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celjla212's review
2.0
Being honest, it took me several chapters to get into this book. For at least the first 10 chapters, time goes back and forth from the main character being a little girl, to her current age, high school senior. And by the way--this is a total guess. I never specifically read either an age for the narrator and her sister, OR a year when this story takes place. Though the few context clues lead to the late 70's.
Our main character is Elise. Though she's the older sister, she's always been outshone by her little sis's grace and beauty. So when free spirited Chiara breezes into town, bookish Elise is quickly enamored of the colorful world she experiences with her and they become best friends.
Though I thought that Elise had a good head on her shoulders, it doesn't take her long to follow in Chiara's not so innocent footsteps and lead her life down a spiraling path. I suppose we as readers are meant to surmise that Elise is tired of being the good girl that always comes in second best, but this just didn't come across for me. Elise meets a guy twice and is instantly in love with him. She makes terrible decision after terrible decision, and into her life come a parade of random people that in the end, don't mean that much to the story.
This novel was a very fast read, but I can't say it was for me at all. The things Elise did just were not smart, even though I guess she felt she had no other choice. She's also BEYOND naive and even seeing some of the shadier sides of the world beyond her town does nothing to make her face reality. I was glad when the ending came but it left a lot to be desired.
Our main character is Elise. Though she's the older sister, she's always been outshone by her little sis's grace and beauty. So when free spirited Chiara breezes into town, bookish Elise is quickly enamored of the colorful world she experiences with her and they become best friends.
Though I thought that Elise had a good head on her shoulders, it doesn't take her long to follow in Chiara's not so innocent footsteps and lead her life down a spiraling path. I suppose we as readers are meant to surmise that Elise is tired of being the good girl that always comes in second best, but this just didn't come across for me. Elise meets a guy twice and is instantly in love with him. She makes terrible decision after terrible decision, and into her life come a parade of random people that in the end, don't mean that much to the story.
This novel was a very fast read, but I can't say it was for me at all. The things Elise did just were not smart, even though I guess she felt she had no other choice. She's also BEYOND naive and even seeing some of the shadier sides of the world beyond her town does nothing to make her face reality. I was glad when the ending came but it left a lot to be desired.
rjratliff's review
3.0
Okay so this was definitely not about mermaids.
My mother bought this book for me as a gift and I kind of devoured it. The plot points were HUGE but not unbelievable. The overall arc was a roller coaster and a very satisfying one at that. This whole thing was like a teen's vision for a wild life.
I didn't love it. I definitely don't hate it. I highly recommend it to anyone who threw themselves into whatever fad was "in" when they were teenagers. For real, I haven't felt that rush of angsty adrenaline since I was seventeen.
Further, please let's bring back 80's fashion trends. PLEASE.
My mother bought this book for me as a gift and I kind of devoured it. The plot points were HUGE but not unbelievable. The overall arc was a roller coaster and a very satisfying one at that. This whole thing was like a teen's vision for a wild life.
I didn't love it. I definitely don't hate it. I highly recommend it to anyone who threw themselves into whatever fad was "in" when they were teenagers. For real, I haven't felt that rush of angsty adrenaline since I was seventeen.
Further, please let's bring back 80's fashion trends. PLEASE.
allie_schick's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs
meezcarrie's review
3.0
3.5 stars
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan did not at all play out the way I expected. And that’s not really a bad thing. Just different.
I had in mind that I’d be reading something a la Sarah Addison Allen and Lost Lake. And while there IS the teeniest bit of magical realism at the end, it’s really not the focus of the book at all. Yet, the theme of mermaids carries on at a deeper level than first anticipated as well.
Though not a literal mermaid, Elise is certainly a fish out of water among her family and peers. Later, as she sheds her figurative fins for walking legs, she – much like the most famous of mermaids – discovers life “on land” isn’t quite as perfect as she’d imagined.
This is a short novel, a quick read, but it never feels rushed. The author’s writing style flows smoothly, and she keeps the reader engaged with the story at every turn. Each character that Elise encounters has a purpose, whether it’s a brief meeting or a family member. These characters, as well as excellent examples of foreshadowing, all serve to advance the plot and to add more layers to Elise’s character.
No spoilers … but I felt a certain scene toward the end of the book seemed out of place. I get why it’s in there, but it threw me. And it just didn’t fit with the tone of the story up until that part. Without it, I think the ending would have been just as poignant. Maybe even more so.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a coming-of-age story that appeals to adolescents, young adults, and less-young adults, The Mermaids of Lake Michigan proves a compelling choice. It takes place around the 1970s so it’s not really contemporary, not really historical, but somewhere in between. Different than I expected at first glance, it continued to take me by surprise but overall I enjoyed this read.
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some foul language in this book, as well as some implied (but not explicitly described) scenes of an intimate nature.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
see my review at Reading Is My SuperPower
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan did not at all play out the way I expected. And that’s not really a bad thing. Just different.
I had in mind that I’d be reading something a la Sarah Addison Allen and Lost Lake. And while there IS the teeniest bit of magical realism at the end, it’s really not the focus of the book at all. Yet, the theme of mermaids carries on at a deeper level than first anticipated as well.
Though not a literal mermaid, Elise is certainly a fish out of water among her family and peers. Later, as she sheds her figurative fins for walking legs, she – much like the most famous of mermaids – discovers life “on land” isn’t quite as perfect as she’d imagined.
This is a short novel, a quick read, but it never feels rushed. The author’s writing style flows smoothly, and she keeps the reader engaged with the story at every turn. Each character that Elise encounters has a purpose, whether it’s a brief meeting or a family member. These characters, as well as excellent examples of foreshadowing, all serve to advance the plot and to add more layers to Elise’s character.
No spoilers … but I felt a certain scene toward the end of the book seemed out of place. I get why it’s in there, but it threw me. And it just didn’t fit with the tone of the story up until that part. Without it, I think the ending would have been just as poignant. Maybe even more so.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a coming-of-age story that appeals to adolescents, young adults, and less-young adults, The Mermaids of Lake Michigan proves a compelling choice. It takes place around the 1970s so it’s not really contemporary, not really historical, but somewhere in between. Different than I expected at first glance, it continued to take me by surprise but overall I enjoyed this read.
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some foul language in this book, as well as some implied (but not explicitly described) scenes of an intimate nature.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
see my review at Reading Is My SuperPower
engelkat's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rickijill's review
4.0
I enjoyed the first part of this book quite a bit because Elise is coming of age during the eighties: She is in high school during my era. She has an interesting family history, and she's smart. Then the bad egg in the guise of Chiara arrives and her influence on Elise isn't good. Elise makes one poor choice after another, and then the plot slides downhill from there.
There is a slight element of fantasy (mermaids) and magical realism (fortune-telling gypsy) in the book, and I wish Kamata had explored it a bit more. Miguel's character is confusing. During the first half of the book he's full of life, music, and song. The second half: not so much. I have many questions about him that aren't answered in the story. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with the ending, and I enjoyed the book. If you enjoy family dramas and books with feminist elements, you'll enjoy this book. It's a very short read and would be perfect for a flight or a quick weekend read.
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Mermaids of Lake Michigan from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
There is a slight element of fantasy (mermaids) and magical realism (fortune-telling gypsy) in the book, and I wish Kamata had explored it a bit more. Miguel's character is confusing. During the first half of the book he's full of life, music, and song. The second half: not so much. I have many questions about him that aren't answered in the story. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with the ending, and I enjoyed the book. If you enjoy family dramas and books with feminist elements, you'll enjoy this book. It's a very short read and would be perfect for a flight or a quick weekend read.
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Mermaids of Lake Michigan from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
nsvinicki's review
1.0
I got so excited when I saw this book. I'm from Michigan, and I love mermaids. But this went in a direction that I wasn't envisioning. After a certain point, I'll be honest - I started jumping forward.
It's defintely more a "coming of age drama and romance" kind of story. I was hoping for more fantasy. What disappointed me was the unexpected pregnancy and tragic death aspect to the story. If this is what "coming of age" means, I need to stop reading coming of age stories. The author could have left the pregnancy out completely and it still would have been plausable.
It's defintely more a "coming of age drama and romance" kind of story. I was hoping for more fantasy. What disappointed me was the unexpected pregnancy and tragic death aspect to the story. If this is what "coming of age" means, I need to stop reading coming of age stories. The author could have left the pregnancy out completely and it still would have been plausable.
beckylej's review
3.0
Elise would much rather spend time indoors with a good book than anything else. It's a proclivity her once beauty queen mother simply can't understand. So when the neighbor's granddaughter moves in, prompting the neighbor to ask Elise to spend time with her, Elise immediately wants to say no. And yet, something prompts her to change her mind.
What she discovers is that the neighbor hopes Elise will be a good influence on Chiara. Instead, it's the other way around. And while Chiara is wild and outgoing, her influence on Elise allows the girl to finally come out of her shell and live.
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a character-driven coming of age tale set in the midwest in the 70s.
Elise is a great narrator. One who observes rather big occurrences even at a very young age. And so she shares some of these with very little, if any, understanding or judgement. Most of these instances pertain to Elise's mother, who the reader comes to find is actually quite unhappy with her life.
But those instances are like little glimpses through the window's of Elise's tale. The rest, the time spent with Chiara, the fascination with her great-grandmother's stories, and her budding romance, are given the full on treatment as Elise lives through them.
Suzanne Kamata's latest blends just a touch of magic and whimsy throughout, endearing readers even more to Elise as she navigates the troubled waters of young adulthood. It's a short read, but one that packs a punch.
What she discovers is that the neighbor hopes Elise will be a good influence on Chiara. Instead, it's the other way around. And while Chiara is wild and outgoing, her influence on Elise allows the girl to finally come out of her shell and live.
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a character-driven coming of age tale set in the midwest in the 70s.
Elise is a great narrator. One who observes rather big occurrences even at a very young age. And so she shares some of these with very little, if any, understanding or judgement. Most of these instances pertain to Elise's mother, who the reader comes to find is actually quite unhappy with her life.
But those instances are like little glimpses through the window's of Elise's tale. The rest, the time spent with Chiara, the fascination with her great-grandmother's stories, and her budding romance, are given the full on treatment as Elise lives through them.
Suzanne Kamata's latest blends just a touch of magic and whimsy throughout, endearing readers even more to Elise as she navigates the troubled waters of young adulthood. It's a short read, but one that packs a punch.
tien's review
3.0
Magical Realism is a bit of hit and miss with me. This one is somewhat of a miss because I just couldn't figure out what the whole point of the story is. The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a coming-of-age story where a girl begins to realise that her parents aren't as infallible or perfect as she always thought they were when she was a little girl and her journey to that acceptance as she steps into her womanhood. It is told solely from the point of view of Elise Faulkner who was a loner until one summer when another girl breezed into her life and changed everything. The story itself isn't all sad even if I feel there is that tone of sadness along with exhilaration of promise as saying goodbye to previous phase of life and moving on to a new one.