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The Mermaid: A Novel
With the wit of The Last Bachelor, the charm of The Perfect Mistress, and the sparkle of The Unlikely Angel, Betina Krahn has penned an enchanting new romance about a woman ahead of her time and an academic who must choose between cold reason and... The Mermaid.
If Celeste Ashton hadn't needed money to save her grandmother's seaside estate, she would never have published her observations on ocean life and the dolphins she has befriended. So when her book bursts upon the London scene, making her an instant celebrity, she is unprepared for the attention...especially when it comes from handsome scientist Titus Thorne. While Titus suspects there is something fishy about her theories, Celeste is determined to be taken seriously. Soon their fiery clashes create sparks neither expects, not least when Celeste dares Titus to let her give him a personal tour of the world she knows so well. But when a shady entrepreneur takes too close an interest in Celeste's work--and Celeste--Titus must decide if he will risk his credibility, his career--and his heart--to side with the Lady Mermaid.
If Celeste Ashton hadn't needed money to save her grandmother's seaside estate, she would never have published her observations on ocean life and the dolphins she has befriended. So when her book bursts upon the London scene, making her an instant celebrity, she is unprepared for the attention...especially when it comes from handsome scientist Titus Thorne. While Titus suspects there is something fishy about her theories, Celeste is determined to be taken seriously. Soon their fiery clashes create sparks neither expects, not least when Celeste dares Titus to let her give him a personal tour of the world she knows so well. But when a shady entrepreneur takes too close an interest in Celeste's work--and Celeste--Titus must decide if he will risk his credibility, his career--and his heart--to side with the Lady Mermaid.
358 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
6 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Betina Krahn
60 books312 followersKrahn, born Betina Maynard, is the second daughter of Dors Maynard and Regina Triplett. Krahn learned to read at the age of four, and began making up her own stories when she was only six. In fifth grade she won a silver "Noble Order of Bookworms" pin for her achievements in reading, and the following year she began writing down her stories.
Krane was graduated from high school in Newark, Ohio and received a B.S. in Education (Biological Sciences) at Ohio State University. After college, Krahn taught science in Newark, and studied for a graduate degree at Ohio State in the summers. It was during those summers that she met her future husband, physics graduate student Donald Krahn.
The family moved to Oklahoma, where Krahn finished the work for her Masters of Education in Counseling in 1973. In 1974, she gave birth to her first child, Nathan, with the second son Zebulun arriving in 1978. With two young children, Krahn became a stay-at-home mother for a time, also finding time to volunteer on a community board working to get funding for mental health care in part of Western Oklahoma. Once the funding was secured, Krahn worked as an HR director for a mental health center.
Krane was graduated from high school in Newark, Ohio and received a B.S. in Education (Biological Sciences) at Ohio State University. After college, Krahn taught science in Newark, and studied for a graduate degree at Ohio State in the summers. It was during those summers that she met her future husband, physics graduate student Donald Krahn.
The family moved to Oklahoma, where Krahn finished the work for her Masters of Education in Counseling in 1973. In 1974, she gave birth to her first child, Nathan, with the second son Zebulun arriving in 1978. With two young children, Krahn became a stay-at-home mother for a time, also finding time to volunteer on a community board working to get funding for mental health care in part of Western Oklahoma. Once the funding was secured, Krahn worked as an HR director for a mental health center.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 26, 2017
Rated 2 1/2 stars. I loved the Dolphins. Their history, their habits, their personalities. They were playful, engaging and of sustained interest.
I did not much care for anyone else.
I sadly felt no attachment to any of the human characters. They never formed into "real people" in my mind. I was reading about them, rather than being absorbed by their story.
I found the grandmother to be a caricature, the lead female to have way too much freedom even for the more relaxed period of the latter half of the century (in addition to having no personality outside of her dolphin obsession) and the man to be somewhat callous.
Did he not once feel a sense of responsibility to her? Does the possibility of pregnancy simply not exist in their world? He retro style "ghosted" her, the ultimate dump and ditch.
The Atlantean society behaved in a manner that was beyond foolish. And I refuse to believe any vicar, who presumably had better things to do with his time and likely condescendingly considered himself to be the arbiter of all morality in the area, would condone or participate in that tomfoolery.
The escapades in London at the end did not help the overall ridiculousness of the book.
I will say though that it was nice to have a class of people featured as leads outside the usual Lords and Ladies. University lecturers, judges, blacksmiths Etc.
I did not much care for anyone else.
I sadly felt no attachment to any of the human characters. They never formed into "real people" in my mind. I was reading about them, rather than being absorbed by their story.
I found the grandmother to be a caricature, the lead female to have way too much freedom even for the more relaxed period of the latter half of the century (in addition to having no personality outside of her dolphin obsession) and the man to be somewhat callous.
Did he not once feel a sense of responsibility to her? Does the possibility of pregnancy simply not exist in their world? He retro style "ghosted" her, the ultimate dump and ditch.
The Atlantean society behaved in a manner that was beyond foolish. And I refuse to believe any vicar, who presumably had better things to do with his time and likely condescendingly considered himself to be the arbiter of all morality in the area, would condone or participate in that tomfoolery.
The escapades in London at the end did not help the overall ridiculousness of the book.
I will say though that it was nice to have a class of people featured as leads outside the usual Lords and Ladies. University lecturers, judges, blacksmiths Etc.
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April 15, 2018Titus Thorne was a professor at Cardinal College of Oxford. He studied fish but only after they had been caught and delivered to him dead. He emptied the contents of their stomachs and that was how he did his studies. He was known for disproving what others said were results of scientific study and the case he was researching now were the claims by a woman, Celeste Ashton, about her study of dolphins.
Titus was afraid of water and had witnessed his death of his parents being swept off a boat in a storm when he was 7 yrs. old. He hadn't gone near the water since. He didn't think that studying fish required any time spent near the water. Titus didn't let emotions play any part in his studies or his life. He spent most of his time around other professors who were much older than he was.
He challenged Celeste to prove what she knew about dolphins after hearing a lecture she gave. He didn't believe that she knew about dolphins and couldn't tell them apart or call them as she claimed. He and others also thought her a loose woman for writing that the dolphins were like humans and she discussed their sexual habits.
Celeste was giving a lecture to a group of scientists and was surprised to find they were all men. She was also hurt by the fact that they hadn't come specifically to hear what she had to say but rather to question all she had written. Titus was appointed to research her writing and was invited to spend some time with Celeste at her home near the ocean and observe her time with dolphins. She had been nicknamed as a mermaid by her publisher for publicity.
Titus arrived at her cove and got to know Celeste. They were attracted to each other and were somewhat awkward around each other because Celeste had grown up with her grandmother and her older friends. She wasn't around men her age at all. Titus was also around older men most of the time too. Titus was of the mindset that Celeste's book was mostly made up too.
Celeste took Titus out in a boat and they spent time near the water. She noticed his fright of the water and how he was sick when in the boat. After a couple of weeks, he was noticeably calmer and Celeste decided to help him and taught him to relax in the water and swim a bit. It took weeks of her called the dolphins for them to arrive. Titus had just about given up and was ready to go home. Then Celeste had a visitor arrive.
Celeste's publisher arrived with a man named Peter Bentley. Bentley was very attentive to Celeste and seemed intent on pursuing a relationship with her. He didn't seem to notice the professor at all and Titus was surprised to find himself jealous. They went out to the cove in hopes of seeing the dolphins with Celeste but after a couple of days, they too were ready to leave. As they were preparing to leave, the dolphins finally arrived. They stayed a few hours and then left to go back to London. They both had work there.
Titus's opinion of Celeste and the dolphins changed when he met them. Celeste let him see her swim with the dolphins and seemingly communicate with them. It was a beautiful sight to him and he fell in love with Celeste. He learned that the dolphins were every bit as close to Celeste as she was to them and that what she read about was correct. He didn't want to admit it but he too became friends with the dolphins. There were a couple of new arrivals to the cove this year and one was a young dolphin. Celeste decided to name him Titus but Titus didn't totally like the idea of a dolphin named after him so his name was changed to Titan. Titus learned to tell the difference between male and female as Celeste had written in her book by rubbing a dolphin's stomach and seeing their reproductive organs. He learned that Celeste was modest in her behavior and had simply written what she herself had witnessed. The dolphins spent a lot of time close to both he and Celeste rubbing them. They seemed to have a fairly active sex life and it was witnessed often by them both.
Both Celeste and Titus didn't realize that their relationship was being watched closely by a group of Celeste's grandmother's friends. They called themselves the Atlantean Society. They were a group of older people who collected items that washed up on their shores. They believed the items once belonged to and came from the lost city of Atlantis. They worshiped the dolphins. Celeste was considered their Woman of Sea. There was a legion they believed of the Woman of Sea marrying the Man of Earth. When they became married, the couple would be given the capability to speak to and understand the dolphins. They would then be told where the Lost City of Atlantis resided.
Celeste and Titus were out swimming late one night and they made love in the ocean and on the shore. They fell asleep wrapped in each others arms and were woken up by the sound of singing. The society came to call on them and preformed their marriage ceremony right there on the beach. Titus was angry and Celeste was embarrassed. Titus stormed off to his room and left the next day. Celeste was broken hearted.
Titus went back to his labs and found out that a lot his his work that was in a London museum had been destroyed in a fire. He went to London and set about ordering the same type of fish to once again cut them open to see what he could find in their stomachs. He couldn't do it. The stench and smell made him sick. He wondered what was wrong with him.
Bentley paid another visit to Celeste and was both surprised and pleased that Titus was no longer there. He pursued Celeste and she was missing Titus just enough to let him take a bit of advantage. She took Bentley to see the dolphins and showed him how to call them. They swam with the dolphins and was surprised that they didn't seem to like him. Bentley got angry and wasn't careful around them. He hit one in the eye and stuck a finger in another's blowhole. They were out in her boat one afternoon and he persuaded Celeste to let him handle the tiller and he wrecked her boat that had once belonged to grandfather and then to her father. Celeste was upset that this link to them both had been destroyed. She didn't notice the smile on the face of Bentley.
Bentley took the time to try and convince Celeste to go into partnership with him in order to gain money to replace her boat. He wanted to capture her dolphins and take them to London to show others what they could do. Celeste refused and Bentley got angry with her. She realized that he had wrecked the boat on purpose and that he was only courting her to gain her compliance in his money making scheme. She refused to help him and he left angry with her. She was no less angry with him.
While Titus was in London, he was out walking around and noticed a sign advertising the showing of the mermaid's dolphins. Titus went to see them and was surprised to recognize Celeste's dolphins, Prosperus and Ariel. He knew that Celeste would be upset and was probably wondering where they were. He left to see her immediately.
He arrived at her home and they reconciled after he told her of seeing the dolphins in London. The group of Nana's friends, and Nana herself, all went to London to see the condition of the dolphins and to see about bringing them home. The condition of the dolphins was pretty bad. The tanks they were in were too small. They were rusty and the water stank of the dead fish floating on the surface of the water. The dolphins had cuts and bruises.
They went to the police to see what they could do to get them back but got no help because the fish were caught in open water. They tried contacting a lawyer who told them that he couldn't legally assist them. He was the father of one of his former students.
Titus enlisted the help of 4 of his former students to take the dolphins back. One of the students had a father who drove hearst wagons. They used the wagons to get tanks into the back and went to get the dolphins. The dolphins were weak from their current living conditions and they got them into the tanks in the funeral wagons. They took the dolphins to a dock on the Thames river and released them. They didn't seem to know which way to go in the murky water so Celeste and Titus took an old boat and led them to the open ocean. The boat they were in collided with another boat and Celeste was thrown from the boat after hitting her head. Titus jumped out to get her and with Prosperus's help, they were led to the shore. The constable picked them up and took them to the police station where they met up with Nana and her friends. The constable let them go when her realized that he had caught an Oxford professor and the author nicknamed the mermaid. He refused to listen to the claims of Bentley who claimed that they had stolen his dolphins. Celeste and Titus had no dolphins.
It was two weeks later that they were married. Titus admitted that emotions had come into his life and he had fallen in love with Celeste. He wrote a report claiming that Celeste's research of dolphins was legitimate. He retained his professorship and Celeste became an adjunct professor allowing the college to combine lab research with field work. They started a new field of study with the emphasis being on conservation of the ocean.
It was a year later and Celeste had written another book. The money they made allowed them to begin restoring Celeste's family home. It was very rundown due to the lack of money after her parents death. Celeste was expecting her first group of students along with her first child. Titus give up his position of chairman of ichthyology and taught only selective classes now.
P.T. Bentley gave up his idea of showing sea creatures and brought some cowboys, Indians and buffalo from the states for shows in Paris.
Titus was afraid of water and had witnessed his death of his parents being swept off a boat in a storm when he was 7 yrs. old. He hadn't gone near the water since. He didn't think that studying fish required any time spent near the water. Titus didn't let emotions play any part in his studies or his life. He spent most of his time around other professors who were much older than he was.
He challenged Celeste to prove what she knew about dolphins after hearing a lecture she gave. He didn't believe that she knew about dolphins and couldn't tell them apart or call them as she claimed. He and others also thought her a loose woman for writing that the dolphins were like humans and she discussed their sexual habits.
Celeste was giving a lecture to a group of scientists and was surprised to find they were all men. She was also hurt by the fact that they hadn't come specifically to hear what she had to say but rather to question all she had written. Titus was appointed to research her writing and was invited to spend some time with Celeste at her home near the ocean and observe her time with dolphins. She had been nicknamed as a mermaid by her publisher for publicity.
Titus arrived at her cove and got to know Celeste. They were attracted to each other and were somewhat awkward around each other because Celeste had grown up with her grandmother and her older friends. She wasn't around men her age at all. Titus was also around older men most of the time too. Titus was of the mindset that Celeste's book was mostly made up too.
Celeste took Titus out in a boat and they spent time near the water. She noticed his fright of the water and how he was sick when in the boat. After a couple of weeks, he was noticeably calmer and Celeste decided to help him and taught him to relax in the water and swim a bit. It took weeks of her called the dolphins for them to arrive. Titus had just about given up and was ready to go home. Then Celeste had a visitor arrive.
Celeste's publisher arrived with a man named Peter Bentley. Bentley was very attentive to Celeste and seemed intent on pursuing a relationship with her. He didn't seem to notice the professor at all and Titus was surprised to find himself jealous. They went out to the cove in hopes of seeing the dolphins with Celeste but after a couple of days, they too were ready to leave. As they were preparing to leave, the dolphins finally arrived. They stayed a few hours and then left to go back to London. They both had work there.
Titus's opinion of Celeste and the dolphins changed when he met them. Celeste let him see her swim with the dolphins and seemingly communicate with them. It was a beautiful sight to him and he fell in love with Celeste. He learned that the dolphins were every bit as close to Celeste as she was to them and that what she read about was correct. He didn't want to admit it but he too became friends with the dolphins. There were a couple of new arrivals to the cove this year and one was a young dolphin. Celeste decided to name him Titus but Titus didn't totally like the idea of a dolphin named after him so his name was changed to Titan. Titus learned to tell the difference between male and female as Celeste had written in her book by rubbing a dolphin's stomach and seeing their reproductive organs. He learned that Celeste was modest in her behavior and had simply written what she herself had witnessed. The dolphins spent a lot of time close to both he and Celeste rubbing them. They seemed to have a fairly active sex life and it was witnessed often by them both.
Both Celeste and Titus didn't realize that their relationship was being watched closely by a group of Celeste's grandmother's friends. They called themselves the Atlantean Society. They were a group of older people who collected items that washed up on their shores. They believed the items once belonged to and came from the lost city of Atlantis. They worshiped the dolphins. Celeste was considered their Woman of Sea. There was a legion they believed of the Woman of Sea marrying the Man of Earth. When they became married, the couple would be given the capability to speak to and understand the dolphins. They would then be told where the Lost City of Atlantis resided.
Celeste and Titus were out swimming late one night and they made love in the ocean and on the shore. They fell asleep wrapped in each others arms and were woken up by the sound of singing. The society came to call on them and preformed their marriage ceremony right there on the beach. Titus was angry and Celeste was embarrassed. Titus stormed off to his room and left the next day. Celeste was broken hearted.
Titus went back to his labs and found out that a lot his his work that was in a London museum had been destroyed in a fire. He went to London and set about ordering the same type of fish to once again cut them open to see what he could find in their stomachs. He couldn't do it. The stench and smell made him sick. He wondered what was wrong with him.
Bentley paid another visit to Celeste and was both surprised and pleased that Titus was no longer there. He pursued Celeste and she was missing Titus just enough to let him take a bit of advantage. She took Bentley to see the dolphins and showed him how to call them. They swam with the dolphins and was surprised that they didn't seem to like him. Bentley got angry and wasn't careful around them. He hit one in the eye and stuck a finger in another's blowhole. They were out in her boat one afternoon and he persuaded Celeste to let him handle the tiller and he wrecked her boat that had once belonged to grandfather and then to her father. Celeste was upset that this link to them both had been destroyed. She didn't notice the smile on the face of Bentley.
Bentley took the time to try and convince Celeste to go into partnership with him in order to gain money to replace her boat. He wanted to capture her dolphins and take them to London to show others what they could do. Celeste refused and Bentley got angry with her. She realized that he had wrecked the boat on purpose and that he was only courting her to gain her compliance in his money making scheme. She refused to help him and he left angry with her. She was no less angry with him.
While Titus was in London, he was out walking around and noticed a sign advertising the showing of the mermaid's dolphins. Titus went to see them and was surprised to recognize Celeste's dolphins, Prosperus and Ariel. He knew that Celeste would be upset and was probably wondering where they were. He left to see her immediately.
He arrived at her home and they reconciled after he told her of seeing the dolphins in London. The group of Nana's friends, and Nana herself, all went to London to see the condition of the dolphins and to see about bringing them home. The condition of the dolphins was pretty bad. The tanks they were in were too small. They were rusty and the water stank of the dead fish floating on the surface of the water. The dolphins had cuts and bruises.
They went to the police to see what they could do to get them back but got no help because the fish were caught in open water. They tried contacting a lawyer who told them that he couldn't legally assist them. He was the father of one of his former students.
Titus enlisted the help of 4 of his former students to take the dolphins back. One of the students had a father who drove hearst wagons. They used the wagons to get tanks into the back and went to get the dolphins. The dolphins were weak from their current living conditions and they got them into the tanks in the funeral wagons. They took the dolphins to a dock on the Thames river and released them. They didn't seem to know which way to go in the murky water so Celeste and Titus took an old boat and led them to the open ocean. The boat they were in collided with another boat and Celeste was thrown from the boat after hitting her head. Titus jumped out to get her and with Prosperus's help, they were led to the shore. The constable picked them up and took them to the police station where they met up with Nana and her friends. The constable let them go when her realized that he had caught an Oxford professor and the author nicknamed the mermaid. He refused to listen to the claims of Bentley who claimed that they had stolen his dolphins. Celeste and Titus had no dolphins.
It was two weeks later that they were married. Titus admitted that emotions had come into his life and he had fallen in love with Celeste. He wrote a report claiming that Celeste's research of dolphins was legitimate. He retained his professorship and Celeste became an adjunct professor allowing the college to combine lab research with field work. They started a new field of study with the emphasis being on conservation of the ocean.
It was a year later and Celeste had written another book. The money they made allowed them to begin restoring Celeste's family home. It was very rundown due to the lack of money after her parents death. Celeste was expecting her first group of students along with her first child. Titus give up his position of chairman of ichthyology and taught only selective classes now.
P.T. Bentley gave up his idea of showing sea creatures and brought some cowboys, Indians and buffalo from the states for shows in Paris.
November 22, 2020
I absolutely tore through this perfect little romance novel. It was a bit drawn out at times, but I enjoyed the story so much that I’m glad it lasted awhile. The romantic setting of the English seaside combined with dolphin encounters (I mean, who doesn’t love dolphins?? Come on..!) really kept my attention, as did the interactions between Celeste and Titus. Krahn’s writing was also incredibly intelligent- not oversimplified or *too* cheesy, like some throwaway romance novels- and you could tell she really did her homework with the science and history in the book. I loved The Mermaid for what it was: a fun and steamy romp with plenty of “will-they, won’t-they” and a happy ending. Could always use more of that! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
June 7, 2011
This is a good mix of science and fantasy, although, it does not really deal with mermaids. I enjoyed reading it and would recommended it to any intellectual friend that loved a good Victorian romance.
August 5, 2016
I had to read this one because it it references a mermaid. I love mermaids. This story actually did stay with me a bit more than other Ms. Krahn books. I enjoyed the scientific bent in this story, even if it was a bit eye rolling at times. It was a fast read.
January 9, 2018
6 stars. Betina Krahn is an excellent craftswoman. Engaging characters, historical texture, and finely crafted plots. Interestingly, it's the hero who has the character arc in this novel (like Mansfield Park and Persuasion).
May 27, 2007
25. didn't finish. It wasn't quite the fantasy romance I thought it would be. Found the characters to be too off-the-wall or underdeveloped.
April 18, 2016
Was pretty interesting to have romance and marine biology plots side by side, but then it got pretty silly.
September 4, 2022
I really liked this book because of how different it was – books with wild animals are not common (at least they’re not easy for me to find) and this book had dolphins which I thought was even more rare.
I liked Celeste and Titus. Titus was a bit annoying with his narrow mindedness at the beginning, but later I liked seeing him learn from Celeste.
I really liked the dolphins, especially Prospero as he was very developed and had a clear personality, whereas the other dolphins would just be mentioned in a more general and vague way. I did want to see a bit more scenes where it’s clearer to see how Celeste and Titus interact with the dolphins.
I liked the Altantean Society as well as Titus’ colleagues from the university as they were funny, but I wanted to see more of their interactions with Celeste and Titus.
I didn’t like how Bentley wasn’t even punished for what he did, and he was given another opportunity to mistreat other animals.
I really didn’t like the scientific societies as they were awful people, and I did want to see someone notice that they didn’t really care about actual science and tell them that they couldn’t be members anymore.
I definitely want to try other books by this author.
I liked Celeste and Titus. Titus was a bit annoying with his narrow mindedness at the beginning, but later I liked seeing him learn from Celeste.
I really liked the dolphins, especially Prospero as he was very developed and had a clear personality, whereas the other dolphins would just be mentioned in a more general and vague way. I did want to see a bit more scenes where it’s clearer to see how Celeste and Titus interact with the dolphins.
I liked the Altantean Society as well as Titus’ colleagues from the university as they were funny, but I wanted to see more of their interactions with Celeste and Titus.
I didn’t like how Bentley wasn’t even punished for what he did, and he was given another opportunity to mistreat other animals.
I really didn’t like the scientific societies as they were awful people, and I did want to see someone notice that they didn’t really care about actual science and tell them that they couldn’t be members anymore.
I definitely want to try other books by this author.
May 19, 2025
This book is not horrible by any means. I actually really did enjoy the romance element of the story and thought it was very different from a lot of books I've been reading recently. However, I felt as though I was cheated out of an actual mermaid story. I was super duper hoping there at the end that it would come out that Sophia was right about everything and Atlantis, mermaids, etc., were all real. I also found Celeste's naivety so freaking annoying even though I understand why she would be naive. Overall, I wouldn't reread this book but I also would recommend it to other people who are looking for a little bit of adventure, romance, and sci-fi(?) if you could consider this sci-fi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The back and forth of the characters was fun. Celeste was no damsel in distress. She was smart and plucky and had a heart of gold. Titus was fun too. Their path to happily ever after was quite enjoyable for me. And of course you have the silly cast of characters that adds another level of fun to this book.
If you are looking for a non-sexually explicit, fun, sweet story, I highly recommend The Mermaid.
If you are looking for a non-sexually explicit, fun, sweet story, I highly recommend The Mermaid.
August 4, 2021
A very interesting premise. Liked it.
January 21, 2022
The dolphins were the best part.
May 31, 2024
A beautifully written novel about a professor of Ichthyology and a woman who swims with dolphins!
August 2, 2022
This didn't have the same depth as My Warrior's Heart (a novel of hers I read first) and I didn't find it as absorbing. I wouldn't have recognised her as the same author (no obvious stylistic similarities or themes, etc). I found it quite boring in places but I found the overall idea compelling.
It was interesting learning about the dolphins, and coming, with Titus, to see the world in a different way. I thought it left a lot unsaid about the Atlantean Society and prophecies which could have been interesting. The saving of the dolphins at the end was fun and reminded me so much of a similar scene in Vonda N. McIntyre's The Moon and the Sun!
Quite slow-moving, especially with the connection between Titus and Celeste. Also, what an odd ending! I liked the way the mermaid dream came to an end, but to finish scenes of the story so artificially in the Author's Note was odd, as some people would not have read this bit, and then to skip into the future seemed very strange.
The story feeds the imagination about dolphins and the sea and our connection with all life, and tantalises but doesn't satisfy about Atlantis and their being able to speak with dolphins - that heard different things at the end from Prospero goes unexplained, as does their future research, in light of what the two modern characters finding her book says about how their research persisted (i.e their research is unknown in the present). But worth a read.
It was interesting learning about the dolphins, and coming, with Titus, to see the world in a different way. I thought it left a lot unsaid about the Atlantean Society and prophecies which could have been interesting. The saving of the dolphins at the end was fun and reminded me so much of a similar scene in Vonda N. McIntyre's The Moon and the Sun!
Quite slow-moving, especially with the connection between Titus and Celeste. Also, what an odd ending! I liked the way the mermaid dream came to an end, but to finish scenes of the story so artificially in the Author's Note was odd, as some people would not have read this bit, and then to skip into the future seemed very strange.
The story feeds the imagination about dolphins and the sea and our connection with all life, and tantalises but doesn't satisfy about Atlantis and their being able to speak with dolphins - that heard different things at the end from Prospero goes unexplained, as does their future research, in light of what the two modern characters finding her book says about how their research persisted (i.e their research is unknown in the present). But worth a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2009
a few twists but not enough for a surprise-hungry modern reader
May 16, 2010
I loved this story it was funny and romantic.
Read
September 29, 2010i liked the story but it seemed rather long for just that story but i did enjoy the read
September 19, 2011
This was a great romance. Love the whole geek aspect of it, I dig a man with glasses :)
September 29, 2013
It was a great story. Still, I was disappointed... a book called "Mermaid" and there was NO MERMAID.
June 8, 2016
If you love the sea and dolphins, you will love this book. The characters are strong, and make you feel what they feel. A very well written book.
April 9, 2017
Uptight hero. Unusual story.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews