Review: Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

Title: Sea Change

Author: Aimee Friedman

Published: 2009

Source: Borrowed from a friend

Rating: 

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science... and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship... and reality.

Is Leo hiding something? Or is he something that she never could have imagined? (taken from goodreads.com)

 

Tales of mythical sea creatures and merfolk have fascinated me since I was little. I can't count the number of times I swam in my pool, pretending to be a mermaid or playing with one of my many mermaid dolls. When I read the synopsis for Sea Change, I knew that I had to read it. 

Miranda, the protagonist, is a little odd. Her obsession with science and experiments is a bit foreign to me. I'm more of a dreamer, and Miranda's practical outlook on every aspect of her life is somewhat annoying. Other than that, she was an interesting character. Leo is beautiful and the classic good-boy. What's not to love? 

The plot moved at a leisurely pace, like a walk down the beach. My favorite part was the setting. I could practically see the sapphire colored waves and the hot white sand. While reading last night, I had the sudden urge to grab my bathing suit and hit the beach. The novel is the perfect summer read. 

Like I said, mermaids are one of my favorite mythical creatures, and I was really hoping for more of the paranormal aspect. Friedman seemed to focus more on Selkie Island itself instead of the strange creatures living there. I kept crossing my fingers, hoping that we would discover Leo's obvious secret. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say more. 

Overall, Sea Change is a wonderfully original and cute beach read. The sweet romance will have you squealing like a little girl and grinning from ear to ear.