Of Poseidon: Book Review

Novel: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks | Goodreads

Release Date: May 22nd, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Format: ARC

Source: ALA Midwinter

Challenge: None

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

 

(Synopsis and Image from Goodreads)

Willa's Rambles:
When I got Of Poseidon I was immediately entranced by the cover and the synopsis. From first glance, I was curious about the powers of the Syrena, Galen and Emma's relationship, and the issues that will face them.

I loved how Anna Banks combined Greek Mythology about Poseidon with her imagination and crafted a world that was beautiful and enthralling. I wanted to be Syrena! The entire reason that Emma is so important is quite complicated, and as Galen and Emma try to figure out exactly what she is, I was equally as in suspense. Often times in novels the author makes the characters know less than you, or more than really makes sense for them know, and Anna Banks did neither of these. 

Anna wasn't immediately likeable, but as the novel went on, slowly I began to like her. Her temper began to make sense, and the way she reacted to Galen became understandable. As we as readers learn more about how being Syrena affected her, many of her unlikeable qualities become likeable. By the end, I was cheering for Emma and Galen, and crossing my fingers that they would end up together.  

I feel in love with Galen from day one. He was so likeable, and I felt so sorry for all those human girls - sorry girls, you can't have him! The way he cared for Emma was not only as a duty, but also through a caring loving relationship. He respected her opinion, and he put her feelings before his - most of the time. 

Of Poseidon is fantastic! Anna Banks has crafted a story of imagination, real life and myth into an amazing tale of finding yourself and falling in love.