'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Friday, 25 May 2012

Review: Of Poseidon

When Emma and Galen first meet at the beach there is an instant attraction, but when Emma's holiday ends in tragedy and she returns home, she has no reason to believe that they will ever see each other again.

What Emma doesn't know is that Galen's interest in her goes beyond their own sizzling chemistry. Galen is a royal member of the House of Triton and he believes that Emma possesses the Gift of Poseidon, a special talent that marks her as the chosen bride of a Triton prince. Unfortunlately, that prince is Galen's older brother, Grom.

The shock of finding out that Galen is Syrena, a member of an underwater world, is nowhere near as startling for Emma as discovering her own mixed heritage. Together they work to uncover the secrets of Emma's past and to find a way to save the underwater kingdom, while fighting the attraction that they feel for each other.

A story of forbidden love with an intriguing twist, Of Poseidon is the debut YA novel for author Anna Banks. Readers are quickly drawn into the unfolding drama and remain engaged with the story thanks to a great cast of characters and an appealing element of humour throughout. Of Poseidon is a wonderful combination of love story, mystery and drama that leaves readers anticipating the sequel, Of Triton, which will be released in 2013.

Even though I'm older than the target audience for this novel, I was hooked within the first few pages and really enjoyed this story of forbidden love and family loyalty. There is a great cast of quirky secondary characters and a definite element of humour in many scenes. I enjoyed the alternating narration by Emma and Galen and the Romeo and Juliet-esque feel of their romance. I will definitely be picking up a copy of the sequel when it is released next year.


Title:  Of Poseidon
Author:  Anna Banks
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont, $22.95 RRP
Publication Date:  June 2012
Format:  Paperback
ISBN:  9781742972817
For ages:  14+
Type: Young adult fiction