Began reading: 31.1.2017
Completed reading: 5.1.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars
Emma and her gorgeous boyfriend Galen are desperate for some time alone, away from their underwater sea kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton.
They visit the small town of Neptune, which they are shocked to find is home to land-dwelling, fresh-water Syrena. But there's an undercurrent of tension between the Syrena of Neptune and those from the sea. Soon they are caught in a power struggle that threatens the future of both their ocean kingdoms. Neptune holds another threat too: a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma.
Of Neptune by Anna Banks is a young adult fiction novel that contains fantasy and romance. I couldn’t wait to see how this book would conclude the series, especially with the introduction of a love triangle. Overall, I enjoyed this book but I didn’t like it as much as Of Triton. I’ll explain why as we go. But first, let me just say that one of the characters had my name – which is very uncommon – so I was happy!
After being given immunity from the council, Emma and Galen agree to spend some time together in Neptune, a secret town suggested by Emma’s grandfather Antonis. Emma can’t help but feel like she belongs, especially after meeting Half-Breed Reed and other locals. Galen, on the other hand, does not feel that this place should remain a secret from the kingdoms, and tries to alert Grom. After a disagreement, Galen leaves Emma to visit Grom and becomes trapped by a group of locals who realise that he isn’t any ordinary Syrena. Emma needs to find a way to free Galen, while also deciding whether Neptune is a place for her and should be accepted by the kingdoms. Can Galen accept a town filled with ‘abominations’ as a place for Emma, or will Emma have to move on and find someone who can accept her for who she is?
I discovered a few spelling and grammatical errors, which was something that the previous books didn’t really have. Aside from this, the novel was well-written, in terms of structure, pace and literary techniques. As usual, Banks did a great job with her attention to detail, adding various techniques to strengthen the plot. For example, caricature was used to emphasise some of the character’s features, imagery to assist with picturing particular scenes, and tone to highlight Emma’s and Galen’s perspectives on particular events. Some great quotes were also used throughout the narrative, including:
I know what it’s like to have so much heartache you come to despise the air that keeps you alive (p. 2).
…sometimes stories aren’t just crevices and holes waiting to be filled in. Stories, real-life stories, have layers, too. Layers built on foundations laid centuries and generations ago (pp. 18-19).
‘Now I know why humans bring cameras everywhere they go. You never know when perfection will sneak up and show itself to you’ (p. 40).
I’ve always felt that the dynamics between us are like a musical snow globe. Wound tight sometimes, shaken and shaken, but never broken. Always intact and really something to behold on the inside.
It would help if Galen showed me a sign that he still loves me. That our snow globe isn’t leaking. Or worse, shattered (p. 125).
Some questions can’t be answered, some shouldn’t, and some weren’t questions to begin with (p. 172).
More quotes from the book can be found here.
I thought that the plot was interesting, especially with the introduction of new Syrena and Half-Breed characters. Previously, we knew the primary characters with a smattering of secondary characters, and they were spread through the first two books. Now, we have a whole new collection of characters, while the secondary characters from the other books are given a lesser role in this plot (I’ll explain this a bit later). There was more action and drama than the other books, which created a heightened level of suspense. I believe that the main complication should have been introduced sooner in the series, but it was still creative and interesting.
Speaking of suspense, plot twists kept the story progressing and gripping. From the previous books, Banks demonstrated that she could effectively incorporate unexpected and expected twists into the plot. The mysteries in the book kept me guessing until they were resolved, and many of them left me shocked. The main one was who wanted Galen kidnapped? When Kennedy said that Galen had met him before, I began to suspect Dr. Milligan, Reder and Jagen. I was surprised when Kennedy revealed who he really was, as I’m most readers were. Banks did a great job with weaving twists into the plot, making the narrative more unpredictable and suspenseful.
This book was a great conclusion to the series, especially the epilogue. For me, this book had everything that made a good conclusion to a series: a resolved ending, a compelling and realistic closing scene, and no plot holes. Although I did not like the introduction of new characters so late in the series, I thought it worked out well in the end. I would have liked to have known more about Tyrden’s punishment, a bit more about Rayna and Toraf’s relationship, and why Reed had two female Syrena, but I don’t think the answers were important. When I closed the book, I let out a sigh and a squeal, so it was definitely a good conclusion.
I did not like the love triangle. AT ALL. After doing some research, I concluded that love triangles are effective when all three characters are well-developed and unpredictable. Don’t get me wrong, when a love triangle is good, I love it. Love triangles are meant to add tension and interest to the story but, unfortunately, I didn’t get that stuff. I found it irritating and predictable. I felt that Reed’s character was just used as a distraction, or a weak attempt at making Emma’s perspective more intriguing. Reed wasn’t all that well-developed, and didn’t really contribute much to the overall narrative (besides trying to seduce Emma and make her feel welcome in Neptune). I was disappointed, considering Banks’ writing style and skill with developing characters.
What happened to the secondary characters? Yes, they were there at the end but they should have played a more significant role in the book. I’m so frustrated! It was as though they were cast aside for the new characters, which annoys me. I wanted to know how they reacted to Galen’s disappearance, how their relationships were progressing, and what they thought of Neptune. It was irritating because Rayna and Toraf are my two favourite characters, but they were hardly in the book! This definitely impacted on my overall rating, as I didn’t like that they were cast aside for duller characters.
My favourite character is still Rayna, as she was badass, humorous and courageous. I chuckled when she wore the coconut bra and grass skirt and insisted doing Emma’s makeup. My favourite part with Rayna was when she used her gift to stop Kennedy from escaping. Toraf is still a notable character. I loved how he showed up when Galen and Emma were about to get naughty. I just wished he and Rayna had more of a role in this book. I’m really torn up about it.
Galen was still possessive, which bothered me. I’m glad that Emma’s mum wasn’t a crazy nut in this book, but I was hoping that Galen had gotten over his scary possessive behaviour. Speaking of weird guys, what the hell was with Reed? He came across as a stalker and a pervert, so I didn’t find his character appealing in the least. Still, Emma continues to bother me with her Ohmysweetgoodness, and her naivety. She was slow to pick up on Galen’s disappearance, which really annoyed me.
My favourite part of the book was the epilogue. It was a sweet and romantic way to end the series. All I could think of was: FINALLY! Finally, they’re together and they can be happy. It was nice to have the ceremony on the beach, in front of so many Syrena and Half-Breeds. I kind of wished I was there!
Recommendation time! If you like the Waterfire saga by Jennifer Donnelly, the Submerged Sun trilogy by Vanessa Garden, and the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Little Mermaid, the Twilight series, Once Upon A Time TV series, Aquamarine, and Splash.
My reviews for Of Poseidon and Of Triton can be found by clicking on the title.
Happy reading!
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