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The Mermaids of Lake Michigan
Elise Faulkner is more at home in the waters of her beloved Lake Michigan than on land where her beauty queen mom is always on her back about her lack of a social life; her sister is dating the boy of her dreams; her favorite penpal--the one who wrote about mermaids in Ghana--has gotten married and ended their correspondence; and no one's allowed to talk about her glamorous great-grandmother, the deep-sea wreck diver. Elise is biding her time with books until she can flee. But then crazy Chiara Hanover pops into her life, as does Miguel, a mysterious carnival worker whose dark future has been predicted by a gypsy.
182 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2017
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1221 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Kamata
43 books301 followersFive-time Pushcart Prize nominee Suzanne Kamata is the author of the memoir Squeaky Wheels: Travels with My Daughter by Train, Plane, Metro, Tuk-tuk and Wheelchair (Wyatt-Mackenzie, 2019); the novels Indigo Girl (GemmaMedia, 2019), The Mermaids of Lake Michigan (Wyatt-Mackenzie, 2017), Screaming Divas (Merit Press, 2014), Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible (GemmaMedia, 2013) and Losing Kei (Leapfrog Press, 2008); and editor of three anthologies - The Broken Bridge: Fiction from Expatriates in Literary Japan, Love You to Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs, and Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing, 2009). Her short fiction and essays have appeared widely. She was a winner in the memoir category of the Half the World Global Literati Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 11, 2016
This is my book. Of course I'm going to give it five stars.
April 12, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
It was Mrs. Churchill. She was the only person I’d ever seen with a parasol. She held it in one hand. With the other, she was hanging onto the fingers of a girl about my age with hair the color of orange Kool-Aid. I wanted to take a pen and connect the freckles on her face into funny constellations.
We’d already had our talk about the birds and the bees. At that time what she’d said had so repulsed me I’d vowed to stay a virgin forever.
Most kids had decorated the inside door of their lockers with magazine pictures of teen idols or big bold words cut from advertisements: Fresh! Just do it! Sexy. The only picture in Matt’s locker was a sepia-toned postcard of Einstein on a bicycle.
I’d had a taste of adventure and I knew I wanted more… In the meantime, I was under house arrest.
I was terrified of telling my parents… the biggest scandal in the family since my great-grandmother, the flame-haired Margaret Stieg, in her fur coat and pearls, had hopped onto a train with her (alleged) bootlegger boyfriend, and disappeared out west, where there was hardly any water. Would my name be banned from conversation one day too?
My Review:
I vacillated and wavered in how to rate this amusing and insightful coming of age tale. I adored the vast majority of this keenly observant and emotive first person narrative and while reviewing my notes and favorite quotes – I found myself smiling. So shrugging – I have to give this tale a full five-star rating for the quality of the writing alone. Ms. Kamata has produced an outstandingly accurate depiction of the time period and fully captured the thought processes, outlook, and constricted life experiences of a young girl living in a small town during the 1970s. I know this as fact and entirely all too well, as it felt like she was pulling snippets from that dusty file cabinet tucked away in the corner of my brain that is untidily packed with childhood memories. In reading Ms. Kamata’s engaging words, vivid memories and feelings that I had not summoned for ions began to surface and wash over me. Like Elise, I also came of age in a small town during the 70’s, with one sister and extremely religious and uptight white conservative parents. Although I must confess, Elise’s family was actually much nicer than mine ever tried to be.
For much of the story I could have been Elise, so it quickly became personal and very real to me. I definitely recall thinking and feeling in a similar manner as detailed in her entertaining observations; the embarrassing mistakes and sense of confusion that occurred from the literal mindset of youth, as well as feeling painfully constrained by the rigid expectations of over-controlling parents as well as being totally lacking in useful life experience due to a complete dearth of choice, options, or exposure. I also recall the sense of being listless and bored stiff by the bland and colorless routine of a tightly religious and narrow-minded small-town community so that anything new or different had an immediate taint of the taboo so of course to me it was instantly thrilling, highly exciting, alluring, and exotic; which and also led to new and refreshing flights of fancy and hopeful daydreams all featuring me in the starring role. Ms. Kamata’s craftily written tale adroitly detailed and portrayed that era and phase of life in a remarkably deft manner.
It was Mrs. Churchill. She was the only person I’d ever seen with a parasol. She held it in one hand. With the other, she was hanging onto the fingers of a girl about my age with hair the color of orange Kool-Aid. I wanted to take a pen and connect the freckles on her face into funny constellations.
We’d already had our talk about the birds and the bees. At that time what she’d said had so repulsed me I’d vowed to stay a virgin forever.
Most kids had decorated the inside door of their lockers with magazine pictures of teen idols or big bold words cut from advertisements: Fresh! Just do it! Sexy. The only picture in Matt’s locker was a sepia-toned postcard of Einstein on a bicycle.
I’d had a taste of adventure and I knew I wanted more… In the meantime, I was under house arrest.
I was terrified of telling my parents… the biggest scandal in the family since my great-grandmother, the flame-haired Margaret Stieg, in her fur coat and pearls, had hopped onto a train with her (alleged) bootlegger boyfriend, and disappeared out west, where there was hardly any water. Would my name be banned from conversation one day too?
My Review:
I vacillated and wavered in how to rate this amusing and insightful coming of age tale. I adored the vast majority of this keenly observant and emotive first person narrative and while reviewing my notes and favorite quotes – I found myself smiling. So shrugging – I have to give this tale a full five-star rating for the quality of the writing alone. Ms. Kamata has produced an outstandingly accurate depiction of the time period and fully captured the thought processes, outlook, and constricted life experiences of a young girl living in a small town during the 1970s. I know this as fact and entirely all too well, as it felt like she was pulling snippets from that dusty file cabinet tucked away in the corner of my brain that is untidily packed with childhood memories. In reading Ms. Kamata’s engaging words, vivid memories and feelings that I had not summoned for ions began to surface and wash over me. Like Elise, I also came of age in a small town during the 70’s, with one sister and extremely religious and uptight white conservative parents. Although I must confess, Elise’s family was actually much nicer than mine ever tried to be.
For much of the story I could have been Elise, so it quickly became personal and very real to me. I definitely recall thinking and feeling in a similar manner as detailed in her entertaining observations; the embarrassing mistakes and sense of confusion that occurred from the literal mindset of youth, as well as feeling painfully constrained by the rigid expectations of over-controlling parents as well as being totally lacking in useful life experience due to a complete dearth of choice, options, or exposure. I also recall the sense of being listless and bored stiff by the bland and colorless routine of a tightly religious and narrow-minded small-town community so that anything new or different had an immediate taint of the taboo so of course to me it was instantly thrilling, highly exciting, alluring, and exotic; which and also led to new and refreshing flights of fancy and hopeful daydreams all featuring me in the starring role. Ms. Kamata’s craftily written tale adroitly detailed and portrayed that era and phase of life in a remarkably deft manner.
December 10, 2017
It's the 1970s and Elise loves books. She's better with paper than people and her best friends are penpals. She loves Lake Michigan and is fascinated by her family history associated with the water. Elise doesn't socialize much, she likes spending time on her own. Her mother and sister are different in this area. Elise's mother used to be a beauty queen and still longs for those days. She wants her daughters to be popular and thrive, but Elise isn't interested. When Elise's younger sister Amanda starts dating the boy Elise is in love with Elise could definitely use some good in her life. Fortunately Chiara has just moved to town. Chiara doesn't care what other people think of her, she's free, opinionated and wild and she's exactly what Elise needs to come out of her shell.
Elise changes under the influence of Chiara. She becomes more outspoken and finally finds her own style. When being at the carnival with Chiara Elise meets Miguel. He's a gypsy musician working there for a few days before traveling further. There's something brewing between them, but will Elise ever see him again once he moves on? What will be the influence of her new friends on her life?
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a beautiful coming of age story. I immediately liked Elise. She's smart and kind. She doesn't have much going on in her life, but fills her days with books. That changes when she meets Chiara. She's finally found someone interesting enough to become friends with. Chiara does whatever she wants and that is something new for Elise. She's a good girl, used to certain rules, but for Chiara there are none, which has a lot more appeal. Of course this new way of life can easily get out of hand and I was really curious to find out what would happen next. I found myself surprised numerous times, which is something I liked a lot.
Suzanne Kamata has written a fantastic story and I loved the vivid way she describes her main characters and their emotions. It wasn't difficult to picture why Elise would feel enchanted by Miguel. I liked the way their connection was being described and it made me anxious to keep reading from the moment they meet. Their relationship has plenty of layers and it's fabulously messy. Elise is growing up quickly and that process was amazing to watch. She has to make her own decisions and life isn't always fair, which is a fascinating theme for a story. I was mesmerized by The Mermaids of Lake Michigan from the very first page and absolutely loved this terrific story.
Elise changes under the influence of Chiara. She becomes more outspoken and finally finds her own style. When being at the carnival with Chiara Elise meets Miguel. He's a gypsy musician working there for a few days before traveling further. There's something brewing between them, but will Elise ever see him again once he moves on? What will be the influence of her new friends on her life?
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a beautiful coming of age story. I immediately liked Elise. She's smart and kind. She doesn't have much going on in her life, but fills her days with books. That changes when she meets Chiara. She's finally found someone interesting enough to become friends with. Chiara does whatever she wants and that is something new for Elise. She's a good girl, used to certain rules, but for Chiara there are none, which has a lot more appeal. Of course this new way of life can easily get out of hand and I was really curious to find out what would happen next. I found myself surprised numerous times, which is something I liked a lot.
Suzanne Kamata has written a fantastic story and I loved the vivid way she describes her main characters and their emotions. It wasn't difficult to picture why Elise would feel enchanted by Miguel. I liked the way their connection was being described and it made me anxious to keep reading from the moment they meet. Their relationship has plenty of layers and it's fabulously messy. Elise is growing up quickly and that process was amazing to watch. She has to make her own decisions and life isn't always fair, which is a fascinating theme for a story. I was mesmerized by The Mermaids of Lake Michigan from the very first page and absolutely loved this terrific story.
February 14, 2017
I admit to being a sucker for a good coming-of-age story, especially one set in the 70s or 80s with an engaging main character. Elise Faulkner of The Mermaids of Lake Michigan won me over from the start. A bit of an introvert, Elise would rather read a book or write to her pen-pals from other countries than actually interact with others. She believes in mermaids (her great grandmother was a wreck diver who swore she saw one once) and she feels different and set apart from her family and the people in her small town of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The summer she is seventeen she befriends Chiara, her neighbor's granddaughter and falls in love with a young Romani drifter and her life changes as she tries to navigate life and adulthood.
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is less than 200 pages but it feels like a longer book with its beautiful writing and depth of character and story. Suzanne Kamata skillfully captures the feelings of growing up in a small town in the 1970s and although I went through my adolescence about a decade later, across the country in the Pacific Northwest, I could definitely relate to Elise and her thoughts and feelings. There is a bit of magical realism woven into the store but it is subtle and doesn't take away from the very real moments. This is a wonderful book to curl up with and go back in time to adolescence, both the heady, brilliant moments and the painful, sometimes crushing ones.
You can see my review, a recipe inspired by the book and enter a giveaway (Through 2/27/17) to win a copy for yourself, on my blog post: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of the "Mermaids of Lake Michigan" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is less than 200 pages but it feels like a longer book with its beautiful writing and depth of character and story. Suzanne Kamata skillfully captures the feelings of growing up in a small town in the 1970s and although I went through my adolescence about a decade later, across the country in the Pacific Northwest, I could definitely relate to Elise and her thoughts and feelings. There is a bit of magical realism woven into the store but it is subtle and doesn't take away from the very real moments. This is a wonderful book to curl up with and go back in time to adolescence, both the heady, brilliant moments and the painful, sometimes crushing ones.
You can see my review, a recipe inspired by the book and enter a giveaway (Through 2/27/17) to win a copy for yourself, on my blog post: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of the "Mermaids of Lake Michigan" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 8, 2017
Suzanne Kamata has done it again--a beautifully written and compelling coming of age story.
September 17, 2020
Magical Realism is a bit of hit and miss with me. This one is somewhat of a miss because I just couldn't figure out what the whole point of the story is. The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a coming-of-age story where a girl begins to realise that her parents aren't as infallible or perfect as she always thought they were when she was a little girl and her journey to that acceptance as she steps into her womanhood. It is told solely from the point of view of Elise Faulkner who was a loner until one summer when another girl breezed into her life and changed everything. The story itself isn't all sad even if I feel there is that tone of sadness along with exhilaration of promise as saying goodbye to previous phase of life and moving on to a new one.
May 19, 2018
I have been enjoying some YA novels by Suzanne Kamata. First of all, it's amazing how much fun it is to read books written for young people. Yesterday I set myself to get through the second half of Mermaids and it didn't take long. I'm going to say I enjoyed the second half even more than the first. The story went from the life of a normal, everyday, teenage heroine happier at home reading books than leaving the house, to that of a teenager old-beyond-her-years confidently setting off across the country to find her Gypsy lover. For a while, I was thinking "Whaa--?" and then as I really got into this second half, I was thinking, "Ooh, why not?" There were so many more details that I would have loved to have had about all of the characters and the settings--I think this would make a great movie because you could show the scenes without providing blow-by-blow descriptions and it would be a beautiful love story or stories. I also thought of "Juno," a film I loved. Mermaids is about a Juno who ended up not solving her problems, which might make it even more satisfying for me, the non-YA reader.
December 15, 2016
3 stars. It’s been a few years since I’ve picked up a book like this, so when the opportunity presented itself, I thought ‘eh, why not’. Just the break in my usual book routine made it a somewhat entertaining read. The author’s writing style is really easy to follow; it flows from thought to thought with minimal problems. The pacing is nice too, there is minimal filler between various action scenes, just enough to give the reader a break between moments, but not enough for you to completely get lost or lose interest. The scene descriptions are rather well done as well, I very much enjoyed those. The one nagging thing I wish was specified, was the era this work takes place in. Most points I get the sense we’re in the 90’s or some pre-cell phone era, filled this those wonderful cord phones that curly-cued their way through houses and those ever so fun pay phones. The rest of the time, I get the sense it’s completely modern.
Where the book falls flat for me are the characters and the plot itself. The characters, albeit cliché, are given just enough individual quirks to make them stand out in the reader’s memory- which is rather difficult to manage when you have upwards of ten different ones throughout the length of a work. Those quirks were nice; they helped me keep track of who was who as I read. Unfortunately other than that, they came off as rather static, flat and random in their decisions. The main character does things impulsively, and while that might be mimicking a stereotypical teenage girl, it doesn’t really do anything for the reader-to-character connection. In fact, there wasn’t much of a connection to the characters. You learned about them, you watched them worry and fret about things and live a teenage life, but you didn’t really get much deeper than that. There were glimmers in the very beginning of the book where the main character was trying to understand the person her mother was, where you, the reader, got to sort of connect to her, but since that was only touched on in the end it fell flat by about halfway through the book. That was one of the highlights, in that regard. If the narrator did something rash or stupid, especially later in the book, I found I didn’t care, she asked for it by blindly following some secondary character or some half-thought out decision. It’s even more fitting when the worst repercussion given is a simple grounding, or despite not thinking much through, everything worked out with minimal hitches.
Characters you expected to hold a greater role (especially in reading the blurb) end up actually not being around much by the end, with a character end to one that is poorly led up to and kind of tossed in out of the blue. It felt like an attempt at a plot twist that really, other than the main’s obsession with honoring their memory and life in a few ways, turned around and made the reader question the character’s point in the plot in the first place.
The plot though, did make sure that these characters had a place. Each one was a catalyst for the main to do one thing or another, or a supporting character in the main’s exploits. The other strong point the plot has going for it is that the author didn’t forget anything she foreshadowed. Little details came full circle and had some sort of an end point. That was about it. The plot becomes muddled when the author seems to suddenly switch thoughts and decide to add gypsies to the mix. What started out as what appeared to be a mermaid story suddenly became a duel plot; both sides warring for the same characters, time and place. And, as you expect for such a short book, both plots are severely weakened and lackluster as a result, despite the author’s best efforts to wrap everything together at the end. They’re just too different, too strong on their own to be paired together like this- though the promise of something really good is there.
The beginning of the work also held the promise for something different. I actually liked the beginning, though as I reflect back as I’m writing this review, I cannot figure out the point for it. Take it out, and the story wouldn’t really be affected. The things the character suddenly draws in from the past in the present (a train ticket of her mother’s, meeting the secondary character some point in the distant past) were either only pulled in to give several pages of background or to give the main leverage over her mother in the present. Some character reflections, while taking pages to build up to only are mentioned in passing later or completely forgotten about. It doesn’t make sense, and kind of gives the reader the sense that their time is being wasted for nothing. The penpal in Ghana doesn’t have a greater role. The potential was there, but it was casted out halfway through. Mermaids take a backseat to gypsies, despite being in the title and significantly in the blurb. You expect to walk into the book with this being another YA romance-y cliché (don’t worry there are plenty of those clichés throughout this work) with mermaids or mermen, but you get neither- just this passing moment with what the character believes she sees, the emphasis and drive behind this whole plot are the gypsy part of the plot, and a good part of that was never really explained to give the full effect.
So why the three stars? I see the potential for a greater book that didn’t hold the feel of just being slapped together in the end. The blurb shared it by making it sound like so much that it just didn’t end up being, which is both disappointing and explains exactly why those two concepts aren’t found together in the same pages that often. They’re too different, too difficult to place in the same plot without one overshadowing the other.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.
Where the book falls flat for me are the characters and the plot itself. The characters, albeit cliché, are given just enough individual quirks to make them stand out in the reader’s memory- which is rather difficult to manage when you have upwards of ten different ones throughout the length of a work. Those quirks were nice; they helped me keep track of who was who as I read. Unfortunately other than that, they came off as rather static, flat and random in their decisions. The main character does things impulsively, and while that might be mimicking a stereotypical teenage girl, it doesn’t really do anything for the reader-to-character connection. In fact, there wasn’t much of a connection to the characters. You learned about them, you watched them worry and fret about things and live a teenage life, but you didn’t really get much deeper than that. There were glimmers in the very beginning of the book where the main character was trying to understand the person her mother was, where you, the reader, got to sort of connect to her, but since that was only touched on in the end it fell flat by about halfway through the book. That was one of the highlights, in that regard. If the narrator did something rash or stupid, especially later in the book, I found I didn’t care, she asked for it by blindly following some secondary character or some half-thought out decision. It’s even more fitting when the worst repercussion given is a simple grounding, or despite not thinking much through, everything worked out with minimal hitches.
Characters you expected to hold a greater role (especially in reading the blurb) end up actually not being around much by the end, with a character end to one that is poorly led up to and kind of tossed in out of the blue. It felt like an attempt at a plot twist that really, other than the main’s obsession with honoring their memory and life in a few ways, turned around and made the reader question the character’s point in the plot in the first place.
The plot though, did make sure that these characters had a place. Each one was a catalyst for the main to do one thing or another, or a supporting character in the main’s exploits. The other strong point the plot has going for it is that the author didn’t forget anything she foreshadowed. Little details came full circle and had some sort of an end point. That was about it. The plot becomes muddled when the author seems to suddenly switch thoughts and decide to add gypsies to the mix. What started out as what appeared to be a mermaid story suddenly became a duel plot; both sides warring for the same characters, time and place. And, as you expect for such a short book, both plots are severely weakened and lackluster as a result, despite the author’s best efforts to wrap everything together at the end. They’re just too different, too strong on their own to be paired together like this- though the promise of something really good is there.
The beginning of the work also held the promise for something different. I actually liked the beginning, though as I reflect back as I’m writing this review, I cannot figure out the point for it. Take it out, and the story wouldn’t really be affected. The things the character suddenly draws in from the past in the present (a train ticket of her mother’s, meeting the secondary character some point in the distant past) were either only pulled in to give several pages of background or to give the main leverage over her mother in the present. Some character reflections, while taking pages to build up to only are mentioned in passing later or completely forgotten about. It doesn’t make sense, and kind of gives the reader the sense that their time is being wasted for nothing. The penpal in Ghana doesn’t have a greater role. The potential was there, but it was casted out halfway through. Mermaids take a backseat to gypsies, despite being in the title and significantly in the blurb. You expect to walk into the book with this being another YA romance-y cliché (don’t worry there are plenty of those clichés throughout this work) with mermaids or mermen, but you get neither- just this passing moment with what the character believes she sees, the emphasis and drive behind this whole plot are the gypsy part of the plot, and a good part of that was never really explained to give the full effect.
So why the three stars? I see the potential for a greater book that didn’t hold the feel of just being slapped together in the end. The blurb shared it by making it sound like so much that it just didn’t end up being, which is both disappointing and explains exactly why those two concepts aren’t found together in the same pages that often. They’re too different, too difficult to place in the same plot without one overshadowing the other.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2019
Juvenile , sophomoric... This book started out OK: the story of a somewhat precocious girl, but midway through, I felt like I was reading book for teens. In the end, I didn't feel that the author conveyed much growth in the character. Only one line attempted to capture the essence of being an adult: something about living with the choices we make. Otherwise, she was back living with her parents. We don't even know if she ended up going to college. Did she actually grow up?
There were a lot of interesting turns of phrases, but sometimes the author seemed to be trying too hard: one was "blueberry sky". Sounds nice, but that's a pretty dark shade of blue. My reading may have been affected by having just finished "The Mars Room" (gritty reality compared to this more saccharine, safe, suburban life).
Love the cover!!
There were a lot of interesting turns of phrases, but sometimes the author seemed to be trying too hard: one was "blueberry sky". Sounds nice, but that's a pretty dark shade of blue. My reading may have been affected by having just finished "The Mars Room" (gritty reality compared to this more saccharine, safe, suburban life).
Love the cover!!
August 18, 2018
this is one of those books you'll want to re read just to experience it again. I fell in love with Elise, her strong voice, and the beautiful imagery in this book. Not to mention the gorgeous prose. Definitely need to read more from Kamata!
February 28, 2017
3.5 stars
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan did not at all play out the way I expected. And that’s not really a bad thing. Just different.
I had in mind that I’d be reading something a la Sarah Addison Allen and Lost Lake. And while there IS the teeniest bit of magical realism at the end, it’s really not the focus of the book at all. Yet, the theme of mermaids carries on at a deeper level than first anticipated as well.
Though not a literal mermaid, Elise is certainly a fish out of water among her family and peers. Later, as she sheds her figurative fins for walking legs, she – much like the most famous of mermaids – discovers life “on land” isn’t quite as perfect as she’d imagined.
This is a short novel, a quick read, but it never feels rushed. The author’s writing style flows smoothly, and she keeps the reader engaged with the story at every turn. Each character that Elise encounters has a purpose, whether it’s a brief meeting or a family member. These characters, as well as excellent examples of foreshadowing, all serve to advance the plot and to add more layers to Elise’s character.
No spoilers … but I felt a certain scene toward the end of the book seemed out of place. I get why it’s in there, but it threw me. And it just didn’t fit with the tone of the story up until that part. Without it, I think the ending would have been just as poignant. Maybe even more so.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a coming-of-age story that appeals to adolescents, young adults, and less-young adults, The Mermaids of Lake Michigan proves a compelling choice. It takes place around the 1970s so it’s not really contemporary, not really historical, but somewhere in between. Different than I expected at first glance, it continued to take me by surprise but overall I enjoyed this read.
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some foul language in this book, as well as some implied (but not explicitly described) scenes of an intimate nature.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
see my review at Reading Is My SuperPower
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan did not at all play out the way I expected. And that’s not really a bad thing. Just different.
I had in mind that I’d be reading something a la Sarah Addison Allen and Lost Lake. And while there IS the teeniest bit of magical realism at the end, it’s really not the focus of the book at all. Yet, the theme of mermaids carries on at a deeper level than first anticipated as well.
Though not a literal mermaid, Elise is certainly a fish out of water among her family and peers. Later, as she sheds her figurative fins for walking legs, she – much like the most famous of mermaids – discovers life “on land” isn’t quite as perfect as she’d imagined.
This is a short novel, a quick read, but it never feels rushed. The author’s writing style flows smoothly, and she keeps the reader engaged with the story at every turn. Each character that Elise encounters has a purpose, whether it’s a brief meeting or a family member. These characters, as well as excellent examples of foreshadowing, all serve to advance the plot and to add more layers to Elise’s character.
No spoilers … but I felt a certain scene toward the end of the book seemed out of place. I get why it’s in there, but it threw me. And it just didn’t fit with the tone of the story up until that part. Without it, I think the ending would have been just as poignant. Maybe even more so.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a coming-of-age story that appeals to adolescents, young adults, and less-young adults, The Mermaids of Lake Michigan proves a compelling choice. It takes place around the 1970s so it’s not really contemporary, not really historical, but somewhere in between. Different than I expected at first glance, it continued to take me by surprise but overall I enjoyed this read.
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some foul language in this book, as well as some implied (but not explicitly described) scenes of an intimate nature.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
see my review at Reading Is My SuperPower
July 19, 2018
As a fellow lover of Lake Michigan, I felt an immediate kinship with this book!
June 2, 2019
I've been reading this book for some time and I'm glad to finally mark it as finished. My taking so long to finish it was mostly due to being distracted by other books and not the content itself.
This is the story of a young woman named Elise who is more comfortable with her books and swimming than being sociable like her little sister. After her Mom pushes her to make a friend or two for some time, she happens to meet a girl about her age named Chiara. For outward appearances, she's the right kind of girl that her Mom approves of hanging out with and Elise really enjoys hanging out with Chiara.
Chiara also has a wild side which thrills Elise to no end and while at a Carnival pushes Elise to have her fortune told. She soon learns that she will meet a man who will change her world and Chiara has a lot to do with helping make that happen. Elise meets a man that very night named Miguel who is a Gypsy, musical and sweeps her off her feet. Though their meeting is brief and addresses arent't exchanged, Elise is hopeful that she will meet him again.
Eventually she does though Elise has no idea just how much a night in Chicago will change her life and send her on the unexpected adventure of her life. Soon Elise finds out that she's pregnant at eighteen, sneaks out of the house while her parents and sister are away and she sets out to find Miguel to let him know and hopefully be reunited with him for good.
When she is finally reunited with Miguel in a small town in North Carolina, he is no longer the vibrant musical man she knew but seems to have wasted away and not even the lure of an incoming child seems to perk him up. Elise is determined to care for him though, hoping he'll eventually revert back to his vibrant self. When tragedy strikes, Elise will have to make some very difficult decisions and wonder which path she should follow.
This was a fascinating story about the bonds of family, the trouble with secrets, adventure, the power of love, heartbreaking choices and a touch of whimsy. It was a pleasure to read this book though my heart ached for Elise going through quite the difficult time.
I highly recommend this book and my only complaint is that there was just a brief mention of seeing a mermaid and had hoped to see more!
This is the story of a young woman named Elise who is more comfortable with her books and swimming than being sociable like her little sister. After her Mom pushes her to make a friend or two for some time, she happens to meet a girl about her age named Chiara. For outward appearances, she's the right kind of girl that her Mom approves of hanging out with and Elise really enjoys hanging out with Chiara.
Chiara also has a wild side which thrills Elise to no end and while at a Carnival pushes Elise to have her fortune told. She soon learns that she will meet a man who will change her world and Chiara has a lot to do with helping make that happen. Elise meets a man that very night named Miguel who is a Gypsy, musical and sweeps her off her feet. Though their meeting is brief and addresses arent't exchanged, Elise is hopeful that she will meet him again.
Eventually she does though Elise has no idea just how much a night in Chicago will change her life and send her on the unexpected adventure of her life. Soon Elise finds out that she's pregnant at eighteen, sneaks out of the house while her parents and sister are away and she sets out to find Miguel to let him know and hopefully be reunited with him for good.
When she is finally reunited with Miguel in a small town in North Carolina, he is no longer the vibrant musical man she knew but seems to have wasted away and not even the lure of an incoming child seems to perk him up. Elise is determined to care for him though, hoping he'll eventually revert back to his vibrant self. When tragedy strikes, Elise will have to make some very difficult decisions and wonder which path she should follow.
This was a fascinating story about the bonds of family, the trouble with secrets, adventure, the power of love, heartbreaking choices and a touch of whimsy. It was a pleasure to read this book though my heart ached for Elise going through quite the difficult time.
I highly recommend this book and my only complaint is that there was just a brief mention of seeing a mermaid and had hoped to see more!
August 7, 2019
Not much of mermaids
March 28, 2017
I love the idea of mermaids. I like to think they're real, if only in a metaphorical sense, such as being able to live between two worlds, and accepted for one's uniqueness. Several years ago, I got to visit Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. They have "real" mermaids who perform "The Little Mermaid" twice a day. After their shows, you can have your picture taken with them. If you don't believe me, here's their Facebook page. I promise, you'll want to visit.
Weeki Wachee Springs
I love reading novels that include mermaids in the narrative. Most recently I fell in love with Lydia Millet's, MERMAIDS IN PARADISE and Elizabeth Stuckey-French's, MERMAIDS ON THE MOON is funny story about some aging Weeki Wachee Mermaids.
THE MERMAIDS of LAKE MICHIGAN(Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing) by Suzanne Kamata is more of a fairytale about growing up and trying to feel comfortable in the world. It tells the story of seventeen year-old, Elise Faulkner, a shy girl in Grand Haven, Michigan with an ex-beauty queen mother with a bigger than life personality. Elise's mom wants to turn her into a mini-mom, complete with a loud mouth and pushy persona. Mom doesn't seem to respect Elise's desire to stay at home, read and write letters to her pen pals all over the world.
One of Elise's pen pals, Fabrice Nwanko, a schoolgirl from Ghana shares a scandalous story of her uncle's encounter with a mermaid. Elise has grown up hearing the story about how her great-grandmother was saved by a mermaid when her oxygen was cut off while diving. Her life changes when a mysterious young girl moves in next door. Chiara Hanover has traveled the world, smokes cigarettes and Elise is instantly attracted to her. They discover they both love vintage fashion and soon they are BFFs missing classes for adventures at the beach.
THE MERMAIDS of LAKE MICHIGAN is one of those novels where readers have to suspend reality and venture into the realm of magical realism to really enjoy the story. Kamata presents the magical story of a young woman growing up and finding her very unique place in a big world.
Weeki Wachee Springs
I love reading novels that include mermaids in the narrative. Most recently I fell in love with Lydia Millet's, MERMAIDS IN PARADISE and Elizabeth Stuckey-French's, MERMAIDS ON THE MOON is funny story about some aging Weeki Wachee Mermaids.
THE MERMAIDS of LAKE MICHIGAN(Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing) by Suzanne Kamata is more of a fairytale about growing up and trying to feel comfortable in the world. It tells the story of seventeen year-old, Elise Faulkner, a shy girl in Grand Haven, Michigan with an ex-beauty queen mother with a bigger than life personality. Elise's mom wants to turn her into a mini-mom, complete with a loud mouth and pushy persona. Mom doesn't seem to respect Elise's desire to stay at home, read and write letters to her pen pals all over the world.
One of Elise's pen pals, Fabrice Nwanko, a schoolgirl from Ghana shares a scandalous story of her uncle's encounter with a mermaid. Elise has grown up hearing the story about how her great-grandmother was saved by a mermaid when her oxygen was cut off while diving. Her life changes when a mysterious young girl moves in next door. Chiara Hanover has traveled the world, smokes cigarettes and Elise is instantly attracted to her. They discover they both love vintage fashion and soon they are BFFs missing classes for adventures at the beach.
THE MERMAIDS of LAKE MICHIGAN is one of those novels where readers have to suspend reality and venture into the realm of magical realism to really enjoy the story. Kamata presents the magical story of a young woman growing up and finding her very unique place in a big world.
March 6, 2017
Elise would much rather spend time indoors with a good book than anything else. It's a proclivity her once beauty queen mother simply can't understand. So when the neighbor's granddaughter moves in, prompting the neighbor to ask Elise to spend time with her, Elise immediately wants to say no. And yet, something prompts her to change her mind.
What she discovers is that the neighbor hopes Elise will be a good influence on Chiara. Instead, it's the other way around. And while Chiara is wild and outgoing, her influence on Elise allows the girl to finally come out of her shell and live.
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a character-driven coming of age tale set in the midwest in the 70s.
Elise is a great narrator. One who observes rather big occurrences even at a very young age. And so she shares some of these with very little, if any, understanding or judgement. Most of these instances pertain to Elise's mother, who the reader comes to find is actually quite unhappy with her life.
But those instances are like little glimpses through the window's of Elise's tale. The rest, the time spent with Chiara, the fascination with her great-grandmother's stories, and her budding romance, are given the full on treatment as Elise lives through them.
Suzanne Kamata's latest blends just a touch of magic and whimsy throughout, endearing readers even more to Elise as she navigates the troubled waters of young adulthood. It's a short read, but one that packs a punch.
What she discovers is that the neighbor hopes Elise will be a good influence on Chiara. Instead, it's the other way around. And while Chiara is wild and outgoing, her influence on Elise allows the girl to finally come out of her shell and live.
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a character-driven coming of age tale set in the midwest in the 70s.
Elise is a great narrator. One who observes rather big occurrences even at a very young age. And so she shares some of these with very little, if any, understanding or judgement. Most of these instances pertain to Elise's mother, who the reader comes to find is actually quite unhappy with her life.
But those instances are like little glimpses through the window's of Elise's tale. The rest, the time spent with Chiara, the fascination with her great-grandmother's stories, and her budding romance, are given the full on treatment as Elise lives through them.
Suzanne Kamata's latest blends just a touch of magic and whimsy throughout, endearing readers even more to Elise as she navigates the troubled waters of young adulthood. It's a short read, but one that packs a punch.
April 4, 2017
"The Mermaids of Lake Michigan" is a heart-rending coming-of-age story that kept surprising me from beginning to end.
The story is centered around Elise Faulkner and told from her point of view as a young child and as a high-school student. Both POVs were uniquely engaging.
I liked how the young Elise didn't really understand everything around her, describing what she saw and letting the reader work out what was really going on.
The elder Elise went on a physical and emotional journey I absolutely did not expect. She's a bookish outcast who meets a red-haired wild child (who smokes!) and becomes enamored with the idea of leaving her dull life for life of adventure. I thought this thing was gonna go full John Green.
Instead Elise starts making bad decisions that compound into worse decisions until I was reading the whole book in one sitting with my heart pounding in my throat. Her nativity in the face of the "real world" was heartbreaking, and I spent the second half of the book wondering how (or if) things could ever work out for her.
On top of the engaging characters, this book also has beautiful prose. The kind that you highlight just because you want to look back later and remember it exists.
The story is centered around Elise Faulkner and told from her point of view as a young child and as a high-school student. Both POVs were uniquely engaging.
I liked how the young Elise didn't really understand everything around her, describing what she saw and letting the reader work out what was really going on.
The elder Elise went on a physical and emotional journey I absolutely did not expect. She's a bookish outcast who meets a red-haired wild child (who smokes!) and becomes enamored with the idea of leaving her dull life for life of adventure. I thought this thing was gonna go full John Green.
Instead Elise starts making bad decisions that compound into worse decisions until I was reading the whole book in one sitting with my heart pounding in my throat. Her nativity in the face of the "real world" was heartbreaking, and I spent the second half of the book wondering how (or if) things could ever work out for her.
On top of the engaging characters, this book also has beautiful prose. The kind that you highlight just because you want to look back later and remember it exists.
September 2, 2017
A very real mid-western view coming of age story set the late 70s and 80s. The title and cover caught my interest on the library shelf. Who doesn't love mermaids and my family is from Michigan. I have been in Grand Haven a few times. I loved the interaction of Elise with her beauty queen mom most of all. Easy to read although I'll admit I didn't see much magic or mysticism in this book. The ending was a total surprise but thank heavens the author gave us an epilogue to kind of explain what happens when the dust settles. I will read this author again because I think she shows great literary promise.
January 16, 2019
This story was not what I expected, but it was still entertaining, although not completely believable. I hate giving low reviews for books because I know how much work it is, but I also felt robbed because my expectation and purpose with picking this book up was to read the story of Lake Michigan mermaids, not a young woman's journey from Grand Haven to follow a gypsy and have her heart broken. The timing was awkward and slow at first, but then escalated toward the end a bit too much. It's a fun read but could still use some work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2017
Definitely not what I was expecting.
Elise Faulkner loves her home close to Lake Michigan. She has never been one for social functions, as she is more prone to read a good book or send pen pal letters to other girls around the world that she has never met. However, her mom wants her to be more like her sister, who has an active boyfriend and goes out all the time. So, she sets her up with a neighbor’s granddaughter who is visiting. When Elsie meets Chiara, she starts making a friend right away. Chiara is different from other people and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. She also doesn’t think any of the dreams that Elise has are weird. They really hit it off great, but Chiara is far from a positive role model. She is a drinker, smoker, and likes to skip school. She even manages to talk Elise into taking a road trip into Chicago with her one weekend which will change Elise’s life forever.
This was a very different book than what I was expecting. First of all, it really reads more like a memoir than fiction, which is really kind of fascinating in itself. Second, I didn’t realize that is was going to be set in the 1970s and the author did a great job of setting the scene for that. From the beauty pageant to the parades, it really felt nostalgic when reading. But the best part was the overall character development of Elise. She started out what seemed very shallow and reserved, but grew throughout the story over her time with Chiara and then when looking for Miguel. There was definitely a twist thrown in there that really ramped up the conflict of the story. The point of view remained through an eighteen year old girl’s eyes. Her experiences and memories really seemed true to the events that took place.
There is some language throughout this book as well as a mild sex scene. There are also some scenes that depict underage smoking, drinking, and drug use. I recommend this for mature young adults and up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
Elise Faulkner loves her home close to Lake Michigan. She has never been one for social functions, as she is more prone to read a good book or send pen pal letters to other girls around the world that she has never met. However, her mom wants her to be more like her sister, who has an active boyfriend and goes out all the time. So, she sets her up with a neighbor’s granddaughter who is visiting. When Elsie meets Chiara, she starts making a friend right away. Chiara is different from other people and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. She also doesn’t think any of the dreams that Elise has are weird. They really hit it off great, but Chiara is far from a positive role model. She is a drinker, smoker, and likes to skip school. She even manages to talk Elise into taking a road trip into Chicago with her one weekend which will change Elise’s life forever.
This was a very different book than what I was expecting. First of all, it really reads more like a memoir than fiction, which is really kind of fascinating in itself. Second, I didn’t realize that is was going to be set in the 1970s and the author did a great job of setting the scene for that. From the beauty pageant to the parades, it really felt nostalgic when reading. But the best part was the overall character development of Elise. She started out what seemed very shallow and reserved, but grew throughout the story over her time with Chiara and then when looking for Miguel. There was definitely a twist thrown in there that really ramped up the conflict of the story. The point of view remained through an eighteen year old girl’s eyes. Her experiences and memories really seemed true to the events that took place.
There is some language throughout this book as well as a mild sex scene. There are also some scenes that depict underage smoking, drinking, and drug use. I recommend this for mature young adults and up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
March 2, 2017
Being honest, it took me several chapters to get into this book. For at least the first 10 chapters, time goes back and forth from the main character being a little girl, to her current age, high school senior. And by the way--this is a total guess. I never specifically read either an age for the narrator and her sister, OR a year when this story takes place. Though the few context clues lead to the late 70's.
Our main character is Elise. Though she's the older sister, she's always been outshone by her little sis's grace and beauty. So when free spirited Chiara breezes into town, bookish Elise is quickly enamored of the colorful world she experiences with her and they become best friends.
Though I thought that Elise had a good head on her shoulders, it doesn't take her long to follow in Chiara's not so innocent footsteps and lead her life down a spiraling path. I suppose we as readers are meant to surmise that Elise is tired of being the good girl that always comes in second best, but this just didn't come across for me. Elise meets a guy twice and is instantly in love with him. She makes terrible decision after terrible decision, and into her life come a parade of random people that in the end, don't mean that much to the story.
This novel was a very fast read, but I can't say it was for me at all. The things Elise did just were not smart, even though I guess she felt she had no other choice. She's also BEYOND naive and even seeing some of the shadier sides of the world beyond her town does nothing to make her face reality. I was glad when the ending came but it left a lot to be desired.
Our main character is Elise. Though she's the older sister, she's always been outshone by her little sis's grace and beauty. So when free spirited Chiara breezes into town, bookish Elise is quickly enamored of the colorful world she experiences with her and they become best friends.
Though I thought that Elise had a good head on her shoulders, it doesn't take her long to follow in Chiara's not so innocent footsteps and lead her life down a spiraling path. I suppose we as readers are meant to surmise that Elise is tired of being the good girl that always comes in second best, but this just didn't come across for me. Elise meets a guy twice and is instantly in love with him. She makes terrible decision after terrible decision, and into her life come a parade of random people that in the end, don't mean that much to the story.
This novel was a very fast read, but I can't say it was for me at all. The things Elise did just were not smart, even though I guess she felt she had no other choice. She's also BEYOND naive and even seeing some of the shadier sides of the world beyond her town does nothing to make her face reality. I was glad when the ending came but it left a lot to be desired.
November 9, 2017
The Mermaids of Lake Michigan is a young adult story that illustrates how a good coming of age story can be told with a literary touch. Themes and motifs are told and developed throughout the book, and its supporting characters, interesting backstories, and tangential asides all become important in the development of young Elise Faulkner’s maturation into a woman.
The writing was good, but the themes and characters were very good – especially for such a short novel. A little more description of the place and time may have helped provide a more rich context to the characters’ feelings and actions – which could help the reader be more interested in them.
But I thought the story did a great job of describing the mental and physical maturation of Elise in several ways: use of comparative then and now events, use of ancestors’ backstories that foreshadow actions by Elise, and introducing supporting characters that help teach Elise about the ways of the world in a way that’s subtle and matter-of-factly.
There are young adult stories that may be better written, but this one strips away a lot of superfluous details and focuses just on the story that needs to be told – and still manages to retain literary qualities that can be appreciated and contemplated by the reader.
The writing was good, but the themes and characters were very good – especially for such a short novel. A little more description of the place and time may have helped provide a more rich context to the characters’ feelings and actions – which could help the reader be more interested in them.
But I thought the story did a great job of describing the mental and physical maturation of Elise in several ways: use of comparative then and now events, use of ancestors’ backstories that foreshadow actions by Elise, and introducing supporting characters that help teach Elise about the ways of the world in a way that’s subtle and matter-of-factly.
There are young adult stories that may be better written, but this one strips away a lot of superfluous details and focuses just on the story that needs to be told – and still manages to retain literary qualities that can be appreciated and contemplated by the reader.
August 5, 2019
Okay so this was definitely not about mermaids.
My mother bought this book for me as a gift and I kind of devoured it. The plot points were HUGE but not unbelievable. The overall arc was a roller coaster and a very satisfying one at that. This whole thing was like a teen's vision for a wild life.
I didn't love it. I definitely don't hate it. I highly recommend it to anyone who threw themselves into whatever fad was "in" when they were teenagers. For real, I haven't felt that rush of angsty adrenaline since I was seventeen.
Further, please let's bring back 80's fashion trends. PLEASE.
My mother bought this book for me as a gift and I kind of devoured it. The plot points were HUGE but not unbelievable. The overall arc was a roller coaster and a very satisfying one at that. This whole thing was like a teen's vision for a wild life.
I didn't love it. I definitely don't hate it. I highly recommend it to anyone who threw themselves into whatever fad was "in" when they were teenagers. For real, I haven't felt that rush of angsty adrenaline since I was seventeen.
Further, please let's bring back 80's fashion trends. PLEASE.
June 7, 2017
I liked this book quite a lot, and think it is the authors best work to date.
I think it could have benefited from another 50 pages to add to the stories of childhood, and maybe to paint a more full picture of the gypsy boy. I think this could have made the ending pop with a bit more meaning, but, as a short read, it's enjoyable and recommended!
I think it could have benefited from another 50 pages to add to the stories of childhood, and maybe to paint a more full picture of the gypsy boy. I think this could have made the ending pop with a bit more meaning, but, as a short read, it's enjoyable and recommended!
July 18, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a coming of age story, with consequences from questionable decision making. The story is set in the 1980's, and takes place in my home state, which makes it especially interesting. If you are looking for a fast, summer read...with twists & turns & a unique look at family life, this is the book for you.
February 16, 2025
It was a good story, but it could use more. I felt like there were several holes in the story. The story took place in the 1970's according to a back cover review, but nowhere in the book was that clarified. The story would go to past memories of the main character and back to current time, but at times that was unclear.
July 24, 2018
"Til human voices wake us and we drown..."
Lyrically written coming of age story that sifts through generational memories, youthful indiscretions, the struggle to discover and remain true to one's self, and finishes with a strong note of hope
Lyrically written coming of age story that sifts through generational memories, youthful indiscretions, the struggle to discover and remain true to one's self, and finishes with a strong note of hope
October 14, 2018
Love
Love isn’t without sorrow. When we are young we think we are invincible and later find out we are not. Life teaches us we can overcome adversity but not without those who love us the most.
Love isn’t without sorrow. When we are young we think we are invincible and later find out we are not. Life teaches us we can overcome adversity but not without those who love us the most.
September 12, 2020
It's a 4.5 fir several reasons. Fir starters. It has been a good long while since I read a book in one sitting. Granted. This is a short book. But pages zipped by and I was enthralled and completely drawn into thy he lives of these Michigan girls.
August 15, 2024
double whammy. reminded me of myself as a child a little too much and the way she sees things both in youth and adolescence, and it made me feel bad for taking away my mom's life and identity as just a woman, not a mother. and then coming full circle at the end, yeah, that was good
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