Author: Natasha Bowen
Publication Date: 2 November 2021
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 336
Reading Method: Physical ARC [thank you to Underlined!]
Dates Read: November 3 – 5
Review:
First of all, can we please take a minute to appreciate this absolutely stunning cover?! I am in awe. She’s so gorgeous *inserts a million heart-eye emjois*!
The contents of the book? Just as lovely. I loved this take on the mermaid lore. Simi is one of the Mami Wata who collects the souls of those who die at sea. She struggles with her task until one day she come upon a boy who was thrown overboard, and is still alive! She could never have imagined the consequences of saving his life.
Simi finds herself on a journey to restore balance between the gods and return him to his home. But they face many dangers along the way and have to make deals and sacrifices they didn’t imagine were possible.
This story was absolutely magical. I loved the little side quests on the path to completing the overall mission and the characters they meet along the way. There was a little bit of romance, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story, which I found refreshing. And the ending was satisfying but a little bittersweet. Overall, I really enjoyed Skin of the Sea!
About the Book:
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.
About the Author:
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 Skin of the Sea 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.
