Where I Still Read

Surprisingly good, but not quite as good as I expected.

In this story, we follow Imogen, a protagonist I really enjoyed. Her journey moves at an incredibly fast pace: one moment she’s essentially a prisoner of a king who uses her blood as a sacrifice for his goddess, and the next she’s escaping with a handsome, powerful king from another realm. From there, she’s forced to confront who she really is and the truth about her past.

And yes, she’s a mermaid… but definitely not the Disney kind. She’s the kind from old legends: dangerous, powerful, and capable of killing with her voice. I loved that aspect of the story because it gave the mermaids a much darker and more interesting edge.

What stood out to me the most, however, was not the fantasy itself but the way the book explores manipulation and emotional abuse. Watching how someone can slowly destroy another person’s confidence in order to control them was heartbreaking. Imogen has spent so much of her life being told that everything is her fault, that she’s weak, that she’s not enough, and reading her thoughts was often frustrating and sad. That’s why I found it so satisfying when she finally started pushing back and using her power against the people who tried to make her feel small.

I was especially invested in her relationship with Theo. Without giving away spoilers, there were several moments where people seemed eager to blame Imogen for things that were clearly not entirely her responsibility, and more than once I found myself thinking, «Seriously? You’re blaming her for that?»

One thing I appreciated was the pacing. The author doesn’t spend chapters on long journeys, endless conversations, or characters taking forever to figure things out. Things happen quickly and the plot keeps moving at all times.

That said, the fast pace is also what held this book back a little for me. While I enjoyed the story, I never felt completely immersed in it. I wanted more: more of the romance, more of Theo and Imogen together, and honestly, more time to explore the world and its characters. Imogen’s past and her mother’s story are clearly the heart of this first book, but I finished it feeling like there was still something missing.

I also wasn’t completely sold on the ending. In fact, I have a strong suspicion about where the story is going in book two. The author leaves a lot of clues throughout the book, and if you pay attention, many of the answers are already there.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a compelling protagonist, a dark take on mermaids, and some powerful themes about control and self-worth. I just wish it had given a little more room for its characters and relationships to breathe.

In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy