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Between the Sea and Sky

Jaclyn Dolamore (Goodreads Author)

3.51 · Rating details · 3,146 ratings · 411 reviews

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a d ...more

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Hardcover, 229 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

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May 04, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it it was ok

Shelves: mg-not-ya, pn-sea-creatures, read-2011, huge-disappointments, 2011-publication, cover-fraud, heroines-wimpy

Ten (Unfulfilled) Wishes for this Book:

1. If this is was supposed to be a YA book, I wish that the story was more complex, the characters more fully developed, and the dialogue less juvenile.

2. If this was supposed to be a middle grade book, I wish there were no fewer mentions of breasts and men looking at them, fewer mentions of drunken sailors making suggestive remarks, and less focus on the rather insipid romance. Such random lascivious behavior inserts an ugly note into the story for no reas ...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Jaclyn rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

About eight years ago, I was working on this big epic mess of a never-finished novel. I wasn't very good back then at outlining or understanding what the core of the story was, but in hindsight, the core was the story of a mermaid and a winged boy who were childhood friends that met again later in life. Now I finally have a chance to tell that story, and though the players have changed (for the better), it still feels like an old story I've been dying to share. ...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Cassi aka Snow White Haggard rated it liked it

Shelves: galleys, read-in-2011, kindle, fantasy

I'm always drawn to mermaid fiction and generally speaking disappointed. I don't know why this subgenre is so hard to master. Maybe it's that Ariel is always peaking over our shoulder as only Disney movies can. Or maybe a world of fish and fins is somehow too foreign, more foreign than land-based fantasy tales and outer space adventures.

Between the Sea and Sky is better than most mermaid stories. I suspect a lot of people will really like this book. Especially if you like star-crossed love stori
I'm always drawn to mermaid fiction and generally speaking disappointed. I don't know why this subgenre is so hard to master. Maybe it's that Ariel is always peaking over our shoulder as only Disney movies can. Or maybe a world of fish and fins is somehow too foreign, more foreign than land-based fantasy tales and outer space adventures.

Between the Sea and Sky is better than most mermaid stories. I suspect a lot of people will really like this book. Especially if you like star-crossed love stories. But for me, it's just not quite there.

First I want to talk about what this book did right
1. Esmerine was a likable and believable main character. I know that seems like it should be a given, but the last mermaid book I read I didn't like any of the characters. She's the type of person you could root for. Esmerine is smart, caring and loves her family.
2. Consequences for magic - So often magic has no consequences. Mermaids in this story feel pain whenever they walk on land. I know where it comes from in mermaid lore (I may have done some research on the topic lately). It's a nice touch.
3. Not a love at first sight story. I was worried about this but there's actually a friendship first.
4. Not one species is "evil" or the bad guy. The story doesn't oversimplify things. There are good mermaids, good humans and good flying people.

Unfortunately I must also talk about what didn't work in this book for me. For me, the main flaw was that the stakes didn't seem high enough. Either she stayed on land or she didn't. Neither choice seemed drastically better than the other. I wasn't invested. Partially I think this is because the enchantment of the siren's belt wasn't very well explained. I didn't (and don't) understand the consequences of giving someone her belt. It stops the pain and there's some kind of enchantment involved but what that entails I don't know.

Another problem I have with this book is that apparently a underwater society didn't have any of the problems of our world on land. In the beginning we're introduced to a world where people have different jobs, the main character's family seems distinctly lower middle-class (they talk about things they can't afford), but then Esmerine is aghast at all the problems of land based society. There's poverty, beggars, cripples and she doesn't understand this at all. I find it unrealistic that an underworld world with some kind of economic system could exist entirely without poverty or flaws. To me this felt like a continuity error.

This book is well enough to read. I have no major issues with it (like I do with a lot of paranormal YA) but at the end of the day I felt pretty ambiguous towards it. I just didn't care enough. But I suspect a lot of people will enjoy the romance and skim over the flaws but I just expected more. ...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Ceilidh rated it liked it

I found Dolamore's debut “Magic Under Glass” to be a charming and creative book that could have benefited from some tighter plotting and characterisation. It certainly sparked my interest for her next book, a standalone mermaid story, especially after Dolamore mentioned how she wrote the book to the scores of Studio Ghibli films (indeed, I noted in my earlier review how her creative worlds would be ideal for Hayao Miyizaki's next film.) While the mermaid craze never quite took off the way that m I found Dolamore's debut “Magic Under Glass” to be a charming and creative book that could have benefited from some tighter plotting and characterisation. It certainly sparked my interest for her next book, a standalone mermaid story, especially after Dolamore mentioned how she wrote the book to the scores of Studio Ghibli films (indeed, I noted in my earlier review how her creative worlds would be ideal for Hayao Miyizaki's next film.) While the mermaid craze never quite took off the way that many bloggers and publishers thought it would, there is still a gap in the market for a strong mermaid YA to join the myriad of vampires, werewolves, angels and other assorted creatures of mythology already so well known to readerrs. Unfortunately this book did not meet my excpectations.

I found that many of the same problems I had with Dolamore's previous novel appeared in “Between the Sea and the Sky”. Wonderfully imaginative elements of world-building, including the mermaid-siren hierarchy, the relations between each of the species and the world of the winged creatures, the Fandarsee, were introduced to us but never fully developed. In “Magic Under Glass”, Dolamore introduced the strands of political and cultural complexities that I was desperate to know more about, yet such elements never came to fruition, and the exact same thing happens here. While there were moments of vivid descriptive scenes throughout her consistently strong prose, I never felt fully immersed in the world-building. To be honest, much of it felt very underdeveloped. I have a feeling this book may be marketed to a younger, more middle-grade audience. The prose and story-telling feels more suited to pre-teen readers, although it's very readable for all ages. I did find that the frequent dumping of exposition began to grate extremely quickly, especially since this is such a short book with very little action and a highly predictable plot.

I did not find Esmerine to be as interesting or well developed as Nimira in “Magic Under Glass.” The idea of the young beautiful mermaid dissatisfied with her lot in life and yearning for more on the surface is nothing new. In fact, it's a staple of the great mermaid tales going back as far as Hans Christian Andersen, maybe even further. I can understand the harking back to influential tales but so little is developed from that point onwards that it can't help but feel stagnant and unsatisfying. This applies to pretty much every supporting character in the book, although nobody is ever really given any real time to shine or become more three-dimensional. Of course, this doesn't bode well for the romantic element, which felt too heavily reliant on the childhood friends trope to explain Esmerine and Alandare's relationship. One part of the book that really left me scratching my head was the depiction of humans. While mermaids and the Fandarsee are granted some variety of characterisation, pretty much every human is seen as selfish, rude or extremely ignorant of other species aside from themselves. They seem to view all others as a side-show novelty. I could understand this possibly for one or two characters from more isolated parts of the country, but these interactions and knowledge of other creatures are well known, so it didn't make much sense to have every human act like a fool when in the presence of a mermaid (whom they are especially susceptible to falling under their charms) or Fandarsee.

While “Between the Sea and the Sky” possesses much of the charm and imagination of Dolamore's debut work, the same flaws are also still present and overwhelm the positive elements. Wonderfully creative elements and ideas are introduced but left to flounder instead of being given their deserved attention, while the characters and romantic element are pretty stock for the genre for the most part. The readability of its prose and short length make it ideally suited to younger readers, although the book itself is not without merit for readers of all ages. Once again, it's an ideal framework for a Ghibli film, but also hints are Dolamore's possible strengths as a short story writer.

2.5/5. ...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Sasha rated it it was ok

Shelves: paranomal, something-to-pass-the-time, expected-more, satisfied, new-and-interesting-plot, unmemorable-heroine, disappointing-male-lead, fluff, needed-more-romance, mermaid

Between Sea and Sky

Book Completed: 10/25/2012
Book Rating: ★★

Ten Things that Disappointed:

10. The story had so much potential. A love between a sky creature and a sea creature. Had the plot actually had a plot and been further developed, I think this book had the makings of a series and a good one at that. However, alas.. it did not. The plot was boring and rather uneventful and felt like it was written for a 10 year old.

9. There were mermaids called sirens. Cool concept, very different but I w ...more

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May 31, 2010 Nerissa Ayala Lesko rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi

If this book really happens, I will be the happiest person!! Love mermaids, even is the are sirens = /

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Oct 05, 2011 Jessie (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, 2011-reads, arc, supernatural-fiction, ya-fiction, netgalley-arc, reviewed, reviews-2011, coverlove, what-is-this-nonsense

Sadly, much like Cayla Kluver's Legacy or Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison, this mermaid tale is another case of Beautiful Cover, Big Ol' Mess inside the alluring facade. Though this young-adult novel is technically not a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's famous Little Mermaid, the story is obviously influenced by and similar to that long-loved tale. Both the pain of land, the belt/chastity allegory are all in tune with the familiar story - and very little is done by the author t Sadly, much like Cayla Kluver's Legacy or Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison, this mermaid tale is another case of Beautiful Cover, Big Ol' Mess inside the alluring facade. Though this young-adult novel is technically not a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's famous Little Mermaid, the story is obviously influenced by and similar to that long-loved tale. Both the pain of land, the belt/chastity allegory are all in tune with the familiar story - and very little is done by the author to differentiate her version. Between the Sea and Sky is the tale of a bookish teenage mermaid - though she is soon to be elevated into the exclusive and respected sirens - named Esmerine. Esmerine's tale is about her search for her sister Dosinia, a fellow siren disappeared from the sea abruptly. It's a simple story in a very simple style that somehow manages to still take quite a bit of effort to finish. I have been on the look out for a good mermaid story, but sadly for me, Between the Sea and Sky failed to deliver a well-rounded, interesting, or even wholly appropriate mermaid tale.

Esmerine is not a very well-rounded or even developed young-woman. Her personality seems too-perfect at best and mismatching or altered to appeal at worst. I never felt invested in the young mermaid; from her dialogue and her actions, she constantly came across as too young and too immature. As "the brain of the family" Esmerine sticks out from all other merfolk: she can read and write, and has even been friends with one of the detested and avoided "sky people". I can't say I really rooted for Esmerine during her search for Dosia- it's a fairly boring trek that seems to consist of Esmerine sitting and waiting while another actually searches for her sister. The role of the sirens as well, that of luring men to their deaths using song/beauty/etc., also seem strangely out-of-tune with the almost MG tone and feel of this novel. Between the Sea and the Sky occasionally borders on uncomfortable side with the random mentions of (and fixation upon) breasts, in addition to the more mature themes randomly mixed into the story.

The "winged people" that Esmerine knows and talks to are the Fandarsee - winged humans that are essentially Mercurys - they transport messages. One reason (among many) that this novel irritated me: the merfolk and Fandarsee resent/avoid/hate the other but no real reason is provided for the animosity between the races. So naturally, when Esmerine has feelings for a 'darsee, they cannot be together because. . . of an obvious plot device by the author. It's obvious, unreasonable and needed better plotting. Alander or "Alan Dare" is the male love-interest for Esmerine; a friend from her childhood she has since (6 years) not seen. Speaking of which, Alandare reminds me of my second quibble: humans/their normal world are mentioned often throughout the story, but no information is given as to if the mermaids/Fandarsee are known outside of those encountered personally by humans. It just felt like a glaring error: I never knew what the status of the characters were and the worldbuilding suffered. And when I say worldbuilding, I'm being a tad sarcastic. There's barely any time devoted during the narrative to describe or enliven the underwater realm, which seemed by far the most interesting and with the most unique possibilities of all the places in the novel.

To read the rest of this review, just click here. ...more

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May 23, 2011 Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, arcs, middle-grades, 2011, mermaid-books

If Hans Christian Andersen were still alive, this is a story he would write. I loved the world create by Jaclyn Dolamore in Between the Sea and Sky. Esmerine, a mermaid who befriends a "winged boy", is a little different from all the other mermaids. She has learned how to read and write; a thing most mermaids find impractical. She has also learned how to transform into a human and walk on land. Alander-- the "winged boy"-- is a Fandarsee. Like Esmerine, he is also different from the others of hi If Hans Christian Andersen were still alive, this is a story he would write. I loved the world create by Jaclyn Dolamore in Between the Sea and Sky. Esmerine, a mermaid who befriends a "winged boy", is a little different from all the other mermaids. She has learned how to read and write; a thing most mermaids find impractical. She has also learned how to transform into a human and walk on land. Alander-- the "winged boy"-- is a Fandarsee. Like Esmerine, he is also different from the others of his kind. Instead of being content as a messenger, he enjoys reading and studying philosophy.

When Esmerine's sister (Dosinia) goes missing, Esmerine travels to the human world to find her. She knows that her sister has been visiting with humans, and she fears that she has been captured. Once on land, Esmerine finds her old friend, Alander, and begins her search for Dosinia. But Esmerine is not just looking for her lost sister. She is also searching for her own place in the world and the bonds that unite her heart with Alander's.

One of my all-time favorite fairy tales is The Little Mermaid, even Hans Christian Andersen's tragic version. The mystery and beauty of living under the water has always enchanted me. This book did not disappoint me. I still managed to get the tingly feeling while reading about Esmerine's life under the sea. Above all that, though, I think I liked the fact that the created world was so different from any mermaid story I have ever read. In this book, mermaids and Fandarsee are a well known fact, not a hidden secret. The humans are not surprised to see the mystical creatures walking and living among them on land. In fact, merpeople, Fandarsee and humans interact daily and conduct business together. That alone is fascinating and unique.

The characters are delightful. Esmerine is different from the other merpeople. She's described as "practical" and snubbed by her peers. She has learned how to read and write from Alander, but the other sea-dwellers don't find that fascinating. How typical of people to disregard the things that they do not personally understand? Alander also deals with the same struggles on land. His father wants him to follow in the family's footsteps and become a great scientist. Alander, however, has no desire to "discover" things; instead, he wants to educate people and spread knowledge. It's no wonder that Esmerine and Alander feel like two parts of the same whole.

If I had to pick one thing that I liked the best in this book, I would have to say the descriptions. The vivid details helped bring to life the setting. When the story was taking place under water, I could picture the living quarters and imagine the class rankings (Yes, social classes under the sea!). The subtle snobbery of the "rich" merpeople was felt in every word and action. I didn't feel like the human world was described in as much detail as the ocean, but you still got a good sense of the setting. I feel like there should have been a little more detail and perception given to the human experiences since Esmerine was experiencing this land for the first time in human form.

Overall, this is a good read. It didn't take long to read--I finished in one sitting. If you like Hans Christian Andersen's version of The Little Mermaid, you will enjoy this story. There are elements that resonate in his version that continue in Dolamore's story. Between the Sea and Sky is romantic enough to earn a YA label, but clean enough for Disney. There are no graphic scenes--just a drunk and a few kisses. I enjoyed this one, but then again, it's hard to disappoint me with a mermaid story.
...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mundie-moms-reviews, arcs, 2011-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, 2011-release

4.5 stars

This is a magical, fascinating historical fantasy that reads like a classic fairytale with it's rich lore, sweet romance and exciting adventure. I fell in love with Jaclyn's writing after reading her debut Magic Under Glass and I really loved the magical world of sirens and winged people she introduced me to with Between the Sea and Sky. Jaclyn's writing is whimsical, magical and completely intriguing to me. True to her creative writing style, she has a richly detailed setting, and an a 4.5 stars

This is a magical, fascinating historical fantasy that reads like a classic fairytale with it's rich lore, sweet romance and exciting adventure. I fell in love with Jaclyn's writing after reading her debut Magic Under Glass and I really loved the magical world of sirens and winged people she introduced me to with Between the Sea and Sky. Jaclyn's writing is whimsical, magical and completely intriguing to me. True to her creative writing style, she has a richly detailed setting, and an adoring romance that's simple, sweet, and innocent.

The story follows Esmerine, main character who's just become a Siren, an honor that only her and her older sister Dosia share within their family. Having been close and yearning for a sense of adventure, Dosia goes missing after telling her sister she's visited with humans before in their world, a dangerous thing to do for any mermaid. Fearing for her sister's life, Esmerine enters the human world to find her sister and an old childhood crush in Alan, the winged boy she used to play with as a child. What ensures is an adventure into a new world, a beautiful country side, and a rekindled romance. I really liked how these two love interests were re-introduced to each other and how their feelings for one another grew over the course of Esmerine's search for her sister.

Aside from the sweet love story, I loved the story's unique, richly detailed mermaid lore. I was really fascinated with the way Jaclyn coupled the siren myhtology with that of the winged people, also known as Fandarsee, which Alan is. I loved the two different worlds Jaclyn created both under water and above, and the way she merged them together. I never would have thought to merge these two distinct lore together and the way Jaclyn did it was brilliant.

I like it when a story's setting isn't dated, and it has an appealing early turn of the century feel, which this story has. For me, it makes the story feel ageless and it has a fairytale quality to it. I thoroughly enjoy Jaclyn's writing. I know I can sit down and I'll instantly be whisked away into her story. Between the Sea and Sky is one of those charming, delightful, quick reads and that I sat down and enjoyed one sunny afternoon. My only compliant is that the ending felt a little too rushed. I wish it had been a little more drawn out. I highly recommend picking this book up if you enjoy a simple love story, mermaids and a story that reads like a fairytale. It's a clean cut, wonderful read. ...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Steph Su rated it liked it

BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY is a mermaid book for those who are wary of books categorized by the particular creatures that inhabit the stories. Told in Jaclyn Dolamore’s trademark writing style—straightforward narration that nevertheless paints a lush magical world—BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY is a charming story that, while not perfect, is still a quick and enjoyable read.

Much like in her debut novel Magic Under Glass, Jaclyn Dolamore has the quiet but valuable ability of deftly portraying elaborate new ...more

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Jun 12, 2010 Rebecca rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, arc, bea-2011

For years, Esmerine has longed for the day when she can join her older sister, Dosia, as a siren, and now that day has come. Becoming a siren is a great honor for a mermaid and her family. But the very next day, Dosia disappears. Esmerine's worst fears come true when she learns that her sister has gone to the surface world and married a human. Esmerine fears her sister was taken against her will and is desperate to find her, even though it is unlikely she can save her.

Unable to make her way on t ...more

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Feb 15, 2011 ILoveBooks rated it it was amazing

This is the perfect love story between a winged boy and a mermaid. The reader can expect to be transported into a different land where many things are possible. Who knows? Mermaids can even read books!

Esmerine is a great character to read about. She is inquisitive, almost remniscent of Disney's Ariel, as well as compassionate and has a capacity for bravery and stoicism that is amazing for a mermaid. Alandare is far more staid, slightly too intellectual, and sometimes tries to become something he ...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) rated it liked it

Shelves: review, fantasy

All Esmerine, a mermaid, wants to do is to become a Siren and work with her sister, Dosinia. When Dosinia is believed trapped on the land by a human, Esmerine decides to rescue her, but changing her tail into legs means that every step is painful. In the capital city Esmerine meets a friend who she has not seen for years Alander who belongs to a winged race of people called Fandarsee, and together they search for Dosinia. As they get closer to Dosinia there rekindle their friendship but is it ab ...more

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Jul 07, 2010 Stephanie marked it as to-read

I've seen this book's cover and it is so so gorgeous! ...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Tanja Voosen rated it did not like it

Typischer Fall von: What the Fuck did i just read?!

Gemecker: http://tanjaisaddictedto.blogspot.de/... ...more

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Jan 03, 2019 Amanda B added it

So recently I moved away from my home state and transferred my job to work in a different store. I only mention this because this book, Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore, was a going away gift from one of my coworkers. She gave me two books and this is the first on that I read. I’m going to read the second book next. I actually almost didn’t even bother to review this book. Not because it was bad, but because it’s just such a short book. I started it on my lunch break at work today, whi So recently I moved away from my home state and transferred my job to work in a different store. I only mention this because this book, Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore, was a going away gift from one of my coworkers. She gave me two books and this is the first on that I read. I’m going to read the second book next. I actually almost didn’t even bother to review this book. Not because it was bad, but because it’s just such a short book. I started it on my lunch break at work today, which is 45 minutes long. When I picked it up to continue reading it after I got home, I realized that I was already halfway through it. I’m not sure if that’s because it was such a short book or if it’s because the storyline hooked me.
That’s probably the only thing I really loved about Between the Sea and Sky, the storyline. The book is about a mermaid, Esmerine, who goes in search of her sister, Dosia, who has disappeared after telling Esmerine about meeting some human boys on the island. While on the adventure of finding her sister she finds her childhood friend Alander, who goes by Alan now. As soon as Alan came into the picture I knew there would be some kind of love struggle between the two. Alan was a winged person, which was really hard to picture because there wasn’t that much description about him or what his wings looked like. The two travel to a few different places together trying to find Esmerine’s sister. While on their travels, they both realize the seriousness of their feelings for the other. Of course, they both try to fight it because of their different species, even though mermaids can give themselves to a human if they choose to do so. Alan didn’t want to make her do anything. I liked both of the main characters, but feel like they could have been developed so much more. I just didn’t seem to get as attached to them as I usually do with the main characters in most of the books I read.
As I mentioned, I loved the storyline. A love affair between a mermaid and a winged person; childhood friends that should have always been together, what a great storyline. I just think the author could have done so much more with this story idea. I feel like it was kept very simple when it could and should have been such an amazing story. There were so many details left out, so many settings and moments within this story that could have been expounded upon. I’m just a bit disappointed with the lack of detail in this book. This story had so much potential to be a new favorite book of mine, except it wasn’t written as it could be. While I am disappointed by the lack of descriptions about many of the places the story takes place in it was still a good story. I was fairly amused by the banter between the characters. I liked them all well enough.
Overall I probably won’t read this book again for quite a while, but it was a good and amusing quick read. I won’t demand that you go buy it now like I do for many other books that I read, but if you find it at the library and you’re looking for a quick read, this definitely was for me. I liked it, but I’m not over the moon about it. ...more

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Aug 12, 2010 Misty rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci_fi-fantasy, review-copy-accepted, folklore-myth-fable-fairy-tall-tale, excited-for, signed, juvenile-ya, read-in-2011, own, arc-or-galley, mermaids

Some time ago, I fell in love with this cover. I was already a fan of Dolamore's from her debut, Magic Under Glass, and while I was eagerly searching Goodreads to see if/when I was going to get more stories about my darling little automaton, I came across this companion novel of a mermaid in love with a winged boy. And I thought, well isn't that just lovely? I mean, beyond the sheer obvious loveliness of the cover, isn't the idea of a love bridging these two contradictory worlds just lovely. Some time ago, I fell in love with this cover. I was already a fan of Dolamore's from her debut, Magic Under Glass, and while I was eagerly searching Goodreads to see if/when I was going to get more stories about my darling little automaton, I came across this companion novel of a mermaid in love with a winged boy. And I thought, well isn't that just lovely? I mean, beyond the sheer obvious loveliness of the cover, isn't the idea of a love bridging these two contradictory worlds just lovely. [And every time I thought of it, the bit of dialogue from Ever After would pop into my head about "A bird may love a fish, signore, but where will they make their home?" "Well, we will have to give you wings!" would pop into my head...] So I put it on my wishlist and settled in for the long haul. Somewhere along the way, I had a little event with an awesome person, and got to chatting with Jaclyn Dolamore, who participated. Her lovely book that I was settled in waiting for got pushed back (because they were trying to torture us, I can only assume) - but I needn't have worried, because Jaclyn sent me a copy!

Once the drooling was over, I convinced myself to wait to read it until closer to the publication, because I know myself and I know how I will put off writing a review until I've forgotten damn near everything I wanted to say. But eventually the time came, I was finally (finally!) able to sit down and read it.
And I was right, it is lovely.

Now, I was a little hesitant in the beginning. The reader is plunged into this very foreign world and though I generally like that, this is a very foreign world (they're mermaids! Things operate on a totally different level). I liked the differences; it makes sense that their world would be vastly different, and their thoughts and day-to-days concerns, would be vastly different, than anything we're familiar with on this world. That is as it should be. But things were...simpler, I guess, and I was a little lost and a little meh on the beginning. But Esmerine and her eldest sister are different, and I connected with their yearning - and the story really picks up when Esmerine leaves the water. It's a great fish out of water story (ah-ha-ha) [SO MANY PUNS. I'll stop myself now so you don't feel the need to hurt me.]

I felt like there was a good struggle. Enough is built into the world-building and the situation to make you empathize with Esmerine and wonder what is the right decision for her, even while you're hoping she makes a certain one (because no matter what we say, we're all suckers for a happy ending). Esmerine's worries and her torn feelings seemed true to her character and situation; the way she has been raised and the way she, and those around her, have been taught to think and behave, contrasted with what she feels and what she wants made it a really enjoyable story. But beyond just Esmerine, we get snippets of other characters' struggles to be true to themselves and choose happiness. I loved the glimpses we get of Alan's struggles as the book goes on - I loved that his struggles came first, actually, long before Esmerine must come to terms with what she wants, and that he tried to be really brave about his lot in life, and kind of deadened himself in a way. And again with Dosia and her struggles, which we never actually get to know about until we see their effects - Dosia's selfishness was interesting. It was necessary in that reckless, careless way that you have to be sometimes for your own happiness, and she overcomes her struggles and goes for what she wants boldly (if thoughtlessly). There's this over-arching theme of sort of following your bliss, doing what's right for you and what will bring more happiness into the world. It's this great dimension to the story, which is told very simply but slyly layered with things like this.

Another thing that I like, and this may seem silly, is that there's no real villain. I feel like, so many times villains are a crutch. Don't get me wrong, they can be great, and I love a good villain, but the fact is, that's not always life. There's not always an arch-nemesis, and doesn't need to be. This was a great example of that, because though there is some opposition in some respects, there is certainly no villain, nor even a need for one - the situational tension and misunderstandings are enough.

The few things that bothered me were fairly minor, but worth noting. Foremost, it was very brief, which is something I actually like, but - But when something is so brief, I feel like there's no excuse not to flesh things out that need fleshing. You're not over your word count, you're not cutting things just to keep it from being mammoth. In short, you have the space, so there are times when I just felt like things could have been filled a bit more, could have been fleshed and finessed a bit more. The 2nd thing is just a product of having read an ARC - there were a lot of typos and some minor plot holes that just broke me out of the story occasionally. I would actually like to reread the book as a finished copy to get the "real" feel of it, once everything is smoothed and lovely, so I can read it without getting snarled in the errors. But this drawback is, in itself, actually a good thing - I wouldn't want to reread it as a finished copy if I didn't like the story.

All in all, it's a solid companion to Magic Under Glass, and a solid story in its own right. Esmerine's growth and the visual aspects of the story and the world make this one absolutely worth it. (In fact, I would love to see mock-ups of the world!) ...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Small Review rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011-read, pages-200s

Originally posted at Small Review

3.5 stars (explanation of rating system)

I'm a mythological racist

I realized something about myself when reading Between the Sea and Sky: I totally stereotype mythological creatures. And I don't really like it when their books deviate too much from my preconceptions.

When it comes to mermaid books, I expect and want them to be light frothy fun with a sweet romance and an "easy read" plot. Luckily, Between the Sea and Sky perfectly fit my mermaid stereotypes and gav ...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: other-ya-fantasy, 2011

I've been looking forward to Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore for quite a while now. I love stories that mix fantasy with fairy tale vibes - and this story definitely delivers that! It is a pretty calm story overall, giving readers a chance to get to know the characters and embrace the legends and traditions they live under.

When the book opens, Esmerine is undergoing the ceremony that will make her a siren, setting her apart from the mermaid majority. She joins her older sister, who is I've been looking forward to Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore for quite a while now. I love stories that mix fantasy with fairy tale vibes - and this story definitely delivers that! It is a pretty calm story overall, giving readers a chance to get to know the characters and embrace the legends and traditions they live under.

When the book opens, Esmerine is undergoing the ceremony that will make her a siren, setting her apart from the mermaid majority. She joins her older sister, who is also a siren, and looks forward to the time they'll be able to spend together. Oops, too bad her older sister decides to cash in her siren magic to marry a human on land. Esmerine and her family are devastated, and Esmerine is determined to set out and make sure her sister is okay. She tracks down her childhood friend Alandare to help her even though she hasn't seen him in several years. Their friendship is quite complicated, considering he is of a race that can fly.
So, basically Esmerine and Alandare are opposites. Alan also isn't quite as sweet and accommodating as he was when they were kids, so things start out pretty awkward. It doesn't take them too long to find a rhythm together though, and Alan devotes himself to helping Esmerine find her sister fairly willingly.

One thing I loved is that none of the characters are perfect. This is a fairly short book, and I love that Jaclyn took the time to explore the character's faults (stubbornness, fear, impatience, anger...) - it definitely makes them seem more realistic and well-rounded. Definite kudos there. I also think the way Esmerine and Alandare went from "uhh...nice to see you again? maybe?" to "okay, we can do this whole friends thing" to "let's get it onnnn" was very well done. Once again, for a short book - I was highly impressed by the fact that nothing seemed hurried.

Well, now that I say that...at first I felt like the ending might have been rushed. Then I beat my head against the desk when I realized I only felt that way because I'm so woefully out of practice of reading stand-alone books. I finally have an author that doesn't needlessly drag her story into a series and it is a sad day when I fail to appreciate that.

So, if you're in the mood for a nice, flowing story that focuses on the characters without a great deal of significant plot detail - this is definitely a book worth picking up! I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world in which they lived. ...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Ruby rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, teen, mermaids

This review was first posted at http://www.rubysreads.com.

First of all, I haven't read Magic Under Glass. Phew. Glad I got that off my chest. Also, despite a childhood obsession with Ariel, I'm not generally a fan of mermaid stories. For some bizarre reason I prefer books that take place on land. I'm just weird like that. However, Between the Sea and Sky mostly takes place on land (because, what else is between them? Duh.), so that wasn't a problem.
I think that Dolamore created an interesting This review was first posted at http://www.rubysreads.com.

First of all, I haven't read Magic Under Glass. Phew. Glad I got that off my chest. Also, despite a childhood obsession with Ariel, I'm not generally a fan of mermaid stories. For some bizarre reason I prefer books that take place on land. I'm just weird like that. However, Between the Sea and Sky mostly takes place on land (because, what else is between them? Duh.), so that wasn't a problem.
I think that Dolamore created an interesting world. She covered all the bases--good world-building, consequences and limits to the magical elements, character development, solid supporting characters--without really impressing me. I wasn't bored by Between the Sea and Sky, exactly, but it didn't move me. I didn't get much out of the romance, or even the central conflict. The story went on and I read it with little-to-no reaction. I felt no anticipation, excitement, disgust or frustration. And I'll be honest--some of my favorite books frustrate the HELL out of me at some point.
In part, this was because there wasn't any real risk to the main characters. There was no urgency to find the Esmerin'es sister, Dosinia, no countdown clock to race against. And Alandare rebels against his father...but not much more than he already has...at not at the risk of being disinherited or losing his father's respect. (By the way, "dashing" is far too strong a word to describe him.) These are the things that give great novels the kind of meat you can sink your teeth into. Between the Sea and Sky was bland, but featured enough solid writing to get me through to the end.
I have a copy of Magic Under Glass, and since so many people loved it, I'm still hoping to be able to read it (eventually). I'm also interested to see others' reactions to Between the Sea and Sky. Did you read it and love it? Would I have appreciated it more if I'd read Magic Under Glass first? Or maybe I missed something crucial in my reading? I didn't hate this book. My reaction was far worse--I was indifferent to it. Words no writer ever wants to hear. Sorry! ...more

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Dec 15, 2010 Angelc rated it it was amazing

Shelves: already-own-read, 5-stars

This book was excellent, it really was so much more than what I thought it would be. I assumed it was yet another YA paranormal set in today's world. But I was so wrong. The author has set up an entire world where mermaids, humans, and winged people all live (somewhat) together. The world is historical in nature, even though I couldn't pinpoint an era, it'd definitely not today's world of cell phones and mean girls.

I loved that the author really thought out the romance. It wasn't the watered dow ...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Amy Jacobs rated it it was ok

Shelves: books-i-own

Is it just me or does it seem like there is a downpour of mermaid themed books lately? Even with the amount of mermaid books on the market right now, I still wanted to read this book and see what sort of spin this author could bring to the mermaid tale. While I never read the authors first book Magic Under Glass, I understood that it was a sort of spin off from that one involving certain characters.

Again, since I have never read anything by this author before, I did enjoy this book and the tale ...more

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Jul 17, 2010 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya

The story: Esmerine is a siren, but since her winged childhood friend Alan first introduced her to books, she’s yearned for adventures in the world above the sea. When her sister goes missing, she puts on legs and enlists Alan’s help to find Dosia. Which world does Esmerine belong in? I wrote on Twitter that this book reminds me of a fantasy L.M. Montgomery. The world-building is rich, full of delicious little details about what everyone’s wearing and eating, and Esmerine is a feisty, likable pr ...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Ashley-Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

I had such high hopes for this book! the cover was gorgeous and the idea was really interesting, but I found it really lacking. It wasn`t bad, it just could have been so much more! there could have been so much more detail and emotion added. it was like a meal without salt. Then again, I do hold all mermaid books up to the ridiculously high standard of Donna Jo Napoli`s Sirena. I think that this was one adolescent book that really held more appeal for adolescents. oh well. Keep working Dolamore, ...more

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May 03, 2016 Megan rated it really liked it

Shelves: ammp-celebrate-1000, read-in-2016, new-to-me-authors-2016, 2016-uno, may-2016

This was a fun story. Esmerine was a strong character. I loved her determination to find her sister, even through all the pain and suffering she had to endure to search. I was curious to see how the story would end, but I wasn't disappointed - it was very good. If you like mermaid story, you'll probably enjoy this one. ...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Amanda Coppedge rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, read-in-2011

So lush and fanciful, so sweetly old-fashioned. I loved reading this as an adult but if I had gotten ahold of it when I was 12 or 13 I would have read and reread my copy until it was in tatters.

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Feb 09, 2011 blondie ♡ marked it as to-read

Shelves: desperately-wanting

I am totally into this mermaid craze that is hitting this year. I need this book in my life. Could the cover be any more lovely? Doubt it.

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Jul 25, 2020 Michelle rated it liked it

It was ok. I feel that it would be more suitable for a younger audience.

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Mar 08, 2011 Dani rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, fairytales, mermaids

Evoking the classic fairytale feel of Hans Christian Andersen, Jaclyn Dolamore has woven a beautiful tale about a fish who loved a bird. Esmerine, a mermaid on the cusp of adulthood, anxiously awaits her siren’s initiation. For as long as she can remember, Esmerine and her sister Dosia have dreamed about being sirens together and a life beyond the confines of the sea. However, after Esmerine’s siren ceremony, Dosia goes missing. Esmerine, terrified that her sister has been lured to the human wor ...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Dark Faerie Tales rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed-by-bridget

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Cute and quick read with fun characters and a sweet romance.

Opening Sentence: It was not every day that a mermaid became a siren, and not every day that Esmerine attended such a party.

The Review:

Esmerine is a mermaid and she has always wanted to be a siren. The siren’s are trained to protect the sea and all its inhabitants from those that would harm them. They are given a magical belt that helps them to harness magic, but they are never to give ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA romance between half mermaid and boy w/ wings? [s]	4	39	Dec 07, 2019 07:52PM
Crazy for Young A...: Between The Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore → Start Date: June 24, 2015	1	5	May 25, 2015 02:36PM
Friends with Books: Between the Sea and Sky	4	10	Nov 13, 2012 01:52PM

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About Jaclyn Dolamore

Jaclyn Dolamore

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Jaclyn Dolamore has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives in western Maryland with her partner and plot strategist, Dade, and three weird cats. To keep abreast of new releases, sales, and extras, please join her mailing list! http://tinyurl.com/JaclynDolamore ...more