Daughter of the Sea by Kathryn Lasky

Scale:
1: Couldn’t finish it
2: Finished it just to see the ending
3: Liked it.
4: Really liked it
5: I will own this book

On my scale, this one is a 2.5 of 5.

It was a bit young for me to really enjoy, which might bias my opinion. Also, the story focused too much on the wrong plot lines (servant hierarchy) instead of the real story of Hannah and what she is/where she came from.

I hate it when the readers knows something throughout the book that the MC doesn’t understand, but should. I would have like more mystery of who Hannah was and I wanted her to struggle more with trying to discover the truth. I also would have liked to see more romance between her and the painter.

The book left the reader wondering what Hannah’s choice will be and wanting to see more of the Mer world, which I hope the next book delivers on.

Here’s the Amazon review:

Orphan Hannah Albury, 15, the engagingly demure yet plucky heroine, has always been drawn to the ocean. Hired as scullery maid by the Hawleys, a wealthy Boston family, she embarks on a journey to understand and fulfill her destiny. Hannah is attracted to the family’s mysterious porcelain vases depicting sea creatures and even more so to Mr. Wheeler, an artist hired to paint the three Hawley daughters. He in turn hungers for and recognizes in Hannah what she doesn’t yet grasp. Meanwhile, the Hawleys’ psychotic eldest daughter, Lila, and her demonic cat, Jade, see Hannah as a threat; as she deciphers the secret of her identity, Hannah must ward off their perhaps supernatural attacks. The novel, first in a projected series, at first offers its early-20th-century history lesson in overly painstaking detail, especially the domestic staff hierarchy. Once Lila, Jade and Mr. Wheeler show up, the plot becomes gripping. A good bet for upper middle-grade and early YA readers. (Fantasy. 12 & up)