Title: Scales: A Falling in Deep Collection Novella
Author: Pauline Creeden Published: May 23, 2015 Genre: Fantasy Excerpt
TO KEEP FROM SCREAMING, I bite hard on my lip. The copper mixture of blood and saltwater mingles on my tongue. Mer claws rake against my back. The barnacles on the post to which I’m tied stab me in the chest. Pain sets my body on fire. Everything burns. I squeeze my eyes shut tight and keep my silence.
“Ugly.” “Repugnant.” “Unsightly.” “Ignorant.” “Bottom Feeder.” Each word cuts as deep in my flesh as the physical wounds my clan inflicts. It can’t last long. I can endure this. As soon as the sharks catch scent of my blood they will come, and the Mer will scatter. The world spins around me like a whirlpool. My breaths come quick and shallow, my heart pounds faster in my ears. Each second is an eternity, until I realize fresh wounds are not adding to the burning in my skin. The elder’s sharp tongue whispers in my ear. “Now you will be measured.” My wrists fall free of the post as he cuts the ties. Exile. My Reckoning has begun. My Thoughts
Though I've always been a fan of fantasy, I'm a relative newcomer to stories of mermaids. But, now that I've read Scales and another mermaid tale in the Falling in Deep Collection, I'm definitely a fan and plan to read all of them!
This novella is heartbreaking and beautiful. I immediately wanted to give Verona a comforting hug--and then go to bat for her and defend her from the abuse she has received from her clan her entire life. She is exiled from her community as the bottom feeder, seen as ugly and ignorant. While these events take place under the ocean surface, they are certainly relatable to us as air-breathing humans. I felt that the story wasn't long enough, though I knew going in that, as a novella, it wouldn't be lengthy. I later learned that Verona would return in Salt, a full-length novel, but still I was disappointed that I didn't get closure here. I like where the story is going, and I can't wait to read the rest of Verona's tale in Salt. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Rating 4/5 About the Author
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