Book Review : Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1) by Kathryn Lasky

Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1) by Kathryn Lasky

Hardcover, 310 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Scholastic Inc. 

Available on Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Synopsis

Daughters of the Sea tells the story of 3 mermaid sisters who are separated at birth by a storm and go on to lead three very different lives. Book 1 is about Hannah, who spent her early days in an orphanage and is now a scullery maid in the house of rich, powerful family. She is irresistibly drawn to the sea and through a series of accidents and encounters discovers her true identity. Hannah realizes that she must keep the truth a secret but she also knows that soon she will have to make the choice - to be a creature of the land or the sea.

Review

Hannah is an orphan who was sent to work at the Hawley’s residence as a scullery girl. She felt an unusual bond to the sea, and her feelings were intensified when she went to the Hawley’s summer cottage to prepare the family’s arrival, for it is near the sea. 

The story has its charm, but there is not much suspense in the plot. For a plotwise reader like me, there isn’t much to discover, and I felt slightly disappointed by this notion. The storytelling has a faraway tone to it – it’s boundless, expressive and charming. One thing that I can tell you for sure is that the author did a great job in detailing the Hawley’s eldest daughter – Lila’s madness. She and her cat, Jade make a crazy and somewhat bizzare couple. 

My favourite character in the book would be Harietta “Ettie” Hawley, for she is a likeable young girl who is both free-spirited and lacking of the arrogance usually present in young ladies from noble families. She treats Hannah like a sister, and she even takes Hannah’s side when Lila is against the scullery girl. Ettie reminds me of a dolphin – kind and gentle, but still playful. 

I really love how the author incorporates elements of fantasy in a story set in a real world. Perhaps I would enjoy this book better if it was not ended so abruptly. But still, I realize that this book is only the first in the series, so I would expect a good explanation for this perplexed ending in the second book in the series, May. 

Rating:  

Note of Thanks

A huge THANK YOU to Stephanie from Scholastic Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia for providing this review copy!

About The Author

Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her latest book, Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 15: The War of the Ember, was released on November 1, 2008. Guardians of Gahoole: A guide to the Great Tree was released on September 1st, almost a month before projected selling time. She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Boston, Massachusetts.