The Mermaid and the Treasure of the BayAuthor: A. Algeri
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: A. Algeri
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 209
Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay is the first adventure of Brinn, a young woman who had recently returned to her homeland, Nyar Kaad, after years of being away.
For her mother and sister it’s only supposed to be an episodic stay, because their intention is to return to the capital, Adaria, held by both aristocrats, by then, to be their home. Brinn, however, isn’t interested in living in the golden cage of high society and aspires to a different existence, that will push her to oppose the decisions of her family and to pursue a destiny according to her own wishes.
The accidental discovery of what looks like a map to hidden treasure, buried in Nyar Kaad, according to tradition, by pirates once dwelling in the settlement, will push her to search for the hidden riches- an undertaking that the protagonist will face courageously, at the cost of challenging her fears, the rigid social conventions, and more literal dangers to her person, venturing on a journey into the local legends and the past of her own family, until reaching an unexpected epilogue.
Set to Isara, a fantasy world inspired by the period between the seventeenth and the first decades of the nineteenth centuries, The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay is a journey full of mystery in the universe where real and supernatural coexist intersecting in a subtle and insidious way, a world divided between palaces and largely unexplored expanses, an opulent capital and boundless oceans.
My Review: Brinn has returned to her childhood home of Nyar Kaad. However, it is only to be short-lived because her family plans to move to the capital. Brinn is very reluctant to leave it. One day she stumbles upon her great-grandfather's writing that gives clues to a hidden treasure. Brinn decides to find the missing treasure before she has to go back to the capital. The plan is that once she finds the treasure, she may be able to have enough money to stay in her beloved home.
Brinn is really a hard character to like. She is a social recluse. She likes to be by herself and not in the company of others. She hates her glamour social lifestyle and thinks of it as her prison. She is very judgmental and does not like to let anyone get close to her. Because she is closed off to everyone, it is hard to get to understand her as a person. However, she is very smart. She has a love of history and legends. She is very determined to continue her treasure hunt, and is passionate to find clues as to where it may be. Yet, throughout the novel her character very rarely develops. She continues to be the same and makes few changes.
Overall, this story is about a woman who is on a quest to never leave her home. Because this story takes place in Brinn’s head, all of the characters are one-dimensional. I would have enjoyed the story much better had it been in third person. I thought that this first-person narrative was mostly told to us and not shown. This book is very slow and does not pick up until two-thirds through the story. There is very little action and most of it are descriptions. However, the author’s writing style is very beautiful, and I love the legends in the book. I also like the world-building of Nyar Kaad. While this book is a fantasy, there are some historical elements that are incorporated in this novel. If you enjoy books about pirates, treasure hunts, and creative legends, then I recommend this book, as it is a good fit. It is not a perfect book, but there are enough enjoyable elements to this story to satisfy you.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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