overtook her writing, that she settled down after a chapter or two. No such luck. Check out her picture below... innocent right? But then read her email to me. Uh-huh!!
So what did I think of the book?
My Review:
I didn’t mean to read the entire book in one day. *ahem* Really. I didn’t have the time, and I really wanted a book I could wander through slowly on my Nook, so Of Poseidon was very inconvenient.
It's light & fun… if death and survival-of-the-species is “light & fun”. The author’s humor leaks out everywhere, from the exclamations, to the slapstick situations that got reactions out of me (yes, I think tripping is funny. I’ve done my fair share of it.)
I saw in other reviews that procreation was criticized as a goal. In answer, my reply is, "it was explained". I am all about WHY’S!! There is plenty reason behind the procreation focus, not to mention the characters complaining about it themselves and I didn't feel any one person, like Emma, was more put out than anyone else. It made plenty of sense, although, I agree the system stinks. Who wouldn't?! You'll have to read it to see what I mean.
Emma is a fun character. She has deep, strong relationships and a good grasp on her own feelings. Garen is excessively handsome, which borderlines cliché, alrighty, especially with the hormonal-type romantic attraction firin’ up every scene. (Think Firelight or Twilight wolves.)
The story is told very interestingly. Emma’s point of view is in first person, whereas Garen’s is in omniscient third. I was jolted out of the story a few times settling into the pov over and over. The overall effect is understanding the situation from both sides, while feeling as if I am Emma.
So, what did I like best? The world-building. The irreverent humor. The Syrena were believable. Their history and general life are explained a little, enough to answer some initial questions. There is plenty more that is not explained, but the story is not complete in this volume. (Semi-cliff-hanger, anyone?!) And the humor caught me by surprise too many times to count.
I would so love to discuss deeper plot stuff... like...
When did I catch on to who was who? What's up with Grom's love life?! What in the world is Garen going to do with the pickle he's gotten himself into?! And can we see more of Toraf and Rayna PLEASE?! I love 'em!!
My Rating: 4 - Good!! This is a snarky light read with a well-developed concept.
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LibraryThing member lucky11
So, I wasn't sold at first about a story involving mermaids. I was expecting just your classic mermaid tale, where the guy falls in love with the mermaid and they have a doomed love. "Of Poseidon" was so much more. Without giving anything away, "Of Poseidon" is about a girl named Emma, who finds
Anna Banks, "Of Poseidon," was a great read. I would recommend this to any teen reader looking for different twist on a mermaid tale and an all around good read. I can't wait for the sequel to find out what happens.
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out she is of Poseidon blood. In other words it makes her a mermaid or as the book refers to them as syrena, and is the last direct descendant of Poseidon. Galen, a syrena prince of the Trident house, an enemy of the Poseidon line, and is ambassodor to humans for is house. He learns of Emma and sets out to figure out why she is living on land, which is against the law of syrena. Galen and Emma's relationship has so many twist and turns and ends in the biggest twist of all, and leaves you wanting more.Anna Banks, "Of Poseidon," was a great read. I would recommend this to any teen reader looking for different twist on a mermaid tale and an all around good read. I can't wait for the sequel to find out what happens.
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LibraryThing member Kelseyh45
I found the book to be quite entertaining and an easy read. The novel had an interesting twist on mermaids. I think a lot of mermaid books have, for the most part, the same dynamics, but Banks was able to add a few twists that I found somewhat refreshing.
The characters are all playful and fun and
The characters are all playful and fun and
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have a good sense of self throughout the novel. Although I have to admit, it wasn't hard to figure out what exactly was going to happen, I like the carefree puppy love the novel carries. I'm excited to see what the sequel holds. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmberFIB
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up Of Poseidon. I didn't know if it'd be "another mermaid tale," or if it'd stand out from the crowd. I was pleasantly surprised, and Of Poseidon definitely exceeded my expectations. Banks has a unique writing style and voice. I enjoyed the alternating
Of Poseidon is written differently than any book I've ever read. There is no action to speak of, other than one event in the beginning and a girl fight a little later on. Even the climax of the novel has no action, but it does have a big reveal. There really was no "bad guy." It's an interesting concept that I found myself actually liking. The lack of action didn't bother me. I wasn't bored once. This novel grabbed me on the first page and did not let me go until the very end.This is a fast paced read, and I lost track of time as I submerged myself in Banks' world.
Emma is a likable character. She's feisty and clumsy, both traits come across as charming instead of annoying. She goes through some terrible things, but she comes out stronger for it. She doesn't dwell on the past and whine about it. She takes charge of her life and makes the best of each situation that's given to her. I really admired her for that, and for the fact that she isn't willing to give up her dreams for some guy. It was fun being inside her head because she has such a unique take on the world. Any time a leading character describes herself as being as clumsy as "an intoxicated walrus," you know she's going to be a fun narrator.
Galen is also likable, and while he's a bit disconnected from humanity, he still has some very human reactions. He makes some pretty dumb mistakes, but overall, he's a good guy. I was rooting for him the entire time. I really liked seeing things from his view as well, and I'm glad that Banks didn't do first person with him, too. It helped keep the two POVs separate.
The secondary characters are also well-developed and complex. I'm not sure what makes any of them tick really, but they're all interesting and add a lot of layers (and humor) to the story.
The plot is intriguing and mysterious, even if there is no action or "bad guy." There's still a sense of urgency because Galen's entire race is on the verge of a giant war that would likely make all of them extinct. Since Galen is likable, I didn't want that to happen. I also wanted Galen and Emma to get together, so I wanted things to work out for them, too. The ending is a cliffhanger, and a bit of a surprise. I tossed the idea around some, but I wasn't sure until the very end if I was right or not. I hate cliffhangers (hence the A instead of A+), but I feel that enough questions were answered that I'm looking forward to the next book without a sense of bitterness.
The one thing that did bother me about Of Poseidon is that it kept sounding like Banks was calling dolphins and whales fish. I'm pretty sure she meant marine life in general, since she included turtles, otters, and penguins in with Emma's gift as well. Still, though, she kept saying fish right after a dolphin or whale encounter and that bugged me. There has to be a better way to specify the difference between mammal and fish, though I'm not 100% sure what that might be.
Overall, I'd recommend Of Poseidon to anyone who wants a good summer read. If you enjoy mermaid tales or love stories, then this book is for you!
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POVs (first person for Emma and third person limited for Galen). The sense of humor makes this book a light read, and I laughed out loud more than once. The plot is intriguing and the world that Banks created is captivating. Of Poseidon is written differently than any book I've ever read. There is no action to speak of, other than one event in the beginning and a girl fight a little later on. Even the climax of the novel has no action, but it does have a big reveal. There really was no "bad guy." It's an interesting concept that I found myself actually liking. The lack of action didn't bother me. I wasn't bored once. This novel grabbed me on the first page and did not let me go until the very end.This is a fast paced read, and I lost track of time as I submerged myself in Banks' world.
Emma is a likable character. She's feisty and clumsy, both traits come across as charming instead of annoying. She goes through some terrible things, but she comes out stronger for it. She doesn't dwell on the past and whine about it. She takes charge of her life and makes the best of each situation that's given to her. I really admired her for that, and for the fact that she isn't willing to give up her dreams for some guy. It was fun being inside her head because she has such a unique take on the world. Any time a leading character describes herself as being as clumsy as "an intoxicated walrus," you know she's going to be a fun narrator.
Galen is also likable, and while he's a bit disconnected from humanity, he still has some very human reactions. He makes some pretty dumb mistakes, but overall, he's a good guy. I was rooting for him the entire time. I really liked seeing things from his view as well, and I'm glad that Banks didn't do first person with him, too. It helped keep the two POVs separate.
The secondary characters are also well-developed and complex. I'm not sure what makes any of them tick really, but they're all interesting and add a lot of layers (and humor) to the story.
The plot is intriguing and mysterious, even if there is no action or "bad guy." There's still a sense of urgency because Galen's entire race is on the verge of a giant war that would likely make all of them extinct. Since Galen is likable, I didn't want that to happen. I also wanted Galen and Emma to get together, so I wanted things to work out for them, too. The ending is a cliffhanger, and a bit of a surprise. I tossed the idea around some, but I wasn't sure until the very end if I was right or not. I hate cliffhangers (hence the A instead of A+), but I feel that enough questions were answered that I'm looking forward to the next book without a sense of bitterness.
The one thing that did bother me about Of Poseidon is that it kept sounding like Banks was calling dolphins and whales fish. I'm pretty sure she meant marine life in general, since she included turtles, otters, and penguins in with Emma's gift as well. Still, though, she kept saying fish right after a dolphin or whale encounter and that bugged me. There has to be a better way to specify the difference between mammal and fish, though I'm not 100% sure what that might be.
Overall, I'd recommend Of Poseidon to anyone who wants a good summer read. If you enjoy mermaid tales or love stories, then this book is for you!
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LibraryThing member AseelNaji
Fun, light, full of romance and enough mystery to keep you interested Of Poseidon had me wrapped around its words. I loved it, even though I was never a fan of mermaids or anything water-related, really. But after reading Of Poseidon my eyes are now opened for a new world.
I loved Galen, his
Emma, our heroine with her stubborn and sarcastic yet funny nature was not far after. She didn't give in to Galen's every wish or command like he was used to under the water with him being a Syrena royalty and all, and it made me respect her. Also her determination to adopt her true identity yet live with the human race and continue living her life as she wanted made her one hell of a strong character.
Overall Of Poseidon was a good read the I-want-to-read-more-but-there-isn't-any-pages-left kind of read but it lacked a bit of action. The ending was a bit rushed and made me blink for a couple of minutes while staring at the words, not believing that it ended like that, but it also made me itch for the squeal that I will definitely read.
I loved Galen, his
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ignorance of the human world and his confusion over the simple everyday-things that we do was funny and I often found myself giggling, either from his bewilderment at the human behavior or at how sweet he was. Galen was really an easy character to fall in love with with his sweet, caring and loving personality.Emma, our heroine with her stubborn and sarcastic yet funny nature was not far after. She didn't give in to Galen's every wish or command like he was used to under the water with him being a Syrena royalty and all, and it made me respect her. Also her determination to adopt her true identity yet live with the human race and continue living her life as she wanted made her one hell of a strong character.
Overall Of Poseidon was a good read the I-want-to-read-more-but-there-isn't-any-pages-left kind of read but it lacked a bit of action. The ending was a bit rushed and made me blink for a couple of minutes while staring at the words, not believing that it ended like that, but it also made me itch for the squeal that I will definitely read.
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LibraryThing member PrettyDeadlyReviews
OF POSEIDON is a refreshing paranormal romance wrought with tragedy, mystery, and discovery, set against a backdrop of the Jersey Shore. I was thoroughly engrossed in the mythology of OF POSEIDON's Syrena -- what we know as mermaids, but you'd better not call them that! A likable cast of characters
I loved Emma. I thought she was easy to relate to, and made decisions I probably would have made. She's strong in the face of tragedy and danger. And she's really, really funny.
However, I didn't exactly like Galen. He's the Syrena's ambassador to the humans, and he's smoking hot, and totally rich. But his entire race, the Syrena, and their culture are full of misogyny and I just couldn't get past it. I mean, I know it's part of his entire world, and we can't begin to understand how different cultures go about things sometimes, but he could have tried a little harder once he was on land with American humans.
The romance was cute and also humorous, what with Emma nearly knocking herself out every time they were in the same place -- whether she's ramming herself into his chest, or running into the hard steel of the cafeteria doors. I loved watching Galen teach Emma about herself, her powers, her history. He even took her to see the real Titanic! I loved how there was obviously instant attraction and instant lust, it took time for the trust and real feelings to build. Emma was not immediately sold on leaving her life, her scholarships and her family over one fish-boy.
My only problem with the whole story was the tendency towards info-dumping. I wish the author tried a different path in giving us the back story of the Syrena, or even the back story on the characters themselves. I quickly found myself confusing some of the characters and not really understanding what was going on. But once the action picked up a little and the mystery was starting to unravel, I easily forgot the confusion and was stuck in the story.
That ending was one hell of a cliffhanger. I know we're all used to that sort of thing in YA, but this was the worst! (Aside from MAYBE Delirium. They're about the same as far as screaming 'WHAT? NO! at the end of the book.) I literally kept clicking the page-turn button on my Nook, because I was convinced there was more. I want more! Considering OF POSEIDON doesn't come out until May, I think it's safe to say that I'll be waiting a pretty long time for the sequel.
I really loved OF POSEIDON. It had the right amount of romance balanced with mystery and just pure awesomeness. Also, no love-triangles or insta-love here! Emma is a strong, likable heroine, and I can't wait to see what's in store for her next.
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pulls the whole book together, and I just could not get enough.I loved Emma. I thought she was easy to relate to, and made decisions I probably would have made. She's strong in the face of tragedy and danger. And she's really, really funny.
However, I didn't exactly like Galen. He's the Syrena's ambassador to the humans, and he's smoking hot, and totally rich. But his entire race, the Syrena, and their culture are full of misogyny and I just couldn't get past it. I mean, I know it's part of his entire world, and we can't begin to understand how different cultures go about things sometimes, but he could have tried a little harder once he was on land with American humans.
The romance was cute and also humorous, what with Emma nearly knocking herself out every time they were in the same place -- whether she's ramming herself into his chest, or running into the hard steel of the cafeteria doors. I loved watching Galen teach Emma about herself, her powers, her history. He even took her to see the real Titanic! I loved how there was obviously instant attraction and instant lust, it took time for the trust and real feelings to build. Emma was not immediately sold on leaving her life, her scholarships and her family over one fish-boy.
My only problem with the whole story was the tendency towards info-dumping. I wish the author tried a different path in giving us the back story of the Syrena, or even the back story on the characters themselves. I quickly found myself confusing some of the characters and not really understanding what was going on. But once the action picked up a little and the mystery was starting to unravel, I easily forgot the confusion and was stuck in the story.
That ending was one hell of a cliffhanger. I know we're all used to that sort of thing in YA, but this was the worst! (Aside from MAYBE Delirium. They're about the same as far as screaming 'WHAT? NO! at the end of the book.) I literally kept clicking the page-turn button on my Nook, because I was convinced there was more. I want more! Considering OF POSEIDON doesn't come out until May, I think it's safe to say that I'll be waiting a pretty long time for the sequel.
I really loved OF POSEIDON. It had the right amount of romance balanced with mystery and just pure awesomeness. Also, no love-triangles or insta-love here! Emma is a strong, likable heroine, and I can't wait to see what's in store for her next.
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LibraryThing member flashlight_reader
Shame on me for not writing this review the moment I finished this book! Now I have to remember all of the wonderful things I found in Of Poseidon.
Let me start by saying how much I enjoyed the characters. I really, really, REALLY liked them. All of them. Every character had a nice amount of spunk
I didn’t think there was an extreme amount of world building in this book. The majority of the story took place at a typical New Jersey high school and Emma/Galen’s houses. Nothing really exciting or overly inventive there. What I did enjoy was the slowly building tension. The entire story felt like it built up to that ohmysweetgoodness cliffhanger ending! There was a lot of emphasis place on the relationships and discovery who (or what) you really are. But those final pages. Oh. Man. It really sucks that I have to wait so long for the next book, Of Triton. (There isn’t even a tentative publishing date yet!)
Simply speaking, I enjoyed this one. The mermaid aspect was a driving force in the story, but it wasn’t overpowering. It was a very unique spin, and the mythology that was woven in was a nice bonus. I also think that the ending of this book is what really put it over the top for me. I was thinking “3” material until those final pages. Now I can’t wait for Of Triton. If you don’t like open endings, better wait for the next book to come out before you read this one.
Let me start by saying how much I enjoyed the characters. I really, really, REALLY liked them. All of them. Every character had a nice amount of spunk
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(ok, minus Emma’s mom and Rachel). I probably had the most trouble connecting with Faye, but I still liked her all the same. She was the exact opposite in many ways to Emma, so it worked for me. Her beau, Toraf, I found to be adorable. He’s not a main character, but the parts that included him were entertaining. Emma and Galen? Sigh. I will admit, Galen was drool worthy. Most people might find him arrogant, but I loved it. He seemed so playful, which was funny because Emma was not. They were opposites, yet they complimented one another perfectly. I thought they were such a great literary couple. I really loved how spunky Emma was. She was hilarious, clumsy, and had a certain amount of sass that made her instantly likeable. I appreciate how to wasn’t that girl. I didn’t think there was an extreme amount of world building in this book. The majority of the story took place at a typical New Jersey high school and Emma/Galen’s houses. Nothing really exciting or overly inventive there. What I did enjoy was the slowly building tension. The entire story felt like it built up to that ohmysweetgoodness cliffhanger ending! There was a lot of emphasis place on the relationships and discovery who (or what) you really are. But those final pages. Oh. Man. It really sucks that I have to wait so long for the next book, Of Triton. (There isn’t even a tentative publishing date yet!)
Simply speaking, I enjoyed this one. The mermaid aspect was a driving force in the story, but it wasn’t overpowering. It was a very unique spin, and the mythology that was woven in was a nice bonus. I also think that the ending of this book is what really put it over the top for me. I was thinking “3” material until those final pages. Now I can’t wait for Of Triton. If you don’t like open endings, better wait for the next book to come out before you read this one.
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LibraryThing member msjessie
I'm definitely in the minority here as most reviews seem to love this novel, but I am okay with being on the fringes. I embrace it. I can certainly love that cover, but that is the end of any affection I might've had for this supernatural young-adult novel. I like to think I am stingy with my
I read until about page 275, and then skimmed until the end because I wasn't having any fun. At all. In fact, I was often angry at this novel. I was, at first, deceived mildly interested by the blurb (warring mermaid tribes?[Schools?] Yes, please!), then progressively less and less impressed by the characters, the plot, and both those elements' immature, trope-ish presentations. Of Poseidon isn't anything new; this is another YA paranormal romance (with an obnoxious, awful love-interest even!), in the vein of the newest popular supernatural being: the mermaid. I have yet to find a mermaid novel that has truly impressed me with its originality (besides Lies Beneath) or its characters, and all of them have underwhelmed me with their misogynistic notions and representations of love and teenage relationships.
Things I Hated About Of Poseidon:
the mermaid attitude toward "mating" - see Rayna/Toraf
predictability with which the story "progressed"
instalove on an extreme scale
stock, cliched characters across the board
contrived drama and high school melodrama that overtake the (barely-there) mermaid plot
Of Poseidon was just an underwater mess. It's predictable and cliched; I called the big twist at the end as soon as the "mystery" element was introduced, I knew how the romance would go as soon as Galen was described as Adonis's long-lost, better-looking brother. There's just absolutely nothing new here; it's all been done before and so so much better. From characters (Emma is a cliched, predictable piece of cardboard, her mother is a shrill, paranoid woman, Galen a controlling and unavailable ass) to the melodramatic "plot", everything here feels one-dimensional or cheap. The only cgaracter with any life (or of color...) is killed within 30 pages. With the (many and often) repeated mentions of how porcelain and pure Emma's white skin is, the death of the only black character made me highly uncomfortable.
What really made me uncomfortable - and then angry - with this novel was the mermaid aspect towards mating. Basically in this underwater hell, the girl mermaids are property with no say in their lives - be it who they want to mate with or even if they want to mate at all. Galen, our "hero", has a sister who has said all her life she doesn't want to mate, ever. Even when Rayna is forced into an unwanted marriage (that her brother made BEHIND her back WITHOUT her PRESENCE or even her KNOWLEDGE), Galen has no sympathy for his sister. None. These are direct quotes, from the ARC:
R: "Why can't he just leave me alone? And why do you think it's so funny? You're supposed to protect me!"
G: "From Toraf? Why would I do that?"
OH, I DON'T KNOW GALEN, maaaybe because she's your sister and you (supposedly) love her and don't want to force her into an unwanted marriage and assumed rape? Maybe? Just guessing here. So basically, because Toraf is Galen's friend. has known Rayna her whole life, he gets to call "dibs" on her. And that's ok. With everyone. (Rayna further fucks up the message even more later on in the novel with her actions, but I lack the energy to detail why she is so awful. Check out these reviews for many, many reasons why this novel is misogynistic, racist and sends the wrong message to teenage readers.)
By the time I hit page 200, I was long past wondering where the plot went, where Emma's grief for Chloe, her life-long best-friend, had disappeared to so quickly? Wondering why Emma had lost all intelligence and self-respect to chase after an asshole? I just.. couldn't. Sure this reads easily and quickly (no need to fear reading any SAT words here!), but it is not worth the time, effort or money. I will most definitely not be continuing this series -- I wasn't a fin fan.
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5-star ratings, but the truth is I give those out far more often than any one-star. I can usually find something, somewhere in a novel that I enjoyed, but not so here. Of Poseidon deserves that one-star whole-heartedly and by page 170, I already knew that this book was going to be a major, major problem for me.I read until about page 275, and then skimmed until the end because I wasn't having any fun. At all. In fact, I was often angry at this novel. I was, at first, deceived mildly interested by the blurb (warring mermaid tribes?[Schools?] Yes, please!), then progressively less and less impressed by the characters, the plot, and both those elements' immature, trope-ish presentations. Of Poseidon isn't anything new; this is another YA paranormal romance (with an obnoxious, awful love-interest even!), in the vein of the newest popular supernatural being: the mermaid. I have yet to find a mermaid novel that has truly impressed me with its originality (besides Lies Beneath) or its characters, and all of them have underwhelmed me with their misogynistic notions and representations of love and teenage relationships.
Things I Hated About Of Poseidon:
the mermaid attitude toward "mating" - see Rayna/Toraf
predictability with which the story "progressed"
instalove on an extreme scale
stock, cliched characters across the board
contrived drama and high school melodrama that overtake the (barely-there) mermaid plot
Of Poseidon was just an underwater mess. It's predictable and cliched; I called the big twist at the end as soon as the "mystery" element was introduced, I knew how the romance would go as soon as Galen was described as Adonis's long-lost, better-looking brother. There's just absolutely nothing new here; it's all been done before and so so much better. From characters (Emma is a cliched, predictable piece of cardboard, her mother is a shrill, paranoid woman, Galen a controlling and unavailable ass) to the melodramatic "plot", everything here feels one-dimensional or cheap. The only cgaracter with any life (or of color...) is killed within 30 pages. With the (many and often) repeated mentions of how porcelain and pure Emma's white skin is, the death of the only black character made me highly uncomfortable.
What really made me uncomfortable - and then angry - with this novel was the mermaid aspect towards mating. Basically in this underwater hell, the girl mermaids are property with no say in their lives - be it who they want to mate with or even if they want to mate at all. Galen, our "hero", has a sister who has said all her life she doesn't want to mate, ever. Even when Rayna is forced into an unwanted marriage (that her brother made BEHIND her back WITHOUT her PRESENCE or even her KNOWLEDGE), Galen has no sympathy for his sister. None. These are direct quotes, from the ARC:
R: "Why can't he just leave me alone? And why do you think it's so funny? You're supposed to protect me!"
G: "From Toraf? Why would I do that?"
OH, I DON'T KNOW GALEN, maaaybe because she's your sister and you (supposedly) love her and don't want to force her into an unwanted marriage and assumed rape? Maybe? Just guessing here. So basically, because Toraf is Galen's friend. has known Rayna her whole life, he gets to call "dibs" on her. And that's ok. With everyone. (Rayna further fucks up the message even more later on in the novel with her actions, but I lack the energy to detail why she is so awful. Check out these reviews for many, many reasons why this novel is misogynistic, racist and sends the wrong message to teenage readers.)
By the time I hit page 200, I was long past wondering where the plot went, where Emma's grief for Chloe, her life-long best-friend, had disappeared to so quickly? Wondering why Emma had lost all intelligence and self-respect to chase after an asshole? I just.. couldn't. Sure this reads easily and quickly (no need to fear reading any SAT words here!), but it is not worth the time, effort or money. I will most definitely not be continuing this series -- I wasn't a fin fan.
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LibraryThing member jmbalfe
Emma's a regular girl with a regular life, except for that time she nearly drowned and a school of fish saved her. Galen is a Syrena prince, self-appointed ambassador to the few humans who know of the mermaids' existence. After a meet-cute between the clumsy Emma and Galen's chest, and a series of
This engaging YA Fantasy is told from both Galen and Emma's points of view. Mer-people were a welcome variation on the angels and vampires that have dominated the genre over the past few years, and felt less 'been there, read that'. Charmingly written, not too predictable, with a strong cast of characters and a solid premise that suggests a good sequel (or two), Of Poseidon was a good read, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
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incidents that suggest Emma is not as human as she seems, together they uncover Emma's unlikely connection to Galen's world.This engaging YA Fantasy is told from both Galen and Emma's points of view. Mer-people were a welcome variation on the angels and vampires that have dominated the genre over the past few years, and felt less 'been there, read that'. Charmingly written, not too predictable, with a strong cast of characters and a solid premise that suggests a good sequel (or two), Of Poseidon was a good read, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
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Awards
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee — 2016)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 3rd Place — 2015)
Original publication date
2012-05-22
Physical description
336 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
1250003326 / 9781250003324