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Hannah (Daughters of the Sea #1)

by Kathryn Lasky

3.39 · rating details · 603 ratings · 130 reviews

Daughters of the Sea tells the story of 3 mermaid sisters who are separated at birth by a storm and go on to lead three very different lives. Book 1 is about Hannah, who spent her early days in an orphanage and is now a scullery maid in the house of rich, powerful family. She is irresistibly drawn to the sea and through a series of accidents and encounters discovers her tr...more

Hardcover, 310 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Scholastic Inc.

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Nov 13, 2011

The Holy Terror rated it

Recommends it for: fans of historical fiction or mermaids

Shelves: mermaids, borrowed, historical-fantasy, young-adult, historical

Hannah is the story of one of three mermaid sisters who were separated at birth at the end of the 19th century. The story starts out with her living in an orphanage in Boston. Once the orphans turn 14 they have to work, most often as servants for wealthy families. Hannah is found to be unsuitable for living in one of these homes because she is outspoken and smarter than the average girl, so she's stuck on an orphan train destined for Kansas to work on a farm. On the train she develops a rash and...moreHannah is the story of one of three mermaid sisters who were separated at birth at the end of the 19th century. The story starts out with her living in an orphanage in Boston. Once the orphans turn 14 they have to work, most often as servants for wealthy families. Hannah is found to be unsuitable for living in one of these homes because she is outspoken and smarter than the average girl, so she's stuck on an orphan train destined for Kansas to work on a farm. On the train she develops a rash and her face swells up. Since she looks diseased, only a pastor and his wife are willing to take her on as hired help. Hannah quickly comes to realize though that she can't be so far from the ocean and she gets sicker and sicker until she convinces them to let her go back to Boston.

Back in Boston she manages to get a job as a scullery girl for the very wealthy Hawley family. She learns how to live life as a servant while also trying to come to terms with the strange things her body is doing. We already know what Hannah is from the description of the book, but she has no idea what's going on.

The Hawley family has three daughters, and one of them, Lila, is pretty much evil. Lila and her equally evil cat Jade dislike Hannah. Things are made especially worse when the handsome painter that comes to paint the daughters' portrait seems to take a liking to Hannah. So Lila is quickly set up as the villain of the story and proceeds to wreak havoc on the household.

The bulk of this book is mostly about Hannah's life as a servant, and I think I would have been fine with that if the mermaid part didn't feel so tacked on at the end. This could have been a nice historical fiction novel otherwise. I could have easily rated this book 4 stars if it wasn't for the way it ended. This book is part of a trilogy but it also doesn't seem to stand on its own. It doesn't end in a cliffhanger leaving you wanting more though, it just ends. I honestly thought they forgot to print part of it! And this is doubly frustrating without a date anywhere on the horizon for the next book.

I enjoyed the characters and the world imagined for this story but the fact that it didn't have a solid ending really bothered me. I will read the next book to find out what happens, but I'm hoping it doesn't end the same.(less)

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Aug 01, 2011

Mlle. X rated it

Shelves: ya-or-teen-protagonist, paranormal-urban-fantasy

DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA: HANNAH is a sweet, readable story about an orphaned teenaged girl who discovers, over the course of the novel, that she is a mermaid. A reader drawn to the premise and looking for a light read will probably have a good time with this book; an older or more critical reader, however, will probably find it problematic.

As an older AND more critical reader, I was frequently annoyed. The author has a habit of setting up a compelling sub-plot, only to fail on the follow...moreDAUGHTERS OF THE SEA: HANNAH is a sweet, readable story about an orphaned teenaged girl who discovers, over the course of the novel, that she is a mermaid. A reader drawn to the premise and looking for a light read will probably have a good time with this book; an older or more critical reader, however, will probably find it problematic.

As an older AND more critical reader, I was frequently annoyed. The author has a habit of setting up a compelling sub-plot, only to fail on the follow-through. For example. At the beginning of the novel, we find Hannah about to leave her orphanage for the wide world beyond. The headmistress of the orphanage sends Hannah to orphan exile in Kansas because she is so "unsuitable" for domestic labor in the city of Boston. About a month later, Hannah returns to Boston and the evil headmistress who sent her away has oh-so-conveniently disappeared, replaced with a new, much kinder woman who declares Hannah perfectly suitable and sets her up with a position in the wealthy Hawley household. I was annoyed by the sudden switch from Hannah the fish-out-of-water (har har har) who we meet in the first few chapters of the novel, to Hannah the likable, who gets along with everyone and always finds help just when she needs it.

Hannah's love interest, Stannish Whitman Wheeler, is problematic as well. One the one hand, it's pretty neat that he is modeled after John Singer Sargent and art-lovers who read the book will recognize that Wheeler's portrait of the three Hawley daughters is modeled after one of Sargent's most famous paintings, "The Daughters of Edward D. Boit" - down to the massive Chinese vases in the dimly lit room. On the other hand, it's perfectly ridiculous that Wheeler is presented as a world-famous artist taking commmissions from America's greatest families at the age of nineteen (probably as old as he could be without making his attraction to fifteen-year-old Hannah entirely creepy).

And the author is ultimately foiled by her own emphasis on historical accuracy: Hannah is a scullery maid and Wheeler is a famous artist, and so the two almost never cross paths. At some point in the novel, it's taken for granted that there is a very strong bond between the two of them - but based on what? A single, very brief conversation and a couple of shared glances? When Hannah starts making decisions based on Wheeler's importance in her life, I could only feel sorry for her.

I could go on. The book is, indeed, pleasant and readable but I kept getting hung up on little issues like the ones I've mentioned. If these sound like the kind of minor problems that can ruin your reading experience, DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA is not for you. But if they sound like silly nit-picking, which they may be!, go ahead and pick it up. (less)

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Jul 27, 2011

Stacey O'Neale rated it

This review was completed by Camille Morales, staff reviewer with the YA Fantasy Guide.

This Book is about a girl named Hannah, who is an orphan. She spent all of her life in an orphanage up until she turns 14—or 15, I think. Anyway, she starts working as a scullery maid in the house of this really rich family. There are things happening to Hannah, things that have to do with the sea. She’s inexplicably drawn to it, and some things happen that end up making her discover who she really...more

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Jul 21, 2011

Madison rated it

Don't have time to write a full review. I probably will later.
In short though, this book is really slow and dull. The characters lacked any luster for me and the most unique ones were introduced at the end. The main character, Hannah, was boring, too innocent, and just not easy to relate to. Plot wise, it was awful. I knew the ending before I even read the book, simply based on the description. There's no guessing involved at all. The only interesting part is the younger girl in the house ...more

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Dec 01, 2010

Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it

Shelves: 2009-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-kids-reviews, mundie-moms-reviews

I received this book to review from Scholastic, and while it was wholesome and a good clean read, I found that there were too many characters that got developed too late in the book. Hannah had a great story that was lost with the development of the other characters, some of whom didn't play a huge role in her story. I felt that the middle of the book should have spent more time in developing Hannah's story, instead of towards the very end of the book.

The middle of the book talked abo...more

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Nov 22, 2010

Rachel rated it

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was both mysterious and sweet, as Hannah very slowly discovers what she is and where she truly comes from. Even though I found the whole process of discovery rather drawn out, I didn't mind the slow pace because of the age of the girl and setting that she lived in, at a time in which women were never even given the opportunity to go to college and the wage of a few dollars was considered good income. How the orphans were handled, some even being "adopted" into households in t...more

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Jun 13, 2010

Kim rated it

Shelves: children-s, fantasy, ya

WARNING: This review contains spoilers, very general or from early in the book, in the penultimate paragraph.

This book was so odd-kind of like Upstairs, Downstairs with mermaids. Which could be really cool, if the plot had lived up to the world-building. Instead, it felt like the author wanted to show off the research she had done on the life of domestic servants in the late 19th century, and leave the supernatural elements as an afterthought. The result is a book that doesn't feel a...moreWARNING: This review contains spoilers, very general or from early in the book, in the penultimate paragraph.

This book was so odd-kind of like Upstairs, Downstairs with mermaids. Which could be really cool, if the plot had lived up to the world-building. Instead, it felt like the author wanted to show off the research she had done on the life of domestic servants in the late 19th century, and leave the supernatural elements as an afterthought. The result is a book that doesn't feel at all driven by the heroine's personal struggles, most of which get resolved without her taking action.

Hannah Albury is a fifteen-year-old orphan in 1899, who is sent into domestic service. Her first position is to be in Kansas, but when Hannah is sent away from the sea, she becomes ill, itching all the time, and with crystals forming on her skin. She then ends up in a position as scullery maid in Boston, in the household of the wealthy Hawley family. Hannah must learn the ins and outs of domestic service while trying to figure out her own nature, dealing with the mental instability of the eldest Hawley daughter, and the attentions of the mysterious artist, Stannish Wheeler, who may know more about Hannah's nature than he's letting on.

Hannah: Daughters of the Sea is clearly designed to be a genre -bending work, straddling the lines between historical and supernatural fiction. I've read many a novel that blends those two genres successfully, and it's a combination that I usually enjoy. The problem with Hannah is the other lines it straddles, such as the line between Children's and Young Adult fiction. Although Hannah is a teenager, and there are romantic scenes throughout the novel, to me this felt like a book written for younger readers than the typical young adult novel. This is partly due to Lasky's reliance on telling rather than showing the reader the details of Hannah's daily life, which leads to the book crossing another line--between fiction and non-fiction. Now I'm not saying any of the characters are real or that the events of the story really happened; it's just that the book read at times like those books shelved in children's non-fiction, with titles like "If You Lived in the Middle Ages" or "I Was a Suffragist." In other words, books that use dramatization to educate kids about history, rather than books focused on telling a story, albeit one set in historical times.

I'd like to close this review by discussing character and conflict as it plays out in Hannah: Daughters of the Sea. I didn't really have an issue with Hannah herself, except that she didn't do much to solve her own problems. Then again, she wasn't given a chance to. For example, when Hannah is too old to stay at her orphanage, the cruel matron Miss Pringle sends her on an Orphan Train to Kansas, claiming Hannah is unsuited for domestic service, the kind of job that would allow her to stay in Boston. In Kansas, since she is away from the sea, Hannah gets ill and ends up having to go back to the orphanage. Logically, she should have to convince Miss Pringle she isn't unsuited for domestic service, so she can take a job in Boston. But surprise! Miss Pringle is gone and has been replaced by the kind Mrs Larkin, who has no problem with Hannah performing domestic service. Hannah gets what she wants without having to do a thing. Likewise, when she is working in the Hawley household, Hannah has some unfortunate encounters with the oldest Hawley daughter, Lila. Lila is an interesting character, at first imperious and controlling, but gradually becoming more unhinged and a threat to Hannah personally and to the household tranquility in general. So Lila has to go. Then she comes back. Lila is sort of an "antagonist in a box;" Lasky gets her out when needed to stir up trouble, then puts her away again. Hannah's social status is far beneath Lila's, and it would be fascinating to see her negotiate this imbalance while standing up for herself, but she doesn't.

Despite its supernatural elements, I'd recommend Hannah: Daughters of the Sea to fans of historical fiction rather than fantasy. The fantasy elements are introduced, and will hopefully be explained in further installments of the series; the historical background, however, is detailed and interesting.* And I do like that domestic service is painted as, not glamorous or exciting, but a job one could live with, and have the prospect of promotion as well. The setting is rich, some of the characters quite likable, but the plot utterly lacking in suspense.

*Please note: I didn't say "accurate;" I know too little about the time period to make that claim!(less)

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Mar 29, 2010

Miki Garrison rated it

Hannah is very clearly the first book of a series, and is about an orphan girl turned scullery maid who discovers that she has a secret connection to the sea. The premise sounded cute and full of some intriguing possibilities, and the author is known for some really interesting historical fiction and non-fiction both, so I was excited to read this book. And parts of the book met my expectations -- the setting seemed alive, the historical details were vividly sprinkled in without seeming pedanti...more

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Feb 28, 2010

Kathleen rated it

Shelves: young-adult

Young-adult middle grade read, very tame romance elements.

The first in a new series that will definitely get some buzz as it seems to play into the public's fascination with mystical and fantasy creatures. Set in the 1920's, a young orphan girl finds herself working for a wealthy family in Boston. The family has three daughters and decide to hire a talented young painter to capture their portrait. Sarah, the orphan girl, feels a mysterious connection to the painter - and inexpli...more

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Sep 25, 2009

Cheryl rated it

Hannah is an orphan. She doesn’t know who her parents were but Hannah has always suspected that she was different from other children. All Hannah knew though was that she loved everything about the sea. She couldn’t get enough of the sea breeze air or the water. If it was up to Hannah she would always live near the ocean.

Hannah was getting too old to stay at Miss Pringle’s orphanage, The Boston Home for Little Wanderers. Miss Pringle sends Hannah to the Hawley’s family. There she wil...more

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Aug 28, 2009

Kelly rated it

The other orphan girls at the Boston Home for Little Wanderers fantasize that they are secretly the long-lost daughters of wealthy families, or even of royalty. Hannah harbors no such dreams. What she doesn't know, however, is that her heritage is the strangest of all. When she is packed off to live in dry landlocked Kansas and falls deathly ill, she begins to realize that she's not like other girls.

Desperate, Hannah returns to Boston and finds a job as a scullery maid with the wealt...moreThe other orphan girls at the Boston Home for Little Wanderers fantasize that they are secretly the long-lost daughters of wealthy families, or even of royalty. Hannah harbors no such dreams. What she doesn't know, however, is that her heritage is the strangest of all. When she is packed off to live in dry landlocked Kansas and falls deathly ill, she begins to realize that she's not like other girls.

Desperate, Hannah returns to Boston and finds a job as a scullery maid with the wealthy Hawley family. She begins to discover more signs of her not-quite-human nature, while at the same time dealing with the first stirrings of young love and with the Hawleys' creepy oldest daughter (whose voice I kept hearing as Drusilla's from Buffy). When the family travels to their vacation home in Maine, Hannah feels the pull of the sea even more strongly, and learns that she must make a difficult choice.

Many of the conflicts in Hannah come from the restrictions that surrounded women and the lower classes at the turn of the century. At first, this vivid portrayal of strict social etiquette reminded me a bit of Libba Bray's novels (though there's a lot less of the Gothic here), but as Hannah progressed, I realized that it reminded me of nothing so much as Eileen Kernaghan's Wild Talent. Both Hannah and Wild Talent focus on working-class girls with unusual abilities making their way through a sometimes unwelcoming society. Both novels have a hint of romance but are primarily coming-of-age tales. Readers who like one will probably like the other.

Hannah started a little slowly for me, since I felt like the Kansas plot was too quickly and easily resolved, and almost could have been left out. Once the story moves back to the East Coast, though, it's smooth sailing.

I did wish there had been more resolution to Hannah's story. It appears that this will be a series, and I assume we will learn in later books what becomes of her, but my personal preference as a reader is for series installments to stand on their own even if they do have an overarching plot as well.

Still, this is a pleasant and often lovely read, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a young girl. I will happily read further books in the Daughters of the Sea series.(less)

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Aug 27, 2009

Rachael rated it

Hannah has always felt like she doesn’t belong. Others sense it too and sometimes steer clear of her. But Hannah’s difference is not something she can control. She never wanted to become seriously ill when she was away from the ocean, and she has no idea why she seems to leave salt everywhere and has a faint trace of scales on her skin. But while these strange characteristics are intriguing, they’re also dangerous; should anyone else discover Hannah’s true nature, she would become a permanent ou...moreHannah has always felt like she doesn’t belong. Others sense it too and sometimes steer clear of her. But Hannah’s difference is not something she can control. She never wanted to become seriously ill when she was away from the ocean, and she has no idea why she seems to leave salt everywhere and has a faint trace of scales on her skin. But while these strange characteristics are intriguing, they’re also dangerous; should anyone else discover Hannah’s true nature, she would become a permanent outcast. So, Hannah tries to hide her differences, blending in as a dedicated and hardworking scullery maid for one of Boston’s most elite families. But not all is well in Hannah’s new home. The eldest daughter of the family and her pompous cat have a death wish for Hannah, and a visiting artist seems onto Hannah’s secret. It might be dangerous, but Hannah is ready to find out who—or what—she has become.

The first installment in what I believe will be a trilogy, Hannah is a surprisingly enthralling and magical read. This novel is not something I’d normally pick up, so I’m glad I did. The story is set at the turn of the twentieth century, and Lasky does a wonderful job of incorporating many of the societal laws of the day such as the rigid social structure as well as the daily duties or occupations of each class. As a fan of historical fiction, I greatly appreciated how believable the background of the story was, even with the addition of Hannah’s mystical secret. It’s so interesting to discover along with Hannah each new ability or characteristic she has. However, the believability of the story failed slightly with the characters. Protagonist Hannah was usually too quick to accept her new condition, and even though she’s always felt out of place, most people would have great difficulty believing they’re not entirely human. The other major characters were just hard to understand. Lasky’s attempt at romance was also unrealistic, as it seemed to appear out of thin air before the reader realizes there’s even the smallest attraction. I really hoped to learn more about Hannah’s new identity, but the story ended too soon; thankfully, there will likely be a sequel or companion for this sweet and mystical tale.

Hannah is sure to be enjoyed by fans of Sea Change by Aimee Friedman, A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson, and The Luxe by Anna Godbersen.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Apr 15, 2011

Jay rated it

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, deliciousness, historical-distant, tampon-theatre, ya, fantasy, sea-sisters

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I love mermaid fiction, and despite the 'average-ness' of this book, this is truly why I found myself loving it. Kathryn Lasky, despite what I feel is her best intentions, really just lists what is going on half the time, and doesn't allow the characters to really show themselves. Most of the time I felt Hannah et al. were just going through the motions and Hannah herself wasn't stepping up to the plate to take control of any of the situations she were thrust upon her.

The character H...more

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Jan 15, 2011

Christin rated it

Kathryn Lasky has taken a wonderful era of American history and placed within its folds the exceptional coming of age story of Hannah. Hannah is faced not only with the typical teenage angst, emotional turmoil, and servant-career decisions, but compounded with the powerful desire to be with the famous, yet intriguing painter living under her employer's roof. What is the mysterious attraction and why does he seem to know more about her and her unusual sensations that she does? Lasky writes an eng...more

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Aug 16, 2010

Jane rated it

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had not been reading "A Countess Below Stairs" at the same time. They are basically the same trope: teenage girl who is more than she seems takes a position as a domestic for a wealthy family in the early 20th century. And Ibbotson's book swept me away. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book! It is just unfortunate that I was reading the two similar books concurrently. 'Countess' is aimed at a slightly older audience, also.

This b...more

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Dec 10, 2009

The Winter Rose rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hannah is the story about the title character, who is an orphan living in 1899 in Boston. Hannah discovers that she seems to have an affinity to the sea and becomes ill when she is not near it. Eventually, Hannah goes to work as a servant for a rich family. The eldest daughter, Lila, comes to despise Hannah for her beauty and for taking the attention of an attractive painter whom they both fancy. In the end, Hannah learns the (somewhat obvious) nature of her love of the sea.

This was ...more

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Aug 27, 2009

Cindy rated it

Shelves: teen-fantasy

I really got into this book. But as with all books there are pros and cons. This book was 2/3rds about servent life in the turn of the century with a very tiny part spent on the actual mermaid part. As a fan of mermaids I would have loved to see more then 5 pages dedicated to it, but alas it wouldn't be a series if we jumped to the good parts.

There's romance, drama, and a couple of boring interactions or details that could have been left out but over all it's a good book

...more

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May 05, 2011

Orchid rated it

Since I have May, the second book in The Daughters of the Sea series, sitting on my TBR pile I decided to check out the first book in the series from my library.

While I found Hannah to be a really quick and solid read, but not necessarily one that I would add to my (ever growing) list of all-time favorites. While Hannah is marketed as a YA title, it comes across as more of an upper MG read.

I loved how vividly Kathryn Lasky described everything, especially the descriptio...moreSince I have May, the second book in The Daughters of the Sea series, sitting on my TBR pile I decided to check out the first book in the series from my library.

While I found Hannah to be a really quick and solid read, but not necessarily one that I would add to my (ever growing) list of all-time favorites. While Hannah is marketed as a YA title, it comes across as more of an upper MG read.

I loved how vividly Kathryn Lasky described everything, especially the descriptions of the raging sea during a violent storm. Her writing made it seem like you were almost there a midst the storm with Hannah and the rest of Hawley residents (the people she worked for).

On a whole, Hannah was an okay character. At times I really liked her and at others I found her to be an extremely frustrating character to read about.

She made me laugh when she would keep referring to the handbook she read on how to be a proper servant to the rich, especially since she would try so hard to be perfect and then she would end up doing something that she should not.

What really made this book hard to put down for me was the main antagonist and her evil hench kitty (yes, I said hench kitty). The two of them together were just so truly crazy and unhinged that whenever they appeared you knew that things were about to go from bad to worse for Hannah. They definitely gave the book a bit of a darker turn with their insane/creepy relationship.

I think what kept it from being an amazing read for me was the end and that it took nearly the whole book for Hannah to realize the truth...one that we all knew was going to be revealed at some point (that she was a...) I would've liked for it have been it revealed a little earlier on in the book. The reason why I did not much care for the end of the book was that it just seemed so abrupt.

Even though the book was frustrating at times I really enjoyed and am looking forward to reading May when I have a chance.

Final Verdict: Hannah is an interesting and highly fast-paced read (I read it in about four hours) that will most likely be enjoyed by fans of MG fantasy.

Do I recommend it, yes. I do believe that Hannah the first book in the Daughters of the Sea series is definitely a worthwhile read and will most likely appeal to fans of Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli.

Hannah earns 4 out of 5 pineapples.(less)

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Sep 02, 2009

faeriemyst rated it

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, amazon-vine, young-adult-historical-fiction

Hannah, the first in entry into the Daughters of the Sea series, is a fairly solid tale with an enjoyable premise. Any little girl who loved the Little Mermaid would most likely want to read this story. I like the fact that it takes place in Victorian times and it teaches the reader about the hierarchy of staff in an upper-class family's household. The author did a good job making Hannah likable, Lila psychotic, and everyone else was fleshed out just enough. However, the relationship between the...more

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Oct 08, 2011

Kids Write Reviews rated it

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Originally on Kids Write Reviews:

This book is about a young orphan girl named Hannah. At the age of sixteen, she is sent to work as a scullery maid for a rich family in Boston. She discovers a lot about herself when the family’s prized vases arrive after a family trip across the Atlantic. Hannah finds a strange tail painted on the vases and she feels connected to them without knowing why. Complicating things, the family’s daughter makes a mysterious rivalry with her.

This...more

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Nov 09, 2009

Amitha rated it

A fantasy/historical fiction novel about a poor orphan girl in late 19th century New England who discovers within herself a strange longing and need for the ocean. The novel was inspired by a painting at the Boston MFA (John Singer Sargent's The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit) and contains a fictionalized version of how this painting came into being.

The story is heartfelt, with sprinkles of sensual descriptions of the water, but often the author's research gets in the way of her wri...more

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Apr 03, 2010

Reading Teen rated it

Living in 1899, fifteen-year-old Hannah is a strong, smart, hardworking girl, who is both self-aware and at the same time, completely naive and innocent. Even though she tries very hard to fit in, deep down she knows that she is different. From the strange sickness that she develops whenever she is away from the ocean, to the bizarre salt crystals that she sheds, and the constant longing to be in the water, Hannah realizes there is more to her life than what she is now. Meeting some very inte...more

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Nov 18, 2009

Nely rated it

Shelves: library

Hannah has lived in the Boston Home for Little Wanderers all her life. As the other orphan girls dream of being the long, lost daughter of a wealthy family whom they will eventually be reunited with and live happily ever after, Hannah has never had such dreams. Instead, all she dreams of is the sea... the salt water, the sea breeze, a cottage to live in with a view of the ocean. She has always been different from the other girls and they have definitely made her feel the outcast. As she reaches ...moreHannah has lived in the Boston Home for Little Wanderers all her life. As the other orphan girls dream of being the long, lost daughter of a wealthy family whom they will eventually be reunited with and live happily ever after, Hannah has never had such dreams. Instead, all she dreams of is the sea... the salt water, the sea breeze, a cottage to live in with a view of the ocean. She has always been different from the other girls and they have definitely made her feel the outcast. As she reaches an age where she has to leave the safety of the orphanage and make her way in the world, she gets shipped off to dry, Kansas, to work as a farmer. But the further she gets from Boston and, more importantly, the ocean, the more she starts to realize exactly how different she is from other girls.

With faltering health, she is returned to Boston where she secures a job as a scullery maid with the Hawley's, one of Boston's most elite families. While learning her duties, she meets the dashing, Stannish Whitman Wheeler, an artist who has been hired by the Hawley's to paint a portrait of the three, young Hawley daughters. But while Hannah catches the eye of Stannish, she also catches the attention of the eldest Hawley daughter ,Lila, who is quite creepy really. Lila and her equally evil cat Jade, dislike Hannah from the start and will do anything to wreak havov with poor Hannah's feelings.

The bulk of the story is mostly about Hannah's life as a servant at the turn of the century. And to be honest, I really liked this part of the book. I loved reading about the in's and out's of servant life - from the butler to the scullery girls. I loved the evilness of Lila and her sidekick cat and all the trouble that ensues. I almost felt as if the mermaid part was an oversight and just tacked on at the end. So there definitely wasn't as much mermaid action as I would have hoped.

Knowing this book is a trilogy explains why there were some things that just felt unfinished - although the story did end. I'm not sure how to really explain it, but in the end, I just felt like... that's it? Don't take me wrong, it's not a cliffhanger ending, but it was very anti-climactic and left much to be desired.

All in all, I can definitely recommend this to young teens as well as older teens. I think the pacing was a bit slow but in the end it did hold my interest throughout. Once again, my main complaint would be the ending, but hopefully the next two books in the series will redeem that. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series (although it seems a publication date has not yet been announced.)(less)

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Sep 25, 2011

She Known As Jess BlogSpot rated it

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Shelves: owns

From beneath the tide Hannah felt the call of an enchanting song that rippled and swam underneath the swell; the freedom, scent and feelings of belonging it conveyed through the slight spray upon her skin. It called something from deep within her but she didn’t know what to name the call, the yearning that growled, scratched her from the inside. There were moments when even her toes didn’t touch the texture of sand; when the breeze wasn’t there to catch and pull back the strands of her hair, the...more

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Nov 30, 2009

Ndolin rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 1 like

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Nov 10, 2010

S.Annelise rated it

I've decided to read every book about mermaids, no matter how awful.

"Daughters" follows this pattern: orphaned girl finds a home with a wicked stepsister. There is rivalry for the attention of the prince(in this instance a young painter who seems a bit like John Singer Sargent.) The prince/artist sees the true identity (mermaid)of the poor orphaned girl and falls in love. The wicked stepsister gets whats coming to her, and the poor orphan girl is magically transformed.
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Jul 09, 2011

Jill the Ripper rated it

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Shelves: i-did-it-for-the-cover, kids-get-the-best-stuff

There were moments were it could've been really, really, amazingly pretty - and then others where the writing and everything just fell flat. Maybe that's the way people write for kids, I don't know, but it was a little disappointing. Still, once my snobby self got past that, I quite liked the story - it was a little darker than I'd expected it to be, but I loved that. :) Hated the dumb way it was ended, though, even if it is paving the way for the sequel.

Also, please Lord in Heaven, l...more

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Aug 17, 2010

Devon rated it

This is a prelude to a Mermaid’s tale more than an actual mermaid tail, but it lays the groundwork for a very intriguing series . I’m drawn to all things mermaid, which is why I picked this book up to begin with, but what I ended up liking best about the story is that it was an interesting study in the lives of turn-of- the-century domestic workers.

The author created a perfectly creepy and develish character in Lila and her familiar cat Jade.

It was a quick easy and int...more

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Sep 30, 2009

Ann rated it

Shelves: 2009, historical-fiction, fantasy

Ages 9+ (a touch of romance, a few "damn"s)

At the turn of the century, orphan Hannah becomes a scullery maid for a prominent Boston family and their three daughters. Hannah has always felt different from other girls her age. The eldest daughter Lila and her cat Jade seem to sense this difference and set out to make Hannah's life difficult.

Yes, she turns out to be a mermaid. But it takes 250 pages to discover that. A good book for middle readers who enjoy historica...more

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Nov 20, 2011

Annabell rated it

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very simple read that didn't make me think much. It was kind of refreshing to read a YA that isn't complicated! Hannah is an orphan girl who is now too old for the orphanage, but is told that she really wouldn't be good at anything either. She is sent to another place for orphans in the middle of the country. When she gets there, she realizes that she must have some connection to the sea because she just isn't the same. She goes back and finds a job as ...more

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Romance

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Fantasy > Supernatural

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About Kathryn Lasky

Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her latest book, Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 15: The War of the Ember, was released on November 1, 2008. Guardians of Gahoo...more

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Books by Kathryn Lasky

The Royal Diaries: Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria-France, 1769

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries)

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Quotes from Hannah

“I am like glass to him, like water . .” — 2 people liked it

“I'm naked under this dress. Naked as a jaybird," she said pointedly and looked at the matron.

"Oh, my! She'll have to be broken!" Mrs. Phillips said and smiled. "Well, dear, we're the rodeo capital of Kansas. Bronco busting is our specialite." She pronounced the word in a foreign sounding way.” — 1 person liked it

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Hannah (Daughters of the Sea #1)

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