Cry Of The Sea by D.G. Driver

Cry of the Sea by D.G. Driver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Juniper Sawfeather is choosing which college to attend after graduation from West Olympia High School next year. She wants to go to San Diego to be far away from her environmental activist parents. They expect her to think the way they do, but having to be constantly fighting causes makes it difficult to be an average seventeen-year-old high school student. Why do her parents have to be so "out there?"

Her feelings on the subject are changed when she and her father rush to the beach after a reported oil spill. As they document the damage, June discovers three humans washed up on the beach, struggling to breathe through the oil coating their skin. At first she thinks they must be surfers, but as she gets closer, she finds out that these aren't humans at all. They're mermaids!

Now begins a complex story of intrigue, conspiracy and manipulation as June, her parents, a marine biologist and his handsome young intern, her best friend, the popular clique at school and the oil company fight over the fate of the mermaids.

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What an amazing story! Juniper (June) is a young woman of substance and holds firm to who she is despite heavy pressure from her parents and peers at school. She's the kind of role model for girls that I love to see in YA books.

As expected, this book has a strong message about environmentalism but I'm impressed that the author was able to convey it without sounding preachy in the slightest. You're not going to get a sermon but you will see enough of the damage caused by oil spills to be horrified by it. To be honest, I'm barely interested in the subject but I went through a whole range of emotions and I cared about what was happening. Ladies and gentlemen, that can only be credited to a writer with great talent.

The events of this story are linked back to traditional mermaid lore, which actually made them sound plausible. Unlike other mermaid stories, they aren't described here as anything remotely human. They have silvery skin, gills, no nose or hair, and are incapable of speech.

So... if you're looking for a book with a strong heroine and something fresh and unique to offer, this is for you.

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