Worth Reading It?: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

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rating: 5stars (4.8)

From Kobo:
Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help--no matter what the risk.

My Review:
You know I have a habit of putting off reading books. Such is the case with Of Posidon. I had seen the cover pop up on Y.A. book searches and booktube. So I finally took the hint. I still wasn't sure if I was going to like the book so I checked it out of the library.

I am glad that I did. I like that the story is about merpeople...excuse me Syrena. In this telling of Syrena, Emma McIntosh is a Syrena but she does not know it. Galen is a Royal Syrena who has heard about Emma from his human friend Dr. Milligan.

When Galen finds her he has two surprises. One, she doesn't seem to know what she is. Two, there is an intense physicalk spark between them. The latter is significant because though Syrena can sense each other in the water it doesn't not happen on land.

As the pair are dealing with their feeling for another they are also trying to piece together why Emma has been living life as a human. He knows that she hasn't actually broken the law that probids them from spending too much time on land since she has been on land from birth. The question is how is it possible for her or rather her parents to have escape the notice of Syrena and why did they leave in the first place?

Meanwhile Grom, Galen brother, has become King of Triton. He had avoided mated since his previous mate Nailia was killed during an underwater human mine explosion. As king he will have to have an heir at some point. This is where Jagen and his daughter Paca come in to play. They are from Poseidon. The two kingdoms have been at odds with one another since Nailia died. King Atonis of Poseidon blamed Galen for his daughters death. Now as King, Grom has an obligation to marry someone from the other kingdom if she has the Gifts of Poseidon which Paca claim to have.

The ending is a great set up for the next book. Rayna discovers that Paca isn't who she claims to be and Galen confirms it. Grom for some reason (perhaps because it costed him so much to consider mating with Paca as he states that he feels that at times it feels as though he is betraying Nailia) doesn't believe them and ends up expelling them. Galen and Rayna return to land learning that Emma mom is not who she claims to be either.

The story is well written at times downright poetic. It is descriptive without being overly narrative. I like the explanations as to how the Syrena bodies adapt from water to land. The intermingling of history and myth makes the story believable. All I can say is, shame on me for waiting so long to read this.

Quotes:
The wind whispers through the dune grass just off our back porch, making it look like a gathering of hula dancers.

Characters:
Emma McIntosh - (didn't know she is a Syrena)
Galen Forza (last name is fake for human purposes) - A Royal from Triton
Chole - Emma best friend who dies during a shark attack while on vacation in Florida
Rayna (Samantha Forza for human purposes)- Galen sister
Toraf - Triton tracker and Rayna mate
Dr. Jerry Milligan - human friend to Galen
Grom - King of Triton and older brother to Galen and Rayna
Rachel - Galen personal assistant
Mark Baker - quarterback and admirer of Emma
Mr. Pinner - History teacher
King Atonis - King of Poseidon mother to Nailia
Nailia - mated to Grom (deceased)
Yudor - Triton tracker and trainer of Toraf
Romul - Archive, oldest living Trident, and a teacher of sort to Galen
Dr. Morton - friend to Emma's father and her doctor
Mrs, Poindexter - works in school office
Jagen - Distant cousin to King Atonis father to Paca
Paca - Daughter to Jagen, rumored to have the Gift of Poseidon,
Herof - Past king of Triton, father to Grom, Galen, Rayna
Atta - Archive
Officer Downing - a town policeman
Hal - a town paramedic

Setting