Between the Sea and Sky

Between the Sea and Sky was a nice, quick read, but I’m sad to say that for me, it probably doesn’t have much staying power.

I found it difficult to really immerse myself in the story and I think part of that is due to the characters. Now, I’m not really a character girl, but if the story doesn’t completely impress me, the characters had better enthrall me. And, well, that just wasn’t the case with Between the Sea and Sky.

Let’s start with the story: I guess, despite the size, I was expecting some sort of epic fantasy so I was a little disappointed when all I got was the story of a girl chasing after her sister. And I know Esmerine was taught the evil ways of humans her whole life, but I was a little annoyed by the fact that nobody would even consider the possibility that Dosia decided to live on land of her own volition.

Which leads me to the characters. Quite frankly, I liked Dosia the best out of everyone in the story. She knew what she wanted and despite what she’d been taught her whole life, she went after it. Esmerine, on the other hand, got really stuck in the idea that humans were evil and she needed to just forget about their world. She wouldn’t even allow for the possibility that her sister could be happy to enter into her mind. Then there’s Alan. He’s just so…bleh. Sure, there were moments he was really sweet to Esmerine, but a lot of the time he was just prickly and a tad grumpy. I honestly couldn’t really tell what Esmerine saw in him.

The Nutshell: I really wanted to fall in love with Between the Sea and Sky, but it just didn’t happen for me. If you’re a big fan of sweet little fantasies, then you might still want to give this one a shot.

Miss

Ms. Dolamore writes a captivating novel, with characters that match the stunning cover. I enjoyed this book and the world she created. I've read about mermaids and sirens before, but I think that she had a unique take on them. I was intrigued by the Fandarsee, the winged people in the novel, since I've never read about anything quite like them.
The focus of the story is our main character Esmerine trying to find her sister Dosinia, and I love how it shows love and devotion to family. Many stories have gravitated toward the romantic tendencies, and I enjoy more and more the familial connections when I see them like they're featured in this book.
Not to discount the love story that exists within Between the Sea and Sky, because it is sweet, and I had fun seeing how it unfolded. Alandare is quite an intriguing character, and I enjoyed learning more about him and what makes him tick. It was hard until near the end to really get a good handle on him, and that's a good thing, he kept me in mystery and suspense.
I loved being in Esmerine's head and could really understand her struggles and where she was coming from. Her pain, her joy and her emotions were clear and it was easy to get in her head. I wasn't sure exactly what she would choose at each turn, and Ms. Dolamore made her conflict real and challenging--she didn't get anything without a price.
I hope there's more to this world, and I'd love to get my hands on it.

First Impressions: I had major cover love with this one! Who could not just absolutely fall in love with the cover of this book? It is what initially attracted me to this title, and when I read the book synopsis it made me want to read it even more. I’ve always loved stories about mermaids. The Little Mermaid was one of my favorites when I was a kid, and the book synopsis reminded me a little bit of that. I knew I had to read this book!

First 50 Pages: First thing that I noticed was the author’s style of writing. I don’t have words for it besides that it is beautiful. It is one of those things that you have to experience to truly understand it. I’ve never read any other books written by this author and I just connected with her words from the very beginning. Her style is intriguing and very whimsical.

Plot: Since this is a shorter story, I won’t go into great detail. I fell in love with the setting of this story. It was very detailed for such a short book and the characters were just adorable and sweet. The entire story had a very magical feel to it and it gave me the same giddy happiness that you can find while watching a Disney movie. I’m a sucker for a romance now and then, and the romance between the two main characters was simply magical.

Not only does this book have great romance, a great setting, and unique characters, it also has some mythology for us mythology lovers. It was really interesting to me to hear more about mermaids and sirens.

Final Thoughts: I’ve always loved the classic fairytales. The old fairytales are timeless, non-generational, simplistic, and eloquent. This story really reminded me of some of my favorites. It’s one of those books that I can see myself picking up again and again, or sitting down to read it one day with my children. I will stick it on my shelves right next to Cinderella and Snow White, because that is where it seems it belongs. It is simple, easily followed and has a happy ending. I can’t emphasize enough how much I enjoyed this book. Highly, highly recommend!

If Hans Christian Andersen were still alive, this is a story he would write. I loved the world create by Jaclyn Dolamore in Between the Sea and Sky. Esmerine, a mermaid who befriends a "winged boy", is a little different from all the other mermaids. She has learned how to read and write; a thing most mermaids find impractical. She has also learned how to transform into a human and walk on land. Alander-- the "winged boy"-- is a Fandarsee. Like Esmerine, he is also different from the others of his kind. Instead of being content as a messenger, he enjoys reading and studying philosophy.

When Esmerine's sister (Dosinia) goes missing, Esmerine travels to the human world to find her. She knows that her sister has been visiting with humans, and she fears that she has been captured. Once on land, Esmerine finds her old friend, Alander, and begins her search for Dosinia. But Esmerine is not just looking for her lost sister. She is also searching for her own place in the world and the bonds that unite her heart with Alander's.

One of my all-time favorite fairy tales is The Little Mermaid, even Hans Christian Andersen's tragic version. The mystery and beauty of living under the water has always enchanted me. This book did not disappoint me. I still managed to get the tingly feeling while reading about Esmerine's life under the sea. Above all that, though, I think I liked the fact that the created world was so different from any mermaid story I have ever read. In this book, mermaids and Fandarsee are a well known fact, not a hidden secret. The humans are not surprised to see the mystical creatures walking and living among them on land. In fact, merpeople, Fandarsee and humans interact daily and conduct business together. That alone is fascinating and unique.

The characters are delightful. Esmerine is different from the other merpeople. She's described as "practical" and snubbed by her peers. She has learned how to read and write from Alander, but the other sea-dwellers don't find that fascinating. How typical of people to disregard the things that they do not personally understand? Alander also deals with the same struggles on land. His father wants him to follow in the family's footsteps and become a great scientist. Alander, however, has no desire to "discover" things; instead, he wants to educate people and spread knowledge. It's no wonder that Esmerine and Alander feel like two parts of the same whole.

If I had to pick one thing that I liked the best in this book, I would have to say the descriptions. The vivid details helped bring to life the setting. When the story was taking place under water, I could picture the living quarters and imagine the class rankings (Yes, social classes under the sea!). The subtle snobbery of the "rich" merpeople was felt in every word and action. I didn't feel like the human world was described in as much detail as the ocean, but you still got a good sense of the setting. I feel like there should have been a little more detail and perception given to the human experiences since Esmerine was experiencing this land for the first time in human form.

Overall, this is a good read. It didn't take long to read--I finished in one sitting. If you like Hans Christian Andersen's version of The Little Mermaid, you will enjoy this story. There are elements that resonate in his version that continue in Dolamore's story. Between the Sea and Sky is romantic enough to earn a YA label, but clean enough for Disney. There are no graphic scenes--just a drunk and a few kisses. I enjoyed this one, but then again, it's hard to disappoint me with a mermaid story.