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Brine and Bone
TWO WORLDS COLLIDE
Magdalena of Ondile adores the crown prince of Corenden, but she'd sooner die than admit it. Ejected from the royal court, she spends her days at a sage's seminary, where her sparkling memories and destructive empathy magic prey upon her.
Until the ocean rips her charming prince into its depths.
When Magdalena discovers him washed ashore, her rescue-by-happenstance draws her back to the glittering palace and its stifling rules. But Prince Finnian's miraculous return attracts more than the nobility of the court. The eerie creature that spared his life would gladly reclaim it, even if staking that claim requires a sacrifice of flesh and endless torment.
This novella is based on H. C. Andersen's "The Little Mermaid"
Magdalena of Ondile adores the crown prince of Corenden, but she'd sooner die than admit it. Ejected from the royal court, she spends her days at a sage's seminary, where her sparkling memories and destructive empathy magic prey upon her.
Until the ocean rips her charming prince into its depths.
When Magdalena discovers him washed ashore, her rescue-by-happenstance draws her back to the glittering palace and its stifling rules. But Prince Finnian's miraculous return attracts more than the nobility of the court. The eerie creature that spared his life would gladly reclaim it, even if staking that claim requires a sacrifice of flesh and endless torment.
This novella is based on H. C. Andersen's "The Little Mermaid"
158 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 2018
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1083 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
July 23, 2018
Those familiar with Hans-Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid will know that the story is vastly different from Disney's feel-good adaptation and that there's another woman for the Prince. Now imagine how the story would be like from the POV of that "other woman," and you'll have Brine and Bone.
I do warn you, though, that this version is tragic--not as tragic as Andersen's, but still quite sad; so if you're counted amongst those who think the mermaid deserved the Prince, this isn't your cuppa tea. But if, on the other hand, you're ready for learning the story from the other side of the aisle and don't like much the happy yet untruthful alternate endings most retellings choose for the tale, then you might enjoy this novel. Props to the author for following the original, and showing her take on what reasons drove the plotline as it went in the fairy tale, and making the reader understand the other side without vilifying anyone.
I do warn you, though, that this version is tragic--not as tragic as Andersen's, but still quite sad; so if you're counted amongst those who think the mermaid deserved the Prince, this isn't your cuppa tea. But if, on the other hand, you're ready for learning the story from the other side of the aisle and don't like much the happy yet untruthful alternate endings most retellings choose for the tale, then you might enjoy this novel. Props to the author for following the original, and showing her take on what reasons drove the plotline as it went in the fairy tale, and making the reader understand the other side without vilifying anyone.
May 11, 2018
So I am WAAAAAY behind on my book reviews! Sorry, reader friends. Life completely got away from me these last few months, and I've barely had time to READ, much less to offer proper reviews for what I'm reading. But I've encountered some really awesome books recently, and I want to take a moment to give them some love and encourage you to give them a try.
In particular, THIS wonderful story by Kate Stradling. Now you might remember that I read and loved Kate Stradling's NAMESAKE last year. It was one of my top new releases of 2017, it was just THAT good.
But . . . BRINE AND BONE is better.
For starters, it's a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." Note, this is definitely a retelling of the ANDERSEN tale, and has nothing at all to do with the famous Disney iteration. Heck, this story isn't even told from the point-of-view of the titular mermaid, but gives us instead the perspective of the OTHER woman in that tale.
I tell ya, what a great twist! But a tough one to pull off. The mermaid is such a compelling character in the original fairy tale and a known and admired heroine. While the other girl . . . she doesn't have a whole lot going for her personality-wise in Andersen's version. Can she possibly be made interesting enough to carry an entire story, particularly when thrown up against that famous mermaid?
In Kate Stradling's hands she can. Magdalena is one of my favorite heroines of recent reading history! She is so well-drawn and so likable, and from her perspective . . . wow, this story takes on a whole new, almost horror-story element that I never saw before. It's brilliant!
I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that Stradling used some incredible twists to make certain that Magdalena truly FELT all the pain and all the sacrifice which usually is felt only by the mermaid herself. Without that pain and sacrifice, the story wouldn't have meant nearly as much, but man . . . it all comes together beautifully in these pages!
Readers beware--this is only a novella. So don't go into it expecting a LONG read. I read it late into one night then woke up early the next morning to finish it. And then was sad I'd read it so quickly! But rest assured, it's the perfect length for the story being told. I was sad to finish because I liked it so much, but I also wouldn't have wanted the author to drag it out unnecessarily. It's a perfectly balanced, perfectly poised story.
In fact, I loved it so much, I went right out and bought a paperback copy, which I mailed to my bestest buddy across the country . . . something I only do with ABSOLUTE favorite books! Last year, I had to compulsively buy and send her copies of STRANGE THE DREAMER and SPINDLE. You know a book is special when it passes the Esther-Must-Read-This-Now Test. ;)
In particular, THIS wonderful story by Kate Stradling. Now you might remember that I read and loved Kate Stradling's NAMESAKE last year. It was one of my top new releases of 2017, it was just THAT good.
But . . . BRINE AND BONE is better.
For starters, it's a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." Note, this is definitely a retelling of the ANDERSEN tale, and has nothing at all to do with the famous Disney iteration. Heck, this story isn't even told from the point-of-view of the titular mermaid, but gives us instead the perspective of the OTHER woman in that tale.
I tell ya, what a great twist! But a tough one to pull off. The mermaid is such a compelling character in the original fairy tale and a known and admired heroine. While the other girl . . . she doesn't have a whole lot going for her personality-wise in Andersen's version. Can she possibly be made interesting enough to carry an entire story, particularly when thrown up against that famous mermaid?
In Kate Stradling's hands she can. Magdalena is one of my favorite heroines of recent reading history! She is so well-drawn and so likable, and from her perspective . . . wow, this story takes on a whole new, almost horror-story element that I never saw before. It's brilliant!
I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that Stradling used some incredible twists to make certain that Magdalena truly FELT all the pain and all the sacrifice which usually is felt only by the mermaid herself. Without that pain and sacrifice, the story wouldn't have meant nearly as much, but man . . . it all comes together beautifully in these pages!
Readers beware--this is only a novella. So don't go into it expecting a LONG read. I read it late into one night then woke up early the next morning to finish it. And then was sad I'd read it so quickly! But rest assured, it's the perfect length for the story being told. I was sad to finish because I liked it so much, but I also wouldn't have wanted the author to drag it out unnecessarily. It's a perfectly balanced, perfectly poised story.
In fact, I loved it so much, I went right out and bought a paperback copy, which I mailed to my bestest buddy across the country . . . something I only do with ABSOLUTE favorite books! Last year, I had to compulsively buy and send her copies of STRANGE THE DREAMER and SPINDLE. You know a book is special when it passes the Esther-Must-Read-This-Now Test. ;)
January 25, 2022
Brine and Bone was a fascinating mermaid tale. Dark, mysterious and not like The Little Mermaid one bit. In it, you will meet Magdalena and Finnian. She has a little crush on the prince and the feeling is definitely mutual. Unfortunately, all she remembers are his teasing remarks towards her. So, when her magic comes out to play, she is sent away.
Years later, they have a mini reunion. A little awkward in the beginning because everyone thought he was dead. Then she is kind of thrown back into the prince's limelight. Meaning she's back at court and she's not a fan of it one bit. Little does she know that the prince had a huge crush on her and still does.
Remember when I mentioned her magic? Well, it deals with empathy. So, when a mysterious girl comes out of the water it's no mystery as to why Magdalena is feeling all sorts of pain. Unfortunately, everyone seems charmed to say a certain phrase when it comes to mysterious siren. It doesn't take long for most people to figure out what she is and what's happening to the prince's favorite.
In the end, the entire mystery made this book pretty hard to put down. Did I think the siren was going to turn into the evil sea witch and take the prince away? Of course. Did that happen? No. It turns out the siren was the "Ariel" in this picture. Well, sort of. Magdalena was definitely THE Ariel of the story, but the siren was the mermaid portion.
Honestly, it's hard to explain unless you read it.
Years later, they have a mini reunion. A little awkward in the beginning because everyone thought he was dead. Then she is kind of thrown back into the prince's limelight. Meaning she's back at court and she's not a fan of it one bit. Little does she know that the prince had a huge crush on her and still does.
Remember when I mentioned her magic? Well, it deals with empathy. So, when a mysterious girl comes out of the water it's no mystery as to why Magdalena is feeling all sorts of pain. Unfortunately, everyone seems charmed to say a certain phrase when it comes to mysterious siren. It doesn't take long for most people to figure out what she is and what's happening to the prince's favorite.
In the end, the entire mystery made this book pretty hard to put down. Did I think the siren was going to turn into the evil sea witch and take the prince away? Of course. Did that happen? No. It turns out the siren was the "Ariel" in this picture. Well, sort of. Magdalena was definitely THE Ariel of the story, but the siren was the mermaid portion.
Honestly, it's hard to explain unless you read it.
September 28, 2023
Very conflicted on this one... I've never liked the HCA Little Mermaid tale but this retelling was quite good.
May 15, 2023
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
Very good, little mermaid retelling. It's very close to the original story. Short and quick read.
Very good, little mermaid retelling. It's very close to the original story. Short and quick read.
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March 10, 2019I've heard a lot about Kate Stradling's fairytale retellings and was thrilled to get the chance to read BRINE AND BONE, her short retelling of A LITTLE MERMAID.
I really enjoyed this story. The characters were fascinating, managing to be prickly (or creepy) and lovable at the same time. And the writing was beautiful. It's unusual to get a retelling that's so faithful to HCA's original, because, let's face it, the Anderson original is downright depressing, as are so many of his other stories. I think Stradling did a wonderful job of remaining faithful to the original while giving it a sense of meaning and hope. In the final struggle between the two authors, however, I can't help feeling that Anderson still won out.
That said, this was a wonderfully enjoyable retelling that doesn't shy away from the dark and uncomfortable nature of the original tale. One of the more unique and unusual fairytale retellings I've come across, and I'll definitely be checking out some more of this author's work in future!
I really enjoyed this story. The characters were fascinating, managing to be prickly (or creepy) and lovable at the same time. And the writing was beautiful. It's unusual to get a retelling that's so faithful to HCA's original, because, let's face it, the Anderson original is downright depressing, as are so many of his other stories. I think Stradling did a wonderful job of remaining faithful to the original while giving it a sense of meaning and hope. In the final struggle between the two authors, however, I can't help feeling that Anderson still won out.
That said, this was a wonderfully enjoyable retelling that doesn't shy away from the dark and uncomfortable nature of the original tale. One of the more unique and unusual fairytale retellings I've come across, and I'll definitely be checking out some more of this author's work in future!
May 31, 2023
Beautifully written
I have been reading quite a few fairy tale retellings lately, they usually are gritty and smexy and take many literary turns from the original. I absolutely adore them!
This short novel is NOT one of those. It is not smexy and modern, but instead emotional and like the original heartbreaking.
This is the first that is so close to the original tale that I would actually term it a detailed expansion. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it.
I have been reading quite a few fairy tale retellings lately, they usually are gritty and smexy and take many literary turns from the original. I absolutely adore them!
This short novel is NOT one of those. It is not smexy and modern, but instead emotional and like the original heartbreaking.
This is the first that is so close to the original tale that I would actually term it a detailed expansion. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it.
August 4, 2018
4 out of 5 stars ONLY because I feel this story should have been longer. The length was too short to hold such an abundant story. There were some parts that were super detailed, whereas others were rushed- these rushed parts I feel could have added much more emotion/action to the book.
The author probably meant to keep this as a short novella, but this story should have totally been a novel.
Either way, the story itself was a fantastic twist on the little mermaid- giving an entirely unheard of perspective from an entirely different character. I quite enjoyed the writing and the big personalities of these characters. I JUST wish there was more.
All in all, I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.
The author probably meant to keep this as a short novella, but this story should have totally been a novel.
Either way, the story itself was a fantastic twist on the little mermaid- giving an entirely unheard of perspective from an entirely different character. I quite enjoyed the writing and the big personalities of these characters. I JUST wish there was more.
All in all, I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.
March 17, 2023
Little mermaid, but make the ending faithful to the original version … without being as depressing as possible.
This was romantic and magical and just lovely all around. Magdalena’s empathy magic was so well-written and unique, and the ending was perfectly bittersweet.
This was romantic and magical and just lovely all around. Magdalena’s empathy magic was so well-written and unique, and the ending was perfectly bittersweet.
May 12, 2023
Ugh, I love this author.
February 22, 2025
Beautiful!! Spectacular! Give me 14 of them right now! I was hesitant to try this one because i really don’t care for the original Little Mermaid story. Kate Stradling worked her magic into my doubting heart with this retelling. I don’t know why I doubted her, her books always scratches my brain just right.
December 27, 2021
This was such a good book! I read this immediately after reading the original little mermaid story, and the author stayed so close to the original story, it was unbelievable! Even the smallest details! There were only two differences I noticed, but honestly, both changes made the story so much better! Wonderfully done!
October 8, 2022
I was going to give this 4 stars for the storytelling, but I'm going to give it 5 for author Stradling's creativity and the way it made me think. I never thought much about the original Little Mermaid story except for "well that has a depressing ending". I'm not sure I ever actually read it before. But reading Brine and Bone made me go back and read, and really think about, the original. I've heard some people complain that the Disney Little Mermaid has a bad message... change your body and give up speaking, for a man you find physically attractive but who you've never met, and it will turn out great! I always felt like they were just being cynical, but you know what? Now I think Hans Christian Anderson would agree actually.
The Disney happy ending messes up his complex story and kind of cheapens it. Anderson's story is about giving up everything for a dream you can never have. When you sacrifice literally everything, and put your whole self on the line, but it's still not enough. And I think that's something a lot of people can relate to, maybe more than they can relate to the Disney version where Ariel magically gets everything she wants.
The Little Mermaid in Anderson's story is a tragic figure, not a hero to emulate. She turns to evil magic, and that magic comes back to kill her. But she is motivated by love and a desire for something good. And in the end she is rewarded for her love and her good heart, though her methods of using those lead to her death. Anderson's story makes you think about the juxtaposition.
All this lead me to thinking about Disney movies and the stories we tell kids in general. Right now, we're very into happy endings and stories of plucky heroes overcoming all obstacles and winning the day. I think those are great, but I also think we lose something when we say stories like Anderson's are too depressing for kids. Because I think, with the endless string of a certain kind of happy endings and "you can do it, believe in yourself!", a lot of kids now don't understand how to handle failure. And one of the themes of the original Little Mermaid is the beauty in a great failure. The beauty of having your heart in a good place when all of your decisions are wrong. The beauty of pursuing an impossible dream. But also the danger and sadness of those things.
I guess it sounds like I'm reviewing the Hans Christian Anderson story instead of Brine and Bone but I thank Brine and Bone for all these thoughts. Stradling wrote a fun, interesting, and engaging story that made me think about this very popular tale through a different lens.
The Disney happy ending messes up his complex story and kind of cheapens it. Anderson's story is about giving up everything for a dream you can never have. When you sacrifice literally everything, and put your whole self on the line, but it's still not enough. And I think that's something a lot of people can relate to, maybe more than they can relate to the Disney version where Ariel magically gets everything she wants.
The Little Mermaid in Anderson's story is a tragic figure, not a hero to emulate. She turns to evil magic, and that magic comes back to kill her. But she is motivated by love and a desire for something good. And in the end she is rewarded for her love and her good heart, though her methods of using those lead to her death. Anderson's story makes you think about the juxtaposition.
All this lead me to thinking about Disney movies and the stories we tell kids in general. Right now, we're very into happy endings and stories of plucky heroes overcoming all obstacles and winning the day. I think those are great, but I also think we lose something when we say stories like Anderson's are too depressing for kids. Because I think, with the endless string of a certain kind of happy endings and "you can do it, believe in yourself!", a lot of kids now don't understand how to handle failure. And one of the themes of the original Little Mermaid is the beauty in a great failure. The beauty of having your heart in a good place when all of your decisions are wrong. The beauty of pursuing an impossible dream. But also the danger and sadness of those things.
I guess it sounds like I'm reviewing the Hans Christian Anderson story instead of Brine and Bone but I thank Brine and Bone for all these thoughts. Stradling wrote a fun, interesting, and engaging story that made me think about this very popular tale through a different lens.
November 20, 2021
This was a fun and yet tragic story. A great take on The Little Mermaid.
RTC
RTC
February 4, 2023
Okay, I want this version of the fairy tale made into a movie. Produced by Neil Gaiman or M. Night Shyamalan (shut up, I like his movies!). Don't Disney-fy this shit this time!
Kate Stradling is a master of the novella format, managing to pack a full story into a short volume and somehow leave you both totally satisfied but also wanting more because it was that good. I really loved this take on The Little Mermaid, especially since the darkness of it is in keeping with the original, unlike the one with which we're all familiar. It was creepy and eerie and unsettling, and I found myself wondering if it would end in a manner much darker than you'd anticipate. The description of Lili and the other sea-fay was brilliant, and the epilogue gave them and the story an extra boost.
This one didn't quite enchant me as much as Soot and Slipper, but only because I kind of felt like there were a couple of plot holes that the author chose not to address. Or maybe she did and it wasn't satisfactory to me? (I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, LOL.) I just wish there had been something a bit more direct about a couple of aspects of the story. But I did still really love this and am once again very impressed with the author's ability to take these well-known fairy tales and give us something simultaneously familiar and also brand new.
Kate Stradling is a master of the novella format, managing to pack a full story into a short volume and somehow leave you both totally satisfied but also wanting more because it was that good. I really loved this take on The Little Mermaid, especially since the darkness of it is in keeping with the original, unlike the one with which we're all familiar. It was creepy and eerie and unsettling, and I found myself wondering if it would end in a manner much darker than you'd anticipate. The description of Lili and the other sea-fay was brilliant, and the epilogue gave them and the story an extra boost.
This one didn't quite enchant me as much as Soot and Slipper, but only because I kind of felt like there were a couple of plot holes that the author chose not to address. Or maybe she did and it wasn't satisfactory to me? (I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, LOL.) I just wish there had been something a bit more direct about a couple of aspects of the story. But I did still really love this and am once again very impressed with the author's ability to take these well-known fairy tales and give us something simultaneously familiar and also brand new.
August 12, 2020
3.75
This was an interesting stand alone novel based on the original telling of The Little Mermaid.
In this retelling we are seeing the story from another woman's viewpoint. In this case Magdalena- a young empath who was once childhood friends with a Price- whose circumstances have now brought them back together.
This is more in line with the original story with unrequited love, sacrifice, forgiveness and understanding. This was a sad, but romantic story all said and done- and its ok KU so I would recommend giving it a read.
But I will say
This was an interesting stand alone novel based on the original telling of The Little Mermaid.
In this retelling we are seeing the story from another woman's viewpoint. In this case Magdalena- a young empath who was once childhood friends with a Price- whose circumstances have now brought them back together.
This is more in line with the original story with unrequited love, sacrifice, forgiveness and understanding. This was a sad, but romantic story all said and done- and its ok KU so I would recommend giving it a read.
But I will say
March 3, 2020
I really can't emphasize how much I loved this story. I love HCA's 'The Little Mermaid', and I spent a good part of my BA degree riffing off HCA in my own creative work. This story (and it's storyteller) obviously cares very deeply for the original. It's a delicate retelling that recasts how we think about the central characters, and really, the entire premise, without actually changing anything. I almost hate to call this a "retelling" because it feels like the genuine thing, just a side view that we didn't see initially.
Highly, highly recommend.
Highly, highly recommend.
August 27, 2021
It was short and really nice. Nothing special, but cute, pretty, light and a little sad.
I liked it, even if it wasn't anything extraordinairy and had some issues :)
I liked it, even if it wasn't anything extraordinairy and had some issues :)
December 13, 2024
Quite the retelling
This was quite the retelling of the Little Mermaid - the original, not Disney one. It was a really fast read for me but I enjoyed it and would recommend it for anyone who wants a quick well written and thoughtful tale.
This was quite the retelling of the Little Mermaid - the original, not Disney one. It was a really fast read for me but I enjoyed it and would recommend it for anyone who wants a quick well written and thoughtful tale.
August 3, 2022
sorry anytime its fmc grumpy x mmc sunshine my knees buckle 🫡
a lovely lil rendition of the old little mermaid tale
a lovely lil rendition of the old little mermaid tale
May 20, 2022
The story was okay. The romance felt rushed, particularly toward the end, but I was intrigued by this original retelling of The Little Mermaid and the dynamics between the characters. I’m skipping over a lot of what I liked— empathy magic, the “rules” the prince had to follow forbidding preferential treatment, the sea stairs. The story wasn’t sketched out fully enough— I was initially confused by the heroine’s motivations and backstory; I really wish the magic system was more fully developed and explored, because it was interesting and had a lot of potential; the story wrapped up too easily and oddly without real conflict.
The prince continually pressures Magdalena throughout the book, most intensely in the last third or so, to be more intimate than she is comfortable with— from coming to her room at night to kissing her in front of other people to prompting her to take her hair down and hoping to catch her in her nightgown. Those things might sound really innocent, but the fact that she was uncomfortable with them made me, the reader, uncomfortable. If she tells you repeatedly she doesn’t want you in her room alone at night, well, frankly, you should’ve listened the first time, but definitely respect her boundaries when it comes up again, dude! Magdalena clearly feels that any sexual intimacy needs to wait for marriage. I… wasn’t entirely on board with this kind of patriarchal thinking in the context of a fantasy romance (she wasn’t doing it because she worried about what might happen to her if the king found out, but because it was “inappropriate”), but whatever, I appreciate that she’s setting firm boundaries and sticking to them, and the prince does listen. But. He’s clearly not happy about it and is determined to push Magdalena as far as she’ll allow, and over and over again she has to be the one to say no, we’re not going any farther than kissing. Flashback to my Catholic school Religion Class unit on Sex Ed, where they taught us in class that girls need to say no and mean it, even if boys pressured us, or else we would train boys to not believe us when we said “no” and “stop” later on— the implication being, as in this book, that it is the girl’s job to stop anything sexual from happening before marriage. Everything about that makes me grind my teeth. I wasn’t pleased to see it in a light fantasy book.
But what really bothered me came toward the end:
“When fay and humans join together, the children they produce are sterile. Such a union marks the end of their line. On a grander scale, it threatens the existence of each species. Everything in the world has its proper order. Fay belong with fay, and humans with humans. No magic is powerful enough to change that. It is a law, not a suggestion.”
Leaving aside that eugenics or bloodlines or whatever seem totally unnecessary to this story (who cares if a couple can have kids or not if they aren’t even in love and only one of them has any interest in a relationship?? How is it relevant?), and leaving aside the whole thing about fay being too different because they don’t have souls (that got strange at the end)— the above quote struck me as wildly homophobic. Possibly I’m reading too much into this? But I really can’t unsee it as a transparent metaphor for LGBTQ+ people and some of the arguments people use against same-sex relationships.
It made me not want to read the author any more, and considering that I’m definitely the outlier here among high starred reviews by people who really enjoyed this, I think I won’t, because I don’t like leaving negative reviews. The author clearly has an inventive mind for retellings and stories about medieval royals (I read and enjoyed The Heir and the Spare before reading this).
The prince continually pressures Magdalena throughout the book, most intensely in the last third or so, to be more intimate than she is comfortable with— from coming to her room at night to kissing her in front of other people to prompting her to take her hair down and hoping to catch her in her nightgown. Those things might sound really innocent, but the fact that she was uncomfortable with them made me, the reader, uncomfortable. If she tells you repeatedly she doesn’t want you in her room alone at night, well, frankly, you should’ve listened the first time, but definitely respect her boundaries when it comes up again, dude! Magdalena clearly feels that any sexual intimacy needs to wait for marriage. I… wasn’t entirely on board with this kind of patriarchal thinking in the context of a fantasy romance (she wasn’t doing it because she worried about what might happen to her if the king found out, but because it was “inappropriate”), but whatever, I appreciate that she’s setting firm boundaries and sticking to them, and the prince does listen. But. He’s clearly not happy about it and is determined to push Magdalena as far as she’ll allow, and over and over again she has to be the one to say no, we’re not going any farther than kissing. Flashback to my Catholic school Religion Class unit on Sex Ed, where they taught us in class that girls need to say no and mean it, even if boys pressured us, or else we would train boys to not believe us when we said “no” and “stop” later on— the implication being, as in this book, that it is the girl’s job to stop anything sexual from happening before marriage. Everything about that makes me grind my teeth. I wasn’t pleased to see it in a light fantasy book.
But what really bothered me came toward the end:
“When fay and humans join together, the children they produce are sterile. Such a union marks the end of their line. On a grander scale, it threatens the existence of each species. Everything in the world has its proper order. Fay belong with fay, and humans with humans. No magic is powerful enough to change that. It is a law, not a suggestion.”
Leaving aside that eugenics or bloodlines or whatever seem totally unnecessary to this story (who cares if a couple can have kids or not if they aren’t even in love and only one of them has any interest in a relationship?? How is it relevant?), and leaving aside the whole thing about fay being too different because they don’t have souls (that got strange at the end)— the above quote struck me as wildly homophobic. Possibly I’m reading too much into this? But I really can’t unsee it as a transparent metaphor for LGBTQ+ people and some of the arguments people use against same-sex relationships.
It made me not want to read the author any more, and considering that I’m definitely the outlier here among high starred reviews by people who really enjoyed this, I think I won’t, because I don’t like leaving negative reviews. The author clearly has an inventive mind for retellings and stories about medieval royals (I read and enjoyed The Heir and the Spare before reading this).
July 27, 2023
I keep switching between rating this as 4 or 5 stars. Maybe 4.5. I really really loved this book! It just had a few annoying flaws that the more I think about, the harder it becomes to ignore. But I really enjoyed reading every bit of the story.
Let's get the cons out of the way first. It's flaws: it has the "not-like-other-girls" trope which is really getting old. I get that Magdalena has rare magical powers (I really liked the exploration of being an empath as a magical ability!!), but it was never explained whether she was really the only person in the world or if it's just rare--we were never introduced to anyone else like her to know. But beyond that, ALL the other girls/women her age are portrayed as selfish/vain/mean/gossipish/arrogant etc. They ALL desperately displayed their desire for the prince but Magdalena. Which is frankly unbelievable. And why was the entire court made up of unmarried women vying for the prince's affections? I mean, there could've been men but they were never mentioned. If Magdalena had even been given ONE female friend I would've been less critical. But for an author who writes so much about tropes related to female characters in literature on her website (which is really helpful and I totally recommend you check it out if you're interested in writing btw!), she used a really big annoying one in this book.
BUT DON'T LET THIS DISCOURAGE YOU FROM READING THE BOOK! Magdalena, even though she has no friends and appears sorta standoffish, is such a sweetheart. She's incredibly empathetic--that's her magic power--and I love the no-nonsense vibe about her. She wouldn't throw her life away for a man. She wouldn't let herself be played. She has boundaries and she sticks to them, even when the temptation from a particularly charming prince is high. I really love that in a girl character--too many female characters these days make terrible decisions and toss out all aspects of their life for the purpose of gaining a man. Magdalena is not like that.
And, oh, Finnian. I loved that he's very empathetic too. They make an interesting couple--different but still so similar. Similar in that they are both very passionate, somewhat jealous, very protective, stubborn, and empathetic. Different in that Finnian is a charismatic extrovert who's forced to lie to be diplomatic/politically correct--he's the prince after all--but Magdalena is a blunt introvert who says what's on her mind. They complement each other ADORINGLY.
And I love the chaperone. He's HILARIOUS. I really need a spin off about his story
Last but not least - the retelling. This is 1000000x better than the Disney retelling. Not only is it more faithful to the original Hans Christian Andersen story (which I totally recommend you read before this book, it's short + you'll appreciate all the nods to it and it'll help you understand some of it) but it's also much happier.
Anyways, can't wait to read more of Kate Stradling's books!!!
Let's get the cons out of the way first. It's flaws: it has the "not-like-other-girls" trope which is really getting old. I get that Magdalena has rare magical powers (I really liked the exploration of being an empath as a magical ability!!), but it was never explained whether she was really the only person in the world or if it's just rare--we were never introduced to anyone else like her to know. But beyond that, ALL the other girls/women her age are portrayed as selfish/vain/mean/gossipish/arrogant etc. They ALL desperately displayed their desire for the prince but Magdalena. Which is frankly unbelievable. And why was the entire court made up of unmarried women vying for the prince's affections? I mean, there could've been men but they were never mentioned. If Magdalena had even been given ONE female friend I would've been less critical. But for an author who writes so much about tropes related to female characters in literature on her website (which is really helpful and I totally recommend you check it out if you're interested in writing btw!), she used a really big annoying one in this book.
BUT DON'T LET THIS DISCOURAGE YOU FROM READING THE BOOK! Magdalena, even though she has no friends and appears sorta standoffish, is such a sweetheart. She's incredibly empathetic--that's her magic power--and I love the no-nonsense vibe about her. She wouldn't throw her life away for a man. She wouldn't let herself be played. She has boundaries and she sticks to them, even when the temptation from a particularly charming prince is high. I really love that in a girl character--too many female characters these days make terrible decisions and toss out all aspects of their life for the purpose of gaining a man. Magdalena is not like that.
And, oh, Finnian. I loved that he's very empathetic too. They make an interesting couple--different but still so similar. Similar in that they are both very passionate, somewhat jealous, very protective, stubborn, and empathetic. Different in that Finnian is a charismatic extrovert who's forced to lie to be diplomatic/politically correct--he's the prince after all--but Magdalena is a blunt introvert who says what's on her mind. They complement each other ADORINGLY.
And I love the chaperone. He's HILARIOUS. I really need a spin off about his story
Last but not least - the retelling. This is 1000000x better than the Disney retelling. Not only is it more faithful to the original Hans Christian Andersen story (which I totally recommend you read before this book, it's short + you'll appreciate all the nods to it and it'll help you understand some of it) but it's also much happier.
Anyways, can't wait to read more of Kate Stradling's books!!!
May 22, 2020
A beautiful novella inspired by the dark folklore of the little mermaid, wholly made its own by a new and incredibly likeable narrator.
Magdalena is a witty, reserved but proud character who grows up with prince Finnian. After developing healing magic - empath abilities where she feels the pain of her patients and can pinpoint the causes instantly - she is shipped off to learn her trade. It’s from her delightful POV that Anderson’s the little mermaid is told after she happens upon a shipwrecked (and previously thought dead) Finnian.
Enter all the witty banter and charming intrigue you could desire.
Charming characters, well written and just the perfect read for a lazy afternoon.
Magdalena is a witty, reserved but proud character who grows up with prince Finnian. After developing healing magic - empath abilities where she feels the pain of her patients and can pinpoint the causes instantly - she is shipped off to learn her trade. It’s from her delightful POV that Anderson’s the little mermaid is told after she happens upon a shipwrecked (and previously thought dead) Finnian.
Enter all the witty banter and charming intrigue you could desire.
Charming characters, well written and just the perfect read for a lazy afternoon.
May 6, 2022
This is the 2nd book I'm reading by the author, and I've added her to my favorites list. She has the ability to suck you into the story from the first page itself. I started reading it at 1 a.m and stayed up till 3.30 a.m to finish it, and it was totally worth it.
The writing has a beautiful flow, and by the time I reached the end, I had experienced a variety of emotions. I've felt joy, anger, anxiety, and heartbreak, and also had tears in my eyes during those 160 pages. Despite the short length, the author managed to add depth to the story.
The characters were amazing, and I loved the way Magdalena was portrayed. I liked that she wasn't swooning over the male character the whole time even though she had feelings for him. She was composed and knew her priorities. Finnian was equally great; his thought process, personality, and the way he presented himself in public vs. private life were written well.
The characters' interactions were highly entertaining. I enjoyed their friendly banter and sarcastic comments. The romance between Finnian and Magdalena was very sweet.
The story had a few unpredictable turns, and with every twist, things got even more exciting. I was dreading the ending after a major revelation, but though it was bittersweet, I was immensely satisfied.
Sirens lure you in with their voices, but the author lures you in with her words. It is loosely based on The Little Mermaid. You have to read this book if you like standalone novels with sea creatures, fairytale retellings, romance, mystery, and magic. While you're at it, go check out The Legendary Inge, which is another standalone by the author.
The writing has a beautiful flow, and by the time I reached the end, I had experienced a variety of emotions. I've felt joy, anger, anxiety, and heartbreak, and also had tears in my eyes during those 160 pages. Despite the short length, the author managed to add depth to the story.
The characters were amazing, and I loved the way Magdalena was portrayed. I liked that she wasn't swooning over the male character the whole time even though she had feelings for him. She was composed and knew her priorities. Finnian was equally great; his thought process, personality, and the way he presented himself in public vs. private life were written well.
The characters' interactions were highly entertaining. I enjoyed their friendly banter and sarcastic comments. The romance between Finnian and Magdalena was very sweet.
The story had a few unpredictable turns, and with every twist, things got even more exciting. I was dreading the ending after a major revelation, but though it was bittersweet, I was immensely satisfied.
Sirens lure you in with their voices, but the author lures you in with her words. It is loosely based on The Little Mermaid. You have to read this book if you like standalone novels with sea creatures, fairytale retellings, romance, mystery, and magic. While you're at it, go check out The Legendary Inge, which is another standalone by the author.
December 26, 2020
Omg omg OMG!!! Kate Stradling has quickly become one of my all time fave authors!!! After reading The Legendary Inge, I went looking for her other books and started in on Brine and Bone.
WOW. Just Wow.
4 hours later and Im already finished. My heart is so full of emotion right now. I loved this book. So much. Too much. Is it really over already? Im tempted to start it all over again.
Six stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WOW. Just Wow.
4 hours later and Im already finished. My heart is so full of emotion right now. I loved this book. So much. Too much. Is it really over already? Im tempted to start it all over again.
Six stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 14, 2018
Wow, one of my favorite authors has done it again--Kate Stradling has rewritten H.C. Andersen's The Little Mermaid into a beautiful story that retains the poignancy of the original yet delights the reader with funny banter and genuine human relationships.
Finnian is a wonderful prince--charming yet a bit devious, clever, whimsical, determined, and essentially lovable. And Magdalena is his ideal foil. The two of them are easy to "ship."
And Lili--so creepy, pathetic, yet wistfully sweet!
The ending is just right, with the perfect balance of tragedy and sweetness.
I devoured this novella in a day, and I highly recommend it.
Finnian is a wonderful prince--charming yet a bit devious, clever, whimsical, determined, and essentially lovable. And Magdalena is his ideal foil. The two of them are easy to "ship."
And Lili--so creepy, pathetic, yet wistfully sweet!
The ending is just right, with the perfect balance of tragedy and sweetness.
I devoured this novella in a day, and I highly recommend it.
April 14, 2019
Originally posted as a bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwOp3xTHpx8/
Brine and Bone by Kate Stradling is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen version of The Little Mermaid. I picked this up based on the recommendation of Li (meandmybooks on Twitter) and because it's available on Kindle Unlimited. I found it to be a refreshing take on the fairy tale. A quick and lovely read with interesting worldbuilding that included empathy magic and fay folklore. The characters were easy to like and I really enjoyed the romance between the charming prince and the cynical empath. I'd be interested in reading Kate Stradling's other books to see if they're as good as this one.
Brine and Bone by Kate Stradling is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen version of The Little Mermaid. I picked this up based on the recommendation of Li (meandmybooks on Twitter) and because it's available on Kindle Unlimited. I found it to be a refreshing take on the fairy tale. A quick and lovely read with interesting worldbuilding that included empathy magic and fay folklore. The characters were easy to like and I really enjoyed the romance between the charming prince and the cynical empath. I'd be interested in reading Kate Stradling's other books to see if they're as good as this one.
June 29, 2023
I hate Disney's The Little Mermaid. I despise it so much that I avoid all mermaid stories and never have been able to pick up Anderson's original fairy tale, even though I KNOW it's different. (Actually, I might avoid Anderson's precisely because I know it's different. I find most of his stories extremely depressing.)
ANYWAY
Despite my loathing of The Little Mermaid, I wanted to try another of Kate Stradling's works and see if my enjoyment of The Heir and the Spare was a one-off or if I would enjoy other of her stories.
I enjoyed it VERY much. Kate Stradling writes characters I like to read about.
ANYWAY
Despite my loathing of The Little Mermaid, I wanted to try another of Kate Stradling's works and see if my enjoyment of The Heir and the Spare was a one-off or if I would enjoy other of her stories.
I enjoyed it VERY much. Kate Stradling writes characters I like to read about.
January 29, 2025
Engrossing and a bit more gritty than the other stories I've read by this author. There were a few plot pinholes that tickled my interest, but the prose was so good it dragged me away.
I'd love more fairytale retellings by Stradling. If some books (I'm looking at you, Berta Ruck) are cotton candy, these are homemade brownies. Richer and worth the indulgence. But still of dubious nutritional quality. However, I'd rather my daughter read this than Twilight. Because the women and most of the men have got some substance and there's some lessons learned, growth attempted, and empathy felt.
I'd love more fairytale retellings by Stradling. If some books (I'm looking at you, Berta Ruck) are cotton candy, these are homemade brownies. Richer and worth the indulgence. But still of dubious nutritional quality. However, I'd rather my daughter read this than Twilight. Because the women and most of the men have got some substance and there's some lessons learned, growth attempted, and empathy felt.
March 7, 2023
It’s spring break so I’m getting in as much reading as I can before classes start next week😅
Brine and Bone is probably the most accurate retelling of The Little Mermaid I’ve ever read, but with a totally different twist where the prince is already in love with a different girl. Also, this little mermaid isn’t the Disney, gorgeous, red head. She’s absolutely freaky and I might have nightmares about her😳
Anywho, pretty good book that I’d recommend for fairy tale retelling lovers.
Brine and Bone is probably the most accurate retelling of The Little Mermaid I’ve ever read, but with a totally different twist where the prince is already in love with a different girl. Also, this little mermaid isn’t the Disney, gorgeous, red head. She’s absolutely freaky and I might have nightmares about her😳
Anywho, pretty good book that I’d recommend for fairy tale retelling lovers.
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