Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling - Nicolette Andrews

-

Author: Nicolette Andrews

Narrator: Joanna Roddy
Series: Tales of Akatsuki #2
Genre: Retelling, FantasyStars:3.25 stars.


In a Nutshell: This is supposedly a retelling of ‘The Little Mermaid’ but it has hardly any similarities to the original. (And I mean the ‘original’ by Hans Christian Andersen, not the Disney version.) Mixed feelings, but the lore elements were outstanding. Not as good as the second book of this series, but not bad as well.


Story Synopsis:
Rin is an immortal kitsune (a magical fox with shapeshifting abilities). However, a witch’s curse has turned her into a human without the ability to utter any sound. To regain her abilities, Rin has to fulfil the witch’s directive within the next fortnight. This would have been an easy command to carry out, except that it involves Hikaru, a human who is the eldest son of a local lord and will do anything to protect his clan. When Hikaru spies Rin, he feels an instant connect with her, but when the “lady” who charmed him doesn’t even speak, he feels torn between his heart and his duties.
Okay, the story involves a lot more than this and I can’t do justice to it here. It focusses on Rin, Hikaru, their attraction and clashes, and if/how things will return to how they were. Also involved in the proceedings are a boar, a dragon, a wolf, and a disgruntled second son, and the proceedings include clan rivalries, angry ‘guardians’, and a lot more. It is very complicated to sum up here!
The story is written in the third person limited narration of various characters, though Rin and Hikaru get the maximum chunk.


Where the book worked for me:
✔ Loved reading all the parts connected to Japanese lore – kitsune, yokai, and many other names that I don’t know how to spell because I heard the audiobook. 😛

✔ I had ended up reading the second book of this series, Yuki: A Snow White Retelling, prior to this one. I love how neatly the ending of this segued into the second. At the same time, the second works perfectly as a standalone too. The author’s plot is well-planned!

✔ Rin is a wonderful lead character and carries the story well on her shoulders. I liked Shin as well, though Hikaru failed to live up to my expectations.

✔ To me, its biggest plus point was that it gave me a nice background to the procedings in Yuki.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ This is a very distant retelling of the original fairy tale, though it is as dark as the Hans Christian Andersen version. Moreover, my brain refused to accept a ‘Little Mermaid’ retelling set in a forest. I missed the ocean!

❌ The plot becomes repetitive in between. Unlike in Yuki, there is a whole lot of rambling and hardly any action. Everyone is just mouthing the same thoughts again and again. (Plus, a few of the scenes are really silly.) This book definitely required a better editor.

❌ The pacing is quite slow, a problem exacerbated by the repetition mentioned above. It picks up only in the final quarter. (Having the audiobook helped.)

❌ There are too many characters, and too many character perspectives. After a while, it becomes tough to remember who was who and who is fighting under whom and against whom. Many of the characters are interconnected, which worsens the problem.


The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at a little more than 9 hours, is narrated by the talented Joanna Roddy. Reading a slow-paced book in the audio version is definitely a benefit. At the same time, there are too many sub plots during which the narration keeps shifting to the respective character. If you are the kind who loses focus easily in the audio version, stick to reading.


On the positive side, the author does seem to have sharpened her craft after this book because most of the flaws I mentioned were not present in ‘Yuki’. I still want to read the final book of this trilogy, especially as it focusses on Shin. I want to know what happens to him.

Overall, I liked ‘Kitsune’, but I didn’t love it. Worth a one-time read.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the author through ‘StoryOrigin’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Violent Advents: A Christmas Horror Anthology - Edited by L. Stephenson - ★★★.¼

-
Image
  EDITOR: L. Stephenson GENRE: Christmas Horror Anthology PUBLICATION DATE:  December 12, 2024 RATING: 3.3 stars. In a Nutshell: A short-fiction anthology filled with Christmassy horror. Some really good stories here, though I wish there had been more variety in the “source of the evil.” A good option for those who are fed up of saccharine seasonal stories. This is the time of the year when readers are torn between spooky season and Christmas season. Here's a book that combines both. 😉 This indie anthology contains twenty-six stories by twenty-six writers. There’s no editor’s note, but the title and the tagline make the theme clear – it is a “Christmas horror” anthology. The stories are mostly fast-paced, which works well in this genre. After the first few stories, I wondered why a majority of them were using the Christmas tree as the horror device-of-choice. It occurred frequently enough for me to start eyeing every Christmas tree in the stories suspiciously. Only after...
Read More»

The Little Christmas Library - David M. Barnett - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: David M. Barnett GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 10, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A character-oriented contemporary fiction with a strong Christmas spirit and a dash of Christmas magic. Excellent characters and a well-connected narrative linking them all. True to contemporary times in every way. Might get a bit too sugary, but works well for the genre. A fabulous and heartwarming option for the festive season. Plot Preview: When Molly McGinley moves from London to her Northern hometown of Merry-le-Moors, she feels like an utter failure. Ten years in the big city, and all she has to show is a broken relationship and no job. Her widower dad Jack is more than happy to have his daughter home, especially as he is still missing his wife who passed away a decade back. Jack now whiles away his time driving the town’s mobile library and he insists that Molly accompany him on his rounds instead of moping alone at home. As the two take the library bus t...
Read More»

Somebody I Used to Know - Wendy Mitchell - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Wendy Mitchell GENRE: Memoir PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2018 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: The memoir of a woman who unexpectedly became the face of young-onset Alzheimer’s in the UK. Ghost-written with the help of a journalist, this book covers her diagnosis, reaction, coping strategies, everyday experiences, and her plans for the future.. The writing is filled with pain and frustration as well as hope. Much recommended. Do note that it might be triggering for Alzheimer’s patients and also caregivers. A reading challenge I am participating in needed a book penned by a ghost-writer. I was very clear that I didn’t want to opt for any celebrity memoir, most of which are sanitised fake versions of their lives. Nor did I want to try fictional novels that straddled the line between pseudonymous and ghost-written. ( The Nancy Drew series, for instance. ) Google led me to Wendy Mitchell’s memoir. One look at this book’s blurb, and I knew I finally found the right option for the...
Read More»

Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Marion Agnew GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel. Plot Preview: Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow. Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will dis...
Read More»

The Night Counsellor - L.K. Pang - ★★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: L.K. Pang GENRE: Historical Mystery PUBLICATION DATE: October 17, 2024 RATING: 4 stars In a Nutshell: A historical mystery with a mental asylum as the dominant setting. Intriguing characters, creepy vibes, good handling of the two timelines. A great option for readers who enjoy gritty historical narratives. Plot Preview: 1953. Jane Galloway, in a new role as a counsellor, has just been assigned a new patient at The Beaumont, a mental asylum trying to shed its dark tag but not doing a great job of it. This patient, dubbed Patient A, was found wandering naked and covered in blood on the outskirts of Yorkshire. She doesn’t talk or respond in any way to anyone. The mystery gets even darker when Jane learns that this patient is a murder suspect. The hospital staff is firmly opposed to this new method of using conversations as therapy, but Jane is determined to make a difference. Can she help Patient A before it is too late? Is Patient A really guilty of such a heinous crime? The...
Read More»