Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Sirena
Book Review: As beautiful as a thousand sunsets
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow!
That was the word that came to my mind when I finished reading this book: wow! Usually I am not fond of the use of either first person narrative or present tense in the writing of a book, but in this instance I was willing to make a huge exception. So great is Donna Jo Napoli's writing skill that she not only made both of these narration methods work, but more importantly, she made them work really well--something rarely accomplished by the majority of authors.
The thing I liked most about the book was that Ms Napoli totally managed to get inside the psyche of the mermaid Sirena--and did so so perfectly that you'd almost think she must be a mermaid herself! The realism of not only this character, but also the other characters, animals, plants and scenery is amazing. In fact, this book is so utterly believable that you might even find yourself suspecting that the gods, goddesses, nymphs and legendary heroes of Greek mythology who regularly pop up in it really do exist.
The plot in this book seems simple--a mermaid must win the love of a mortal man to claim her right to immortality. But in this premise's simplicity is a depth and complexity that astounded me. Either this author was extremely knowledgeable about Greek mythology to begin with (because there's way more stuff in here than you'll ever learn just by watching 'Troy' or 'Clash of the Titans') or she's done her research meticulously. It's kind of like a Greek history/geography lesson, but a million times more fun! You will probably want to set sail for Greece right away, just like I do, to see for yourself the glorious places that this book describes.
Sirena herself is a wonderful character whom you can't help but empathise with. She is naive at first, having lived a relatively sheltered life, but she is intelligent and adaptable, and learns quickly even the hardest of lessons that life has to teach (for even immortal life is not without its ups and downs.)
If your heart and soul are yearning to read a heartfelt love story, but your brain insists on it being a well-written, believable one with candour and wit, then this beautiful tale is for you. It is listed as a young adult book, which means it is suitable for anyone aged twelve and over, but that recommendation shouldn't put off adult readers, who I'm sure will enjoy it just as much as I did!
Book Review: Awesome!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is certainly one of the best books I've ever read...I couldn't put it down...it's awesome if you like novels about Ancient Greece and sexalicious books....this one's got it all......Book Review: Awsome!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down! I read till midnight! I would recomend this book to anyone who enjoys fairy tales, and fantastic caracters. The book was absoultly captivating, from the first page! I loved it. Such wonderful detail, and absolute prescion. I just walked by it and picked it up, not even aware of how fantastic it would be. If you like this book you can also read Zel, which is just as good!Book Review: Best Read
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this book from my school library. At first it took me a while to get into it, but it was wonderful nonetheless. Then as I got more into it, I brought it home and couldn't stop reading it! I fininshed reading the book today, and it is definetely, without a doubt, one of the best reads I've ever read, and that there probably is out there! It is probably my favorite book. It's full of mystic, myths, and love. And I absolutely love the ocean, so I loved how the main setting was there. I also found Sirena, the mermaid, a great role model that many can relate to. I highly reccommend this book to everyone. I am definetely going to get my own copy! It is absolutely astounding....Book Review: Captivating
Summary: 4 Stars
I usually regard mythical books and love stories as sappy and stupid. However, I got this book as a recommendation from a friend, read it, and it changed my idea about this genre. I normally go for deep and intertwining, twisting plots -- I used to think that those were the only books that could keep my interest. I admit, I was wrong. Young Sirena captivated me, and involved me in her story.This book was really good -- at the middle, though, I began to think again that the love story was really lame, but after another chapter or two that all changed. The plot actually had a kind of twist!
Now, the back of the book says that this is for ages 12 & up. I'm 14, and I don't really remember my maturity level at 12, but this book has minor overtones of sexuality and nudity. So, I recommend this very good book to teens ages 14 & up, but if you are a mature 12 or 13-year-old, you should check this out as well. I'm not really sure if it would be appropriate for anyone under that age. Maybe 11, though I'm not sure.
Anyway, this is a really good book, one that fans of all genres can genuinely enjoy.