An 1800s fairy-tale meets "The Other Boleyn Girl" in what is easily the best adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" I've ever had the pleasure of reading! An utterly charming book that focuses on the "women" of the classic story. 
 And, yes, to those unfamiliar with the original H.C. Andersen story and thinking of the Disney movie, there IS another princess in "The Little Mermaid" besides the mermaid herself. Unlike in the animated film, it was not the sea witch whom the prince became engaged to, but a princess he'd previously believed was unattainable for religious reasons. 
 It is THIS princess the book sheds more light upon, giving her a name (Margrethe) and giving us great detail about her life in the convent. Turgeon also invents a state of unease and war between the kingdoms of the prince and princess. 
 But fear not, "Ariel" fans, the titular Mermaid, herein called Lenia, features just as heavily as the human princess. We get a beautiful, yet delightfully creepy, view of underwater life through her eyes. Since mermaids don't have corpses (they just turn to foam after three hundred years), their treatment of drowned humans and human bones is chillingly disturbing, but somehow, because of the mythology (and the sweet ignorance of the characters involved), it WORKS! 
 One surprising aspect of the story was the friendship (and, later, temporary rivalry) between our land and water princesses. This proved a strong character arc for both girls, one the story would simply not be half as wonderful without. I'd even say their relationship was stronger than that between the prince and either girl. 
 But that's not to say the book is not romantic. Indeed, the love triangle is quite well done! The prince's love of both the mute mermaid and clever, bookish princess comes across as very believable. 
 (spoilers below...) 
 One complaint I've seen fairly frequently about this book is how it has neither the happy ending of the Disney film NOR Andersen's tragic ending. Personally, I think the plot change should have been obvious to any discerning reader halfway through the book when it goes from just an inward expansion of the original to a borderline-historical court drama. The fact that Lenia gets pregnant should have been a hint that the ending would be different. That the mermaid returns to the sea, rather than marry the prince or turn to foam, is neither here nor there. It's still a good story either way. MY only quibble is that we know very little about the merman Lenia considers marrying now that she has lost the prince (if he will still have her). We know so much about all the other side characters (including the prince's sister!), but next to nothing about Falke other than that he's good-looking. 
 (End spoilers) 
 What I cannot get over is how MUCH story is in this little book (practically a novella, it's so short!). How did Turgeon get so much scope, plot, drama, and beauty into such a small package? 
 By all means, read this book!