What do you think?
The Twice-Drowned Prince
"The prince had no memory of the first time he drowned. The salt numbed his mind. But the second time, it stung. Every breath brought a thousand barbs, slicing his flesh to ribbons without spilling a drop of blood. His lungs screamed as never before—voiceless.What makes a man choose to drown? A great many things, the prince was sure. But for him, it was two eyes more vivid than the sky. Her eyes, her hair, her tail of vibrant blue."
- GenresFantasy
216 pages, Paperback
Published November 24, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 20, 2021
The Twice-Drowned Prince is a beautiful fairy tale retelling! I was enchanted throughout the entire story!
I enjoyed the characters and especially loved how all of the Mer were unique and diverse! It was so beautiful to imagine them! I also liked how it took a while for the main characters to grow into their friendship and then into love.
This book does not have much action or very high stakes and it has a slower pace—but it works! Sometimes a slow and enchanting book is just what I need! Life needs lyrical and thought-provoking literature!
This tale is mostly about emotions, spirituality, and dialogue. I absolutely loved it because it was so different from anything I have read in a while. I loved how the story related to the original tale with the philosophy of the soul. It was absolutely stunning!
If you love The Little Mermaid and want to read a gorgeous twist on the original tale, you need to read The Twice-Drowned Prince!
I enjoyed the characters and especially loved how all of the Mer were unique and diverse! It was so beautiful to imagine them! I also liked how it took a while for the main characters to grow into their friendship and then into love.
This book does not have much action or very high stakes and it has a slower pace—but it works! Sometimes a slow and enchanting book is just what I need! Life needs lyrical and thought-provoking literature!
This tale is mostly about emotions, spirituality, and dialogue. I absolutely loved it because it was so different from anything I have read in a while. I loved how the story related to the original tale with the philosophy of the soul. It was absolutely stunning!
If you love The Little Mermaid and want to read a gorgeous twist on the original tale, you need to read The Twice-Drowned Prince!
March 9, 2021
⭐️ 4.5 / 5
The Twice-Drowned Prince is a haunting, beautiful read. An original take on the classic fairytale, this time we see the Prince dive into the sea, willing to give up his life in search for the mermaid who pulled him from a doomed shipwreck.
Emotion is powerful in this story, with rage, grief, loneliness, fate, and even one's own existence delivering plenty of thought-provoking moments and gut-punches. The imagery is magical, with the description of the ocean being some of my favourite. I enjoyed the switch in POV from the Prince to the Mermaid, and their individual personalities and views came across strongly and fluidly.
While some parts were a little heavy on dialogue, the way the relationship between the Mermaid and the Prince develops over the year is incredibly moving and so well done, leading to an ending that blew me away. Overall, a wonderful story.
The Twice-Drowned Prince is a haunting, beautiful read. An original take on the classic fairytale, this time we see the Prince dive into the sea, willing to give up his life in search for the mermaid who pulled him from a doomed shipwreck.
Emotion is powerful in this story, with rage, grief, loneliness, fate, and even one's own existence delivering plenty of thought-provoking moments and gut-punches. The imagery is magical, with the description of the ocean being some of my favourite. I enjoyed the switch in POV from the Prince to the Mermaid, and their individual personalities and views came across strongly and fluidly.
While some parts were a little heavy on dialogue, the way the relationship between the Mermaid and the Prince develops over the year is incredibly moving and so well done, leading to an ending that blew me away. Overall, a wonderful story.
December 30, 2020
This is a haunting and beautiful read. I can't think of anything I've read that's quite like it.
There is so much sadness, grief, pain, and rage in this story, yet the relationship that slowly grows between the two main characters unravels in a completely believable, natural way, such that the ending - when it came - seemed an inevitability. L. M. Morrison's prose is sparce and beautiful, perfectly fitting for the underwater world she has created. This is a truly magical story.
There is so much sadness, grief, pain, and rage in this story, yet the relationship that slowly grows between the two main characters unravels in a completely believable, natural way, such that the ending - when it came - seemed an inevitability. L. M. Morrison's prose is sparce and beautiful, perfectly fitting for the underwater world she has created. This is a truly magical story.
Currently Reading
December 3, 2020I am not finished with this yet, so I’ll just leave a review based on where I am!
I really like where the story is heading! I love the Little Mermaid aspect of the story and the progression and chemistry between the two main characters!
I can’t wait to see where the story will head! Full review will come once I finish!
I really like where the story is heading! I love the Little Mermaid aspect of the story and the progression and chemistry between the two main characters!
I can’t wait to see where the story will head! Full review will come once I finish!
December 3, 2020
I love disney princess retellings. Maybe I just haven't grown out of my childhood yet, but books have always been my source of comfort. Reading this lovely tale, and reliving childhood memories now mixed with twists and stunning romance was a great experience! (P.S. I'm so so so very glad it wasn't insta-romance), and that they(the main leads of the story)built a solid friendship between them before furthering their relationship into something more. I won't be putting any spoilers into my review, but I will say this. This is a retelling of the little mermaid with a twist, that is it. If you're looking for a retelling of the sea witch or some other character from the little mermaid, this is not it. However, this retelling does give the Prince (Erik) much more personality of course, it was interesting to see a retelling finally told from the Prince's POV. I did read an ARC so maybe a couple things will have changed when the book is finally released.
Why is my rating 4 stars and not 5 stars?
I noticed that there was a bit too much info-dumping in some places and the dialogue might have been a little stilted.
But, I will continue to support this author and her future works!✨
Why is my rating 4 stars and not 5 stars?
I noticed that there was a bit too much info-dumping in some places and the dialogue might have been a little stilted.
But, I will continue to support this author and her future works!✨
December 12, 2020
I received a free copy of this book, this did not affect my review.
The Twice-Drowned Prince is a retelling of The Little Mermaid... with a twist.
When he drowned the first time, the prince was saved by one of the Mer. When he opened his eyes and saw his rescuer, he was infatuated. He wanted to meet his rescuer so bad that he went to witch who granted him a tail, and a curse. He has to win her heart and bring her to land, or he will die. Will he be able to?
The switch in POV between the Mer and the prince really added value to the story. Every time the prince's POV starts, something is revealed about his curse and it makes everything clearer and clearer and I loved it. I'm a big fan of small revelations throughout a book using flashbacks, and this was well executed.
I was truly stunned after I finished this book. While reading the book, I strongly felt that I wasn't a fan of the insta-love in the story and that there was no comfortable flow present. BUT OH MY GOD THE ENDING MADE UP FOR IT. One of the characters in the book is SO FASCINATING and I would love a book about her story. Unfortunately I can't say who it is without spoiling something, you'll just have to read it to find out.
It's a short story of only 182 pages, and if you love mermaid/siren stories, I highly recommend taking the time to read this.
The Twice-Drowned Prince is a retelling of The Little Mermaid... with a twist.
When he drowned the first time, the prince was saved by one of the Mer. When he opened his eyes and saw his rescuer, he was infatuated. He wanted to meet his rescuer so bad that he went to witch who granted him a tail, and a curse. He has to win her heart and bring her to land, or he will die. Will he be able to?
The switch in POV between the Mer and the prince really added value to the story. Every time the prince's POV starts, something is revealed about his curse and it makes everything clearer and clearer and I loved it. I'm a big fan of small revelations throughout a book using flashbacks, and this was well executed.
I was truly stunned after I finished this book. While reading the book, I strongly felt that I wasn't a fan of the insta-love in the story and that there was no comfortable flow present. BUT OH MY GOD THE ENDING MADE UP FOR IT. One of the characters in the book is SO FASCINATING and I would love a book about her story. Unfortunately I can't say who it is without spoiling something, you'll just have to read it to find out.
It's a short story of only 182 pages, and if you love mermaid/siren stories, I highly recommend taking the time to read this.
July 20, 2022
The twice drowned prince. Enduring such trauma once is horrible, but twice… Why? The question is intriguing, enough to pull one into the story of this prince. The answer? It’s the promise of a future found in the depths of two mermaid eyes. It’s so powerful that he trades his princely trappings for a half merman body in a deadly wager that could leave him dissolved into sea foam, and it seems the likely fate for the prince. The only thing stopping it is another mermaid that begrudgingly agrees to help him. The prince learns the mermaid sign language to communicate with the mermaid that has captured his attention, and his mermaid teacher learns about human nature. What follows transcends a simple exchange of knowledge. Rather it becomes an experience that changes both and the line between teacher and student disappears. The prince sees his humanity through new eyes and questions and rediscovers parts of it. Many times, he loathes what he sees staring back at him, because it’s ugly, dark, and painful. Yet it's not just him. His mermaid teacher begins to unearth unpleasant pieces of herself and wrestles with her own inner sea monsters. Because at their core, mermaids and human are no different. However, thankfully they realize underneath all the rottenness, whether it be human or mermaid nature, there’s beauty too. Mercy can be given, forgiveness is possible, and the redemptive power of love heals a multitude of scars. Above all there’s someone of value, someone worth saving. That’s why you’re willing to endure any suffering, even drowning twice.
July 28, 2025
The writing in this book is really better than 3 stars, but I found myself annoyed too much to truly enjoy it. There are good and powerful points made about forgiveness, about internal and physical beauty, respectful discussion of religion (thank you, Ms. Morrison,) and I liked the touch of the prince/merman's lungs still trying to work.
The things that annoyed me are sort of the things that annoy me about all romance books. There are mentions that this is our world post-apocalypse, but that concept is never explored. No real worldbuilding. Everything we learn about Mer seems to get contradicted. I still can't visualize Tiding, or freeing, or whatever it's called. Death is tragic and impacts the main characters but they keep saying that Mer don't grieve. The main Mer character argues with the prince just to argue, and even their sincere discussions go on so long I lost all interest. I guess I wanted more adventure. But this is a drama masquerading as a fantasy book. If you like romance, you'll probably enjoy this more than I did.
The things that annoyed me are sort of the things that annoy me about all romance books. There are mentions that this is our world post-apocalypse, but that concept is never explored. No real worldbuilding. Everything we learn about Mer seems to get contradicted. I still can't visualize Tiding, or freeing, or whatever it's called. Death is tragic and impacts the main characters but they keep saying that Mer don't grieve. The main Mer character argues with the prince just to argue, and even their sincere discussions go on so long I lost all interest. I guess I wanted more adventure. But this is a drama masquerading as a fantasy book. If you like romance, you'll probably enjoy this more than I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2023
Enchanting Retelling
Pros:
-excellent writing
-nuanced characters
-fast start
-slow burn friends-to-lovers romance
-thoughtful world-building
-love letters!!!
Cons:
-changes in tense and POV for no discernible reason
-random Christian moral preaching at around 80-85% in, which felt long-winded and contrived, and not at all relevant to the plot
Overall:
In a lot of ways, this story feels made for me. It borrows from different mermaid lore, including HC Andersen's tale, the Disney version of said tale, siren lore, and I suspect Rivers Solomon's The Deep.
I was entranced from the first paragraph, and before I knew it, I'd finished 60% in one sitting, then the rest in another sitting after a (reluctant) 6-hour sleep. The writing itself is such that you don't feel like you're reading. I think this is my newest favorite The Little Mermaid retelling. I'll definitely keep an eye out for any new books by this author!
Pros:
-excellent writing
-nuanced characters
-fast start
-slow burn friends-to-lovers romance
-thoughtful world-building
-love letters!!!
Cons:
-changes in tense and POV for no discernible reason
-random Christian moral preaching at around 80-85% in, which felt long-winded and contrived, and not at all relevant to the plot
Overall:
In a lot of ways, this story feels made for me. It borrows from different mermaid lore, including HC Andersen's tale, the Disney version of said tale, siren lore, and I suspect Rivers Solomon's The Deep.
I was entranced from the first paragraph, and before I knew it, I'd finished 60% in one sitting, then the rest in another sitting after a (reluctant) 6-hour sleep. The writing itself is such that you don't feel like you're reading. I think this is my newest favorite The Little Mermaid retelling. I'll definitely keep an eye out for any new books by this author!
December 4, 2020
Can I just that I love retellings? It's always so interesting to me to see how an author can take a previously well-known story and mold it into their own. The Twice Drowned Prince by L.M. Morrison does not disappoint! The way how it's written has so much depth and soul that I found I was flipping through pages faster than I should have :D What was truly refreshing about this retelling of the little mermaid, was that the relationship took time. It wasn't an immediate love at first sight, allowing the characters to really get to know one other and build a sort of friendship first.
December 3, 2020
At first I was hoping for sirens, then I thought maybe it was a little mermaid retelling. Nope. Similar but no. We have the prince going through it instead! The romance is also not what I expected it really touched me and made me think about my own relationship. I love the princes POV and all the magic this story brings.
A must read for an underwater romance lovers especially YA readers 😍😍
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
A must read for an underwater romance lovers especially YA readers 😍😍
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2020
Love fairy retellings! This is The Little Mermaid with a twist where the roles are reversed and The Prince is the one who gets a tail and goes off in search of his rescuer. A friendship begins instead of an instant romance and it builds.
December 3, 2020
This book is a delightful twist to a beloved classic. Written from a new, original perspective. Entertaining, romantic, compelling!
May 19, 2021
More allegory than story, but still worth the read.
September 24, 2023
Not worth reading.
January 4, 2021
🌊Book Review🌊
The Twice-Drowned Prince
By L.M Morrison
Fairy Tale Retelling
Really enjoyed the themes of mercy, human nature and love it discussed.This take on The Little Mermaid is different and still familiar. It felt like a new fairytale, happy I picked it up and a fast read. Looking forward to seeing what else this author writes.
(Picture was taken by a man made lake the only water I could find :)
Book synopsis:
"The prince had no memory of the first time he drowned. The salt numbed his mind. But the second time, it stung. Every breath brought a thousand barbs, slicing his flesh to ribbons without spilling a drop of blood. His lungs screamed as never before—voiceless."
#newbook #retelling #thelittlemermaid #booksbooksbooks #newauthor #ya #fantasy #magic #bookcollector #ocean #cleanbook
Author send me a copy I exchanged for an honest review. The post office is a little backed up so I just bought myself an e copy :)
Glad I did too♡
The Twice-Drowned Prince
By L.M Morrison
Fairy Tale Retelling
Really enjoyed the themes of mercy, human nature and love it discussed.This take on The Little Mermaid is different and still familiar. It felt like a new fairytale, happy I picked it up and a fast read. Looking forward to seeing what else this author writes.
(Picture was taken by a man made lake the only water I could find :)
Book synopsis:
"The prince had no memory of the first time he drowned. The salt numbed his mind. But the second time, it stung. Every breath brought a thousand barbs, slicing his flesh to ribbons without spilling a drop of blood. His lungs screamed as never before—voiceless."
#newbook #retelling #thelittlemermaid #booksbooksbooks #newauthor #ya #fantasy #magic #bookcollector #ocean #cleanbook
Author send me a copy I exchanged for an honest review. The post office is a little backed up so I just bought myself an e copy :)
Glad I did too♡
February 6, 2021
I'm not quite sure how to put my thoughts into words about this one. I think the best way to describe it is a mixed bag; it kept my interest for the most part, but it wasn't everything I was hoping it would be.
THINGS I LIKED
•L.M. Morrison definitely found that viral Tumblr post about gender-reversed fairy tales, because this book follows the basic premise that was laid out for a retelling of The Little Mermaid. She expanded on it and made it her own, and given that I've been considering using that post as a prompt for my own writing, I'm glad someone else was inspired by simple Tumblr text post.
•I loved the diversity of the mermaids; they had different skin tones and body shapes, which isn't something I've seen often with books about mermaids.
•The mermaids communicating through sign language was a unique take on the language barrier between Erik and the mermaids. He couldn't rely on just his speaking voice and he had to learn how to sign, which was nice to see.
•There's no way that Bahaari isn't inspired by Halle Bailey being cast as the live action Ariel and I am here for it, change my mind.
•Erik and Bahaari's dynamic reminded me of Belle and the Beast, particularly with their book discussions. It revealed quite a bit about both of their beliefs and feelings about existence and created some tension that wasn't easily resolved because of how complex the situation was.
•I loved that
THINGS THAT MADE ME GO "HUH?"
•The pacing was easily the weakest part of the book. It spans the course of a year, but not much happens aside from a lot of dialogue, and the story dragged as a result.
•The idea of mermaids turning into sea foam at a moment's notice felt more like plot convenience than anything. The stakes never felt very high because it only happened a couple of times and the characters seemed unconcerned for the most part.
•The ending felt a little too rushed and I didn't like .
I wish I had more to say, but there really isn't much for me to discuss in terms of plot. It's well written and I think it's an interesting read if you're like me and you love mermaid stories, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed that it didn't live up to my expectations.
THINGS I LIKED
•L.M. Morrison definitely found that viral Tumblr post about gender-reversed fairy tales, because this book follows the basic premise that was laid out for a retelling of The Little Mermaid. She expanded on it and made it her own, and given that I've been considering using that post as a prompt for my own writing, I'm glad someone else was inspired by simple Tumblr text post.
•I loved the diversity of the mermaids; they had different skin tones and body shapes, which isn't something I've seen often with books about mermaids.
•The mermaids communicating through sign language was a unique take on the language barrier between Erik and the mermaids. He couldn't rely on just his speaking voice and he had to learn how to sign, which was nice to see.
•There's no way that Bahaari isn't inspired by Halle Bailey being cast as the live action Ariel and I am here for it, change my mind.
•Erik and Bahaari's dynamic reminded me of Belle and the Beast, particularly with their book discussions. It revealed quite a bit about both of their beliefs and feelings about existence and created some tension that wasn't easily resolved because of how complex the situation was.
•I loved that
THINGS THAT MADE ME GO "HUH?"
•The pacing was easily the weakest part of the book. It spans the course of a year, but not much happens aside from a lot of dialogue, and the story dragged as a result.
•The idea of mermaids turning into sea foam at a moment's notice felt more like plot convenience than anything. The stakes never felt very high because it only happened a couple of times and the characters seemed unconcerned for the most part.
•The ending felt a little too rushed and I didn't like .
I wish I had more to say, but there really isn't much for me to discuss in terms of plot. It's well written and I think it's an interesting read if you're like me and you love mermaid stories, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed that it didn't live up to my expectations.
November 26, 2020
I thought this was going to be another little mermaid imagining. In some aspects, it is. But it is so much more. There is a great depth of feeling and truth found in this story. What is freedom? What constitutes a soul? What is love? I discovered so much more than I expected in this story and loved every minute of it.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews