Natasha Bowen is a writer, a teacher, and a mother of three children. She
is of Nigerian and Welsh descent and lives in Cambridge, England, where
she grew up. Natasha studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa
University before moving to East London, where she taught for nearly ten
years. Her debut book was inspired by her passion for mermaids and
African history. She is obsessed with Japanese and German stationery
and spends stupid amounts on notebooks, which she then features on her
secret Instagram. When she's not writing, she’s reading, watched over
carefully by Milk and Honey, her cat and dog.
SOCIAL LINKS:
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha_bowen_
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/skinofthesea
Title: Skin of the Sea
Author: Natasha Bowen
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: Nov 2, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, Ebook
Purchase Links: Goodreads Amazon B&N TBD
An unforgettable fantasy debut in which a mermaid takes on the gods
themselves.
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a
mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing
their journeys back home. But when a living boy is thrown overboard,
Simi does the unthinkable—she saves his life, going against an ancient
decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.
To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme
Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There's the boy she
rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is
shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail....
Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave
vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if
she doesn't, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also
the world as she knows it.
Reasons to read: elegant writing, West-African mythology, one of the prettiest covers I have ever seen in my entire life.
Personal Rating: Paired with the beautiful writing, this story was a long time coming.
It's so hard writing reviews about books that are so stunning that words don't do them justice whatsoever. But I am going to try my hardest to convey what I felt reading this book.
"But you are not a girl anymore. You are more than that. We are more than that. Gathering souls to bless is what we were created to do."
Simidele is a mermaid or Mami Wata-one who collects the souls of those who die at sea. But she has always spent time on land, recalling the girl she used to be. One day she finds a man who has fallen from a ship, but before she can collect his soul, she discovers that he's still alive. Going against her decree, she saves Kola and everything falls apart.
"What you have done will mean our deaths."
Simidele's journey with Kola to fix her mistake thrusts her into a dangerous world where things aren't what they seem.
This dark retelling of The Little Mermaid is definitely not your typical Disney fare and reminds me more of the original Hans Christian Andersen tale. There is no quest for love, but more for the meaning of Simidele's existence and her place int he world. There is blood and there is violence and there is danger. But like all good stories, there is also hope.
As a white woman, I have always had stories tailored to me. But it is so nice to see stories where young girls and women can see THEMSELVES. As the author says in her notes, representation MATTERS. I hope to see more of these books in the future.
Closing notes: I cannot believe this is a debut novel. It is beauty and perfection and everything a book should be. With a beautifully crafted world, Natasha Bowen has breathed new life into the YA world. I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us.
Monday, November 1 Holly – @doodle.books Tuesday, November 2 Madeline – @imaginewithellie Wednesday, November 3 Jess – @mrsmiralda Thursday, November 4 Candid – @balancing_books_and_beauties Friday, November 5 Charity – @charitys.bookshelf Saturday, November 6 Carly – @beautynherbooks
Sunday, November 7 Celia – @celiamcmahonreads Monday, November 8 Chrystal – @curls.into.books
Tuesday, November 9 Rhee – @rheereads Wednesday, November 10 Stephanie – @bhraopkpeyn
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