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A review by nymphie
Prince of Song & Sea by Linsey Miller
5.0
Prince of Song & Sea is one of the best retellings/twisted tales I have ever read. It answered all of my wants; a backstory and development for Eric’s character, a new and entertaining twist on a beloved movie, and expansion to the love story between Eric and Ariel.
Before his birth, Eric was cursed by the sea witch to die if he kissed anyone other than his true love. Ariel made a deal with Ursula that required her to convince the prince to kiss her before the end of three days. In this story, the sea witch is much more conniving and manipulative than what we see in the original movie, eager to play her two pawns against each other to further her own agenda.
Fans of Disney’s The Little Mermaid are sure to enjoy this book. The author clearly has great love for the film. The scenes that appear both in this book and the movie are true to the source material, down to the smallest of details and the scripted dialogue. I highly recommend watching the movie again beforehand so you can catch these moments.
This book also served to fill in the plot holes that the film left behind. Why couldn’t Ariel communicate with the prince through written word? Could Eric understand Sebastian’s whispering in the “Kiss the Girl” scene? How can certain objects (paintings, books, etc.) retain their original form while submerged in ocean water? All of these questions and more are answered in this book, while further developing the world of The Little Mermaid.
I cannot conclude this review without making mention of the wonderful representations all throughout this book. From a non-binary pirate captain to seafarer lesbians and a cunning warrior queen, this story truly has it all. There are numerous characters of color and multiple roles filled by women that are often male-dominated in media, including doctors, sailors, pirates, and more.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this read, especially to Disney fans. The story is incredible. The characters are detailed and vibrant. The love story between Ariel and Eric is reinvigorated with new interactions and heartwarming moments between the pair. This is definitely going to be one of my top reads of the years.
Before his birth, Eric was cursed by the sea witch to die if he kissed anyone other than his true love. Ariel made a deal with Ursula that required her to convince the prince to kiss her before the end of three days. In this story, the sea witch is much more conniving and manipulative than what we see in the original movie, eager to play her two pawns against each other to further her own agenda.
Fans of Disney’s The Little Mermaid are sure to enjoy this book. The author clearly has great love for the film. The scenes that appear both in this book and the movie are true to the source material, down to the smallest of details and the scripted dialogue. I highly recommend watching the movie again beforehand so you can catch these moments.
This book also served to fill in the plot holes that the film left behind. Why couldn’t Ariel communicate with the prince through written word? Could Eric understand Sebastian’s whispering in the “Kiss the Girl” scene? How can certain objects (paintings, books, etc.) retain their original form while submerged in ocean water? All of these questions and more are answered in this book, while further developing the world of The Little Mermaid.
I cannot conclude this review without making mention of the wonderful representations all throughout this book. From a non-binary pirate captain to seafarer lesbians and a cunning warrior queen, this story truly has it all. There are numerous characters of color and multiple roles filled by women that are often male-dominated in media, including doctors, sailors, pirates, and more.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this read, especially to Disney fans. The story is incredible. The characters are detailed and vibrant. The love story between Ariel and Eric is reinvigorated with new interactions and heartwarming moments between the pair. This is definitely going to be one of my top reads of the years.