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Shorelines
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26When proud mermaid Muireann flees her climate-ravaged ocean in search of hope on land, she confronts human cruelty and body-shaming as she struggles to find her true home and voice. Caught between a dying ocean and a divided world, she must grapple between the sea that made her and the surface that might break her – in this stunning verse novel that reimagines The Little Mermaid.
Muireann is a mermaid – fierce, curious and proud of the body that keeps her warm beneath the waves. But life in the ocean is becoming impossible. The merfolk are at war with the human ramifications of climate change: food is scarce, and her twin sister has been killed in a mass-fishing net. With her mother lost in grief and her world falling apart, Muireann longs to escape to the surface to find some answers. But the human world isn’t the haven she hoped for. It’s colder, crueller – and here, her large body is seen not as strength, but as something to be ashamed of.
In this beautiful novel-in-verse, Muireann must find her voice and fight for where she belongs – whether that be beneath the waves, or above them.
Muireann is a mermaid – fierce, curious and proud of the body that keeps her warm beneath the waves. But life in the ocean is becoming impossible. The merfolk are at war with the human ramifications of climate change: food is scarce, and her twin sister has been killed in a mass-fishing net. With her mother lost in grief and her world falling apart, Muireann longs to escape to the surface to find some answers. But the human world isn’t the haven she hoped for. It’s colder, crueller – and here, her large body is seen not as strength, but as something to be ashamed of.
In this beautiful novel-in-verse, Muireann must find her voice and fight for where she belongs – whether that be beneath the waves, or above them.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Review of advance copy
gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, but oh so heartbreaking
May 2, 2026
Proper review to come, but: I NEED MORE VERSE NOVELS NOW.
February 19, 2026
RAGE!!!!
February 22, 2026
Thank you Ruth for making my first foray into the verse novel form so entrancing - could barely put it down!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My heart broke for Murieann almost constantly as I read this book.
This debut from author Ruth Ennis is one I was very excited to get my hands on. Thank you so much Little Island and Netgalley for the ARC.
I have a huge grá for verse novels, and this one did not disappoint. Shorelines is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid. It focuses on a fat mermaid called Muireann.
Muireann has seen a lot of tragedy recently in her family life. She is also curious about humans and their world and has longed to go and see them. One problem her home is facing is the lack of fish available to eat. Muireann believes she can help solve this situation by visiting the humans.
Despite her hardships at home, Muireann is still so full of curiosity and hope as she embarks on her adventure. As a human, I felt her to be slightly naïve about how the humans would respond to her, but I loved her energy.
Things go from bad to worse for Muireann once she's on land. Some of the scenes were heartbreaking and tough to read as I rooted for our girl through impossible situations.
The theme of fat acceptance and fat shaming runs throughout. Some characters' reactions to Muireann and her size are very upsetting at times.
Overall I adored this book and would highly recommend it for a YA, verse novel, little mermaid fan audience.
This debut from author Ruth Ennis is one I was very excited to get my hands on. Thank you so much Little Island and Netgalley for the ARC.
I have a huge grá for verse novels, and this one did not disappoint. Shorelines is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid. It focuses on a fat mermaid called Muireann.
Muireann has seen a lot of tragedy recently in her family life. She is also curious about humans and their world and has longed to go and see them. One problem her home is facing is the lack of fish available to eat. Muireann believes she can help solve this situation by visiting the humans.
Despite her hardships at home, Muireann is still so full of curiosity and hope as she embarks on her adventure. As a human, I felt her to be slightly naïve about how the humans would respond to her, but I loved her energy.
Things go from bad to worse for Muireann once she's on land. Some of the scenes were heartbreaking and tough to read as I rooted for our girl through impossible situations.
The theme of fat acceptance and fat shaming runs throughout. Some characters' reactions to Muireann and her size are very upsetting at times.
Overall I adored this book and would highly recommend it for a YA, verse novel, little mermaid fan audience.
November 8, 2025
a gorgeous beautiful lyrical book - a modern classic!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A book that does so much – in that it does just one thing to "The Little Mermaid" and proves it to be a small change of much consequence. We know how this runs for the bulk of the first hundred pages, at least – the young mermaid Muireann having to bide her time to see the world of the humans, the Prince that needs rescuing, etc. But Muireann's sister has actually died on the very first pages, and the Prince is nothing like as nice or pleasant as he should be. But love will still occur when she gets her land legs, right?
This might have been the case of me being the wrong audience for this. I mean, I can see the power of it in all directions, the ending giving me much pause if nothing else. It's all thoroughly readable, and with the heartfelt drama you're fully engaged with our heroine's lot. But am I the arsehole, to borrow the phrase, for saying this goes in the wrong direction, for saying it concentrates on the smaller of two sins?
The issue is the Prince is turning to fishing on an industrial scale, causing the merfolk to starve – not least the queenly mother to Muireann and her deceased sister. So contact with him needs to be made. The Sea Witch needs to get our girl to a humanoid state and allow her to change his mind and activities. But here's the stinger, the twist, the change – in this world, deep sea critters like mermaids and mermen need a lot of blubber to stay comfortable, warm and safe, and when Muireann comes ashore, bipedal, and presents herself to the Prince he can only liken her to a beached whale.
And there the torment starts, which is, to repeat, affecting, but to repeat, for me was the wrong way to go. Yes, sizeism and the kind of mediaeval ordeal Muireann faces is hellish, but so – for more people – is over-fishing, issues of food dependency, land and sea rights, etc etc. I wanted the Prince to get his comeuppance, not because he was so bigoted about the chunky, adipose, pyknic, whatever mermaid, but because he was a bastard when it comes to the ecology.
To mention all the other relevant details, this is a novel-in-verse that anyone over about the age of twelve should be perfectly fine with. Sometimes the titles are relevant, sometimes skippable, annoyingly. I didn't get the full purpose of all the changes in justification, from being left-justified to right and back, although centring did allow for some of the several examples of different form, a la concrete poetry. I can see why the author has done away with the 'this year it's your turn' motivation for Muireann, as this isn't a hundred per cent the H C Andersen, but it's that bigger change that didn't work as greatly as expected.
Of course it's unpleasant to see someone lose their agency and have all their pride in their curves taken away from them – barely made a human, Muireann is thoroughly dehumanised. But for me, this felt the lesser of the Prince's evils, and therefore this had oomph galore, just the wrong target for it. I'd still love to see this author's second book as and when. Three and a half stars for now.
This might have been the case of me being the wrong audience for this. I mean, I can see the power of it in all directions, the ending giving me much pause if nothing else. It's all thoroughly readable, and with the heartfelt drama you're fully engaged with our heroine's lot. But am I the arsehole, to borrow the phrase, for saying this goes in the wrong direction, for saying it concentrates on the smaller of two sins?
The issue is the Prince is turning to fishing on an industrial scale, causing the merfolk to starve – not least the queenly mother to Muireann and her deceased sister. So contact with him needs to be made. The Sea Witch needs to get our girl to a humanoid state and allow her to change his mind and activities. But here's the stinger, the twist, the change – in this world, deep sea critters like mermaids and mermen need a lot of blubber to stay comfortable, warm and safe, and when Muireann comes ashore, bipedal, and presents herself to the Prince he can only liken her to a beached whale.
And there the torment starts, which is, to repeat, affecting, but to repeat, for me was the wrong way to go. Yes, sizeism and the kind of mediaeval ordeal Muireann faces is hellish, but so – for more people – is over-fishing, issues of food dependency, land and sea rights, etc etc. I wanted the Prince to get his comeuppance, not because he was so bigoted about the chunky, adipose, pyknic, whatever mermaid, but because he was a bastard when it comes to the ecology.
To mention all the other relevant details, this is a novel-in-verse that anyone over about the age of twelve should be perfectly fine with. Sometimes the titles are relevant, sometimes skippable, annoyingly. I didn't get the full purpose of all the changes in justification, from being left-justified to right and back, although centring did allow for some of the several examples of different form, a la concrete poetry. I can see why the author has done away with the 'this year it's your turn' motivation for Muireann, as this isn't a hundred per cent the H C Andersen, but it's that bigger change that didn't work as greatly as expected.
Of course it's unpleasant to see someone lose their agency and have all their pride in their curves taken away from them – barely made a human, Muireann is thoroughly dehumanised. But for me, this felt the lesser of the Prince's evils, and therefore this had oomph galore, just the wrong target for it. I'd still love to see this author's second book as and when. Three and a half stars for now.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was blessed with a pre-publication copy of Shorelines.
Ruth Ennis’s Shorelines, is a novel written in verse. The only other novels written in verse that I was familiar with were The Odyssey and The Divine Comedy. The only other contemporary novel using this format is Mary Soon Lee’s, The Sign of the Dragon, which is on my reading list.
Shorelines is a delightful story of a mermaid, Muireann, told from her point of view. Ennis’s writing is both poetic and gentle and she uses the pages to paint pictures of an undersea world and the turmoil of the merpeople caught in crisis of a food shortage brought on by excessive fishing by a nearby human kingdom.
The structure of the story is so well done that the reader identifies with Muireann from the start and follows her adventures with a racing heart. I was truly caught up in the story. It is one of those books that will cause you to lose sleep, not from terror or fear but from the need to read just one more page. A reader could easily get caught up in the ‘just one more page,” syndrome. The book could be finished in one setting, sitting on the deck near a beach and wasting the day away with a book that has warmth and passion. I found myself reading it more slowly in sections so as to savor the taste and flavor of her book.
This is a 'hero's journey' book--Muireann must find out what is going on in the human world and must give up her water world and family to become human for a while. There is magic, fantasy, saddenes, warmth, compassion and delight all wrapped up in beautifully written verse.
It's aimed, I think, at younger audiences but like the Harry Potter books, it has enough grit in it to make it enjoyable by adults.
Ruth Ennis’s Shorelines, is a novel written in verse. The only other novels written in verse that I was familiar with were The Odyssey and The Divine Comedy. The only other contemporary novel using this format is Mary Soon Lee’s, The Sign of the Dragon, which is on my reading list.
Shorelines is a delightful story of a mermaid, Muireann, told from her point of view. Ennis’s writing is both poetic and gentle and she uses the pages to paint pictures of an undersea world and the turmoil of the merpeople caught in crisis of a food shortage brought on by excessive fishing by a nearby human kingdom.
The structure of the story is so well done that the reader identifies with Muireann from the start and follows her adventures with a racing heart. I was truly caught up in the story. It is one of those books that will cause you to lose sleep, not from terror or fear but from the need to read just one more page. A reader could easily get caught up in the ‘just one more page,” syndrome. The book could be finished in one setting, sitting on the deck near a beach and wasting the day away with a book that has warmth and passion. I found myself reading it more slowly in sections so as to savor the taste and flavor of her book.
This is a 'hero's journey' book--Muireann must find out what is going on in the human world and must give up her water world and family to become human for a while. There is magic, fantasy, saddenes, warmth, compassion and delight all wrapped up in beautifully written verse.
It's aimed, I think, at younger audiences but like the Harry Potter books, it has enough grit in it to make it enjoyable by adults.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Shorelines is a great modern take on the classic fairy tale the Little Mermaid. What really makes it stand out is the writing style. It is written as a series of closely linked poems that mesh together to form the novel.
I think the poetry combined with the first person style makes it extremely powerful. I haven’t actually read a book like it before, in that I have read poetry books and obviously tonnes of novels, but never actually poetry that forms a novel.
The other big thing that the author does is she drags the Little Mermaid into the modern world, or a version of it, with a big focus on over fishing, climate change and basically man’s impact on the oceans. We see the merfolk struggling to survive, Muireann’s sister is killed and Muireann herself ventures to the world of man to try to change things, but here many of the things she had viewed as her strengths and things to be proud of (her body etc) are viewed differently. It is a harsh and unforgiving world in a different way to the open sea.
The other thing about this is because of the writing style the pace is incredibly fast and you will tear through it in literally a single day. Really good and original and I think the author would be really well served by rewriting additional fairy tales in a similar manner. Thank you to Little Island Books and the Writereads for my copy
I think the poetry combined with the first person style makes it extremely powerful. I haven’t actually read a book like it before, in that I have read poetry books and obviously tonnes of novels, but never actually poetry that forms a novel.
The other big thing that the author does is she drags the Little Mermaid into the modern world, or a version of it, with a big focus on over fishing, climate change and basically man’s impact on the oceans. We see the merfolk struggling to survive, Muireann’s sister is killed and Muireann herself ventures to the world of man to try to change things, but here many of the things she had viewed as her strengths and things to be proud of (her body etc) are viewed differently. It is a harsh and unforgiving world in a different way to the open sea.
The other thing about this is because of the writing style the pace is incredibly fast and you will tear through it in literally a single day. Really good and original and I think the author would be really well served by rewriting additional fairy tales in a similar manner. Thank you to Little Island Books and the Writereads for my copy
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I have always loved two things, poetry and fairy tales, so when one of my favourite book tour organisers (writereads) suggested I give Shorelines literally a retelling of one of my favourite fairy tales (the Little Mermaid in verse) I jumped at it!
The novel follows the story of Muireann, for the first few pages, I wasn’t sure, how ‘novel-like’ it was going to be, but once Muireann introduces herself things start flowing very nicely. I love that Muireann is very proud of her body even though it is really very different from your typical Hollywood depictions of mermaids. She describes herself as colossal and mentions fat in a positive way multiple times.
Times are tough of Muireann and the other mermaids as they try to find food. (Man is hunting all the fishes you see). And when her sister Mairead dies… wellI probably should not give too many spoilers. But basically then the book vaguely follows the Little Mermaid tale to a degree, but is also very much its own story.
I love the poetry style, it was both simple and evocative. I read the whole thing in a single sitting. Totally 5 stars for me.
Thank you again to writereads and Little Island Books for my advance copy!
The novel follows the story of Muireann, for the first few pages, I wasn’t sure, how ‘novel-like’ it was going to be, but once Muireann introduces herself things start flowing very nicely. I love that Muireann is very proud of her body even though it is really very different from your typical Hollywood depictions of mermaids. She describes herself as colossal and mentions fat in a positive way multiple times.
Times are tough of Muireann and the other mermaids as they try to find food. (Man is hunting all the fishes you see). And when her sister Mairead dies… wellI probably should not give too many spoilers. But basically then the book vaguely follows the Little Mermaid tale to a degree, but is also very much its own story.
I love the poetry style, it was both simple and evocative. I read the whole thing in a single sitting. Totally 5 stars for me.
Thank you again to writereads and Little Island Books for my advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Shorelines by Ruth Ennis is an upcoming YA fantasy novel written in stunning verse containing a reimagined version of The Little Mermaid story with darker themes of climate change, grief, body image, and belonging. The central female protagonist is Muireann, a mermaid whose home in the ocean is being destroyed by climate changes and environmental damage caused by careless humans. Following a family tragedy, Muireann travels to the surface world of humans as she seeks hope, understanding and answers. What she discovers is a cold and hurtful humanity that judges her on appearances. The story mixes fantasy with real-world environmental issues, while also exploring grief, identity, family expectations, and feeling out of place in your own body and in the world. The verse form makes the storytelling poetic and is highly emotional. I recommend this book for readers who like atmospheric, character-focused stories and darker fairy-tale retellings. #shorelines #ruthennis #littleislandbooks #thewritereads #verse
December 4, 2025
This gorgeous novel took me a few hours to devour, but it will take me a whole lifetime to fully absorb. Wise, warm, compassionate, brave and daring in its scope and in its artistry, it's a book that will stay with me. I was lucky enough to receive a proof, but I can't wait until it's more widely available so that readers all over the world can immerse themselves in it. Ruth Ennis has created a beautiful reimagining of the story of The Little Mermaid, but not only that - the book is genuinely innovative, creative and interesting in how it uses its medium (free verse) as well as the 'white space' on each page. Poems that seem to ripple and change as you read them - just like water on a shoreline - and with typography that ebbs and flows, this wonderful story will heal you.
And that ending!
Do not miss this gift of a story.
And that ending!
Do not miss this gift of a story.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
OMG lets make verse novels a thing please!
This was such a clever idea. Thank you Little Island Books and writereads for providing me with a digital copy. Shorelines is basically the Little Mermaid story, updated for the modern world, told as a series of poems. The main character, Muireann is a mermaid (obviously lol) who has lost her sister due to the callous activities of man and whose people are struggling to survive in the oceans due to mans interference.
I particularly liked the way Muireann describes herself, I think it feels like pushing body positivity and I think something about the verse style made the emotions feel very raw and powerful. My only negative is I found it a little tricky to follow at times (though that is probably more down to me than anything).
Its easily a 4 star read, maybe 4.5 stars.
This was such a clever idea. Thank you Little Island Books and writereads for providing me with a digital copy. Shorelines is basically the Little Mermaid story, updated for the modern world, told as a series of poems. The main character, Muireann is a mermaid (obviously lol) who has lost her sister due to the callous activities of man and whose people are struggling to survive in the oceans due to mans interference.
I particularly liked the way Muireann describes herself, I think it feels like pushing body positivity and I think something about the verse style made the emotions feel very raw and powerful. My only negative is I found it a little tricky to follow at times (though that is probably more down to me than anything).
Its easily a 4 star read, maybe 4.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is the story of Muireann, a mermaid. It is based on the Little Mermaid. Muireann lives in the ocean with the other merfolk, but her life is hard. Her sister dies in the opening pages and finding food is a constant struggle. Initially we hear much about how prod she is of her body, literally her fat/blubber, which keeps her warm in the seas etc. But that changes dramatically when she goes to the world of men. Then we see basically fat shaming of her, she isn’t seen as beautiful and rather as a sort of beached whale.
The prince wasn’t likeable for me, both via mistreatment of the environment and Muireann. But the book itself is really good. The writing - which is literal poetry - is very engaging. And the author is really good, though the story for me is not one I would want to read again, just because it left me feeling sad. She was so proud of her body early on.
The prince wasn’t likeable for me, both via mistreatment of the environment and Muireann. But the book itself is really good. The writing - which is literal poetry - is very engaging. And the author is really good, though the story for me is not one I would want to read again, just because it left me feeling sad. She was so proud of her body early on.
Review of advance copy
As I said to Ruth, not sure if I devoured this book or it devoured me with its raw lyricism and dark beauty. A very worthy retelling that teaches taking up space as you deserve, no matter the cost and that kindness is it's own reward, whilst not shying away from the darker elements of the original and if humankinds ability to be selfish and cruel. Muireann is not perfectly brave throughout but she is stunning in her central strength of self. Ursula is justified here too as a witch who knows magic has uts cost. A moment at least for the format! The verse element further heightens the emotions beautifully expressed in the prose.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It is easy to see why this one is getting such great reviews. Shorelines is a powerful and heartfelt retelling of the Little Mermaid, which stands out due to its poetic writing style. It is written in first person POV verse - poetry.
The story is about Muireann, a mermaid who's sister has been killed due to over fishing and who's people are struggling to survive. She travels to the human world to try to save it.
I enjoyed it and flew through it. Its a really short read, that you can get through in an afternoon. My thanks to the publisher (Little Island) and promoter (TWR) for providing me with a digital copy
The story is about Muireann, a mermaid who's sister has been killed due to over fishing and who's people are struggling to survive. She travels to the human world to try to save it.
I enjoyed it and flew through it. Its a really short read, that you can get through in an afternoon. My thanks to the publisher (Little Island) and promoter (TWR) for providing me with a digital copy
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Shorelines is a really enjoyable and easy to read retelling of the Little Mermaid. What makes it stand out is that it is written in 1st person poetic form. So it reads like a a collection of short poems which all flow into each other.
Its a really fast read, you will easily get through it in a single evening, and I like that it is something which both younger readers and adults could both enjoy. The author brings in several strong themes, environmental issues, over fishing, body shaming (and positivity). And there is a copious dose of powerful emotions right from the start where her sister dies.
4 stars and recommended
Its a really fast read, you will easily get through it in a single evening, and I like that it is something which both younger readers and adults could both enjoy. The author brings in several strong themes, environmental issues, over fishing, body shaming (and positivity). And there is a copious dose of powerful emotions right from the start where her sister dies.
4 stars and recommended
September 29, 2025
Received an advance copy of this YA verse novel, which is a retelling of The Little Mermaid and read it in a day. It's smart, haunting and achingly sad and hopeful all at the same time. A highly compelling novel that uses its prose to pull you beneath the waves and leaves you breathless. Add it to your TBR pile immediately.
Review of advance copy
This is a distinctive, original book with vivid world building. It's intense and genuinely upsetting in parts. And it has an ending that is both surprising and inevitable - the best type of ending obviously. An impressive debut.
Note: I bought this book at the Irish book launch so not actually an advance review.
Note: I bought this book at the Irish book launch so not actually an advance review.
December 9, 2025
I was lucky enough to read an early proof of this book and I cannot recommend it enough. The beauty, rage, hope and pain in the words had me gripped. A true telling of The Little Mermaid, a story of love, loss, the ease of cruelty and the cost of hope. An incredible debut.
Review of advance copy
Advanced copy received in exchange for an honest review.
A Little Mermaid-esque retelling in verse, this was beautiful but devastating. Our central character goes through so much pain, and I really felt that. I was unsure if the verse would work for me, and it definitely did. A magical read.
A Little Mermaid-esque retelling in verse, this was beautiful but devastating. Our central character goes through so much pain, and I really felt that. I was unsure if the verse would work for me, and it definitely did. A magical read.
Review of advance copy
Shorelines is a masterclass of a verse novel. It is singular in its stunning tale. An excellent debut novel and one I will be thinking about for a very long time.
Review of advance copy received from Autre
je viens de le finir et c'était l'un des plus beaux livres que j'ai jamais lu.
écrit comme un poème il est une ode à la vie naturelle et une analyse crue des comportements humains.
merci Muireann 🤍
écrit comme un poème il est une ode à la vie naturelle et une analyse crue des comportements humains.
merci Muireann 🤍
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
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