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Lorali #2
Aurabel
Laura Dockrill makes a dramatic return to the sea set in the same world as the sparkling and magnetic mermaid story, Lorali.
It has been two years since Rory drowned, and Lorali is in Hastings, living the quiet life of a normal teenage girl. But her safe life on land won't last for long. Life in The Whirl has become a hotbed of underwater politics and as the council jostles to oust the king, one Mer in particular has her eye on Lorali as the key to her own rise to power.
Meanwhile, Aurabel, a lowly Mer from the wrong side of the trench, is attacked by sea beasts and left for dead - and without a tail. Raging with righteous anger, she rebuilds herself a mechanical tail and reinvents herself as a fearless steampunk Mer seeking revenge. But she never expected the most important job that was about to drop into her lap.
Laura Dockrill's imagination explodes any pre-conceived ideas about mermaids and creates a curious, hilarious, riotous adventure not to be missed.
It has been two years since Rory drowned, and Lorali is in Hastings, living the quiet life of a normal teenage girl. But her safe life on land won't last for long. Life in The Whirl has become a hotbed of underwater politics and as the council jostles to oust the king, one Mer in particular has her eye on Lorali as the key to her own rise to power.
Meanwhile, Aurabel, a lowly Mer from the wrong side of the trench, is attacked by sea beasts and left for dead - and without a tail. Raging with righteous anger, she rebuilds herself a mechanical tail and reinvents herself as a fearless steampunk Mer seeking revenge. But she never expected the most important job that was about to drop into her lap.
Laura Dockrill's imagination explodes any pre-conceived ideas about mermaids and creates a curious, hilarious, riotous adventure not to be missed.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2016
693 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 13, 2017
I really, really love these books. In Lorali I liked the other characters more than I liked Lorali herself, so I'm in love with our new heroine Aurabel. If mermaids were to go a bit Sci-fi... that's Aurabel.
Dockrill's writing is, as always, a pleasure to read, and her poetry background shines through every so often. I've read reviews where people have come in to this book without reading Lorali first... please don't do that! Both books have multiple POVs but you really do need the foundations and world building created in Lorali to do this justice.
I loved the ending of Lorali. I love ambiguity and personal interpretation. I didn't think I wanted a sequel, to be honest. But I'm so glad this is what I got.
I'm well and truly hooked (pun not intended, but welcome)
Dockrill's writing is, as always, a pleasure to read, and her poetry background shines through every so often. I've read reviews where people have come in to this book without reading Lorali first... please don't do that! Both books have multiple POVs but you really do need the foundations and world building created in Lorali to do this justice.
I loved the ending of Lorali. I love ambiguity and personal interpretation. I didn't think I wanted a sequel, to be honest. But I'm so glad this is what I got.
I'm well and truly hooked (pun not intended, but welcome)
May 16, 2017
Finished reading: May 13th 2017
"Even when two paths spindle off, it doesn't mean they aren't going to meet up, once again, somewhere along the way towards the end."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Hotkey Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
August 5, 2017
I love this book and Aurabel is by far my favourite character♥️. Closely followed by Lorali of course. I absolutely love how the author writes these novels they are just so poetic and perfect.
Some threads are too deep and thick to fray. Some lines, in love, outlive the veins.
Aurabel's growth in this is huge. The things she has to overcome are unbelievable and yet she keeps going and not only that but during all this she also saves Lorali. I loved Rory in the last one so I wasn't sure how I was going to find this book because of how the last one ended. However I was pleasantly surprised.
I can't believe I didn't see the twist at the end coming.. but it was so good.
Some threads are too deep and thick to fray. Some lines, in love, outlive the veins.
Aurabel's growth in this is huge. The things she has to overcome are unbelievable and yet she keeps going and not only that but during all this she also saves Lorali. I loved Rory in the last one so I wasn't sure how I was going to find this book because of how the last one ended. However I was pleasantly surprised.
I can't believe I didn't see the twist at the end coming.. but it was so good.
January 9, 2018
I'm sad this is over.
I really enjoyed this read, but again I really loved Lorali.
it doesnt follow right after first book but a few years later and it is a nice continuation in my view.
I really enjoyed this read, but again I really loved Lorali.
it doesnt follow right after first book but a few years later and it is a nice continuation in my view.
August 15, 2017
generally a bit bonkers as expected. I did enjoy it for it's randomness but kind of wish I'd made time for a reread of book one first.
These mermaid are not your little mermaid variety of the mermaids. They are bad ass and terrifying.
I do particularly enjoy what the story has to say about crazy internet fans and their insane hysteria and over the topness.
These mermaid are not your little mermaid variety of the mermaids. They are bad ass and terrifying.
I do particularly enjoy what the story has to say about crazy internet fans and their insane hysteria and over the topness.
January 2, 2018
https://thebooksareeverywhere.com/201...
I read the first book in this series – Lorali – back in May, and you can see from my review that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
But I bring good news – I enjoyed Aurabel more! I still stand by most of the thing I explained in my previous review, but I definitely liked more about this book.
"Some threads are too deep and thick to fray.”
The story was fast paced and definitely not as confusing! Instead of being mainly on land, this one is based mainly underwater and I actually really enjoyed that. Aurabel is a completely new character, and the story is now told by both her and Lorali. I expected that to be confusing, but it actually wasn’t.
This book seamlessly followed on from Lorali, but it felt very much like a standalone too. The story is something completely different – definitely more action than romance based – but I really liked that! The new factors of power, fighting and even cyborg mermaids really worked and helped the unqiue aspects of this novel.
“Some lines, in love, outlive the veins.”
Again, I found Dockrill’s writing very unique and interesting. But this time, it worked. Maybe it’s because I’m more used to her writing after Lorali, or maybe she’s just more experienced after writing a book before…but I actually really liked it. The random poeticness of her writing really worked.
Also can I just say – this includes a bi mermaid! Like…
Need I say more?
So it’s safe to say I really liked Aurabel! If you’re looking for a mermaid themed pre-teen or YA novel, I’d recommend it 🙂
★★★
Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
I read the first book in this series – Lorali – back in May, and you can see from my review that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
But I bring good news – I enjoyed Aurabel more! I still stand by most of the thing I explained in my previous review, but I definitely liked more about this book.
"Some threads are too deep and thick to fray.”
The story was fast paced and definitely not as confusing! Instead of being mainly on land, this one is based mainly underwater and I actually really enjoyed that. Aurabel is a completely new character, and the story is now told by both her and Lorali. I expected that to be confusing, but it actually wasn’t.
This book seamlessly followed on from Lorali, but it felt very much like a standalone too. The story is something completely different – definitely more action than romance based – but I really liked that! The new factors of power, fighting and even cyborg mermaids really worked and helped the unqiue aspects of this novel.
“Some lines, in love, outlive the veins.”
Again, I found Dockrill’s writing very unique and interesting. But this time, it worked. Maybe it’s because I’m more used to her writing after Lorali, or maybe she’s just more experienced after writing a book before…but I actually really liked it. The random poeticness of her writing really worked.
Also can I just say – this includes a bi mermaid! Like…
Need I say more?
So it’s safe to say I really liked Aurabel! If you’re looking for a mermaid themed pre-teen or YA novel, I’d recommend it 🙂
★★★
Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
June 25, 2017
nope nope nope.
i stopped reading at page 122, skim the rest of the book, and i can still tell you what happened in the book without any trouble. i think it shows how dragged the plot is in this book. i love the characters, but didn't care enough to know what will happen about them. also, i can see what will happen very early in the book.
i'm pissed about the ending, like all tied up nicely for all characters, except for those two.
i stopped reading at page 122, skim the rest of the book, and i can still tell you what happened in the book without any trouble. i think it shows how dragged the plot is in this book. i love the characters, but didn't care enough to know what will happen about them. also, i can see what will happen very early in the book.
i'm pissed about the ending, like all tied up nicely for all characters, except for those two.
July 22, 2017
Hold up! This is the sequel to Lorali and there are spoilers abound! Go read that review, buy the book, read it. If you’ve done that already, then sure continue below.
And, guys, my heart is so full.
I absolutely loved Laura Dockrill’s first mermaid novel, Lorali, and I’m really pleased to say that I love Aurabel just as much.
This is a slightly different novel in terms of tone. There is a levity that was brought by The Sea and the pirates that is missing, although comic relief is provided again by the forum posters of MAMAT. However, given the ending of Lorali, this feels completely appropriate.
Aurabel is a Mer from the poor side of the sea, from the Tip where she lives with her girlfriend Murray. After the closure of the petrified forest by King Zar, a number of monsters crept in making it unsafe for Mer to visit their haven. Bowing to public pressure, Zar consents to reopening the forest provided the monsters are cleared out, bringing in feisty Aurabel for the job. But all does not go as planned when cruel Sienna intervenes, using plucky Aurabel’s demise as the spark for a coup. But Aurabel is not dead; just plotting her revenge.
Meanwhile, on land Lorali and Flynn mourn the loss of Rory as Iris slowly slips into illness. Lorali’s sad peace is interrupted by warnings from the sea; can she go back?
And over in the whirl, King Zar seems to have salvaged a familiar face who goes by the name of Kai…
This is a an emotional follow up to Lorali and I’m so glad it exists, tying up all the loose ends left in the first book – even relatively secondary characters like Opal, Iris and Carmine get a resolution.
Once again, Dockrill’s poetic background bleeds through into her atmospheric, pacy prose, weaving stunning imagery and fantastical landscapes.
As with Lorali, I whipped through this book. I woke up at 5.30 this morning and thought, heck I may as well just sit and finish this book now. What a treat. I absolutely love the world of the Mer that Dockrill created, and while I hope for more I’d be happy for the duology to end here, with a completion that the first story begged. Bravo.
Get it here.
What to read next:
The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff
Thank you kindly to Hot Key Books for sharing both of these books with me. They’ll be getting an annual re-read.
And, guys, my heart is so full.
I absolutely loved Laura Dockrill’s first mermaid novel, Lorali, and I’m really pleased to say that I love Aurabel just as much.
This is a slightly different novel in terms of tone. There is a levity that was brought by The Sea and the pirates that is missing, although comic relief is provided again by the forum posters of MAMAT. However, given the ending of Lorali, this feels completely appropriate.
Aurabel is a Mer from the poor side of the sea, from the Tip where she lives with her girlfriend Murray. After the closure of the petrified forest by King Zar, a number of monsters crept in making it unsafe for Mer to visit their haven. Bowing to public pressure, Zar consents to reopening the forest provided the monsters are cleared out, bringing in feisty Aurabel for the job. But all does not go as planned when cruel Sienna intervenes, using plucky Aurabel’s demise as the spark for a coup. But Aurabel is not dead; just plotting her revenge.
Meanwhile, on land Lorali and Flynn mourn the loss of Rory as Iris slowly slips into illness. Lorali’s sad peace is interrupted by warnings from the sea; can she go back?
And over in the whirl, King Zar seems to have salvaged a familiar face who goes by the name of Kai…
This is a an emotional follow up to Lorali and I’m so glad it exists, tying up all the loose ends left in the first book – even relatively secondary characters like Opal, Iris and Carmine get a resolution.
Once again, Dockrill’s poetic background bleeds through into her atmospheric, pacy prose, weaving stunning imagery and fantastical landscapes.
As with Lorali, I whipped through this book. I woke up at 5.30 this morning and thought, heck I may as well just sit and finish this book now. What a treat. I absolutely love the world of the Mer that Dockrill created, and while I hope for more I’d be happy for the duology to end here, with a completion that the first story begged. Bravo.
Get it here.
What to read next:
The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff
Thank you kindly to Hot Key Books for sharing both of these books with me. They’ll be getting an annual re-read.
July 22, 2017
SEE MY REVIEW HERE!
--------
Review:
Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for a full review.
I read Lorali last year and really enjoyed the novel. I didn't think there was going to be a sequel but I was so happy when I heard that there was one! I actually feel like I enjoyed this novel even more than the first in the series, which is not something I would ever usually think.
Aurabel takes place two years after the end of the previous novel. Lorali is mourning the loss of Rory and is living in the human world. She spends most of her time at home with Rory's mum or helping out at the shop with Iris and Flynn. I really enjoyed reading about Lorali's life on land and her relationships with Irish, Flynn and Cheryl and how quickly she was accepted into the life Rory had left behind. There was some really heartwarming scenes with her and Flynn where they both comforted each other in their shared grief over Rory. Lorali is such an interesting and honest character and I love reading from her perspective. Also I love reading from The Sea's perspective.
The plot of the novel was completely captivating. The world Laura Dockrill has created completely engages the reader as they fall head over heels for the characters and the story. The characters were engaging, realistic and unique. It didn't take long for each character to have a special place in my heart. I loved the new characters that were introduced in this novel, especially Aurabel and Sienna, one of the best villains I've read in a very long time.
The plot was so thrilling with so many twists and turns that I did not see coming at all. A few moments actually shocked me and I am so impressed by Laura Dockrill's incredible talent and imagination.
Also, LGBT representation in a mer story- can I get a HECK YES!
Laura Dockrills writing is a breath of fresh air. Her writing has an incredible flow that takes the reader through the story. Laura has created such an incredibly vivid seaside setting and a vivid undersea world of mer life filled with intricate details, relationships, politics etc,.
The novel also contains short chapter which make the reader keep reading on.
The novels text is broken up by the inclusion of little snippets of fangirl site chatrooms. Since the introduction of mermaids into the human world of the series, fan sites / chatrooms such as "Lorali appreciation society" were formed and we get to see snippets of their online conversation in the novel. I found this to be so funny as those in the chatroom are so over the top and Laura writes their conversation so hilariously.
An imaginative addition to the story and a great way to add humour and break up the novels text a little.
I enjoyed this novel even more than the previous novel, Lorali, and I would definitely re-read the novel in the future. Hugely imaginative and engaging novel that will have you hooked (no pun intended). I highly recommend this novel for summer time reading, or even in the winter....anytime as long as you are reading it !! Also look at that beautiful cover, shout out to the talented designer Alexandra Allden.
May 27, 2017
Full review up on my blog: http://bit.ly/2qq2HNo
(Note, I did not read the first of Dockrill’s books set in this world Lorali but I don’t think this book counts as a sequel in the strictest sense as much of the action concerns an entirely new character) however, it is possible that I missed some of the more interesting elements of the plot this way, in which case I apologise for misleading you…
Setting! A setting is very important and that is the same case for this book. We have the underwater world of mermaids and we have the human (or walker) world above. It would appear that humans can be made into mermaids and vice versa though, in this book, that process wasn’t entirely explained. You get the perspective from both worlds as the writing is multi-perspective. My interests mostly lay in the underwater story, since that had much more of the ‘new’ plot where the outside world was a continuation of the characters from Lorali. I did like that the connection between the two world and the two beings, however tenuous, was established.
What this plot does magnificently is dramatic irony. At almost every point the reader is completely aware of what is going on (due to the multiple perspectives) while the characters are none the wiser. With a villain like this one that really works as trust and instinct are key themes and key motivators in this story. I think this is an excellent story, it has moments of pain, of sadness, of overcoming hardship, anger, joy, love, unrequited love-you name it, it’s there. There is, strangely, a humanity to these non-human characters that shines through in Dockrill’s writing.
I adored the character of Aurabel. ‘Queer, badass, half metal mermaid’ would be a business card I would willingly carry. Lorali wasn’t quite as amazing in my eye but that might just be because Aurabel’s brashness (she is a mermaid from the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ after all) was so refreshing given how normally you only ever encounter beautiful, graceful and eloquent mermaids.
My absolute favourite element, and that which made me actually laugh out loud, was the fake facebook group. Dockrill perfectly captures the inane facebook arguments that we all know and love to hate from fan groups all over social media and actually uses it to drive the plot of the book from yet another perspective. It’s so simple but it could have so easily felt fake, on the contrary, this makes absolute sense in the context of this book and the internet as it currently is.
I didn’t think I’d like it. I certainly didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. If I had one critique it’s that I don’t think all the plots were tied off as neatly as they could have been, but perhaps we are leaving room for another sequel. Who knows?
My rating: 4/5 stars.
Aurabel publishes on the first of June so there’s still time to order your copy if the fancy takes you!
I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher (Bonnier Zaffre) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
(Note, I did not read the first of Dockrill’s books set in this world Lorali but I don’t think this book counts as a sequel in the strictest sense as much of the action concerns an entirely new character) however, it is possible that I missed some of the more interesting elements of the plot this way, in which case I apologise for misleading you…
Setting! A setting is very important and that is the same case for this book. We have the underwater world of mermaids and we have the human (or walker) world above. It would appear that humans can be made into mermaids and vice versa though, in this book, that process wasn’t entirely explained. You get the perspective from both worlds as the writing is multi-perspective. My interests mostly lay in the underwater story, since that had much more of the ‘new’ plot where the outside world was a continuation of the characters from Lorali. I did like that the connection between the two world and the two beings, however tenuous, was established.
What this plot does magnificently is dramatic irony. At almost every point the reader is completely aware of what is going on (due to the multiple perspectives) while the characters are none the wiser. With a villain like this one that really works as trust and instinct are key themes and key motivators in this story. I think this is an excellent story, it has moments of pain, of sadness, of overcoming hardship, anger, joy, love, unrequited love-you name it, it’s there. There is, strangely, a humanity to these non-human characters that shines through in Dockrill’s writing.
I adored the character of Aurabel. ‘Queer, badass, half metal mermaid’ would be a business card I would willingly carry. Lorali wasn’t quite as amazing in my eye but that might just be because Aurabel’s brashness (she is a mermaid from the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ after all) was so refreshing given how normally you only ever encounter beautiful, graceful and eloquent mermaids.
My absolute favourite element, and that which made me actually laugh out loud, was the fake facebook group. Dockrill perfectly captures the inane facebook arguments that we all know and love to hate from fan groups all over social media and actually uses it to drive the plot of the book from yet another perspective. It’s so simple but it could have so easily felt fake, on the contrary, this makes absolute sense in the context of this book and the internet as it currently is.
I didn’t think I’d like it. I certainly didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. If I had one critique it’s that I don’t think all the plots were tied off as neatly as they could have been, but perhaps we are leaving room for another sequel. Who knows?
My rating: 4/5 stars.
Aurabel publishes on the first of June so there’s still time to order your copy if the fancy takes you!
I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher (Bonnier Zaffre) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 13, 2017
Aurabel is the titular character whilst we spend our time under the sea. As tensions rise in the mer society, Sienna is rising up to try and take the crown. But she uses dirty tricks and both Aurabel and Lorali have a bone to pick with her by the end.
I didn't realise this was a second in a series until I was nearly halfway through the book. It's really confusing and definitely isn't able to stand as a standalone book because of this. I struggled to understand terminology, and also the world building wasn't adept enough, which I'm assuming is because it was done in the previous book.
I spent the majority of the book trying to figure out what a tapestry is for the mermaids. Instead of being captured by the plot, I was thinking 'hmm is it their tails? or the stomach above the tail?' Obviously this meant I was not enchanted by this book at all. I also struggled to imagine what Nevermind looked like - Apparently she's massive and terrifying and huge and terrifying... yeah it didn't describe other than 'big and scary' with better adjectives. When I can't picture things, it just instantly pulls me away from a book.
Another problem I found was that the author was trying way too hard to 'sound' like a teenager. Every so often there's a excerpt of a forum/message board type of thing. This is just full of 'text speak' and was hard to read without cringing. Some of the characters also suffered with trying to sound like a teenager. Obviously, this felt like it would alienate any actual teenagers as they don't speak like that. At all. Please Authors stop doing this.
Overall it wasn't a complete train wreck, I enjoyed the premise. I just think I needed that first book, and also it needed a fuller plot. So this felt full of filler conversations. There was never really something that drove the book forward for me. So it just wasn't what I wanted. It definitely suffered from second book syndrome.
I received Aurabel* by Laura Dockrill as an e-book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is an unbiased and honest review.
I didn't realise this was a second in a series until I was nearly halfway through the book. It's really confusing and definitely isn't able to stand as a standalone book because of this. I struggled to understand terminology, and also the world building wasn't adept enough, which I'm assuming is because it was done in the previous book.
I spent the majority of the book trying to figure out what a tapestry is for the mermaids. Instead of being captured by the plot, I was thinking 'hmm is it their tails? or the stomach above the tail?' Obviously this meant I was not enchanted by this book at all. I also struggled to imagine what Nevermind looked like - Apparently she's massive and terrifying and huge and terrifying... yeah it didn't describe other than 'big and scary' with better adjectives. When I can't picture things, it just instantly pulls me away from a book.
Another problem I found was that the author was trying way too hard to 'sound' like a teenager. Every so often there's a excerpt of a forum/message board type of thing. This is just full of 'text speak' and was hard to read without cringing. Some of the characters also suffered with trying to sound like a teenager. Obviously, this felt like it would alienate any actual teenagers as they don't speak like that. At all. Please Authors stop doing this.
Overall it wasn't a complete train wreck, I enjoyed the premise. I just think I needed that first book, and also it needed a fuller plot. So this felt full of filler conversations. There was never really something that drove the book forward for me. So it just wasn't what I wanted. It definitely suffered from second book syndrome.
I received Aurabel* by Laura Dockrill as an e-book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is an unbiased and honest review.
June 12, 2017
Once again Laura Dockrill blows me away with her beautiful writing. I was mostly excited when I heard this was coming out but also a tiny bit hesitant because one of the things I loved so much about Lorali was how it was such a good self-contained novel. Nonetheless I was eager to dive back into this world. Pun intended.
I devoured this in two days, and I'm a SLOW reader, so I think that pretty much sums up how much I enjoyed it. The way these books blend gorgeous sea imagery with urban, gritty, and sometimes quite harrowing stuff is absolutely my jam. I liked the new characters and was excited to see what the old ones had been up to, and the reveals got me so excited.
**SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS**
My only real criticism is that maaayyybe the end seemed too good to be true, what with Rory/Kai and Lorali finding each other and Aurabel and Murray getting back together but Otto/Victor CONVENIENTLY meeting Orina ad Iris being salvaged. One thing I liked about the end of Lorali was how bittersweet it was. But perhaps that's just me.
Also I totally called that Victor was Otto as soon as he was introduced but that didn't make me any less PUMPED when it was revealed that I was right and he was alive. I just really love Otto. Victor. Whatever.
So yes, overall Aurabel did not disappoint and if Laura Dockrill decides to release anything else from this world I'll no doubt buy it the day it comes out once again.
I devoured this in two days, and I'm a SLOW reader, so I think that pretty much sums up how much I enjoyed it. The way these books blend gorgeous sea imagery with urban, gritty, and sometimes quite harrowing stuff is absolutely my jam. I liked the new characters and was excited to see what the old ones had been up to, and the reveals got me so excited.
**SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS**
My only real criticism is that maaayyybe the end seemed too good to be true, what with Rory/Kai and Lorali finding each other and Aurabel and Murray getting back together but Otto/Victor CONVENIENTLY meeting Orina ad Iris being salvaged. One thing I liked about the end of Lorali was how bittersweet it was. But perhaps that's just me.
Also I totally called that Victor was Otto as soon as he was introduced but that didn't make me any less PUMPED when it was revealed that I was right and he was alive. I just really love Otto. Victor. Whatever.
So yes, overall Aurabel did not disappoint and if Laura Dockrill decides to release anything else from this world I'll no doubt buy it the day it comes out once again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2018
Vaikka pidin kirjan maailmasta, hahmoista ja Laura Dockrillin kirjoitustyylistä ennalta, liian moni asia ärsytti mua ja pilasi lukukokemuksen. Olisin toivonut, että Mer-maailma olisi ollut realistisempi. Kaikki joivat koko ajan erilaisia juomia laseista, vaikka meressä juomahan olisi osmoottisesti levinnyt ympäriinsä. Tai se, että Murray ehdotti Victorille merilevän polttamista (niin kuin tupakkaa poltettaisiin), vaikka vedessähän mikään polttaminen ei ole mahdollista. Sen sijaan, että Dockrill tekee Mer-maailmasta version meidän maailmasta, hän olisi mielestäni voinut kunnolla luoda uskottavan merenalaisen maailman.
Toinen asia, mikä mua ärsytti, oli kirjailijan tapa kuvata MAMAT-fanikerholaisia ja muita ihmisnuoria. Kaikki nuoret eivät kirjoita pelkästään all-capsilla tai lyhenteillä. Give us some credit.
Itse juoni oli myös ennalta-arvattava eikä täyttänyt toiveitani. Koko Lorali-Rory tarinassa ei tapahtunut mitään ja miksi insesti piti ottaa mukaan tähän muuten niin lapselliseen tarinaan?
Asiat mistä pidin olivat kirjailijan monimuotoinen sanasto ja miljöö, joten kai mä nyt annan kaksi tähteä.
Toinen asia, mikä mua ärsytti, oli kirjailijan tapa kuvata MAMAT-fanikerholaisia ja muita ihmisnuoria. Kaikki nuoret eivät kirjoita pelkästään all-capsilla tai lyhenteillä. Give us some credit.
Itse juoni oli myös ennalta-arvattava eikä täyttänyt toiveitani. Koko Lorali-Rory tarinassa ei tapahtunut mitään ja miksi insesti piti ottaa mukaan tähän muuten niin lapselliseen tarinaan?
Asiat mistä pidin olivat kirjailijan monimuotoinen sanasto ja miljöö, joten kai mä nyt annan kaksi tähteä.
May 31, 2017
I will preface this review with two notes:
1. I did not realise that Aurabel is actually a sequel to Lorelai until I was at least two thirds through the book and suddenly understood why some things weren't making sense to me or why the author seemed to be assuming knowledge that I couldn't possibly have.
2. The ebook ARC that I got from NetGalley was very poorly formatted which impacted on my reading experience/enjoyment.
This would probably be a five star review if I had read Dockrill's previous book Lorelai (which I will actually do sometime in the near future) but Aurabel almost stands alone very well and I enjoyed the characters and the plotting a lot. The voices are distinctive and characterised well enough to counteract some very dodgy chapter formatting, which is actually saying a lot. Badass mermaids, dreamy and ethereal sea setting/voices, and a dangerous villain. What's not to love?!
1. I did not realise that Aurabel is actually a sequel to Lorelai until I was at least two thirds through the book and suddenly understood why some things weren't making sense to me or why the author seemed to be assuming knowledge that I couldn't possibly have.
2. The ebook ARC that I got from NetGalley was very poorly formatted which impacted on my reading experience/enjoyment.
This would probably be a five star review if I had read Dockrill's previous book Lorelai (which I will actually do sometime in the near future) but Aurabel almost stands alone very well and I enjoyed the characters and the plotting a lot. The voices are distinctive and characterised well enough to counteract some very dodgy chapter formatting, which is actually saying a lot. Badass mermaids, dreamy and ethereal sea setting/voices, and a dangerous villain. What's not to love?!
July 13, 2017
The cover of this book is absolutely stunning. The picture does not do it any justice. This story follows on from Laura's previous novel Lorali, I do wish I had read that one first as then I would of had a bit of background about all the characters. I did feel as though I was missing out. I don't know if it was just me but I found the forum interactions slightly annoying, I know it is suppose to be teenage fans talking but I couldn't understand some of the text language. I would highly recommend reading Lorali before reading this book.
August 6, 2017
2017 Booktubeathon's Read A Book I Got Because of the Cover
I enjoyed Lorali (the first book) more than this as I felt it was more entertaining and Lorali to me is just a sweeter character as opposed to Aurabel.
Aurabel is no doubt a very strong character, totally not a wimp, but I didn't enjoy reading about her hatred and vulgarities at one point.
The ending is sweet but a little unexpected. If I were Rory's mum I think I would not agree to the ending...
Victor deserves a book of his own. Would love to read more about him.
I enjoyed Lorali (the first book) more than this as I felt it was more entertaining and Lorali to me is just a sweeter character as opposed to Aurabel.
Aurabel is no doubt a very strong character, totally not a wimp, but I didn't enjoy reading about her hatred and vulgarities at one point.
The ending is sweet but a little unexpected. If I were Rory's mum I think I would not agree to the ending...
Victor deserves a book of his own. Would love to read more about him.
August 2, 2018
I wish I had made time for a re-read of Lorali before I dived (pardon the pun) into this, because I was pretty lost at the beginning. However, after a while, I was re-submerged into the magical, crazy, unpredictable world that Dockrill writes so brilliantly. I used to love mermaid books as a kid (mainly Emily Windsnap and Thora) and these two books totally reignited my love. These are mermaids as you have never met them before. Dark, dangerous, tantalizingly fierce. You'd be a fool not to enter this world!
April 2, 2021
This book was hard to get into because there were so many extraneous characters at the beginning that it was confusing. Then I realized it was a sequel to Lorali, which I haven’t read. Otherwise, it’s a rip-roaring mermaid tale with comical social media side comments from various underwater creatures. The writing is extraordinarily good—poetic and strong—and the adventurous plot whizzes along with dark humor and crisp insights about the ‘Whirl’ above and below the sea.
June 2, 2022
The story is interesting and not a cliché mermaid tale. 4/5 would recommend. Initially, I was confused with how the author is expressing the character's POV then it made sense that Laura Dockrill has integrated some of her poetry skills in there too.
Warior mermaid with an armour of a tail.
🌈 Aurabel🧜♀️ 💗 Murray 🧜🏻♀️
Warior mermaid with an armour of a tail.
🌈 Aurabel🧜♀️ 💗 Murray 🧜🏻♀️
March 7, 2025
I didn't know that this book is the second book in the series, and I blindly picked it up when I bought this in Big Bad Wolf last year. Perhaps I was entranced by the cover and the premise of mermaids. I just breezed through the book, even quite confused with some of the characters. The story picked up for me on the 100th page.
May 17, 2017
*ebook given through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review*
I loved this book! Characters were awesome,the story was pure magic and the overall atmosphere was enchanting! I enjoyed every minute spent with this book!
I loved this book! Characters were awesome,the story was pure magic and the overall atmosphere was enchanting! I enjoyed every minute spent with this book!
July 3, 2017
Fantastic book. Really challenging some gender stereotypes in YA fiction, and giving us a whole new world to explore. Read my review here: https://www.thefword.org.uk/2017/06/a...
July 30, 2017
I was first attracted by the beautiful book cover. Took a while for me to understand how each character is related to each other. Enjoyed the interesting ending. However I wished the book has more wholesome words instead.
May 18, 2017
Liked the different characters and point of views. Started off a bit slow, but overall it was a good read. Loved it.
September 21, 2017
A very sea-worthy sequel :)
October 19, 2018
It was a lovely book, took me a while to get into the world but I still really enjoyed it.
June 3, 2019
3.5 stronger than the first. Fast. Fun summer read.
Read
September 28, 2020Another fun brilliant Laura Dockrill book about a mermaid.
March 6, 2022
I thought lorali and Rory (kais) relationship was very plain and had no chemistry or memories together, however aurabel is a FUCKING BADASS I LOVE HER!!!!😍she carried this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2018
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Full Review Here
Before starting this book, I didn’t really know what to expect besides mermaids. This was also my first time reading anything by Laura Dockrill, so I didn’t have any expectations besides the first impressions from the cover and the blurb on the back. For some reason the cuteness of the cover made me think that Aurabel is a cute, whimsical children’s story. I was very, very wrong. The story itself is relatively dark, and it threw me off a bit. There was also quite a bit of strong language used by various characters throughout, which to me felt out of place among the mermaid-filled world.
Also, I thought that even though the cover of the first book in the series, Lorali, and the character of Lorali herself were mentioned on the back, I could get away with reading this as a standalone. I was also very, very wrong. There are key things that I didn’t fully understand because I didn’t read Lorali, but that was my fault, not the book’s. If you want to give Aurabel a go, I highly recommend reading Lorali first!! There was hardly any world-building in this book, mainly because it’s likely that the author assumed that Lorali would’ve been read first.
The story is narrated from three perspectives, Aurabel’s, Lorali’s and The Sea’s, like the actual ocean speaking about what’s happening. Sounds a little odd? Yeah, I thought that too, especially when I was reading the first page and I didn’t understand why the narrator said “the waves”, but then later said “my waters”. I had to re-read that part a few times before I realised that the little “The Sea” on top of the chapter name wasn’t the location, but the actual narrator. Also, on the topic of The Sea, I found it more insightful than helpful, like these mermaids were struggling and I felt like the ocean just kinda looked on?? 🤔
Some of the parts of the story felt odd, like the forums occasionally placed in between. I’m not too sure what the purpose of that was supposed to be, but it didn’t really have an effect on the story, and instead just really confused me. The comments were supposedly written in ‘chatspeak’, but everything was so difficult to read and it just hurt my brain to look at.
The mermaid world was very female-oriented, which was fun, and I really enjoyed that. Due to the female-oriented nature, there was a beautifully orchestrated queer relationship, but I didn’t like the direction it headed in after one party assumed things about the other. The other characters in the story were nice, but I didn’t really feel like they were well-constructed, and I couldn’t really connect to any of them.
The pacing was slightly odd, like I felt things were quite dragged on in the beginning, but then it was like a lever had been pulled and it went into speed overdrive, and by the end of it I just got lost. New characters were introduced that made no sense to me, and the ending was a little too perfect for my liking, everything was wrapped up neatly in a bow. EXCEPT for a few unfortunate characters, my heart went out to them instead of the main crew ☹
All in all, the premise was good, but you really need to have read Lorali beforehand to grasp the full story. I definitely do not recommend this book for young readers, BUT for YA readers, I suppose if you’ve read Lorali, it wouldn’t be too bad. I might read Lorali and then re-read Aurabel afterwards just to see how much of a difference it makes 😊
I received a review copy from the publisher
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Full Review Here
Before starting this book, I didn’t really know what to expect besides mermaids. This was also my first time reading anything by Laura Dockrill, so I didn’t have any expectations besides the first impressions from the cover and the blurb on the back. For some reason the cuteness of the cover made me think that Aurabel is a cute, whimsical children’s story. I was very, very wrong. The story itself is relatively dark, and it threw me off a bit. There was also quite a bit of strong language used by various characters throughout, which to me felt out of place among the mermaid-filled world.
Also, I thought that even though the cover of the first book in the series, Lorali, and the character of Lorali herself were mentioned on the back, I could get away with reading this as a standalone. I was also very, very wrong. There are key things that I didn’t fully understand because I didn’t read Lorali, but that was my fault, not the book’s. If you want to give Aurabel a go, I highly recommend reading Lorali first!! There was hardly any world-building in this book, mainly because it’s likely that the author assumed that Lorali would’ve been read first.
The story is narrated from three perspectives, Aurabel’s, Lorali’s and The Sea’s, like the actual ocean speaking about what’s happening. Sounds a little odd? Yeah, I thought that too, especially when I was reading the first page and I didn’t understand why the narrator said “the waves”, but then later said “my waters”. I had to re-read that part a few times before I realised that the little “The Sea” on top of the chapter name wasn’t the location, but the actual narrator. Also, on the topic of The Sea, I found it more insightful than helpful, like these mermaids were struggling and I felt like the ocean just kinda looked on?? 🤔
Some of the parts of the story felt odd, like the forums occasionally placed in between. I’m not too sure what the purpose of that was supposed to be, but it didn’t really have an effect on the story, and instead just really confused me. The comments were supposedly written in ‘chatspeak’, but everything was so difficult to read and it just hurt my brain to look at.
The mermaid world was very female-oriented, which was fun, and I really enjoyed that. Due to the female-oriented nature, there was a beautifully orchestrated queer relationship, but I didn’t like the direction it headed in after one party assumed things about the other. The other characters in the story were nice, but I didn’t really feel like they were well-constructed, and I couldn’t really connect to any of them.
The pacing was slightly odd, like I felt things were quite dragged on in the beginning, but then it was like a lever had been pulled and it went into speed overdrive, and by the end of it I just got lost. New characters were introduced that made no sense to me, and the ending was a little too perfect for my liking, everything was wrapped up neatly in a bow. EXCEPT for a few unfortunate characters, my heart went out to them instead of the main crew ☹
All in all, the premise was good, but you really need to have read Lorali beforehand to grasp the full story. I definitely do not recommend this book for young readers, BUT for YA readers, I suppose if you’ve read Lorali, it wouldn’t be too bad. I might read Lorali and then re-read Aurabel afterwards just to see how much of a difference it makes 😊
I received a review copy from the publisher
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