Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 324 pages

May 22, 2012, Feiwel & Friends

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Source: Netgalley (ebook),Ksenia and Feiwel & Friends (print ARC) (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Emma’s pale porcelain skin, white hair and startling violet eyes scream unnatural. But for 18 years, she lived a normal life, spent her time with her best friend, Chloe. But the day that she collided with a gorgeous guy in Florida was the day that things will start to change. Emma was a likable character. She was funny, spunky and sometimes sarcastic. Aside from her inhuman appearance, she was a typical joking, complaining, crushing teen. One of the things that I liked about her was the fact that she knew what she wanted and she refused to let other people get in her way – or steer her away from what she wanted.

The underwater world that Banks created was simply stunning. In my mind, the ocean and the sea were transformed into a sanctuary teeming with life – both underwater creatures and Syrena. The Syrena were stunning. I like to think of them as underwater supermodels with their beauty. They were backed up by the historical background. I liked that Banks took an approach to the Syrena that fused science and the supernatural which made it even more believable.

Galen was well-adjusted to human ways but he was still inhuman so he had a different perspective on so many things. He and Emma had a love-hate relationship. Emma was mostly annoyed or pissed off at Galen but with his inhuman charm, determination and patience, Emma had no chance of staying mad at him for long. They were like magnets – they run towards each other and then repel one another over and over again. Responsibility and love warred in Galen’s heart.

With the chaos that Toraf, Galen’s friend, and Rayna, Galen’s sister, brought onland, things became more complicated. Toraf was undeniably inlove with Rayna. But Rayna didn’t want him. With her violent tendencies, snobbish attitude and too-frank-lips, she was a handful. Their love-hate relationship was also enjoyable.

There were just two things I didn’t like. There was a certain scene in which I felt that the characters acted a bit weird – out of character. The change in them was too abrupt that I felt confused. I also felt that the last few pages leading to the ending were a bit rushed. I was enjoying the revelations of the novel. It would’ve been better if the author allowed me a little more time to savor it and catch up before ending.

Of Poseidon is a fun, engrossing tale that fuses underwater beauty and wonder and earthly complications that is filled with endless humor and romance. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. I really liked the transition from chapter to chapter. Banks seemed to know exactly what I wanted and what I was interested in and she gave it to me. I couldn’t put it down. If you enjoyed Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper, you’ll surely enjoy this, too. I highly recommend this to people who like mermaid/Syrena tales and paranormal romance readers.

Rating: