Description: There is more than one way to drown.
Coral has always been different, standing out from her mermaid sisters in a society where blending in is key. Worse yet, she fears she has been afflicted with the dreaded Disease, said to be carried by humans—emotions. Can she face the darkness long enough to surface in the light?
Above the sea, Brooke has nothing left to give. Depression and anxiety have left her feeling isolated. Forgotten. The only thing she can rely on is the numbness she finds within the cool and comforting ocean waves. If only she weren’t stuck at Fathoms—a new group therapy home that promises a second chance at life. But what’s the point of living if her soul is destined to bleed?
Merrick may be San Francisco’s golden boy, but he wants nothing more than to escape his controlling father. When his younger sister’s suicide attempt sends Merrick to his breaking point, escape becomes the only option. If he can find their mom, everything will be made right again—right?
When their worlds collide, all three will do whatever it takes to survive, and Coral might even catch a prince in the process. But what—and who—must they leave behind for life to finally begin?
Taking a new twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved—yet tragic—fairy tale, Coral explores mental health from multiple perspectives, questioning what it means to be human in a world where humanity often seems lost.
My Thoughts: This story follows the plot lines of Coral, Brooke, and Merrick, and how their lives have intersected with suicide and depression. Like the cover, the tone throughout was very... blue. Sad and focused on inward emotions.
Normally, I am not a fan of books that follow this tone. For me, they are not the escapes that I most often look for nor a place to hide from my own blue emotions. So I will admit that some of that played into my thoughts on this story. Still, I really applaud Sara's choice of message and her desire to show that those of us with depression are not alone in the world. We are not the only ones "diseased".
However, the focus on these emotions made it difficult for me to read and the fairy tale aspect of this seemed a little lacking. Fairy tale retellings are one of my favorite subgenres because of the enchantment they bring to a story. While Coral is a mermaid who comes on land, her world lacked a lot of the vibrancy I was anticipating, especially considering the fact that she has synesthesia.
For those who like poetic writing with darker narratives, this would be a good choice. However, if you are looking for something like other fairy tales, I can't say that this is it.
I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of this book through the Fiction Guild.
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