This was a beautifully written and yet painfully tragic story of hope and despair. I would not call this a romance--I'm not sure it even qualifies as a love story. There's beauty and naivete and shame and guilt and determination, all rolled into a very unconventional merperson story. It's not completely tragic, and also not completely happy. But it is exceptionally moving and well written. Easily one of the best stories of the year.