Lucy

Daughters of the Sea #3

by Kathryn Lasky

A choice between love and survival . . .Lucy's family is excited to spend the summer in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her minister father is pleased to preside over such a prestigious congregation, and his social-climbing wife is ecstatic at the chance to find a rich husband for her daughter.Yet Lucy wants nothing to do with the Bar Harbor social scene; she's simply excited to spend the summer by the sea, watching the waves from her favorite spot on the cliff. Despite having never gone swimming, Lucy feels an intense connection to the ocean, and meets a handsome ship-builder who shows Lucy a world she's never known, yet somehow always longed for.However, her mother will stop at nothing to keep Lucy and the ship builder apart, even if it means throwing Lucy into the arms of a wealthy man with a dangerous secret. Can Lucy break free and embrace her destiny as a daughter of the sea? Or is she doomed to waste away in a gilded cage, slowly dying of a broken heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Mermaids, Young Adult, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2012

About the author

Kathryn Lasky, also known as Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann, is an award-winning American author of over one hundred books for children and adults. Best known for the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series, her work has been translated into 19 languages and includes historical fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was SO EXCITED for this book because I thought it would be the end of the series, but it isn't. Or at least, I sincerely hope it isn't because it ended with one heck of a cliff hanger.

I really enjoyed this addition to the Daughters of the Sea series because while the story mainly focuses on Lucy, May and Hannah's point of views were also included so I wasn't wondering how they felt in regards to the events unfolding. Yet again, Kathryn Lasky does a wonderful job with characters that we end up despising without overdoing it to the point of ridiculousness. I felt like she did a wonderful job with Lucy's adoptive mother and showing just how important social standing was to her and how far she would go to protect it. I am also realieved that the person murdered is not the person who I thought it would be at the beginning of the book. Although, I truly despise the fact that the mother did not take the blame and instead framed Lucy.

I really enjoyed this book, except for the cliff hanger ending, and am anxiously awaiting the next in the series (there better be one!) so that I can find out what happens next!

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just was meh.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book caught my eye whilst I was at the library. I picked it up to look at it and thought "ooh mermaids! This oughta be good!"
*sidenote: I didn't realise that this was the third book of a series, but that didn't really matter.*
Unfortunately, it wasn't that great. The beginning was terribly slow and hard to get interested. For the first 100+ pages I had to force myself to keep reading, because I thought for sure it would get way better.
It did get better, but still wasn't great. I felt like it was kind of rushed and could have been a lot better. I was starting to like it a bit in the middle but then the end came.
The ending is very abrupt and sudden. There is a plot twist right at the very end which causes something big to happen and then it ends. Thats it. No tying up of loose ends (actually creating a lot more...), no true reunion of the sisters at the end, happy, no happy endings, it was just an odd cliff-hangar ending. I would expect another book coming, but I have not been able to find any information on whether Lasky is writing another book or not. It wouldn't really fit in as the first three books were about each of the three sisters. I was expecting a happy, full ending here but did not find one.

[Sara Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book! She better be having a 4th one on the way.... and soon!

[Riley · Rating 1 out of 5]

That ending was crap.

[Vivian Gansey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me.... Did I like this book?
(Me) - Umm..................... WHat the hell was that ending? You cannot end like that. Personally, the book was boring and I ended up having to stop reading it for four days and then starting it back up. This series (no-offence to all the Daughters of the Sea lover) was a bore. I got this series as a recommendation from my friend.... but no .... no, no, no. This book is not living up to the impression I got from her.

First starting out, the main character had to be found ... why didn't the author make her some experienced mer that already is happily living life, clueless about her sisters and something happens, amazing reunion .... but no. Following the same thing from the other two books (which were also a bore, I must admit), and they all fall in love with humans ... blah ... blah ... blah. But where is the tension, the ACTUAL DAMN PLOT?

Me... where is the plot? What is the actual problem? Other than finding their sisters ... THE PLOT WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LAST FREAKING CHAPTER!!! There was not really much tension involved at all, and I was reading it because I WAS BORED!!! Bookworms don't do that! I mean, I generally am satisfied with the books and waiting for the next to come out, crying when the series ended ... but this did not invoke ANY emotions within me. I mean ... where are the fireworks? ... the massive plot twist that I was waiting for? The one in this book is so minimal, I don't even want to read the next one!

And you know the whole LAW OF THE SALT ... if I was her sister, a long lost sister, I'd be like damn the consequences and shout out to Lucy. I mean... aren't they supposedly loving sisters? The love between the sisters was poorly expressed and you know what if I am just gonna rant and rave I might as well not continue.

Goodbye.

[Jennavier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm unsure what to think about Lucy. It was cute and interesting, if a little scattered. For an extremely fast novel Lasky tried to bring in the stories of four women aside from the titular main character, Lucy. Lasky head hopped a lot to get the story out and everything came so easily that there was no real tension. I liked the place. Bar Harbor Maine is practically the main character of the series and it's lovely to read about a detailed culture now dead. Once again, Lucy ends with a cliff hanger. Now here's the real meat of my irritation. From what I can tell, Lucy is the end of the series. If it is, why is there no resolution? If there's another one, Lucy will be a fine addition. If it was the last one I'm seriously annoyed.
Edit 2/11: I emailed Ms. Lasky about the series and she was kind enough to reply as follows:
There will be another book, but I can not promise when. I have several other commitments I must take care of first. Please be patient.
That improves my outlook on Lucy and makes sense.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh to end on a cliffhanger like that! What I would give for the books in this series to be just a few pages longer. They manage to get so much in, and do a good job of it, but there are times when things feel just a tad bit rushed and with a few extra pages things could be drawn out more. I liked Lucy, and found her world refreshing from her sisters, and yet frustrating with all the rules she had to follow. I feel bad for her and May for both having mother figures such as they do. I would have loved for there to have been more on the change Mrs. Snow went through after her discovery. While I enjoyed Phin and Phin and Lucy as a couple, I wished they had had more time to grow with each other instead of diving right into a relationship, though I felt that Lucy meeting her sisters was well paced. It was a decent read, and now I look forward to a book four to find out what happens now that some know.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought this series had promise, but yet every time I read one of these books I walk away feeling unsatisfied. When will I learn?

My major complaint of a lack of mermaids I both the first and second book is addressed, and we as readers are FINALLY getting the whole picture of what these daughters of the sea are and how they got there, but this series is so painstakingly slow moving. It's like you have to read 300 pages to move a small inch.

Without spoiling anything this book is the same as the others. Annoying adults, clueless girl, and a *shock* cliffhanger.

I was NOT pleased when a major storyline was introduced to readers with only 20 pages to go. I knew where this was leading, and knew there wasn't time to flesh it out. So that means book 4 (yes you read that right) will start with 100 pages of fleshing out the plot element introduced in the last 20 pages of this book. A never-ending cycle.

So sad to see such a promising series take this path.

[Nadine Heroux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, this series, is really good i couldn't stop reading! i recommend for you girls out there who injoy mermaids,romance,action,and adventure. May is fed up with all this high society crap and longs for something/someone who understands her,her life changes when she and her family go to bar harbor for her fathers job. There she finds HIM (omg so romantic)and her two sisters. And thats when things start to unfold, secrets revealed, trouble arises, and Lucy is in the thick of it.

[Makenzie Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sadly not loving these books as much as I would've if I read them all when I was younger :( but I have to know what happens hahah so here I am, reading them. The ending threw quite the cliffhanger at me!!

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

[Cassandra Hamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t decide if I like this one or May better. I really love Lucy and Phin together, so I might have to say this one…

This installment in the Daughters of the Sea series shows a different side of the culture. Hannah focused on the staff of a rich household. May focused on the Maine natives. Lucy focuses on the rich people themselves through a girl who doesn’t belong in their world but is forced to be there because of her social-climbing mother. (I hate her mother.)

Lucy and Phin are probably my favorite couple from the series (though I also love May and Hugh). They’re just so cute. I love the dynamic of rich girl/poor working boy (Lucy isn’t exactly rich, but her parents want everyone to think they are). I loved Phin’s shipbuilding occupation and the boat miniatures and everything. And I liked how Lucy had a wingman in the guy her mom was trying to set her up with. XD I also liked how the water healed Lucy’s foot.

One thought—Anna Green was mentioned multiple times in the story and seemed like shed be an important character… but she never shows up. Oops. That felt like a letdown.

Still, an incredible story! I wish the fourth book had wrapped things up better, but I adored this one! <3

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Lucy. She is most privileged than her other sisters and it is interesting to watch her navigate the world of wealth. She feels like she is being put in a golden bird cage, with the threat of an arranged marriage.

She has a relationship with a boat builder (ok norfolk) which is really sweet. The three sisters together is really interesting, I like how they held off introducing themselves and held to their "laws of salt".

But especially the ending was insane and I had to start the 4th on right away. It's quite the cliff hanger and I am excited to continue. However they have so much they need to resolve I think a 5th book in the series might've been handy.

[Beka · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I zipped through this one and mostly enjoyed it, but it brought up a couple of issues. First, we learned in this book that May was the first to change over, so why was Hannah's book first in the series? Then, for some reason, I was under the impression that this was a trilogy, so it was a little bit of a shock that this was left with a HUGE cliffhanger. I'm definitely interested in finding out what happens next!

[Rose Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book of a 4 book series. Each book is not individually stand alone book, as I found out. I am going to read the first two books but must read the last one to find out what happens to Lucy. The plot was good but it was choppy and some things were skipped for useless information. One minute the characters were here then they jumped to something else not important. This could have been a much better story if these things were fixed.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but not quite as good as the previous book. Lucy is the sister who landed in a more privileged life and I am so glad I never had to deal with the strictures of that life! Each of the books has dealt with the types of “laws” surrounding the different classes of people of that time. The ending of this one is an awful cliffhanger! Now I need to find the last somehow, as our library doesn’t own it. I really don’t want to buy the kindle version on Amazon.

[Ashmita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was sorta darker I think than the other two books, but thrilling and entertaining. This story was interesting in the perspective that it was written in, this time the mermaid not knowing that she's a mermaid. I think this was cool to see the struggle and the discovery. I could relate to her a little bit. I think this was like The Little Mermaid in reverse.

[Mason Lord · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series, along with Kathryn Lasky’s other books is a great introduction into more mature kids books. I call them kids books because of the length, but their really just a easy read for anyone to enjoy.

[Rachel Reyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning.

[Mackenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was mentally disturbing. It left me feeling terribly ill. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE TO.

[Taylor Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved. she deserves so much better her mom is the actual devil

[Melaniemouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the last one, but not a bad book overall (if you can stand a massively obnoxious cliff hanger for an ending!) I do appreciate the fact that the three sisters were raised in three different levels in society, so you get to see a similar story retold through different eyes. But this one just plain had too many fancy pants high society people with fancy pants names, who talked about boring fancy pants things. Didn't make for much substance to the story and zero character development. Phin started out as interesting, but there was so little of him after the first encounter or two that it was hard to keep his momentum going. The book did lack the goofy attempts at imagery that plagued the other two, especially the first one, which was nice, but there was one line in particular that was clearly proof that my suspicion about them not being proofread was probably accurate on some level (pg. 234, "Why do you say to that?" In the context, I'm sure it was supposed to be, "Why do you say that?")

Maybe let's delve into some spoilers now...

So here's the biggest problem: That is seriously how the book ended??? If these books were more popular, she probably would have gotten hate mail. And while the case was built for the mom wanting to essentially disown the daughter because of her aversion to those who were not "her kind," I think murder was a bit beyond her. She was a preacher's wife her whole life, why was she suddenly capable of murder? I know she was obsessed with being "in the thick," but... murder??

Also, I feel like in all three books, their boyfriends sure put the moves on awfully quick - like, the first time they ever talk to each other alone. I would've thought that "gentlemen" in that age had a greater sense of propriety, but these guys all got to the making out pretty darn quick. Maybe I'm confusing this age with Regency period novels, where it takes them forever to confess their feelings. I don't feel this was a flaw with the books, just a general observation.

So now I'm gonna have to track down the fourth book, because my library system doesn't carry the fourth book for some reason. I've read a couple reviews, and some suggest that it doesn't all resolve very neatly at the end of the fourth novel, so I'm hoping I'm not left wanting! This series has been fun, for the most part; I hope #4 leaves me with a good taste in my mouth.

[Luminea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm I have mixed feelings about this third book in the series. First of all, I wished there was more about Lucy and Phin's budding relationship, but the author had to devote a lot of time weaving together Lucy's story with Hannah and May's. Although I wanted to learn more about Lucy, at the same time I wished there was more about the other sisters as well. What had happened since Hugh found out May was a mermaid? If Stannish used to be mer himself, why hasn't Hannah asked him more about the mer people and how that world operates? There just seemed to be so much missing for me. I suppose I have to accept that this is a YA novel and only so much information can be crammed into 320 double-spaced pages.

I did like to see a few more characters of the upper class who were not snobs and saw beyond the limits of social structure (Gus, Muffy). Like Ettie, they are a breath of fresh air to the other characters who are so caught up in themselves and their lives of privilege.

I have to say I was quite shocked though by such a quick change of heart in Lucy's adopted mother when she found out that she was a mer. Even though Marjorie was such a social climber, determined to use her daughter to gain status and wealth for the whole family, I thought she really did love Lucy. Even though it made for a good plot twist, it was a bit hard to believe that Marjorie would go to such extremes to protect her daughter's reputation by murdering the duke, and then decide to frame Lucy for it after she discovered that Lucy is a mermaid.

Also, a minor complaint...I hate being left with a cliffhanger when the final book hasn't even been published! I probably would have waited to read the series if I knew it wasn't complete yet. I can only blame myself for this though, not the author. ;) I hope it gets published soon!

[Yin Chien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy is a continuation of the Daughters of The Sea series, but as with the second book, it starts with Lucy's story before Hannah and May eventually get pulled within as well. Lucy is a girl with artistic talents and have a great fascination with the sea - much like her two mer-sisters. Her father is a minister, and her mother is a vain, snobbish woman whose ultimate goal is to find Lucy the perfect husband. However, Lucy falls for someone else instead - someone who has no social standing, yet shares her love for the sea.

I have mixed feelings for this book. I started reading this with much anticipation, as I hoped things will finally be resolved, whether or not the sisters decide to live on land or in the sea. It started out fine - with Kathryn Lasky's trademark smooth, dreamy writing style, and I was excited to fine out more about Lucy.

However, towards the end of the story, Lasky inserted a plot twist which I totally didn't see coming, but it was rather silly. I mean, the motives were too shallow, and I couldn't see the point behind all the drama and fuss. And the story of the three sisters were never given a decent ending. It just ended. Randomly. I'm wondering if this is one of the author's habits? Leaving readers hanging on a cliffhanger at the end of a book (first / second in a trilogy) is a good thing, but ending your last book just like that? Without any conclusion or further explanation? That's just plain weird.

Overall, Lucy is a fairly decent book, though I personally thought that it should have been better. I wished to see the respective conclusions for the sisters' star-crossed romance. Will they forsake their love to embrace their true self or sacrifice their special bond with the sea to unite with their loved ones? And how will Lucy's story end? Curiouser and curiouser!

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book a few days ago, I wondered what it was about it that had made me placed it on hold. Maybe it was the fact that Lucy, the main character, was a minister's daughter. I'm always on the lookout for new J and YA novels that portray religion, so I thought perhaps that was why. Then the possibility of her being a selkie came into the storytime and I thought, "Oh, I bet that was it." And then the clincher was that the story takes place in Bar Harbor, Maine, and bingo! Bar Harbor is a town I loved and hope to visit again someday.

Lucy is actually number three in the series so I've placed one and two on hold to get up to speed on the three most important characters... thus far. Lucy was a cliff-hanger, so I'll be looking for number four to come along, probably next year.

Set in 1899, Lucy accompanies her parents to Bar Harbor for the "season" where her father has the prestigious assignment of occupying the pulpit and preaching to the wealthy New York families who summer there. Her adoptive mother is anxious that Lucy make the right connections and attract the attention of a rich beau.

Lucy, however, is mostly attracted by the sea, and a local ship builder. Her social-climbing mother will stop at nothing to prevent her family from being "cut" by the socialites, and when she discovers that Lucy has "crossed over", or discovered that she is mer, she is even willing to sacrifice her daughter.

Great storytelling!

[Madison Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about a girl named Lucy. Lucy is unhappy with her life in New York. In her mother’s eyes it’s all glamor and popularity. Lucy feels lost until they travel to an island so her father can work a better job. Lucy suddenly feels at home and at peace, but now she has to find out why.
I loved the characters and the setting. The setting molds the entire story. The style and accents really add to the setting. I love the climax and the story. Its background adds suspense and builds the book up.
This book reminds me of a song. It’s called No Ordinary Girl by Indiana Evens. It’s about the sea and self-discovery. It also reminds me of the first two books in the series Hannah and May. They are all about the sea and discovering yourself. They are all similar to each other.
I really liked this book. I would recommend it to science fiction and mystery fans. It is book three in a series. The other two books are Hannah and May. It is a good series. This book is my favorite so far.

[Maciej · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, as usual Mrs. Lasky provides us with exhilarating story that uses mermaid theme as a device to introduce us to women's struggle for recognition at the beginning of previous century. Just as "Hannah" portrayed lower class misery and "May" middle-class problems, "Lucy" explores the issues concerning upper echelons of American society. Teenage Lucy travels with her Foster parents to seaside resort with clear intention of her legal guardians to find a perfect match. What she finds there, though, is not only a wealthy aristocrat seemingly interested in her, but also the truth about her origin, long-lost family, love and......death.

Lasky masters in portaying fin de siècle customs especially of financial elite of this time. Her books do possess tremendous educational value for children and also to adults. Her books both provide us with rich description of former epoch but also explain the motives and values of both past and present. After read we learn something about belle epoque -both why it was the way it was and why we abandoned its values.

Superb educational value.

[Rosalyn Eves · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This is probably more like a 2.5) To be fair, I didn't realize when I picked this up that it was the third book of a series (although I didn't have any trouble picking up the story line, as these books seem to be essentially companion books to a point). In this story, Lucy chafes against the social restraints of her upper-class life and her parents' relentless ambitions (her father is a clergyman who'd like to become bishop; both her parents would like to see her married into a wealthy family). When her father's work takes them to Maine for the summer, Lucy falls in love with the sea, begins to fall for a totally unsuitable shipbuilder, and discovers that she's not entirely human, but mer. I had a hard time getting into this book, although the writing was fine. The characters felt a little shallow to me, and towards the end the plot takes a twist that struck me as, frankly, a little silly and over-dramatic.

[Linnae · Rating 2 out of 5]

So apparently I skipped the middle one. Not to worry--I don't think I missed much. Like her other two sisters, Lucy doesn't find out she's a mermaid until she's close to the ocean. Her ambitious, social-climbing (adopted) mother has all kinds of ideas for Lucy's future. The old Lucy would have gone along and tried to please her mom, but she's gotten feisty since discovering her fishy side. So she starts talking back, sneaking around a bit, and (gasp) falls in love with a local ship-builder, rather than the eligible bachelor lined up for her. All of which leads her mother to wreak a bit of revenge, soap opera style.

Not much new here, plot-wise. You do find out a little more about the triplets' parents; still not much progress made on tying things up. Obviously a fourth book still to come.