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Mermaids: The Myths, Legends, and Lore
Discover the myths, legends, and lore behind everyone’s favorite sea creature—mermaids.
The allure and mystery of mermaids has taken hold of our psyche for ages. From the Irish merrows who come on land to search for human husbands to the fake Fiji Mermaid made popular by P.T Barnum, these sea maidens (and sometimes men) can be found in folklore and mythology from every tradition in the world.
Inside this captivating collection, complete with beautiful illustrations throughout, you'll discover the myths surrounding these enigmatic beings, explore the common symbols associated with them, and learn tales of merfolk from around the world. Dive into Mermaids and get swept away!
The allure and mystery of mermaids has taken hold of our psyche for ages. From the Irish merrows who come on land to search for human husbands to the fake Fiji Mermaid made popular by P.T Barnum, these sea maidens (and sometimes men) can be found in folklore and mythology from every tradition in the world.
Inside this captivating collection, complete with beautiful illustrations throughout, you'll discover the myths surrounding these enigmatic beings, explore the common symbols associated with them, and learn tales of merfolk from around the world. Dive into Mermaids and get swept away!
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 18, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
October 5, 2014
Mermaids contains a treasure trove of fun facts, myths, legends, and quotes on the beloved wonders of the deep. But while there were many things I loved about this book, there were a few bit I wasn’t fond of as well. Thus I bring you a pro/con list!
Pros:
• The book itself is beautiful. Whoever did the formatting did a stunning job. There are gorgeous designs on every page, lovely artwork, and everything from the text to the pictures are in a blue ink instead of the normal boring black. This makes it an excellent display book.
• There’s a plethora of interesting information on mermaids.
• Quotes! I love quotes and this book is full of quotes on mermaids from various authors.
• The tidbits of mermaid info include myths, legends, works of fiction, and more. It covers mermaids in many genres and every continent.
• It also has chapters on the first mermaid, what mermaids look like, where they live, and so on.
Cons:
• The first half is very repetitive. The same fact, like who the first mermaid is, is repeated throughout the book many times. With additional research, the author could have filled the book with more information instead of the same information multiple times.
• Too many opinions! The author frequently shared her opinions or interpretations of various mermaid mythologies. I don’t care about her thoughts on the subject, I wanted an encyclopedia-like book on mermaids.
• The reference page. I loved seeing all of the PhDs and the prestigious sources in the bibliography. What I did not like seeing were the less than stellar websites listed. There is nothing wrong with using the net for research, all university students do it, but make sure they are respected sites.
• Like I said above, she could have filled it with more info instead of repeating the same things so many times. That said, I noticed a few mermaid stories that were either not mentioned or very briefly touched on. Takes the quotes for example, I LOVE quotes (as I said above), but she quoted many unheard of books on femininity. She could have (and should have) used more quotes from popular mermaid fiction. There were many stories left out.
As you can see, the pros and cons are pretty balanced, so I gave the book a 3 star rating. I love parts of it, and dislike others.
Pros:
• The book itself is beautiful. Whoever did the formatting did a stunning job. There are gorgeous designs on every page, lovely artwork, and everything from the text to the pictures are in a blue ink instead of the normal boring black. This makes it an excellent display book.
• There’s a plethora of interesting information on mermaids.
• Quotes! I love quotes and this book is full of quotes on mermaids from various authors.
• The tidbits of mermaid info include myths, legends, works of fiction, and more. It covers mermaids in many genres and every continent.
• It also has chapters on the first mermaid, what mermaids look like, where they live, and so on.
Cons:
• The first half is very repetitive. The same fact, like who the first mermaid is, is repeated throughout the book many times. With additional research, the author could have filled the book with more information instead of the same information multiple times.
• Too many opinions! The author frequently shared her opinions or interpretations of various mermaid mythologies. I don’t care about her thoughts on the subject, I wanted an encyclopedia-like book on mermaids.
• The reference page. I loved seeing all of the PhDs and the prestigious sources in the bibliography. What I did not like seeing were the less than stellar websites listed. There is nothing wrong with using the net for research, all university students do it, but make sure they are respected sites.
• Like I said above, she could have filled it with more info instead of repeating the same things so many times. That said, I noticed a few mermaid stories that were either not mentioned or very briefly touched on. Takes the quotes for example, I LOVE quotes (as I said above), but she quoted many unheard of books on femininity. She could have (and should have) used more quotes from popular mermaid fiction. There were many stories left out.
As you can see, the pros and cons are pretty balanced, so I gave the book a 3 star rating. I love parts of it, and dislike others.
May 17, 2018
Yikes.
First of all, kudos where deserved to the designer of the book. It's watery teal flyleaves, the seafoam canvas cover, the art nouveau mermaids around the title, and the greenish interior typeface and monochrome illustrations make for an absolutely stunning 'book as object' work of print art.
Disclaimer: I love Skye Alexander and bought this book becuase I liked her, and was interested to see what she had to say on the history of mermaids. I thought it would be an interesting collection of folklore. I'm so glad I bought this for myself to read rather than as a gift book for someone. At least with my background in world mythology I could tell when this was veering off a cliff.
It wasn't. With few print sources, quotes that don't even seem to find, some random product placement for tourist traps and craft books, and a MASSIVE inability to understand the perspective of other cultures through anything but the western-idea-of-the-mermaid lens, I went out of it feeling like I un-learned something.
The content is repetitive, often saying "Remember *some mermaid-type goddess* from chapter three?" Yes, I do remember. Becuase you've mentioned her four times now and I read it less than 20 minutes ago. Connections between cultures are made where figures had no connections, and there's no consideration between regional differences between characters (especially in the Pacific Islands chapter, yes some of these figures share names, but these are islands that are HUNDREDS of miles apart with distinctly different cultures and religions). Everything kept getting, (forgive me) watered down to be seen clearly through a western perspective.
I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of the book even was. At a mid-point I thought maybe it could be a neo-pagan 'take back your womanhood!' kind of mantra, but its...not. The author can't seem to decide if she wants to embrace the multifaceted category of water spirits and gods/goddesses, or just stick with her British interpretation of the Greek siren as a vicious fisherman killing fish-tailed beauty. Oh, and, more yikes, the constant drops of 'nubile' and even 'Lolitas' at one point were VERY uncomfortable. Yes, I know the age of consent used to be much lower two hundred years ago, and non-existant before then, and it wasn't unheard of in the middle ages for royal kids to get married and fourteen and fifteen for political ties but dear lord why go on and on about the sexualization of merpeople.
Some of the material was blatantly made up such as this tidbit: nudes were not permitted in art in those days. Oh. My. God. Please. Crack open an art history book. And the constant battle between mermaids and the Christian Chruch...I have literally never heard of a priest raving against the dangers of mermaids in any historical, modern, art history, or folkloric account I've ever touched??? Mermaids, as well as other sea monsters were often depicted in ocean imagery not to symbolize sin but to highlight the dangers and mysteriousness of open water. Also, you know illuminated texts and maps. Decorations, as my folklore professor once jokingly said "Becuase, for pretty." Yes, symbolism exists in art, symbolism exists in literature, and I'm sure that mermaids have been used as symbols of sex and vanity in many paintings. Munch's 'Mermaid' comes to mind immediately. But artists like Rackham and Rosetti saw the mermaid as a call back to a Golden Age of myth and magic; they were spiritual creatures of immense beauty rather than sex objects to these artists.
Oh and yes, while the author spends PARAGRAPHS describing famous paintings or poems or statues or drawings or frescos, none of these are actually pictured. Late 19th century British drawing and Pre Raphealite paintings fill the book, and while beautiful, they do very little to add to the understanding of the mermaid "Myths, legends, and lore."
First of all, kudos where deserved to the designer of the book. It's watery teal flyleaves, the seafoam canvas cover, the art nouveau mermaids around the title, and the greenish interior typeface and monochrome illustrations make for an absolutely stunning 'book as object' work of print art.
Disclaimer: I love Skye Alexander and bought this book becuase I liked her, and was interested to see what she had to say on the history of mermaids. I thought it would be an interesting collection of folklore. I'm so glad I bought this for myself to read rather than as a gift book for someone. At least with my background in world mythology I could tell when this was veering off a cliff.
It wasn't. With few print sources, quotes that don't even seem to find, some random product placement for tourist traps and craft books, and a MASSIVE inability to understand the perspective of other cultures through anything but the western-idea-of-the-mermaid lens, I went out of it feeling like I un-learned something.
The content is repetitive, often saying "Remember *some mermaid-type goddess* from chapter three?" Yes, I do remember. Becuase you've mentioned her four times now and I read it less than 20 minutes ago. Connections between cultures are made where figures had no connections, and there's no consideration between regional differences between characters (especially in the Pacific Islands chapter, yes some of these figures share names, but these are islands that are HUNDREDS of miles apart with distinctly different cultures and religions). Everything kept getting, (forgive me) watered down to be seen clearly through a western perspective.
I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of the book even was. At a mid-point I thought maybe it could be a neo-pagan 'take back your womanhood!' kind of mantra, but its...not. The author can't seem to decide if she wants to embrace the multifaceted category of water spirits and gods/goddesses, or just stick with her British interpretation of the Greek siren as a vicious fisherman killing fish-tailed beauty. Oh, and, more yikes, the constant drops of 'nubile' and even 'Lolitas' at one point were VERY uncomfortable. Yes, I know the age of consent used to be much lower two hundred years ago, and non-existant before then, and it wasn't unheard of in the middle ages for royal kids to get married and fourteen and fifteen for political ties but dear lord why go on and on about the sexualization of merpeople.
Some of the material was blatantly made up such as this tidbit: nudes were not permitted in art in those days. Oh. My. God. Please. Crack open an art history book. And the constant battle between mermaids and the Christian Chruch...I have literally never heard of a priest raving against the dangers of mermaids in any historical, modern, art history, or folkloric account I've ever touched??? Mermaids, as well as other sea monsters were often depicted in ocean imagery not to symbolize sin but to highlight the dangers and mysteriousness of open water. Also, you know illuminated texts and maps. Decorations, as my folklore professor once jokingly said "Becuase, for pretty." Yes, symbolism exists in art, symbolism exists in literature, and I'm sure that mermaids have been used as symbols of sex and vanity in many paintings. Munch's 'Mermaid' comes to mind immediately. But artists like Rackham and Rosetti saw the mermaid as a call back to a Golden Age of myth and magic; they were spiritual creatures of immense beauty rather than sex objects to these artists.
Oh and yes, while the author spends PARAGRAPHS describing famous paintings or poems or statues or drawings or frescos, none of these are actually pictured. Late 19th century British drawing and Pre Raphealite paintings fill the book, and while beautiful, they do very little to add to the understanding of the mermaid "Myths, legends, and lore."
March 18, 2020
You know sometimes you read something and you're like "a white person wrote this"? Well... this is one of those books.
Firstly there's the hyper western view point focus on the mythology. Oh sure, there are myths from other places around the world included but they seem to be on the vaguer side and through an entirely white colonised lens. And there's the use of "aborigines" for australian first nations peoples multiple times when anyone who does even the least amount of research knows that that is no longer an appropriate term. And then, the true shocker, was the casual drop off "mulatto"??? I'm pretty sure that's not a term you should be casually dropping in a book about mermaids!!
The aesthetic is on point though. The choices made by whomever designed this were A plus. The teal print typeface, the teal cover, the Ita Rentoul Outhwaite illustrations. I'm a sucker for it. Shame about the content really.
Firstly there's the hyper western view point focus on the mythology. Oh sure, there are myths from other places around the world included but they seem to be on the vaguer side and through an entirely white colonised lens. And there's the use of "aborigines" for australian first nations peoples multiple times when anyone who does even the least amount of research knows that that is no longer an appropriate term. And then, the true shocker, was the casual drop off "mulatto"??? I'm pretty sure that's not a term you should be casually dropping in a book about mermaids!!
The aesthetic is on point though. The choices made by whomever designed this were A plus. The teal print typeface, the teal cover, the Ita Rentoul Outhwaite illustrations. I'm a sucker for it. Shame about the content really.
August 19, 2015
A very solid 3 stars. I liked this book. some of the lore was really interesting but I also felt that it was very repetitive and kind of dull at times. That being said, I still look forward to reading more by this author!
August 7, 2020
The book quotes a Russian proverb: “Not everything is a mermaid that dives into the water.” which is all well and good except it quotes this while talking about rusalky as though they are mermaids. Half the things mentioned in this book aren’t even remotely mermaids. A kappa is not a mermaid man I don’t think this is a wild stance to take. I wouldn’t be as bothered by this if the book didn’t repeatedly act like just because a folklore creature lives in water it MUST be a mermaid.
Bad book, poorly researched, really weird reaches. Also maybe don’t repeatedly call the African water deities “sultry” if you’re not gonna use the same language for the white deities and creatures.
Bad book, poorly researched, really weird reaches. Also maybe don’t repeatedly call the African water deities “sultry” if you’re not gonna use the same language for the white deities and creatures.
October 31, 2024
Written in the tone of the Little Mermaid being quite a 'babe'. But it covers all the historic bases, including Mami Wata, and is a good colloquial introduction to this fascinating subject. I still do not know how South Africa ended up with a mermaid legend from the arid Karoo, but that is the nature of myth, I suppose.
February 26, 2018
Mermaids aren’t something I’ve ever thoroughly researched so this book was a lovely introduction to mermaids & similar creatures around the world. I love that these books are split so that they share myths, legends and lore from different parts of the world - though again Europe seemed to be the focus.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Alexander’s Fairy book. I felt like this book had a lot of repetition to try and make it longer, meaning the same points were revisited again and again. Her easy to read writing style, and links to pop culture and the 21st century, which I enjoyed in the fairy book were a little tedious in this for some reason, perhaps I just wasn’t as invested.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Alexander’s Fairy book. I felt like this book had a lot of repetition to try and make it longer, meaning the same points were revisited again and again. Her easy to read writing style, and links to pop culture and the 21st century, which I enjoyed in the fairy book were a little tedious in this for some reason, perhaps I just wasn’t as invested.
October 9, 2022
The best thing about this is it made me want to find a proper book about mermaid lore and myth. Rather than this which, among other things, included a url to Coney Island’s official website.
August 6, 2016
I wanted so badly to fall in love with this book - it's so beautiful. The colour, the simple cover, the blue font and dekorartions, and the edge of the pages.
But as I started reading I was more and more disappointed. It's rather superficial and extremely repetitive. I still thought it could be a fun light read until all the mistakes started pilling up.
Some that annoyed me the most was the many times repeated "fact" that the Little Mermaid's name was Marina in the original fairytale. This is mentioned so often that someone really should have fact checked it. It's a well known fairly short fairytale - where the mermaid is never given a name. And another was that the author mistakes the Faroes as part of the British Isles. This is basic geography.
Another thing that disappointed me is that the book is springled with these little stories of sighting, but these are never delved into further. They are simply given out of context and often leaves the reader with a lot of follow-up questioned that you can't seek answers to as the sources of the stories are never given.
The contents overall is a bit of a mess, even more so because of the repetitions. While stuff gets mentioned many times it is further explained in different places and you have to piece the information together yourself, and it's not uncommon for stuff to get mentioned under titles that doesn't connect to the content.
The afterword also seems to be apart of part 1 and not an afterword at all.
I didn't learn anything from this book and I don't trust any of it to be correct. But it is so so beautiful.
But as I started reading I was more and more disappointed. It's rather superficial and extremely repetitive. I still thought it could be a fun light read until all the mistakes started pilling up.
Some that annoyed me the most was the many times repeated "fact" that the Little Mermaid's name was Marina in the original fairytale. This is mentioned so often that someone really should have fact checked it. It's a well known fairly short fairytale - where the mermaid is never given a name. And another was that the author mistakes the Faroes as part of the British Isles. This is basic geography.
Another thing that disappointed me is that the book is springled with these little stories of sighting, but these are never delved into further. They are simply given out of context and often leaves the reader with a lot of follow-up questioned that you can't seek answers to as the sources of the stories are never given.
The contents overall is a bit of a mess, even more so because of the repetitions. While stuff gets mentioned many times it is further explained in different places and you have to piece the information together yourself, and it's not uncommon for stuff to get mentioned under titles that doesn't connect to the content.
The afterword also seems to be apart of part 1 and not an afterword at all.
I didn't learn anything from this book and I don't trust any of it to be correct. But it is so so beautiful.
December 28, 2018
Usually, I'm not a big fan of "scientific" books, where a bunch of facts is collected. This always kind of reminds me of school and the many books I was forced to read. ;D
But I must admit I was really fascinated by all these old myths and folklore that have been around for many thousands of years. Most surprising, when actually pretty obvious, was the fact that all over the world the kind of same stories about mermaids and their bodies/magic exist. I never really thought of this point, but it really gave the whole legends of mermaids a new spark of truth to it. :)
I read of familiar things and stories of gods/goddesses I already knew but also got to know so much more from all the different cultures of the world. Along with the tales I enjoyed the various artworks in the book and of course, loved the illustration with teal ink throughout the book! (I love every shade of blue ;))
Therefore this book will get a special place on my bookshelf and can be really helpful if I every want to write something about mermaids. ;)
But I must admit I was really fascinated by all these old myths and folklore that have been around for many thousands of years. Most surprising, when actually pretty obvious, was the fact that all over the world the kind of same stories about mermaids and their bodies/magic exist. I never really thought of this point, but it really gave the whole legends of mermaids a new spark of truth to it. :)
I read of familiar things and stories of gods/goddesses I already knew but also got to know so much more from all the different cultures of the world. Along with the tales I enjoyed the various artworks in the book and of course, loved the illustration with teal ink throughout the book! (I love every shade of blue ;))
Therefore this book will get a special place on my bookshelf and can be really helpful if I every want to write something about mermaids. ;)
September 27, 2014
Its a shame that this book is so sparsely written, there was so much repetition and very little soul to it. But some of the stories were interesting and the illustrations were beautiful. I found it faintly ridiculous, but I'm still glad I read it.
February 23, 2023
Not sure why I read this, honestly. The book itself was beautiful, designed like it was some dusty old volume decades older than it really is. It caught my eye on the library shelf while looking for something else. Not really a book on cryptids so much as a study of mythology and folklore around the world. Lots of repetition throughout as well.
July 27, 2018
This book is amazing! I loved learning about mermaids from the east to the west, and from the north to the south. This book has all you need to know about the origins of these powerful water spirits.
March 23, 2019
Do you love mermaids? If yes, this book is for you! Just like the title says, it has all kinds of really cool info on the lovely creatures that swim in dark depths of the sea. From the history of where they first came into being all the way up to now. It's pretty freaking cool.
August 10, 2015
Mermaids: The Myths, Legends, and Lore is a fun an informative book about mermaids and mermaid lore. I would not call it encyclopedic or exhaustive, but it does cover a good deal of information that spans continents (which is to say, non-European deities and lore make an appearance, which I appreciated very much).
Though I overall enjoyed the book, I do have some issues with it. For being a 200 page book, I found a lot of the information repetitive, especially in the first half, where the author recycles information and stories, which I did not think necessary, especially as so many stories and information weren't included! I also found the author interspersed her own opinions into the text, which isn't in itself a problem, but she often didn't signal to the reader well enough what was her opinion and what was fact, which may leave some readers taking the author's personal interpretation as factual.
I also really question the addition of a few section about calling on certain deities or asking their favour - simply because these were exclusively for African and other non-European deities. I think that was a misguided choice, as I am uncertain whether those traditions are considered open (I tend to think they are not). It also raised questions about why such sections weren't included for European spirits. It seemed a little like exoticising non-white/non-European cultures and beliefs.
The bibliography was greatly appreciated (my opinion always goes up when a text, even one that is not necessarily scholarly, includes one!) but I noticed a few texts and websites noted didn't seem reliable or reputable, which was a little disappointing. I would have also liked to have seen more non-European artwork. Even on the pages where African, Asian, or Native Australian and Native American deities and spirits were discussed were images of blonde, fair-skinned mermaids. Maybe this is because the only images in public domain are of that sort, but I feel the choice undermined those sections by not including mermaids of colour or other representations.
I love mermaids, and I love that there is an accessible text for people interested in them, with a fair amount of good research to it. But this book is not a perfect source. I don't necessarily think it needs to be, for it was interesting and enjoyable, but I caution interested readers to come to it with a more critical eye.
Though I overall enjoyed the book, I do have some issues with it. For being a 200 page book, I found a lot of the information repetitive, especially in the first half, where the author recycles information and stories, which I did not think necessary, especially as so many stories and information weren't included! I also found the author interspersed her own opinions into the text, which isn't in itself a problem, but she often didn't signal to the reader well enough what was her opinion and what was fact, which may leave some readers taking the author's personal interpretation as factual.
I also really question the addition of a few section about calling on certain deities or asking their favour - simply because these were exclusively for African and other non-European deities. I think that was a misguided choice, as I am uncertain whether those traditions are considered open (I tend to think they are not). It also raised questions about why such sections weren't included for European spirits. It seemed a little like exoticising non-white/non-European cultures and beliefs.
The bibliography was greatly appreciated (my opinion always goes up when a text, even one that is not necessarily scholarly, includes one!) but I noticed a few texts and websites noted didn't seem reliable or reputable, which was a little disappointing. I would have also liked to have seen more non-European artwork. Even on the pages where African, Asian, or Native Australian and Native American deities and spirits were discussed were images of blonde, fair-skinned mermaids. Maybe this is because the only images in public domain are of that sort, but I feel the choice undermined those sections by not including mermaids of colour or other representations.
I love mermaids, and I love that there is an accessible text for people interested in them, with a fair amount of good research to it. But this book is not a perfect source. I don't necessarily think it needs to be, for it was interesting and enjoyable, but I caution interested readers to come to it with a more critical eye.
November 26, 2017
Style over substance.
Dithering between two and three stars here because while I think the design of this book is perfect and I found some of the world/cultural/historic stories interesting, this was quite light touch for anyone with more than a passing acquaintance with the idea of mermaids and I wasn't impressed with the way themes/myths/stories I was familiar with were described (calling into question the accuracy of the other elements where I had no frame of reference).
Several myths were repeated in multiple sections but never expanded on. I didn't understand the repetition (except as page filler), nor the way the sections were ordered and broken up as there seemed to be very little flow in the first half. "Here's a fun fact..." never to be referenced again. Some of the pop culture references were random/irrelevant with no conclusions drawn. Sometimes it kind of felt like the author just showing off how many pop culture things they could list with mermaids in, without any actual substance or analysis. And some of the language put me off as being kind of ignorant (?) or assumptive. Definitely felt like a book created out of a marketing directive (tap into the mermaid market as a stocking filler) rather than a passion project with heart and soul.
I guess it kind of works as a coffee table book to be read one or two pages at a time rather than an authority on mermaids - I didn't even feel like it was a great introduction to the general concept to be honest. I was glad to have prior knowledge with which to cross-reference.
Dithering between two and three stars here because while I think the design of this book is perfect and I found some of the world/cultural/historic stories interesting, this was quite light touch for anyone with more than a passing acquaintance with the idea of mermaids and I wasn't impressed with the way themes/myths/stories I was familiar with were described (calling into question the accuracy of the other elements where I had no frame of reference).
Several myths were repeated in multiple sections but never expanded on. I didn't understand the repetition (except as page filler), nor the way the sections were ordered and broken up as there seemed to be very little flow in the first half. "Here's a fun fact..." never to be referenced again. Some of the pop culture references were random/irrelevant with no conclusions drawn. Sometimes it kind of felt like the author just showing off how many pop culture things they could list with mermaids in, without any actual substance or analysis. And some of the language put me off as being kind of ignorant (?) or assumptive. Definitely felt like a book created out of a marketing directive (tap into the mermaid market as a stocking filler) rather than a passion project with heart and soul.
I guess it kind of works as a coffee table book to be read one or two pages at a time rather than an authority on mermaids - I didn't even feel like it was a great introduction to the general concept to be honest. I was glad to have prior knowledge with which to cross-reference.
March 19, 2021
3,5 stars
Mermaids are probably my favourite mythical creatures, I've been intrigued by them since my childhood and I take every opportunity to read and find out more about them. Skye Alexander's book is a treasury of knowledge about these watery creatures, that introduces us to the mermaid myths from all over the world. Those descriptions are interlaced with the accounts of the mermaids' sightings and general descriptions of mermaids.
Overall, I very much enjoyed it and learned a lot of new things. I especially liked the descriptions of different myths from all over the world and it amazed me how different they are, yet similar at the core.
The only negative comment that I can offer is that oftentimes, the book felt repetitive. The author would mention some things and some types of mermaids a few times throughout the whole book and in very similar words, so it was very noticeable. I also wished that the illlustrations corresponded more to the text, but I guess it may have something to do with the copyrights. But even despite that, it's an enjoyable read for everyone interested in the mermaid lore.
For more bookish goodies, check out my Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter and Pinterest ★
Mermaids are probably my favourite mythical creatures, I've been intrigued by them since my childhood and I take every opportunity to read and find out more about them. Skye Alexander's book is a treasury of knowledge about these watery creatures, that introduces us to the mermaid myths from all over the world. Those descriptions are interlaced with the accounts of the mermaids' sightings and general descriptions of mermaids.
Overall, I very much enjoyed it and learned a lot of new things. I especially liked the descriptions of different myths from all over the world and it amazed me how different they are, yet similar at the core.
The only negative comment that I can offer is that oftentimes, the book felt repetitive. The author would mention some things and some types of mermaids a few times throughout the whole book and in very similar words, so it was very noticeable. I also wished that the illlustrations corresponded more to the text, but I guess it may have something to do with the copyrights. But even despite that, it's an enjoyable read for everyone interested in the mermaid lore.
For more bookish goodies, check out my Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter and Pinterest ★
January 16, 2019
This was a very interesting read. I became interested in all the mermaid lore a few months ago, while I was trying to come up with ideas for short stories. And then this book came my way as a Christmas present from my boy, which was absolutely perfect to do some research on the subject.
The first part of the book talks about characteristics of mermaids and from where could the myth have come about. It was ok, but not a lot that I hadn't read elsewhere. After all, fascination with mermaids has always been a thing and no one seems to be able to pinpoint exactly where the myth started as many civilisations had lots of water and ocean gods, out of which several mermaid tales came from.
The second part was the most useful for me, as it's a journey through the mermaids of the world. European, North American, South American, African, Asian, Indian, Australian... you name it. And while European mermaids are the most common ones, and thus the less strange, the rest of the world has some interesting folklore about them, and I have so many notes and ideas for stories that now my brain is overflowing.
This was an excellent research book, and on top of that, it has some amazing stories, and folklore I had never heard of. Perfect if you love mythology and folklore.
The first part of the book talks about characteristics of mermaids and from where could the myth have come about. It was ok, but not a lot that I hadn't read elsewhere. After all, fascination with mermaids has always been a thing and no one seems to be able to pinpoint exactly where the myth started as many civilisations had lots of water and ocean gods, out of which several mermaid tales came from.
The second part was the most useful for me, as it's a journey through the mermaids of the world. European, North American, South American, African, Asian, Indian, Australian... you name it. And while European mermaids are the most common ones, and thus the less strange, the rest of the world has some interesting folklore about them, and I have so many notes and ideas for stories that now my brain is overflowing.
This was an excellent research book, and on top of that, it has some amazing stories, and folklore I had never heard of. Perfect if you love mythology and folklore.
November 7, 2014
It started out kinda' repetitive, but once it got into the actual telling of different mermaid stories from different countries it got better.
I would like to say: I'm annoyed it's printed in blue ink. I would't've bought it if I had known and now I don't know if I want to keep it around or not. Some of us have a hard time reading colored ink, ya know.
It was kind of an odd little book and I'm still not sure, I don't know. I guess I'm interested to see how the author petitioned to have this book published. It would be interesting to see what the sort of, I guess, reason behind it is.
I would like to say: I'm annoyed it's printed in blue ink. I would't've bought it if I had known and now I don't know if I want to keep it around or not. Some of us have a hard time reading colored ink, ya know.
It was kind of an odd little book and I'm still not sure, I don't know. I guess I'm interested to see how the author petitioned to have this book published. It would be interesting to see what the sort of, I guess, reason behind it is.
June 16, 2017
This book was so much fun! Alexander gave a lot of information and what's even better she included her bibliography so you can go and find out even more about mermaids. Even with all of the information it never felt like a textbook and I enjoyed her writing style. To top it all off, the book itself is completely gorgeous. All the text and pictures are in the same blue as the cover. I have her fairies book and I'm excited to read it. I'd highly recommend this to anyone, especially those interested in fantasy and mythology!
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May 21, 2018This was really disjointed and almost confused at times. It was trying to do too much, and the author was definitely padding things with some of the things in it. And it was a little too New Age-y at times.
I also found the blue ink to be hard on the eyes.
Not awful but I wouldn't recommend it above other things.
I also found the blue ink to be hard on the eyes.
Not awful but I wouldn't recommend it above other things.
April 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It's like a condense basic knowledge of mermaids from different cultures and it makes it easy to read and includes different art along with reported sightings of mermaids. I feel like this is definitely a book to reference for some light research while writing and not not something to pick up and sort of binge read in one sitting.
May 23, 2021
Lots of interesting different ideas and legends about mermaids and their origins from different cultures. Not only mermaids, but all types of water dwellers and divinities, even snakes and dragons.
It doesn't quite manage to be the academic sounding text which it seems to be going for, but it is a cute book.
It doesn't quite manage to be the academic sounding text which it seems to be going for, but it is a cute book.
August 15, 2014
This is such a beautiful book both to look at and read in equal parts.
It is so full of really interesting facts, myths and geographical folk lore. Anyone who loves mermaids can’t be without this magical book.
It is so full of really interesting facts, myths and geographical folk lore. Anyone who loves mermaids can’t be without this magical book.
September 14, 2017
This little books is packed with illustrations, fun facts and myths on every page. I love learning about the origins of mermaids in different cultures and the scientific discoveries.
September 24, 2018
The drawings and cover are super cute but while there is some interesting information, it is also really redundant.
June 20, 2020
So much information and lore about Mermaids. I really enjoyed it.
July 23, 2019
I expected to be swept away by this book: unfortunately, I was not fully, and it is because of the circumstances in which I read it, so nothing to do with Mermaids!
I learned many things about mermaids, about the myths surrounding them, where they come from, what they are a symbol for, why they were portrayed as they were, what they mean at different times in History, and in different parts of the world! It's something I particularly loved in this book: its diversity. We don't focus only on Europe or America; we explore mermaids in Asia, Africa, Australia and so on! It was fascinating! I also loved the illustrations, but I wanted more, specially works of art the author mentions several times, including one I never found when I Googled it!
I also loved the parts called Siren Sightings, and the fact that the author sometimes writes as if mermaids really existed. It drags the reader into the book and its mythology, just like a mermaid would seduce a human to drown!
A little fault: it is repetitive sometimes, I could see some sentences were used in several chapters. But, when it is mentionned again, a myth or fact is told to bring something new to the book, so, it's repetition to add new elements.
The bibliography seems quite large, so I'm pretty sure I'll find new books to add on my shelves!
I learned many things about mermaids, about the myths surrounding them, where they come from, what they are a symbol for, why they were portrayed as they were, what they mean at different times in History, and in different parts of the world! It's something I particularly loved in this book: its diversity. We don't focus only on Europe or America; we explore mermaids in Asia, Africa, Australia and so on! It was fascinating! I also loved the illustrations, but I wanted more, specially works of art the author mentions several times, including one I never found when I Googled it!
I also loved the parts called Siren Sightings, and the fact that the author sometimes writes as if mermaids really existed. It drags the reader into the book and its mythology, just like a mermaid would seduce a human to drown!
A little fault: it is repetitive sometimes, I could see some sentences were used in several chapters. But, when it is mentionned again, a myth or fact is told to bring something new to the book, so, it's repetition to add new elements.
The bibliography seems quite large, so I'm pretty sure I'll find new books to add on my shelves!
February 10, 2024
The book was quite repetitive and not well organised. I think it would've been more enjoyable if the author seemed to know what she wanted you to know, rather than a scattering of stories/sightings throughout, leading to avoidable repetitions. Only a couple of things mentioned I found interesting, like the origin of Warsaw's name.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised about the sexualisation of mermaids by men and how some mermaids have split tails or a tail that starts lower down the thigh to get around "that issue". 🙄
None of the pictures in the book actually relates to what's being spoken about which I feel was a big loss. I hoped that they would compliment what was written but they never did.
If you're a massive fan of mermaids, and have some interest in Gods and Goddesses, then you might find this interesting. Otherwise, there's not much to gain from this book.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised about the sexualisation of mermaids by men and how some mermaids have split tails or a tail that starts lower down the thigh to get around "that issue". 🙄
None of the pictures in the book actually relates to what's being spoken about which I feel was a big loss. I hoped that they would compliment what was written but they never did.
If you're a massive fan of mermaids, and have some interest in Gods and Goddesses, then you might find this interesting. Otherwise, there's not much to gain from this book.
May 5, 2024
Absolutely GORGEOUS book. Love the cover and the inside is printed in this really lovely blue ink along with all the illustrations and copies of famous paintings.
The contents inside were overall good and interesting. My one critique is that I think there could be a lot more, and a lot less repetition. Would have loved more deep diving into the subjects, symbols, art etc. But overall I still absolutely enjoyed this and it will sit very beautifully on my shelf! It did give me tons to think about I just wish there was MORE.🩵
The contents inside were overall good and interesting. My one critique is that I think there could be a lot more, and a lot less repetition. Would have loved more deep diving into the subjects, symbols, art etc. But overall I still absolutely enjoyed this and it will sit very beautifully on my shelf! It did give me tons to think about I just wish there was MORE.🩵
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