Mermaid goes Norse. I sometimes feel just a little embarrassed admitting to reading mermaid books. But why shouldn’t I read them, when they are both exciting and well written?
When Liz Kessler read an excerpt from her fifth book about Emily Windsnap at the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in the summer, she cunningly picked quite a good bit in the middle and, even more cunningly, she stopped at a really exciting moment. And then she asked me if I’d already had my copy, singling me out in front of all those people.
I hadn’t, but that was soon remedied. Not that I got to the book first. That honour belongs to Daughter who, despite being overage, remains faithful to her early favourite.
Neptune needs assistance, and Emily Windsnap is just the half-mermaid to step in to help. She has a boyfriend these days, and he also proves useful. As does best friend Shona.
It’s quite clear from the start that there is double crossing somewhere. But is it the obvious one, or do we have a case of more devious triple crossing on our hands? Perhaps Emily is simply overwrought and is imagining things?
Whatever it is, she and her friends (and foes) find themselves in the land of the midnight sun. And what a beautiful and deadly place that turns out to be!
