The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Website, Twitter, Goodreads)Published by Candlewick Press on May 5th 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, LGBT, Mermaids, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 368
A desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial daughter find a connection on the high seas in a rich, riveting fantasy set in a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic.
Aboard the pirate ship Dove, Flora the girl takes on the identity of Florian the man to earn the respect and protection of the crew. For Flora, former starving urchin, the brutal life of a pirate is about survival: don’t trust, don’t stick out, and don’t feel. But on this voyage, as the pirates prepare to sell their unsuspecting passengers into slavery, Flora is drawn to the Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, who is en route to a dreaded arranged marriage with her own casket in tow. Flora doesn’t expect to be taken under Evelyn’s wing, and Evelyn doesn’t expect to find such a deep bond with the pirate Florian.
Soon the unlikely pair set in motion a wild escape that will free a captured mermaid (coveted for her blood, which causes men to have visions and lose memories) and involve the mysterious Pirate Supreme, an opportunistic witch, and the all-encompassing Sea itself. Deftly entwining swashbuckling action and Asian folklore in a land dominated by an imperial class, Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s inventive debut novel conjures a diverse cast of characters seeking mastery over their fates while searching for answers to big questions about identity, equality, and love.
Look at this beauty!! I am so excited – pirates and witches and mermaids… count me in!
So…What are you waiting for this week?
About Maggie Tokuda-Hall
My name is Maggie and I make things. Mostly stories, and podcasts, but sometimes things like essays, too.
I write some stories especially for kids. You'll find those under the tab that says FOR KIDS, and anyone can read those. This includes my book, Also An Octopus, which you can and should buy a million copies of immediately.
But I also write stories that really are not for kids. You can find those under the tab that says FOR ADULTS, which is true, and also good advice.
Here's some boring stuff about me, but its all true:
I have a BA in Studio Art from Scripps College, and an MFA in Writing from University of San Francisco.
I am represented for all my writing for kids by Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Lit. She is mighty, and gives sound life advice.
I think all dogs are good dogs, but my favorite animals are octopuses, elephants and spotted hyenas.
If you are here because my mom sent you, please refer to her Facebook page for all pertinent updates.
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