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Prince #1
Prince of Song & Sea
For fans of Twisted Tales and Villains is a brand new YA series that retells the classic Disney stories you thought you knew from the Disney Princes' perspectives.
Before Prince Eric’s mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart,or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.
Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch's legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric’s heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn’t something that can be decided by magic.
Before Prince Eric’s mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart,or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.
Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch's legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric’s heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn’t something that can be decided by magic.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2022
330 people are currently reading
16299 people want to read
About the author
Linsey Miller
14 books1,062 followersOnce upon a time, Linsey Miller studied biology in Arkansas. These days, she holds an MFA in fiction and is the author of Lambda-nominated What We Devour. Her other works include the Mask of Shadows duology, Belle Révolte, The Game, the first three books in the Disney Princes series, and the upcoming YA fantasy That Devil, Ambition (spring 2025 from HarperCollins). She can be found in Texas writing about science and magic anywhere there is coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,019 reviews
February 11, 2025
You know, for what’s supposed to be a dashing adventure at sea, this came across as surprisingly dry ha ha (I know I’ve said this about a book called Out of the Blue, but I only have one joke). This book ran into a lot of the same issues that the live-action versions of the Disney animated movies did (I actually liked live-action Aladdin and Cinderella), in that it endlessly added extra filler on a story that didn’t need all that much expansion. Instead of a concise story, the whole thing just seemed bloated. Simplicity is key, you know? I found that whenever we were with Prince Eric for an extended period of time, I couldn’t help but wonder what Ariel was up to. Probably busy being in a more entertaining story, singing fun and catchy tunes. And while I did enjoy the secondary characters and appreciated the addition of more representation in this book, it was still at its best when it was just directly adapting The Little Mermaid.
What I like most about retellings is that they can take a story that we’ve seen millions of times before, and show perspectives from voices that we don’t usually hear from. So when you have a retelling of a story that’s originally from a female perspective, then flip it, it’s just going back around to telling a story about a boring old prince again! That’s hardly doing a full 180… more like a full 360? They even took Ursula, Ariel’s nemesis in the original movie, and made her Eric’s most personal enemy!? In doing so, all it accomplished was completely glossing over Ariel’s journey. That doesn’t really sit right with me. At least the author perfectly and faithfully translated Prince Eric from the screen to the page, if only in the fact that he was still dumb and had the personality of a thumbtack. I mean, no offence to Prince Eric, but following him for hundreds of pages was a bit... yawn. Anyway, wake me up when they do a retelling of bisexual king, Li Shang from Mulan.
What I like most about retellings is that they can take a story that we’ve seen millions of times before, and show perspectives from voices that we don’t usually hear from. So when you have a retelling of a story that’s originally from a female perspective, then flip it, it’s just going back around to telling a story about a boring old prince again! That’s hardly doing a full 180… more like a full 360? They even took Ursula, Ariel’s nemesis in the original movie, and made her Eric’s most personal enemy!? In doing so, all it accomplished was completely glossing over Ariel’s journey. That doesn’t really sit right with me. At least the author perfectly and faithfully translated Prince Eric from the screen to the page, if only in the fact that he was still dumb and had the personality of a thumbtack. I mean, no offence to Prince Eric, but following him for hundreds of pages was a bit... yawn. Anyway, wake me up when they do a retelling of bisexual king, Li Shang from Mulan.
February 12, 2024
She was breathtaking, a backlit shadow glistening with seawater, but the hand against his cheek was so tender that he knew she meant no harm. She reached for him, and she eased him back into the sand. A warm, fluttering feeling flowed over him.
Disney has done some questionable things in the past, but this book is fortunately not one of them. I loved reading Eric's point of view, it is fascinating, and it gives him this beautiful, complex character arc while keeping the same kindness and cheerfulness he has in the original Disney story. I especially love it so much because I see it as canon. It isn't a retelling or some fun addition that doesn't necessarily have to follow the original. On the contrary, the majority of the book is largely based on the movie, with most of the scenes and lines taken directly from it. Besides, even the additional scenes that aren't in the movie directly correlate with it. There are some changes but nothing unappealing. Additionally, the plot is fantastic, and there is so much more world-building and exposition.
Moreover, Eric is adorable. He is the most wholesome, pure-hearted Prince of Disney, and I am more than willing to fight for this statement. As I already mentioned, he is kind, sweet, and has a zest for life, despite all the hardships he's going through and the curse that has been put on him by Ursula before he was even born. He is unable to kiss anyone other than his true love or he will die. He is starving for human contact and intimacy because while he has people he loves and who love him, he cannot physically express his feelings for fear of triggering his curse. Any kind of kiss, even one playful on the cheek could trigger the curse.
Furthermore, Ariel is also present for a major part of the story, even though she has been absent in the beginning (aside from the prologue). She is as cute in the book as she is in the movie. She is also the kindest, most caring person, and has the ability to bring joy and ease to those around her. I love her with my whole heart. No wonder Eric fell in love with her in two days! She has her own problems with Ursula to deal with, as we all know, but that doesn't stop her from completely disregarding her deal to help others.
In addition, the relationship between Ariel and Eric is as pure as their souls. Despite Eric's determination to stay away from people for fear of the curse, he can't seem to stay away from her. He feels a connection to her that he hasn't allowed himself to feel with anyone else before. Ariel breaks through his walls with ease, and no matter how hard he tries he can't walk away from her. This is especially true because while mesmerised by Ursula, Eric's subconscious fights to remember Ariel and his deep feelings for her. As for Ariel, her love for Eric is so intense and unconditional (as we already know), that she doesn't hesitate to sacrifice her happiness and soul if it means Eric is happy. The two of them together make a beautiful couple (duuuh) and I love that the author took the opportunity to add to their ending by allowing them to develop their relationship for several years before having them marry since there isn't any direct indication in the movie that they marry right away.
Besides, some secondary characters are almost as lovable as Eric and Ariel. Vanni and Gabriella are Eric's closest friends. They are loyal to a fault and would do anything to protect Eric, not because he is their Prince and future King, but because he is their friend. There is also Grimsby, Eric's butler, both in the book and the movie, that takes care of and consults him after his mother's death. He is a grumpy old man, but he clearly loves Eric and wants him to be happy and safe. Eric also befriended some pirates, Captain Sauer, and their First Mate, Nora, who are both kindhearted, despite their occupation, and help others as easily as they steal from them. There's even a cute little romance between Nora and Gabriella that, while being a sub-plot, has some hilarious and adorable scenes.
November 19, 2022
Sadly this wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be. ☹️ It could have been really good with a fun twist on The Little Mermaid movie, but it just missed the mark for me.
Eric’s depiction I really liked most of the time though in some cases I didn’t feel as if he was the same guy from the movie which left me feeling disconnected from him. Ariel was the same even though the scenes with her and Eric together are some of my favorite parts and the ones the most well written. The rest of the characters were very generic and I don’t have any opinion on them aside that they were there. There are also several gay and non binary characters who I just felt were thrown in just because.
The writing also needed a LOT more polishing—honestly this needed at least two more rounds of edits before being published as a lot of the scenes felt rushed and very, very sloppy especially the action scenes which left me feeling confused as to what was going on rather than excited. The only one that actually worked was the climax and that’s only because it’s from the movie. Also in many places the dialogue was oddly written or was supposed to be funny (I think…???) but just left me feeling confused which could have been cleared up with more editing.
Even though this was a very meh book I’ll probably (and sadly) forget, I’ll still keep reading this series as I am curious to see where these go and which princes will be chosen. Honestly though I’m very disappointed in this book’s rather sloppy presentation as I really wanted to like it since I love the movie so much, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.
‼️Content‼️
Language: gods; crap; gee; pissed
Violence: fighting with weapons (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a bunch of magically enhanced eels attack a ship; a ship is used as a harpoon
Sexual: a mention of gay mermaids; non binary characters; two gay girls like each other and end up getting married; kissing (not detailed)
Drug/Alcohol: a character smokes a pipe
Other: magic; a character is cursed; grief over a dead parent; a ghost ship and ghosts; mermaids and a sea witch; a character is magically controlled/manipulated
Eric’s depiction I really liked most of the time though in some cases I didn’t feel as if he was the same guy from the movie which left me feeling disconnected from him. Ariel was the same even though the scenes with her and Eric together are some of my favorite parts and the ones the most well written. The rest of the characters were very generic and I don’t have any opinion on them aside that they were there. There are also several gay and non binary characters who I just felt were thrown in just because.
The writing also needed a LOT more polishing—honestly this needed at least two more rounds of edits before being published as a lot of the scenes felt rushed and very, very sloppy especially the action scenes which left me feeling confused as to what was going on rather than excited. The only one that actually worked was the climax and that’s only because it’s from the movie. Also in many places the dialogue was oddly written or was supposed to be funny (I think…???) but just left me feeling confused which could have been cleared up with more editing.
Even though this was a very meh book I’ll probably (and sadly) forget, I’ll still keep reading this series as I am curious to see where these go and which princes will be chosen. Honestly though I’m very disappointed in this book’s rather sloppy presentation as I really wanted to like it since I love the movie so much, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.
‼️Content‼️
Language: gods; crap; gee; pissed
Violence: fighting with weapons (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a bunch of magically enhanced eels attack a ship; a ship is used as a harpoon
Sexual: a mention of gay mermaids; non binary characters; two gay girls like each other and end up getting married; kissing (not detailed)
Drug/Alcohol: a character smokes a pipe
Other: magic; a character is cursed; grief over a dead parent; a ghost ship and ghosts; mermaids and a sea witch; a character is magically controlled/manipulated
July 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
To be honest, this was cute so aka why i'm rounding up. Sadly, I wasn't as hooked with the Prince Eric's POV of the story. There was like a huge spin on how he couldn't 'kiss the girl' as well how the villain came into the story (Ursula). There were some parts that were cute like how he met Ariel as well as some other scenes that I adored from the original story. I don't have anything else to say, it was just a cute story, but definitely not memorable.
I think if you do adore The Little Mermaid this book is definitely for you! Since it definitely gives you most of the same story but in a different perspective. Obviously catch me watching the movie asap to compare notes heheh.
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➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅
my book club book and it's the prince POV!!!! i miss reading about retellings and audiobook say less.
To be honest, this was cute so aka why i'm rounding up. Sadly, I wasn't as hooked with the Prince Eric's POV of the story. There was like a huge spin on how he couldn't 'kiss the girl' as well how the villain came into the story (Ursula). There were some parts that were cute like how he met Ariel as well as some other scenes that I adored from the original story. I don't have anything else to say, it was just a cute story, but definitely not memorable.
I think if you do adore The Little Mermaid this book is definitely for you! Since it definitely gives you most of the same story but in a different perspective. Obviously catch me watching the movie asap to compare notes heheh.
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅
my book club book and it's the prince POV!!!! i miss reading about retellings and audiobook say less.
March 19, 2022
I am always nervous when I read these Disney retellings because they're usually a miss but REST ASSURED, this one is not.
Eric's POV is one I didn't think about but I'm actually kinda glad we got it here. I read this while watching the movie or listening to the soundtrack and it was fun to line up the scenes with the song/movie scene that matched it.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you what The Little Mermaid is about, but just know that as much as this is a retelling almost directly, it offers a new spin on an otherwise very familiar story. Eric was cursed at birth and after losing his mother and learning of the secrets she had dedicated most of her life to hunting down, he's on a hunt of his own. Then he falls overboard and is saved by a singing mystery lady, and a "new" lady washes up on the beach no more than a day later. There is a lot he has yet to learn but he's sure about one thing, and that's finding the witch that cursed him.
Like I said, this was mostly nothing new but that doesn't mean it wasn't satisfying as a read/retelling. I actually quite enjoyed everything and I'm only putting it at 4 stars because it follows SO closely to the movie that it didn't feel like it was very original a few times. The new twists and characters we meet make this worth reading though. I actually wish they'd pushed those into the movie because I loved seeing Eric like this.
Overall, it was a good read! I'm very happy about the turnout.
Thank you to Disney Press and Edelweiss+ for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Eric's POV is one I didn't think about but I'm actually kinda glad we got it here. I read this while watching the movie or listening to the soundtrack and it was fun to line up the scenes with the song/movie scene that matched it.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you what The Little Mermaid is about, but just know that as much as this is a retelling almost directly, it offers a new spin on an otherwise very familiar story. Eric was cursed at birth and after losing his mother and learning of the secrets she had dedicated most of her life to hunting down, he's on a hunt of his own. Then he falls overboard and is saved by a singing mystery lady, and a "new" lady washes up on the beach no more than a day later. There is a lot he has yet to learn but he's sure about one thing, and that's finding the witch that cursed him.
Like I said, this was mostly nothing new but that doesn't mean it wasn't satisfying as a read/retelling. I actually quite enjoyed everything and I'm only putting it at 4 stars because it follows SO closely to the movie that it didn't feel like it was very original a few times. The new twists and characters we meet make this worth reading though. I actually wish they'd pushed those into the movie because I loved seeing Eric like this.
Overall, it was a good read! I'm very happy about the turnout.
Thank you to Disney Press and Edelweiss+ for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 8, 2022
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
I was really impressed with this retelling! I know a lot of people take issue with the Twisted Tales Disney series because it follows the movie too closely, so I was worried that this new Disney Prince series would be similar. Fortunately, this book does add a lot more to the movie. Prince Eric gets an entire backstory involving a curse which gives him so much more depth than he has in the movie. There are also a bunch of added scenes including a ton developing Eric and Ariel’s relationship. Their love story in the book is a lot less insta-lovey than it is in the movie.
I also loved that the book managed to solve common plot issues of the movie. For example, it explains why Ariel doesn’t write what she wants to say and why Ariel didn’t read her contract with Ursula.
This book is also inclusive without feeling forced. One character, Gabriella, is a lesbian, while another character, Sauer, uses they/them pronouns. Both Gabriella’s sexuality and Sauer’s pronouns are no big deal. It’s treated so normally that it actually took me a while to notice Sauer’s pronouns.
Lastly, let’s just take a minute to appreciate that gorgeous cover. It’s perfection.
Overall, I loved this retelling of The Little Mermaid! If you’re a fan of The Little Mermaid, I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
I was really impressed with this retelling! I know a lot of people take issue with the Twisted Tales Disney series because it follows the movie too closely, so I was worried that this new Disney Prince series would be similar. Fortunately, this book does add a lot more to the movie. Prince Eric gets an entire backstory involving a curse which gives him so much more depth than he has in the movie. There are also a bunch of added scenes including a ton developing Eric and Ariel’s relationship. Their love story in the book is a lot less insta-lovey than it is in the movie.
I also loved that the book managed to solve common plot issues of the movie. For example, it explains why Ariel doesn’t write what she wants to say and why Ariel didn’t read her contract with Ursula.
This book is also inclusive without feeling forced. One character, Gabriella, is a lesbian, while another character, Sauer, uses they/them pronouns. Both Gabriella’s sexuality and Sauer’s pronouns are no big deal. It’s treated so normally that it actually took me a while to notice Sauer’s pronouns.
Lastly, let’s just take a minute to appreciate that gorgeous cover. It’s perfection.
Overall, I loved this retelling of The Little Mermaid! If you’re a fan of The Little Mermaid, I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
July 12, 2023
3.5 Silver Stars
with Golden Sparks
a fairytale retelling from the prince's point of view
I loved the characters
Eric is one of my favourite Disney princes
& the others also were good & fun (Vanni & Gabriella & Nora)
the writing style was elegant
& I enjoyed seeing one of my nostalgic movies & the events on paper (as I always do)
(struggling giving 3 or 4)
but the plot was a little weak, though it gave more reason & depth to Eric's actions in the cartoon
I enjoyed it, but seeing the story & not knowing Ariel's story & all those twists was kind of weird.... as if canceling out the something important
I might like it better if there were 2 narratives & not only Eric
(I loved the audiobook, Dan Bittner is my favourite narrative!)
so I'm generously rounding up, for now.
I do love to read other prince's pov retellings of our favourite fairytales.
-
Plot: ★★★/5
Characters: ★★★��/5
World building: ★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★(★)/5
with Golden Sparks
a fairytale retelling from the prince's point of view
I loved the characters
Eric is one of my favourite Disney princes
& the others also were good & fun (Vanni & Gabriella & Nora)
the writing style was elegant
& I enjoyed seeing one of my nostalgic movies & the events on paper (as I always do)
(struggling giving 3 or 4)
but the plot was a little weak, though it gave more reason & depth to Eric's actions in the cartoon
I enjoyed it, but seeing the story & not knowing Ariel's story & all those twists was kind of weird.... as if canceling out the something important
I might like it better if there were 2 narratives & not only Eric
(I loved the audiobook, Dan Bittner is my favourite narrative!)
so I'm generously rounding up, for now.
I do love to read other prince's pov retellings of our favourite fairytales.
-
Plot: ★★★/5
Characters: ★★★��/5
World building: ★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★(★)/5
Read
July 17, 2024DNF. I was bored put pushing through… then I read a review that said it had a lesbian couple and a non binary one soooo might as well dnf. I just want good, wholesome, clean books, people 🥲 gah
January 3, 2023
"It's time for a new adventure."
I've been sitting here for a few minutes, trying to figure out how to start this review in some way that sounds coherent but the little kid inside me is just a bunch of incoherent emotions at the moment lol.
I guess the best thing I can say is that this give me the same feelings as watching the movie, and that's all I could ask for.
The Little Mermaid has always been my favorite Disney movie and a lifelong obsession, so you can imagine that I was a little hesitant going into this. Sometimes the (well-meaning) attempts to update this particular story just feel like resentment for the original material and an attempt to make Buzzfeed proud.
I didn't feel that with this book.
I felt like the author genuinely loved and understood the plot of The Little Mermaid. She loved Eric and Ariel, and built upon their stories in a way that was engaging and still held true to the original characters.
I'm not saying the book was without any faults, because it wasn't. But they were (mostly) minor and honestly? I couldn't care less. This book just made me happy, so I feel like a few cheesy moments and plot conveniences are inconsequential.
Overall, I clearly loved this book. It was sweet and light, and gave me the emotions of the movie without feeling childish or forced. I 100% recommend it to fans of The Little Mermaid, or just anyone who loves Disney retellings.
Also! First read of the year being a 5 star! First time this has ever happened and I'm choosing to take it as a good reading omen lol.
I've been sitting here for a few minutes, trying to figure out how to start this review in some way that sounds coherent but the little kid inside me is just a bunch of incoherent emotions at the moment lol.
I guess the best thing I can say is that this give me the same feelings as watching the movie, and that's all I could ask for.
The Little Mermaid has always been my favorite Disney movie and a lifelong obsession, so you can imagine that I was a little hesitant going into this. Sometimes the (well-meaning) attempts to update this particular story just feel like resentment for the original material and an attempt to make Buzzfeed proud.
I didn't feel that with this book.
I felt like the author genuinely loved and understood the plot of The Little Mermaid. She loved Eric and Ariel, and built upon their stories in a way that was engaging and still held true to the original characters.
I'm not saying the book was without any faults, because it wasn't. But they were (mostly) minor and honestly? I couldn't care less. This book just made me happy, so I feel like a few cheesy moments and plot conveniences are inconsequential.
Overall, I clearly loved this book. It was sweet and light, and gave me the emotions of the movie without feeling childish or forced. I 100% recommend it to fans of The Little Mermaid, or just anyone who loves Disney retellings.
Also! First read of the year being a 5 star! First time this has ever happened and I'm choosing to take it as a good reading omen lol.
December 11, 2022
DNF. The fight scenes are just impossible to understand between the characters using they/them pronouns in group scenes, and I was weirded out by the amount of sex/gender conversation for a children’s fairytale.
Want to read
February 26, 2022THE LITTLE MERMAID RETELLING FROM PRINCE ERIC'S POV??????? *immediately adds to tbr*
February 8, 2023
2023 reads: 48/350
this is a retelling of the little mermaid that follows prince eric. there are quite a few changes, but i think all fans of the original and/or the movie will enjoy this. i liked the differences, one of them being that prince eric was cursed to die if he kissed anyone besides his true love. this made things very interesting as he was told his true love had a voice as pure as his soul, but as we all know, ariel doesn’t have a voice when they first meet. speaking of no voice, i’m counting this as having aac rep and no one can stop me😌 i like how eric and ariel found ways to communicate despite her inability to speak or to read/write in eric’s language. overall, this was a really good book and i’m glad i decided to pick it up! can’t wait for future books in this series.
this is a retelling of the little mermaid that follows prince eric. there are quite a few changes, but i think all fans of the original and/or the movie will enjoy this. i liked the differences, one of them being that prince eric was cursed to die if he kissed anyone besides his true love. this made things very interesting as he was told his true love had a voice as pure as his soul, but as we all know, ariel doesn’t have a voice when they first meet. speaking of no voice, i’m counting this as having aac rep and no one can stop me😌 i like how eric and ariel found ways to communicate despite her inability to speak or to read/write in eric’s language. overall, this was a really good book and i’m glad i decided to pick it up! can’t wait for future books in this series.
April 19, 2022
This is the first book in a brand new YA series that retells the classic Disney stories you thought you knew from the Disney Princes' perspectives. Prince of Song & Sea which is Linsey Miller's retelling of The Little Mermaid will be released on October 4 of 2022. Disney Publishing Worldwide provide me an early galley in exchange for an honest review.
I really like the concept for this new series. I am all in favor for giving us deeper back stories of the princes from the classic Disney tales. It has the potential to deepen the narrative of these stories we know so well.
However, this first book breaks what I would consider a cardinal rule: supplement the original tale but do not contradict it.
This story could have been set before Eric meets Ariel. Instead, it tries to wrap all of the new elements within the framework of the original tale, and that is wherein the problem occurs. The original story had a very tight timeline. Ariel has three days to have Eric fall in love with her. The film shows us most of that. This story shoehorns a huge side plot into all that, and it alters some of the vary foundation of the original story. Now, Eric cannot kiss another - which Ariel needs him to do to get her voice back - because he is actually cursed by a sea witch (whom you likely have guessed who it was). All that makes her overcoming the odds come across as a lesser accomplishment. This story makes Ariel secondary in her own tale. The retelling from another point-of-view should never minimalize the original heroine.
I will look into the next book in the series and hope that it pays better respect to its source material and heroine.
I really like the concept for this new series. I am all in favor for giving us deeper back stories of the princes from the classic Disney tales. It has the potential to deepen the narrative of these stories we know so well.
However, this first book breaks what I would consider a cardinal rule: supplement the original tale but do not contradict it.
This story could have been set before Eric meets Ariel. Instead, it tries to wrap all of the new elements within the framework of the original tale, and that is wherein the problem occurs. The original story had a very tight timeline. Ariel has three days to have Eric fall in love with her. The film shows us most of that. This story shoehorns a huge side plot into all that, and it alters some of the vary foundation of the original story. Now, Eric cannot kiss another - which Ariel needs him to do to get her voice back - because he is actually cursed by a sea witch (whom you likely have guessed who it was). All that makes her overcoming the odds come across as a lesser accomplishment. This story makes Ariel secondary in her own tale. The retelling from another point-of-view should never minimalize the original heroine.
I will look into the next book in the series and hope that it pays better respect to its source material and heroine.
April 29, 2022
Okay this review might be 100% biased because I’m trash for Prince Eric but I don’t care. This was everything I wanted in a Disney Prince POV retelling. It kept the Disney feel and magic alive while adding it’s own twists. I loved the background on Prince Eric and the added curse. The side quests and getting to know more about Ursula and her magic. The pirates and bits of court intrigue were also great too. It all helped give some depth and explanation to Eric’s actions and I loved the details from the original movie. The chapter titles were amazing and I kept singing the songs in my head the entire time. I found this to just be a very happy nostalgic book. I loved the romance between Eric and Ariel and of course I was so happy Max was in this!
Could there have been a longer plot or more added in general? Sure but honestly I could read more about any Disney story I enjoy. I do think the ending flew by a little quickly and would have loved a longer epilogue but that’s just me because I love long HEA epilogues.
Overall I really enjoyed it. To me it read more middle grade /younger YA but heck it’s a YA Disney retelling. If you want steamy romance or dark elements and heavy action that goes beyond the movie you’ll probably be disappointed but if you want to see Prince Eric’s POV and read just a cute happy YA Little Mermaid retelling then I definitely recommend this.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Could there have been a longer plot or more added in general? Sure but honestly I could read more about any Disney story I enjoy. I do think the ending flew by a little quickly and would have loved a longer epilogue but that’s just me because I love long HEA epilogues.
Overall I really enjoyed it. To me it read more middle grade /younger YA but heck it’s a YA Disney retelling. If you want steamy romance or dark elements and heavy action that goes beyond the movie you’ll probably be disappointed but if you want to see Prince Eric’s POV and read just a cute happy YA Little Mermaid retelling then I definitely recommend this.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
dnf
October 18, 2022man just stop trusting official disney novels, they are as dry and soulless as the live action films.
March 12, 2025
As far as YA fiction goes, this was top notch. Obviously it's working from some great source material, but I think it offers a really fun twist to what's already a beloved story (you thought Ariel was the only one with a curse?!) I never thought I needed or would care about a story from Prince Eric's perspective, but I'm glad I did. Miller did a great job of taking a story that is easy to criticize - a girl who gives up her voice for a man?! - and turns it into a truly feminist tale that shows just how brave, curious, and determined both characters in the relationship really are. What a delight. Oh, and the action was cool, too.
October 4, 2022
This was such a cute story of the Little Mermaid told from Eric's POV!
We get a bit of a back story to Eric and his family including a curse of his own. If he kisses someone who is not his true love his life would be forfeit.
His mother reminded him of this almost daily when he was young, but a few years ago she went missing and assumed lost to the sea. But Eric never lost hope. One day he gets a bit of information that would lead him down a path to his curse, the witch who cast it, and his true love.
I ate this story up and really enjoyed getting to see the background, and Ariel through our Prince's eyes.
Cannot wait for more in this series!
We get a bit of a back story to Eric and his family including a curse of his own. If he kisses someone who is not his true love his life would be forfeit.
His mother reminded him of this almost daily when he was young, but a few years ago she went missing and assumed lost to the sea. But Eric never lost hope. One day he gets a bit of information that would lead him down a path to his curse, the witch who cast it, and his true love.
I ate this story up and really enjoyed getting to see the background, and Ariel through our Prince's eyes.
Cannot wait for more in this series!
October 24, 2022
Excuse me, look at this cover. I knew that when I saw this book on Bookstagram, I had to read it.
Honestly, it reminded me of the Twisted Tale. I loved Eric’s character and how he had more depth with his backstory, the curse associated, and the overall world-building. This could’ve passed as an “original” story with totally different characters and I would’ve probably enjoyed it as well. Still, I'm glad this book wasn't just a reiteration of the movie's events in his POV> He and Ariel were very cute here and I love how we got to see more moments of them together while she was on land.
Honestly, it reminded me of the Twisted Tale. I loved Eric’s character and how he had more depth with his backstory, the curse associated, and the overall world-building. This could’ve passed as an “original” story with totally different characters and I would’ve probably enjoyed it as well. Still, I'm glad this book wasn't just a reiteration of the movie's events in his POV> He and Ariel were very cute here and I love how we got to see more moments of them together while she was on land.
August 25, 2023
Eric is and always will be my favorite Disney Prince. This was so much fun to read and I loved this perspective of what it was like when Ariel and Eric met. CHEF'S KISSS. Now time to rewatch the Little Mermaid
March 13, 2022
3.5/5 stars.
The Little Mermaid has been my favorite Disney movie since before I even remember watching movies. Naturally, that makes Prince Eric my favorite prince. I also joke that I suffer from "Prince Eric Syndrome", meaning the combination of blue eyes + dark hair is 100% my type. I married that type, so it must be true.
What I loved about this book is it took the story of the Disney film and added so many extra elements. The story is told from Eric's perspective. We learn that he too is cursed and can't kiss anyone but his true love or else he dies. New elements of Ursula's power are added and creates a much stronger world building than what we were given in the 1989 film.
We learn about Eric's friends, his mother's disappearance, and the issues that plague the surrounding kingdoms.
When Ariel enters the story, we see little snippets told in the background, like her interactions with Scuttle, Sebastian, and Flounder.
One of my favorite elements were the chapter titles. Most of them were song titles from the original film AND the Broadway play. Did I have Her Voice and One Step Closer in my head the whole time I was reading Absolutely.
There were a few parts of this book that I felt were rushed or something was over and done in one line. I wish there had been more descriptions and actions written during those times.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. If you love Disney or the story of the Little Mermaid, you will enjoy this! I'm excited to see where the Disney Prince series goes.
The Little Mermaid has been my favorite Disney movie since before I even remember watching movies. Naturally, that makes Prince Eric my favorite prince. I also joke that I suffer from "Prince Eric Syndrome", meaning the combination of blue eyes + dark hair is 100% my type. I married that type, so it must be true.
What I loved about this book is it took the story of the Disney film and added so many extra elements. The story is told from Eric's perspective. We learn that he too is cursed and can't kiss anyone but his true love or else he dies. New elements of Ursula's power are added and creates a much stronger world building than what we were given in the 1989 film.
We learn about Eric's friends, his mother's disappearance, and the issues that plague the surrounding kingdoms.
When Ariel enters the story, we see little snippets told in the background, like her interactions with Scuttle, Sebastian, and Flounder.
One of my favorite elements were the chapter titles. Most of them were song titles from the original film AND the Broadway play. Did I have Her Voice and One Step Closer in my head the whole time I was reading Absolutely.
There were a few parts of this book that I felt were rushed or something was over and done in one line. I wish there had been more descriptions and actions written during those times.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. If you love Disney or the story of the Little Mermaid, you will enjoy this! I'm excited to see where the Disney Prince series goes.
did-not-finish
August 12, 2023Bought this on a whim, started on the beach, decided not to finish it about 35%, somewhere in the middle of chapter 8... and I honestly skimmed through most of that. I skimmed a bit through Chapter 11 to see what the outing/Kiss the Girl scene would be like but was unimpressed. It was fine, it just felt flat and didn't have the same magic. I also read the Coda, which I liked. I just had zero interest in anything else going on in the story.
It's not bad writing, just not my cup of tea. I'm not huge on fantasy stories anyway, so I would have preferred to read something that followed a storyline closer to the live action.
I would be interested to read the authors next book about Prince Phillip.
It's not bad writing, just not my cup of tea. I'm not huge on fantasy stories anyway, so I would have preferred to read something that followed a storyline closer to the live action.
I would be interested to read the authors next book about Prince Phillip.
October 25, 2022
3.5/5 Rounded up to 4 Stars.
This is The Little Mermaid from the POV of Prince Eric, and while there are some similarities to the children's classic film, there are new plot points and characters that were not included.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, although it was certainly not what I was expecting. I was looking more for thoughts and feelings from Prince Eric and while I got some (very minor but some) of that, the 189 pages were more filled with additional adventures that in my opinion just don't fit the rest of the tale.
Still, I'm glad I read it but definitely not a re-read candidate for me any time soon.
This is The Little Mermaid from the POV of Prince Eric, and while there are some similarities to the children's classic film, there are new plot points and characters that were not included.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, although it was certainly not what I was expecting. I was looking more for thoughts and feelings from Prince Eric and while I got some (very minor but some) of that, the 189 pages were more filled with additional adventures that in my opinion just don't fit the rest of the tale.
Still, I'm glad I read it but definitely not a re-read candidate for me any time soon.
January 21, 2023
Hard one to review!
Just finished it and even though it has some recognisable moments in which I've experienced ALL THE FEELS because prince Eric and Ariel!, it felt like some things were forcedly written into it to create some forced -feels like it anyway- diversity and several story elements definitely needed more polishing writing wise as well.
Eric's POV was a delight though and his and Ariel's scenes were what I was totally here for and had me feeling All the Feels, especially the well known scenes/sentences that have had me gushing ever since I was a little girl and fell in love with this Disney movie. The other characters were fun to read about and filled the pages nicely which adds more progress/development to the story. But I think it also remained somewhat superficial and chaotic, although I get what the author was trying to do with it all, so that she could give her own stamp to it and she deserves credit for it as well. I think it's hard to re-tell such a well known and loved story.
To wrap it up... It still was an overall entertaining read and fast paced and just for the fact alone that it's a little mermaid re-telling of the Disney version, it's worth picking up if the Little mermaid has always had your heart and prince Eric in particular.
Just finished it and even though it has some recognisable moments in which I've experienced ALL THE FEELS because prince Eric and Ariel!, it felt like some things were forcedly written into it to create some forced -feels like it anyway- diversity and several story elements definitely needed more polishing writing wise as well.
Eric's POV was a delight though and his and Ariel's scenes were what I was totally here for and had me feeling All the Feels, especially the well known scenes/sentences that have had me gushing ever since I was a little girl and fell in love with this Disney movie. The other characters were fun to read about and filled the pages nicely which adds more progress/development to the story. But I think it also remained somewhat superficial and chaotic, although I get what the author was trying to do with it all, so that she could give her own stamp to it and she deserves credit for it as well. I think it's hard to re-tell such a well known and loved story.
To wrap it up... It still was an overall entertaining read and fast paced and just for the fact alone that it's a little mermaid re-telling of the Disney version, it's worth picking up if the Little mermaid has always had your heart and prince Eric in particular.
June 30, 2023
Hey MTV, welcome to my crib! My name is Eric, and you wouldn’t know this at first but I’m a prince and this is my castle. My mom is a force ghost and my girlfriend is a fish but don’t forget, I’m just a regular guy that just wants adventure in the great wide somewhere.
As little mermaid Lore, this was a fine, fun take on a classic that has been done over so many times. I think Eric in the original movie is so under explored and with every new addition he just keeps getting a new interest. In the Broadway show, he wants to be a little high jackman and dance his heart away, the remake he wants to be an explorer (just like a certain mermaid) and in this take he’s.. ummm… 🤨
Pirate? Curse breaker? Just overall traumatized?
This book was just fine in the long run. Eric has a curse which I think pairs well with the original but everything that has been added for “more Eric content” just doesn’t make sense. Like I’m sorry that boat scene around the 70-80% mark was ridiculous.
If you’re like me and looking to replace that mermaid sized hole in your heart after watching the remake, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon following your childhood crush.
As little mermaid Lore, this was a fine, fun take on a classic that has been done over so many times. I think Eric in the original movie is so under explored and with every new addition he just keeps getting a new interest. In the Broadway show, he wants to be a little high jackman and dance his heart away, the remake he wants to be an explorer (just like a certain mermaid) and in this take he’s.. ummm… 🤨
Pirate? Curse breaker? Just overall traumatized?
This book was just fine in the long run. Eric has a curse which I think pairs well with the original but everything that has been added for “more Eric content” just doesn’t make sense. Like I’m sorry that boat scene around the 70-80% mark was ridiculous.
If you’re like me and looking to replace that mermaid sized hole in your heart after watching the remake, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon following your childhood crush.
October 8, 2022
Check out my full video review: https://youtu.be/skPo5hO8eB4
I think this book did a marvelous job of giving us another perpective to The Little Mermaid, while keeping to the original story/movie and at the same time adding more. I really just enjoyed the added new parts to the story while also seeing how it worked together with the story we all know. There were a few things I would have liked to have explored further, but overall just very fun and enjoyable. It knows who the story is going to and I had a very cozy time with it. Would recommend! 4/5 stars.
I think this book did a marvelous job of giving us another perpective to The Little Mermaid, while keeping to the original story/movie and at the same time adding more. I really just enjoyed the added new parts to the story while also seeing how it worked together with the story we all know. There were a few things I would have liked to have explored further, but overall just very fun and enjoyable. It knows who the story is going to and I had a very cozy time with it. Would recommend! 4/5 stars.
July 18, 2023
Very cute..It felt just like the Disney Animated movie but from Prince Eric's point of view. I love how she quoted lines from the dialogue. Don't expect too much from this adorable read, it's fun and adventurous and that's all you really need from a book right?
October 19, 2022
Well, an one word review; Boring.
Want to read
June 9, 2023I went and watched #TheLittleMermaid for the third time 🧜🏾♀️ and wild uncharted waters has my heart 💙 Eric and Ariel are beautiful and the whole movie is enchanting, I want the next one to be an adventure romance where they discover the world 🧭⚓⛵🦀🐠 So, I'm in a mermaid haze, that's why I'm currently reading this book.
March 24, 2025
If you love The Little Mermaid I would definitely recommend this! Based on entertainment levels only I would have given this 4 stars. However, based on my critical engagement with this book, how well it was written, the originality of this twist on Ariel’s story, I’m going to have to give a 3 star rating.
Prince Eric has a curse: if he kisses someone that is not his true love, he will die. His kingdom is in turmoil, his mother passed away two years ago, he is under immense pressure to get married to save his kingdom. So, he decides to go on a quest to break his curse.
I loved the queer representations in this book: a non-binary pirate captain and lesbian pirates. Moreover, just some random queer couples that are talked about in passing. I love it when fantasy books include queer people without making a big fuss about their being queer, because hell yea let’s normalize it!
I loved reading the story from Eric’s perspective with a little twist. It was an interesting direction to take the story and I was actually quite engaged with his curse and his quest to break it.
However, I feel like sometimes the author relied a little too much on the original “The Little Mermaid” story. Especially towards the end. The ending to me was not very fulfilling and was a bit lazy because of this.
Prince Eric has a curse: if he kisses someone that is not his true love, he will die. His kingdom is in turmoil, his mother passed away two years ago, he is under immense pressure to get married to save his kingdom. So, he decides to go on a quest to break his curse.
I loved the queer representations in this book: a non-binary pirate captain and lesbian pirates. Moreover, just some random queer couples that are talked about in passing. I love it when fantasy books include queer people without making a big fuss about their being queer, because hell yea let’s normalize it!
I loved reading the story from Eric’s perspective with a little twist. It was an interesting direction to take the story and I was actually quite engaged with his curse and his quest to break it.
However, I feel like sometimes the author relied a little too much on the original “The Little Mermaid” story. Especially towards the end. The ending to me was not very fulfilling and was a bit lazy because of this.
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