Merrow

by Louise Cooper

Jay, Kiran and Robyn are looking forward to another long hot summer spent doing nothing much but surfing and sunbathing on the Cornish coast. But things are different this year, Robyn and Kiran are suddenly a couple and Jay resigns himself to the break-up of their once cosy triangle. Then what happens over the summer months brings change of a frightening and unexpected kind, leaving childhood innocence behind, once and for all...

Genres: Mermaids, Young Adult, Fantasy

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2005

About the author

Louise Cooper was born in Hertfordshire in 1952. She began writing stories when she was at school to entertain her friends. She hated school so much, in fact—spending most lessons clandestinely writing stories—that she persuaded her parents to let her abandon her education at the age of fifteen and has never regretted it.

She continued to write and her first full-length novel was published when she was only twenty years old. She moved to London in 1975 and worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. Since then she has become a prolific writer of fantasy, renowned for her bestselling Time Master trilogy. She has published more than eighty fantasy and supernatural novels, both for adults and children. She also wrote occasional short stories for anthologies, and has co-written a comedy play that was produced for her local school.

Louise Cooper lived in Cornwall with her husband, Cas Sandall, and their black cat, Simba. She gained a great deal of writing inspiration from the coast and scenery, and her other interests included music, folklore, cooking, gardening and "messing about on the beach." Just to make sure she keeps busy, she was also treasurer of her local Lifeboat station.

Louise passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She was a wonderful and talented lady and will be greatly missed.

Reviews

[Randi (The Artist Formerly known as Guitar Chick) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid meh. GET INTO DETAIL WITH YOUR MERMAID LORE DAMMIT

[Bethany Mortimore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely rubbish. Unlikable characters, boring plot that went nowhere and no mermaids.

[Leila Anani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three teenagers find their lives inexplicably changed when they fail to save a girl from drowning. Kieran sees the dead girl everywhere and believes she is haunting him. His best friend Jay and abandoned girlfriend Robyn are left bewildered over his strange behaviour.

Not bad at all, I thought this somewhat bitter coming of age teen novel really managed to capture the elusive nature of the "merrow" - we never do learn whether she was real or a figment of their imagination and in the end it doesn't really matter. Mermaid fans are going to be disappointed as there are no tangiable girls with fish tails, instead the whole book is caught up with very human reactions to something inexplicable. The story however is gripping and told with punchy writing by believable characters.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really liked this book. I normally don't like such short books, but this one turned out good! I liked lots of surprises between Kiran, Jay and Robyn, but one thing I didn't like was the way Jay likes Robyn when she's with Kiran. There's always the best friend who secretly loves the taken girl. Also didn't like how Robyn was so obviously in love with Kiran, and didn't leave Kiran even when she knew he was treating her badly. Glad it was a quick read too :) Normally quick reads aren't this hooking.

[Imogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so good it sent shivers down my spin but I coloudnt stop reading it till i was finished

[Jess Sumner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda boring... (personal opinion)