A Princess of Wind and Wave by Melanie Cellier Review

    I apologize for being so long gone from my blog. Sometimes life gets in the way, and I have also started graduate school, so my time has not been my own. This review has been a long time in the making. I recently finished To Steal the Sun which is possibly Melanie Cellier's final book set in The Four Kingdoms universe. Although she has teased readers with a possible novella in the future, it seems her focus is now on her upcoming series Kingdoms of Legacy. The first book Legacy of Roses will be released the day after Christmas and I couldn't be more excited for it. That said, I am sad the Four Kingdoms series is basically over. It was a wonderful series any fairy tale fan should try and one I personally had lots of fun reading. If you're interested check out my past reviews on The Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series and keep an eye out for any future reviews as well. 

    After finishing A Captive of Wind and Feather: A Retelling of Swan Lake I was disappointed. It wasn't unenjoyable but it was a far cry from Melanie Celliers best work. Thankfully, A Princess and Wind and Wave (the final book in the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series) was better than its predecessor. I had been excited to read this book since A Dance of Silver and Shadow and finally get answers on Prince Teddy's mysterious "ocean girl" who saved him from drowning. 

    The book introduces the reader to Isla a mermaid princess whose kingdom (Meritta) was sunk to the bottom of the ocean in years past and surrounded by a magic barrier. Whenever outside the barrier Meritta's citizens grow a mermaid tale but while inside it they keep their human form. Isla the youngest princess of the sea king dreams of someday finding the means to allow her underwater kingdom rise to the surface and join the mainland whose kingdoms have long since forgotten their existence. She also dreams of the handsome young man whose life she saved from drowning some years prior. After impulsively making a vow to never sing again unless her kingdom rises to the surface in the hall of godmothers she is stripped of her singing ability and soon after ends up on the surface with her young uncle Ray in tow. On their arrival they are attacked by ruffians and separated, but Isla is saved by none other than the boy she had been dreaming about for years, Prince Teddy. Although he doesn't recognize Isla and magic prevents her from revealing the truth of who she is Teddy, and his sisters Millie and Daisy take Isla in as they search for a way to stop a gang of rebels who are kidnapping innocent civilians. But secrets lie also lie underneath the waves and soon Isla and her friends will have to save her own kingdom from the one who wants to keep them forever submerged. 

    Princess of Wind and Wave is overall a good story. Isla was an enjoyable protagonist who has to learn that dreams are not reality which I thought was a good message. In both the original story by Hans Christian Anderson and the Disney movie the mermaid loves the male protagonist, they don't get to really know him until they come to land. But before that they feel they love him so much that they make a dangerous bargain with the sea witch and giving up everything they know and love for a chance to be with a man they do not truly know. Isla's reasons for coming to land (to save her kingdom while also hoping to see the man she rescued again) sat more comfortably with me. Her relationship with Teddy was sweet and made root for them as a couple. 

    As I mentioned earlier prince Teddy had made a prior appearance in A Dance of Silver and Shadows. It was on his way to the Princess Tourney where he had been rescued by Isla. I honestly found him a bit annoying in that book. Finally, though his head is a bit out of the clouds allowing you to truly enjoy him as a character. It was also nice to see more of Princesses Millie and Daisy. Millie gets her own love interest and though I'll admit to being a bit sad she didn't get her own book, she is still a prominent character.

    Overall, A Princess of Wind and Wave is an enjoyable book although not my favorite Little Mermaid Retelling. It feels more like an original mermaid story than a retelling of Hans Christian Andersons tale or the Disney movie. That said it wraps the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series nicely with a big reunion between the characters and provides a good premise to the follow up series Return to the Four Kingdoms. Although not the strongest book by its author it is a sweet love story where the protagonists must move past their dreams if they are to save the day and find romance with each other.