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Fairytale Verses #1
Sea Foam and Silence
Be careful what you wish for...
She warned of the pain. She did.
But no warning can prepare you.
Nothing can.
How could I have known
What it is like on the dry sand?
We just watched.
It’s hard, not being able to ask
Questions, though I have learned some speech
With my hands. ˆ_ˆ
I miss my sisters.
I have made friends here.
I have laughed with them,
Learned with them, played with them.
I love them.
She said I would die if he loves someone else.
Will I die? At the beginning I wanted to. It hurts
So much. Life isn’t easy, will never be easy, but…
I don’t want to become sea foam.
She warned of the pain. She did.
But no warning can prepare you.
Nothing can.
How could I have known
What it is like on the dry sand?
We just watched.
It’s hard, not being able to ask
Questions, though I have learned some speech
With my hands. ˆ_ˆ
I miss my sisters.
I have made friends here.
I have laughed with them,
Learned with them, played with them.
I love them.
She said I would die if he loves someone else.
Will I die? At the beginning I wanted to. It hurts
So much. Life isn’t easy, will never be easy, but…
I don’t want to become sea foam.
270 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2016
11 people are currently reading
942 people want to read
About the author
S.L. Dove Cooper
22 books73 followersS.L. Dove Cooper (she/they) is a queer author and editor. She spends much of her time exploring asexuality and aromanticism in literature, finally having found a good use for her MA in English literature and creative writing. She currently resides on the European continent and her idiom and spelling are, despite her best efforts, geographically confused, poor things. She has been chasing stories in some way or another since she was old enough to follow a narrative.
S.L. Dove also writes poetry under Dove Cooper.
S.L. Dove also writes poetry under Dove Cooper.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 16, 2016
Received as a gift from the author
In favour of me enjoying this book: I love retellings, especially ones which add in a bit of diversity or something else that updates the story. Not in favour: it’s a verse novel, and in free verse at that. I’m terrible and tend to prefer really structured poetry. Oh, and Lynn chose to use emoticons in the text, which she had solid reasoning for, but I am apparently just a cranky traditionalist and it tended to pull me out of things rather than add to it — though it does add something to how to read the lines, where in some places I wasn’t sure quite how to take the tone. I wouldn’t have known whether I was right or wrong without the emoticons, so they’re not without purpose.
So what did I think overall? Despite being not-for-me in some ways, I did enjoy reading it, and I read it quite fast — I’m glad I didn’t follow the web serial version, because I am an impatient creature. There’s some awesome lines and use of imagery, and some things just come across beautifully: one example is the mermaid’s love of dancing, for instance, and another is the quiet bond between the mermaid and the prince.
I shouldn’t spoil the story, because at the time of writing (August) the web serial is still running. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed this take on the story, and especially the role of the Witch and her more complex than usual motivations.
In favour of me enjoying this book: I love retellings, especially ones which add in a bit of diversity or something else that updates the story. Not in favour: it’s a verse novel, and in free verse at that. I’m terrible and tend to prefer really structured poetry. Oh, and Lynn chose to use emoticons in the text, which she had solid reasoning for, but I am apparently just a cranky traditionalist and it tended to pull me out of things rather than add to it — though it does add something to how to read the lines, where in some places I wasn’t sure quite how to take the tone. I wouldn’t have known whether I was right or wrong without the emoticons, so they’re not without purpose.
So what did I think overall? Despite being not-for-me in some ways, I did enjoy reading it, and I read it quite fast — I’m glad I didn’t follow the web serial version, because I am an impatient creature. There’s some awesome lines and use of imagery, and some things just come across beautifully: one example is the mermaid’s love of dancing, for instance, and another is the quiet bond between the mermaid and the prince.
I shouldn’t spoil the story, because at the time of writing (August) the web serial is still running. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed this take on the story, and especially the role of the Witch and her more complex than usual motivations.
March 14, 2017
I joined the #AceBookClub in reading Sea Foam and Silence. The idea of the book club is to read a book together and discuss it on Twitter. (Just so you know: You don’t have to be on the asexual spectrum to join.)
It’s an asexual retelling of The Little Mermaid. It’s #ownvoices.
The Good
This is a free verse novel. I was very hesitant about reading this book because of the writing style, but it suited the story. The little mermaid is confused most of the time, and the free verse, the emojis and the broken writing style conveyed her emotions very well. After reading the story, I cannot imagine this story being written in any other way.
The language in this book is delightful. I don’t want to spoil anything about the names, so I’ll just say it was fascinating how the author worked with the names of the characters. The mermaids use different words compared to the humans and it allowed the reader to become more aware of the mermaids’ world. Talking about the world, the world-building in this book is just amazing. It’s detailed and intricate, yet remains confusing off and on, which fits to the experiences of the little mermaid.
Imagine my delight when I discovered that the little mermaid loves dancing. The passages about dancing are very descriptive and emotional! Seriously, the verses really capture the emotions that I myself experience while dancing. My favourite quote would be this one, as I feel the same about choreography:
“He hired me tutors
Who tell me about ‘choreography’.
But I think it is inefficient. Untrue.
Incomplete.”
I read the little mermaid as aromantic as well, which is not canon but it’s just how I read it. I thought it was very interesting how love was analysed and pictured in this book.
The little mermaid has to learn a new language in the human world and this other favourite quote of mine really captures how I feel about speaking German sometimes.
“Sometimes I find it vexing,
The way I cannot say what I mean
Because I do not have the words.”>
The Bad
There is no follow-up about what happens to her sisters at the end, which I was hoping for. I’m hoping there’ll be a sequel, where I’ll get answers to some of the questions I have.
All in all
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone. The writing and the world-building is first class.
It’s an asexual retelling of The Little Mermaid. It’s #ownvoices.
The Good
This is a free verse novel. I was very hesitant about reading this book because of the writing style, but it suited the story. The little mermaid is confused most of the time, and the free verse, the emojis and the broken writing style conveyed her emotions very well. After reading the story, I cannot imagine this story being written in any other way.
The language in this book is delightful. I don’t want to spoil anything about the names, so I’ll just say it was fascinating how the author worked with the names of the characters. The mermaids use different words compared to the humans and it allowed the reader to become more aware of the mermaids’ world. Talking about the world, the world-building in this book is just amazing. It’s detailed and intricate, yet remains confusing off and on, which fits to the experiences of the little mermaid.
Imagine my delight when I discovered that the little mermaid loves dancing. The passages about dancing are very descriptive and emotional! Seriously, the verses really capture the emotions that I myself experience while dancing. My favourite quote would be this one, as I feel the same about choreography:
“He hired me tutors
Who tell me about ‘choreography’.
But I think it is inefficient. Untrue.
Incomplete.”
I read the little mermaid as aromantic as well, which is not canon but it’s just how I read it. I thought it was very interesting how love was analysed and pictured in this book.
The little mermaid has to learn a new language in the human world and this other favourite quote of mine really captures how I feel about speaking German sometimes.
“Sometimes I find it vexing,
The way I cannot say what I mean
Because I do not have the words.”>
The Bad
There is no follow-up about what happens to her sisters at the end, which I was hoping for. I’m hoping there’ll be a sequel, where I’ll get answers to some of the questions I have.
All in all
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone. The writing and the world-building is first class.
September 5, 2025
This is what loveless wished it was...
December 28, 2023
3.5 Nice queer asexual retelling of The Little Mermaid.
October 4, 2017
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
I didn't realize this at first, but Sea Foam and Silence is a novella told in verse, from a very limited point of view. I at first had difficulties adapting to this, but the style quickly charmed me, and made this an easy read. This style of verse was very unique, and, even though you don't know much about the lead character, you become very close to her through her experiences and the way she describes her emotions.
Often, the little mermaid was confused or lost, and, since she's a mermaid, she described basic tools in confusing terms. "Tall-crabs" were humans, "moving lands" are boats, etc. While that style was unique, it was confusing to me as a reader to follow along with. I kept going from confused to entertained to curious to confused again. Between these bouts of confusion, I was met with an extremely interesting and unique world, that I wanted to know more about.
Sea Foam and Silence starts slow, relying on your curiosity rather than action. While I thought the entire novella was interesting, I wasn't pulled into the story until the little mermaid was on her own. When she was, though, there was an odd time skip, from when she was transformed to a few weeks before she was supposed to turn into sea foam. Not only did I find this a weird point to include a time skip, but I also felt as if I was missing something important while I read on. The reader doesn't get to experience the development of the little mermaid and the prince's friendship, leaving this confusing hole where this development should have been. At this point, though, the aro/ace representation really started to shine through. It became obvious that the little mermaid and the prince would never fall "in love", despite their close friendship. I really enjoyed this part, because for once a romance wasn't being shoved on me.
The ending confused me a lot. I really appreciated the message it sent, but afterwards it took quite a while to wrap up. The ending was stretched out way past what the reader was lead to believe was the ending, so when I was expecting an ending, instead I got introduced to a new character. While I really enjoyed the eventual ending that finally came about, I was bored during it.
Three stars - Overall?
Sea Foam and Silence was a really interesting and unique take on The Little Mermaid, one that I ultimately enjoyed. I really appreciated the aro/ace rep, because it was made obvious without ever stating the words "aromantic" or "asexual". Despite this, I found myself bored in some parts, and confused during others. It was a very limited point of view, which was interesting, but it was hard reading from a character that already had a limited view on the world.
Would I Recommend?
Considering aro/ace rep is fairly uncommon, yes! I still really enjoyed this story, despite being confused often and bored in other place. I know there are definitely people out there who would enjoy this immensely, and others where this rep would mean the world to.
I didn't realize this at first, but Sea Foam and Silence is a novella told in verse, from a very limited point of view. I at first had difficulties adapting to this, but the style quickly charmed me, and made this an easy read. This style of verse was very unique, and, even though you don't know much about the lead character, you become very close to her through her experiences and the way she describes her emotions.
Often, the little mermaid was confused or lost, and, since she's a mermaid, she described basic tools in confusing terms. "Tall-crabs" were humans, "moving lands" are boats, etc. While that style was unique, it was confusing to me as a reader to follow along with. I kept going from confused to entertained to curious to confused again. Between these bouts of confusion, I was met with an extremely interesting and unique world, that I wanted to know more about.
Sea Foam and Silence starts slow, relying on your curiosity rather than action. While I thought the entire novella was interesting, I wasn't pulled into the story until the little mermaid was on her own. When she was, though, there was an odd time skip, from when she was transformed to a few weeks before she was supposed to turn into sea foam. Not only did I find this a weird point to include a time skip, but I also felt as if I was missing something important while I read on. The reader doesn't get to experience the development of the little mermaid and the prince's friendship, leaving this confusing hole where this development should have been. At this point, though, the aro/ace representation really started to shine through. It became obvious that the little mermaid and the prince would never fall "in love", despite their close friendship. I really enjoyed this part, because for once a romance wasn't being shoved on me.
The ending confused me a lot. I really appreciated the message it sent, but afterwards it took quite a while to wrap up. The ending was stretched out way past what the reader was lead to believe was the ending, so when I was expecting an ending, instead I got introduced to a new character. While I really enjoyed the eventual ending that finally came about, I was bored during it.
Three stars - Overall?
Sea Foam and Silence was a really interesting and unique take on The Little Mermaid, one that I ultimately enjoyed. I really appreciated the aro/ace rep, because it was made obvious without ever stating the words "aromantic" or "asexual". Despite this, I found myself bored in some parts, and confused during others. It was a very limited point of view, which was interesting, but it was hard reading from a character that already had a limited view on the world.
Would I Recommend?
Considering aro/ace rep is fairly uncommon, yes! I still really enjoyed this story, despite being confused often and bored in other place. I know there are definitely people out there who would enjoy this immensely, and others where this rep would mean the world to.
August 8, 2017
Yay polyamory, asexuality, queerness! This lil mermaid > Disney any day. I liked the development of Maris's understandings of "family," and although found the first person verse a bit tedious at times (same rhythm over & over; some may find this soothing), I didn't feel as exhausted by it as I expected to when I began. I also thought the first person would get exhausting but it was pretty ok!
I didn't actually realize it was supposed to be poetry until I finished it and was speculating on why it was written this way, and it seemed like an interesting accessibility move, along with the emoticons, which I haven't ever seen in a book outside of like texts or emails displayed on the page! Interesting but not necessarily a thing I personally liked.
I didn't actually realize it was supposed to be poetry until I finished it and was speculating on why it was written this way, and it seemed like an interesting accessibility move, along with the emoticons, which I haven't ever seen in a book outside of like texts or emails displayed on the page! Interesting but not necessarily a thing I personally liked.
March 14, 2018
This was an easy and really sweet read! I was hesitant to start the book due to the free verse, but surprisingly enough I enjoyed the verse form and thought it made the story flow well. I think it actually worked out nicely in conveying the narrator's confusion and feelings. Same goes for the usage of emoticons; they were a sweet touch. Plus points also for the ace representation and lovely relationship dynamics between the mermaid, Prince, and Princess.
February 25, 2017
All I knew was «it's an ace retelling of The Little Mermaid» and I was already sold. I had so many other books to read and so little time, so first, I just added it to my to-read-list. Then I became weak, I bought the kindle version, and I started reading few hours later.
I actually managed to find some time to read, mostly just before sleeping, and it was always hard to put it down. The novel is written in free verse, so it's a quick read. It was the first time I read a novel in verse, though I wanted to try for a long time. It was really pleasing and relaxing. It was just what I needed before going back to a huge novel full of description. The mermaid's motivations always are clear and it's very easy to drown(no (bad) pun intended) yourself in the book with her.
It's told from the mermaid's point of view. She tells us about her life as a mermaid, about her sisters and their hunts. The mermaids got their own words to talk about human's things, some very accurate words to be honest. Overall the mermaid's journey is full of innocence, even when she has to hunt, when she's lonely and confused (she often is confused). I'm not gonna talk a lot about it, even though it's a retelling and the main plot is known, it varies a lot and it's fun to discover it. Let's just say I loved it.
Concerning the asexual part, because obviously I have to talk about it : I also loved it. The mermaid's thoughts reminded me of my own old confusion. Same thing with the aro-spec part, I related so much. It wasn't there as in a dictionary, it was just.. there, showing people it's okay to be like that, you can still have your happy end. The book goes beyond the asexuality in the MOGAI themes. I.e. what I like with this mermaid thingy, is that you can read it about being transgender. And some sentences spoke to me in that level.
So if it was so sweet, if it touch my heart, if I loved it so much, why only 3 stars?
Well, first of all, it's more a 3,5.
There's the thing with the smiley in the writing. At first I was really surprised, but I started loving the idea very quickly. I was really excited to see how it would be used, but in the end I was disappointed. I thought there would be more once the mermaid lost her voice. In the same way, I think it would have been more useful during dialogues, but there weren't more in them than usual. The smileys ended up confusing me. Sometimes I didn't know how to read what she was saying because I thought she meant it in some way, but the smiley was telling me something else, and a something else which didn't make sense to me. I still like the idea and I hope to see more use of this.
So I ended up being very confused from times to times, as the mermaid. Because the mermaid is confused, a lot. And she doesn't know much. It's crystal clear -maybe too much. There were too many «I do not know» in my opinion. I like repetition a lot, but this one didn't work. It became exhausting and I felt lost, as the mermaid. So maybe it was the point, because I really felt like her.
I could add the fact I wish there were more about the prince and the princess (but it's just because I liked them so much, we often want more of the good things).
It's a few details. Overall it was a really sweet read that I'll recommend. I still have many books to read, but I'll make sure to read more from the author soon!
I actually managed to find some time to read, mostly just before sleeping, and it was always hard to put it down. The novel is written in free verse, so it's a quick read. It was the first time I read a novel in verse, though I wanted to try for a long time. It was really pleasing and relaxing. It was just what I needed before going back to a huge novel full of description. The mermaid's motivations always are clear and it's very easy to drown
It's told from the mermaid's point of view. She tells us about her life as a mermaid, about her sisters and their hunts. The mermaids got their own words to talk about human's things, some very accurate words to be honest. Overall the mermaid's journey is full of innocence, even when she has to hunt, when she's lonely and confused (she often is confused). I'm not gonna talk a lot about it, even though it's a retelling and the main plot is known, it varies a lot and it's fun to discover it. Let's just say I loved it.
Concerning the asexual part, because obviously I have to talk about it : I also loved it. The mermaid's thoughts reminded me of my own old confusion. Same thing with the aro-spec part, I related so much. It wasn't there as in a dictionary, it was just.. there, showing people it's okay to be like that, you can still have your happy end. The book goes beyond the asexuality in the MOGAI themes. I.e. what I like with this mermaid thingy, is that you can read it about being transgender. And some sentences spoke to me in that level.
So if it was so sweet, if it touch my heart, if I loved it so much, why only 3 stars?
Well, first of all, it's more a 3,5.
There's the thing with the smiley in the writing. At first I was really surprised, but I started loving the idea very quickly. I was really excited to see how it would be used, but in the end I was disappointed. I thought there would be more once the mermaid lost her voice. In the same way, I think it would have been more useful during dialogues, but there weren't more in them than usual. The smileys ended up confusing me. Sometimes I didn't know how to read what she was saying because I thought she meant it in some way, but the smiley was telling me something else, and a something else which didn't make sense to me. I still like the idea and I hope to see more use of this.
So I ended up being very confused from times to times, as the mermaid. Because the mermaid is confused, a lot. And she doesn't know much. It's crystal clear -maybe too much. There were too many «I do not know» in my opinion. I like repetition a lot, but this one didn't work. It became exhausting and I felt lost, as the mermaid. So maybe it was the point, because I really felt like her.
I could add the fact I wish there were more about the prince and the princess (but it's just because I liked them so much, we often want more of the good things).
It's a few details. Overall it was a really sweet read that I'll recommend. I still have many books to read, but I'll make sure to read more from the author soon!
May 29, 2018
this diverse retelling in verse is amazing. it is not only refreshing because of its diversity, but also so interesting. the way the author engages the retelling and introduces both new and old parts of the story is fabulous. the main character was so great, not only in terms of personality but also the journey she goes through. definitely recommend
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
March 17, 2024
Marking this in StoryGraph as 3.75 stars! I checked this out on a whim, and I don’t regret it!! (Maybe I’ll impulse buy the companion novel?) It was a cute queerplatonic Little Mermaid retelling, with a sprinkle of polyamory towards the end. Bernard and Maris’s relationship was so sweet, I loved the understanding they showed each other, and it’s just nice to see platonic love in a story like this?!?! Maris’s understanding of love, and it being different from the amanormativity and allonormativity of the rest of her human(“tall-crab”) world was not only validated, but was also written in a way where her asexuality/aromanticism wasn’t a result of her being a mermaid and was just part of her as a person(?)/character.
While not told in the most poetic of prose, I did also like Maris’s internal conflict surrounding her deal with the witch. She finds a lot of joy in “simple” human things, and there was a quiet beauty in her holding onto that, as well as her friendship with the prince, when she was still finding out where in the human world she fits into and if she needed to give up herself.
And I also liked how language was talked about, even if that’s a smaller theme! Maris is mute for most of the book(not for the traditional Little Mermaid reason, she still has her tongue and voice intact), so she communicates through sign language for a bulk of it, and there are a couple of lines about the slight language barrier she has when trying to learn different human terms. (Arguably, her self-expression through dance can be included in this, too.)
I wish this had been a little longer so we could see more of Maris’s human firsts, and some of the other characters in the kingdom!! And what’s going on with her sisters now? Most of the focus is on her, Bernard and Asha, so even if there are other characters it still *feels* like a very small cast. I also understand that some people might not like the emoticon use, although I thought it worked as an occasional tone tag and a way to characterize Maris’s naïveté. My last issue is that this sort of has the “Turtle Under Ice” problem where this feels more like chopped-up writing than poetry at times, but the sample I saw for the companion novel seemed to do this much less.
Honestly aromantic rep is lacking so if you want to check this out for something simple and cut that *isn’t* just arophobia and questioning for 260 pages, I’d say to give it a shot.
While not told in the most poetic of prose, I did also like Maris’s internal conflict surrounding her deal with the witch. She finds a lot of joy in “simple” human things, and there was a quiet beauty in her holding onto that, as well as her friendship with the prince, when she was still finding out where in the human world she fits into and if she needed to give up herself.
And I also liked how language was talked about, even if that’s a smaller theme! Maris is mute for most of the book(not for the traditional Little Mermaid reason, she still has her tongue and voice intact), so she communicates through sign language for a bulk of it, and there are a couple of lines about the slight language barrier she has when trying to learn different human terms. (Arguably, her self-expression through dance can be included in this, too.)
I wish this had been a little longer so we could see more of Maris’s human firsts, and some of the other characters in the kingdom!! And what’s going on with her sisters now? Most of the focus is on her, Bernard and Asha, so even if there are other characters it still *feels* like a very small cast. I also understand that some people might not like the emoticon use, although I thought it worked as an occasional tone tag and a way to characterize Maris’s naïveté. My last issue is that this sort of has the “Turtle Under Ice” problem where this feels more like chopped-up writing than poetry at times, but the sample I saw for the companion novel seemed to do this much less.
Honestly aromantic rep is lacking so if you want to check this out for something simple and cut that *isn’t* just arophobia and questioning for 260 pages, I’d say to give it a shot.
August 10, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The Little Mermaid is one of my favourite fairytales, and this queer retelling is exactly the kind of story I've been looking for. I do wonder if HCA would've written his story differently, had he written it today and not in the 19th century - perhaps he'd have written it more openly queer?
Anyway, I really enjoyed this take on the story, with a mermaid that is depicted as a clearly non-human being, in a loving and supportive queerplatonic relationship with two humans. Soft and lovely.
The reason why I'm not giving it full stars is because the way the story was told never really jived with me. It's told in verse, which is fine, but I personally prefer verse that's structured (rhyme, metric, *something* of a pattern) and I couldn't find much of a pattern in these. It ended up really grating on me, and left me with the feeling that the story was less verse and more simplified prose that'd been chopped up. On one hand, if we assume the verses were written by the mermaid protagonist, it's a cool way to show that she isn't human and doesn't adhere to human convention and culture, but on the other...I just didn't like it. I wasn't a fan of the emoticons either; I feel like those belong only in written communication (like text or chat messages) and since there was zero indication of the society depicted having that technology, that just took me out of the story entirely because I couldn't figure out why or how the protagonist would even know about them to use them.
That said! It was a lovely read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an alternative (queer) take on The Little Mermaid.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this take on the story, with a mermaid that is depicted as a clearly non-human being, in a loving and supportive queerplatonic relationship with two humans. Soft and lovely.
The reason why I'm not giving it full stars is because the way the story was told never really jived with me. It's told in verse, which is fine, but I personally prefer verse that's structured (rhyme, metric, *something* of a pattern) and I couldn't find much of a pattern in these. It ended up really grating on me, and left me with the feeling that the story was less verse and more simplified prose that'd been chopped up. On one hand, if we assume the verses were written by the mermaid protagonist, it's a cool way to show that she isn't human and doesn't adhere to human convention and culture, but on the other...I just didn't like it. I wasn't a fan of the emoticons either; I feel like those belong only in written communication (like text or chat messages) and since there was zero indication of the society depicted having that technology, that just took me out of the story entirely because I couldn't figure out why or how the protagonist would even know about them to use them.
That said! It was a lovely read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an alternative (queer) take on The Little Mermaid.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 18, 2017
This was incredibly comforting as someone still working through aro-specness. It's often advertised/talked about as an ace retelling, but the fact that Maris is aro-spec came through just as strongly and was just as important.
I loved that multiple characters, human and mermaid, were ace-spec and/or aro-spec. It makes it clear that being aspec isn't related to the parts of Maris that aren't human and that aspecness isn't what separated her from her sisters. Notes on the chars and rep:
I loved Maris speaking sign language, and it was so excellent that Asta spoke it too. Honestly, everything about the relationships among Maris, Bernhard, and Asta was a delight. Seeing the three of them figure out what they wanted and who they were and how to stand up for that <3 <3 <3
A list of other favorite things: emoticons mixed in with the verse because it feels so very Maris, Maris's love of dance even though it hurts, the tension that comes from missing something when you've chosen to give it up.
I loved that multiple characters, human and mermaid, were ace-spec and/or aro-spec. It makes it clear that being aspec isn't related to the parts of Maris that aren't human and that aspecness isn't what separated her from her sisters. Notes on the chars and rep:
I loved Maris speaking sign language, and it was so excellent that Asta spoke it too. Honestly, everything about the relationships among Maris, Bernhard, and Asta was a delight. Seeing the three of them figure out what they wanted and who they were and how to stand up for that <3 <3 <3
A list of other favorite things: emoticons mixed in with the verse because it feels so very Maris, Maris's love of dance even though it hurts, the tension that comes from missing something when you've chosen to give it up.
August 7, 2017
This book was such a lovely read! I had it recommended to me for a reading challenge and had never heard of it before, but was very pleasantly surprised. It's rare to read narratives like this in verse but I found I rather enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding (particularly the efforts taken to make mermaids not just humans with fins but entirely different creatures with different values and a different culture) as well as the characterization. Both the protagonist mermaid and the characters that became more central in the 2nd and 3rd parts of the story were easy to relate to, nuanced and complex, and I really rooted for them. It also makes some great commentary on the ideals we humans attach to the concept of love.
Though what was most surprising to me was that I did not mind the use of emoticons at all! I thought I would find them achronic and disruptive, but I found that the prose was settled so deep in the main character's emotions that they really ended up just feeling like a way to color a line with a particular emotion and I actually ended up quite liking how they were used!
Though what was most surprising to me was that I did not mind the use of emoticons at all! I thought I would find them achronic and disruptive, but I found that the prose was settled so deep in the main character's emotions that they really ended up just feeling like a way to color a line with a particular emotion and I actually ended up quite liking how they were used!
April 10, 2020
This is an awesome story! Verse isn't my personal favorite format, but it worked so well for this story! It really enabled us to feel Maris' (the little mermaid's) emotions because she was expressing herself through poetry. This retelling really explores why the little mermaid wanted to meet humans, and it makes her transition from being fully involved in her underwater business to gradually figuring out that humans are not just prey but have thoughts and feelings, and she goes back and forth a lot between trusting her own experience with them vs. trusting what she has always ben taught, which I felt was really realistic. I also enjoyed this interpretation of the character of the Witch. The love story felt fully explored and fleshed out, and I adored the non-standard ending!
Incomplete list of rep we get:
Ace-aro sex-repulsed
Lesbians (and normalization of lesbian marriage)
Polyamory
Allosexuals in relationships with aces without pressuring them for sex
Incomplete list of rep we get:
Ace-aro sex-repulsed
Lesbians (and normalization of lesbian marriage)
Polyamory
Allosexuals in relationships with aces without pressuring them for sex
April 13, 2025
Based largely on the Hans Christian Andersen story of the Little Mermaid, this poetic retelling follows a little mermaid as she strikes out on her own, learns to appreciate that humans (Tall-Crabs) might be more than just food, gains feet, learns to dance, and searches for the meaning of love.
This was a really delightful format for this story. The poetic lines were playful and occasionally adventurous. The occasional addition of emoticons was a fun touch. There were a few places where I really wasn't sure what was going on, which is probably because the protagonist didn't really know what was going on, and that diminished my enjoyment a little. I was also perplexed about the ending, as it seemed to add a complicated conflict in the last few pages, one that the little mermaid was not equipped to explain. It felt more like a sequel and less like a final chapter. Still, there was some unique queer representation, which is what I was looking for, and it was fun to read.
This was a really delightful format for this story. The poetic lines were playful and occasionally adventurous. The occasional addition of emoticons was a fun touch. There were a few places where I really wasn't sure what was going on, which is probably because the protagonist didn't really know what was going on, and that diminished my enjoyment a little. I was also perplexed about the ending, as it seemed to add a complicated conflict in the last few pages, one that the little mermaid was not equipped to explain. It felt more like a sequel and less like a final chapter. Still, there was some unique queer representation, which is what I was looking for, and it was fun to read.
September 7, 2019
I'm always incredibly nervous whenever I read a book one of my friends wrote because, what if I don't like it? But luckily for me, Sea Foam and Silence was a great read!
I usually only consume novels in verse as audiobooks because I was somehow convinced that that's the only way they worked for me, but this book proved me wrong. I loved the writing, the story, the characters, and I especially loved the ace rep. It sometimes felt a little slow while I was reading it, but looking back on it I also don't think the book was unnecessarily long so... I guess that was just me being impatient, lol.
I can't wait to read more of Lynn's books!
I usually only consume novels in verse as audiobooks because I was somehow convinced that that's the only way they worked for me, but this book proved me wrong. I loved the writing, the story, the characters, and I especially loved the ace rep. It sometimes felt a little slow while I was reading it, but looking back on it I also don't think the book was unnecessarily long so... I guess that was just me being impatient, lol.
I can't wait to read more of Lynn's books!
August 31, 2020
It's a retelling of the Little Mermaid, in verse.
October 22, 2025
Oh, this was fascinating, lovely, and totally unique! I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was pulled in by things like the Witch and Maris' inner journey regarding love and transformation. I love how her decision to go to land was built up over time. This book was like stepping into a sweet dream, and it was a complete treat!
February 15, 2019
Very cute! I honestly was quite thrown by the format, since I read prose normally. But it was actually quite compelling, and I loved the inclusion of emojis. They really gave a real feel to her experiences. And I always love seeing aroace characters and queerplatonic representation!
June 18, 2021
Written in verse form. Not really the asexual novel I was expecting, but it kind of is there. If you are looking for books largely about the lgbtq+ community then this is not the one, but it is a cute read.
July 31, 2018
I love this book a lot. The writing is beautiful, it's a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales, and it's got aromantic and asexual characters!
January 11, 2019
I don't know if it's a really bad book, or if it's just too bad for me. Barely finished it. #ownvoices
May 4, 2020
Oh, god, my eyes. It burns.
People who write such godawful “verse” novels need Jesus. That, or Vikram Seth because he’s the closest living equivalent.
This is an art form, people. Respect it.
People who write such godawful “verse” novels need Jesus. That, or Vikram Seth because he’s the closest living equivalent.
This is an art form, people. Respect it.
October 14, 2020
This was . . . strange. Sort of sweet. Not really my thing, and the writing felt a little too simplistic sometimes, but I did enjoy the second half.
January 12, 2022
I thought the writing was overall lyrical and I love a novel in verse, however the emoji faces threw me off every single time and removed me from the narrative
November 27, 2022
I did enjoy having a book with ace characters, I just sometimes struggle with poetry books.
October 6, 2024
A retelling of The Little Mermaid in free verse with some interesting touches - a different take on what merfolk mean by 'sister'; ace, aro, and poly characters; a mute character using sign language. The verse itself... isn't amazing. There are some off word/phrase choices for me, I really didn't like the use of emojis, and overall it was a bit clunky.
February 26, 2017
I was really curious about this story because it was described to me as a "The Little Mermaid retelling in verse with an ace main character".
To be honest, the story is interesting. I like the way the mermaid is characterized, her motivations and her personality. I also like the way her character evolves and changes and questions herself throughout the novel. Well, and the ending is incredibly adorable.
The way it's written is different to what I'm used to and I thought it was going to be the reason I wasn't going to like reading it. However, I actually enjoyed reading something so unique and unusual. It also helped that it was written in free verse. Moreover, I feel like basing the story on the original version instead of Disney's.
I'm honestly happy I've read it.
To be honest, the story is interesting. I like the way the mermaid is characterized, her motivations and her personality. I also like the way her character evolves and changes and questions herself throughout the novel. Well, and the ending is incredibly adorable.
The way it's written is different to what I'm used to and I thought it was going to be the reason I wasn't going to like reading it. However, I actually enjoyed reading something so unique and unusual. It also helped that it was written in free verse. Moreover, I feel like basing the story on the original version instead of Disney's.
I'm honestly happy I've read it.
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