Skin of the Sea (Skin of the Sea, #1)

by Natasha Bowen

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The must-read Black mermaid fantasy series that #1 NYT bestselling author Nicola Yoon calls “epic and original,” in which one mermaid takes on the gods themselves. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and anyone who can't wait for the live-action The Little Mermaid.

“Riveting.” —NPR
“Evocative.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Remarkable.” —Buzzfeed

A way to survive.
A way to serve.
A way to save.

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable—she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.

To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There's the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .

Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn't, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

• ISBN10: 0593120973
• ISBN13: 9780593120972
• Publish Date: 26 July 2022 (first published 2 November 2021)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Ember
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593120972

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Skin of the Sea is the first in Natasha Bowen's series of the same name. And let me just say, if you love mermaids and fantasy tales, then this is absolutely a book/series that you don't want to miss out on! Plus, let's be honest here: that cover is drop-dead gorgeous.

Long ago, Simi was human, but that was before the unthinkable happened. Now she serves the gods as a Mami Wata, otherwise known as a mermaid. She shepherd's souls lost to the oceans, bringing them to her god to be blessed and sent home.

Yet Simi could never let go of her human memories – unable to let go of her human life. So when she sees a man fall into the water – still alive – she can't bring herself to watch him drown. Instead, she saves him and sets off a chain of events that she was not prepared for.

“His quest for power is insidious and constant. From stealing the loved ones of kings and queens to using other orisas for their powers in the hopes of gaining more himself.”

Wow. I've read mermaid tales before, but nothing like Skin of the Sea. This was a beautiful story with so much depth, history, and power. I legitimately can't wait to see what the sequel brings because I am blown away.

This retelling of mermaids (and The Little Mermaid in specific) takes black history into account, creating something that feels thoroughly real. It's a heavier take, but it is also stronger for it.
My one complaint about this story would be the pacing. Simi's story moves so quickly, pulling readers from one adventure/danger to the next, that we're not given much time to appreciate her or any side characters. Not as much as we should, at any rate.

I adored many points about this read, including the orishas, history, and the hints of the threats to come. Honestly, it has been a couple of weeks since I read Skin of the Sea (I'm behind on reviewing), and it is STILL stuck in my head. So go read it! And then join me in the wait for the release of Soul of the Deep (Sep. 27).

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Angie]

Proceed With Caution:

This book contains death, blood, kidnapping, and mentions of slavery.

The Basics:

Skin of the Sea is narrated by Simidele, a Mami Wata. She was reborn as a mermaid to bless the souls who have died at sea. Then she finds Kola who is still gripping to life. Instead of finishing her task, she rescues him. When her creator learns of what she's done, she sends Simi on a quest of atonement. She must find a pair of powerful rings after returning Kola to his home. Unfortunately, the rings are gone, along with Kola's siblings and the two must head out together to find them, or else Simi and the other Mami Wata will be unmade and the human world will be plunged into famine.

My Thoughts:

I feel like a broken record at this point, but I have to mention this again. I don't like mermaid books, and yet I keep getting drawn in by pretty covers and amazing blurbs. I went into Skin of the Sea with simultaneously high and low expectations. Low, because no mermaid story has wowed me despite my love for the creatures. High, because it just sounds amazing!

Unsurprisingly, I didn't enjoy Skin of the Sea. I was bored and simply not interested in Simi's task. There was never any true sense of urgency as Simi and Kola's travels are relatively uneventful. They always meet exactly who they need to in order to move on to the next task. The romance was also super low stakes, because it only exists in other characters' heads. We're told by the villain that Simi is in love with Kola, but that they are forbidden to be together. But Simi never tells us this herself. We don't see any emotion from Kola's side either. Even that supposedly heartbreaking ending was just lacking.

The only thing I did find interesting about Skin of the Sea was the mythology and some of the world-building. We're told some pieces about how the different races came to be and that sets up for the slavery side plots. I also liked the twist on mermaids and other magical creatures, even though Simi spends most of the book in her human form. I just wish the emotion had been there to make me care about these characters.

[writehollydavis]

Ok, so this book was beautifully written with rich worldbuilding and excellent prose and tug at your heartstrings scenes and real characters and I guess I really do like sea stories!! Lol

[Inkslinger]

'Skin of the Sea' by Natasha Bowen is one of those books I was obsessed with reading from the moment I saw it announced. The cover is beautiful, the topic is a favorite of mine, and it boasts inspiration from West African mythology.  

 

From a technical side, everything is where it should be. Major plot points, reveals, and dramatic moments are spread along at a solid pace.  

 

Simi is kind and likable. She tries hard to do the right thing and has a lot of potential to be a deeply interesting character, as does Kola and the small found family he's surrounded himself with.  

 

The gods we get to see her interact with, have intriguing origins and I would have loved to see a bit more of them in particular. In fact, I feel that's the book's biggest strength.. great elements.. be they mythological, magical, or otherwise. What each of these things really lack is depth. There's so much room to develop them for the reader and that never really happens. The author attempts it here and there, but ultimately those forays are a handful of pages buried within many more that feel unnecessarily long.  

 

It's definitely a quick read, as I made my way through it in about 3 hours.. but I feel in part this is due to the book being largely filled with fluff. Little things like using the characters names seemingly every sentence or two at times, the drawn out semi-formal sentence structure more likely to be found in high school essays than novels, and scenes that are a bit of a waste dragging through multiple pages as characters engage in repetitive conversations or too much focus is put on peripheral events like the traveling or meals, rather than using those moments to really build connections.

 

As debut's go, this one is decent. Bowen has the pieces, she just needs the experience using them to build a robust story.. and I do think she could have a bright future in the genre of her choice if she shifts her attention to the meatier parts.

(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)