Sea Witch | Sarah Henning

 Star Rating: 4/5 Spice Rating: 0/10 Art Rating: 9 / 10

Favourite Quote: “My heart is not mine to give because it is already yours.”

Synopsis:

The fairy tale you thought you knew…

The story of the Sea Witch, the villainess from Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale The Little Mermaid, told from the viewpoint of the Sea Witch when she was a twelve-year-old girl…

Evie has been wracked with guilt ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned. So when a girl appears on shore with an uncanny resemblance to Anna, Evie befriends her in an effort to make amends. And as the two girls catch the eyes – and hearts – of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at happy ever after. But is Evie’s new friend really who she says she is?

A gripping story of friendship, betrayal and the power of hope…

Review:

I have been in such a rut with reading recently & this was the perfect story to pull me back into the land of reading. The Little Mermaid was my FAVOURITE Disney film growing up and Ursula was the ultimate villain; isolated and riddle with jealousy. Being able to read a version of her story was really refreshing.  I really enjoyed reading Sea Witch, it was an easy read about friendship, love and the price of secrets.

 Evie is a very loveable character and when i was reading it i just wanted the best for her. She and her Aunt  are witches hiding in plain sight, living in a city where witches have been hunted and burnt into extinction. Her father is the Royal Fisherman & her best friend is the crowned Prince Nik. Haunted by guilt for their friend who drowned, she does everything to ensure her new, mysterious friend Annemette can stay forever. For this to happen, she needs Nik to fall in love with her and give her a true love's kiss (typical fairy tale stuff). For me personally, i couldn't have predicted that Nik was in love with Evie and not falling in love with Annemette. When it gets revealed at the end of the book, it really took me by surprise  and after i finished the book, I flicked back to their private interactions & there are these ever so slight indications that Henning includes which i had completely missed! I really wanted Evie to get her fairy tale ending and i assumed  Annemette/ Anna would become Ursula. So when Annemette's intentions were revealed (I was actually quite shocked by it because even though Evie and other characters made claims that she was Anna, i thought that it couldn't be that easy!) the story completely took a turn and Evie's sacrifice ultimately made her become the infamous Villain. 

This story is beautifully written with gorgeous scenery & allows you to step back into the world of The Little Mermaid. Don't expect too much depth or major plot twists, its purely a light hearted read which can be read super quickly at home or on holiday. Most of the action happens in the last 20% of the book, but i didn't mind the build up in the beginning with the two girls chasing their princes. I read this whilst i was away in Greece and finished it in a day & a half - so it's definitely a quick read! 

Have you read this? let me know your thoughts!