Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" by Debbie Viguié

Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" by Debbie Viguié

This is one of my favorites from the 'Once Upon a Time' series. I've always loved the story of the sacrifice of the Little Mermaid but in this retelling the main character is not the one that must sacrifice something to the Sea Witch.

Peal was discovered by a fisherman in the ocean on the day of a huge storm. She was about four years old, naked as a bluejay and clutching a large, dark pearl. The fisherman and his wife raised her like their own for they had been praying for a child. They told the other villagers that she was family that had been orphaned in a village that had been harder hit by the storm.

Many years later Pearl is all grown up and probably about 17. She still has long, ungainly legs pale translucent skin, silvery hair and won't eat fish. She stares and stares at the sea but never goes in because she has nightmares about a pair of dark eyes watching her in the water and the memory of words that the ocean would kill her. Pearl's best friend is James and he just happens to be a prince. They're tied together as friends because neither treat the other differently despite their rather obvious differences. They really care for each other and so when the topic of marriage comes up from both their families they immediately turn to the other to bail them out. On the day that James would have proposed, their boat sprang a leak and James nearly died but a mermaid brought him to shore while her brother (a merman) watched over Pearl as she swam in to shore.

The merman, Kale, recognizes Pearl as Adriana, a mermaid princess. But Pearl remembers nothing about being a mermaid and Kale doesn't want to risk frightening her off because on top of everything else he had been betrothed to her. Faye, his mermaid sister, falls immediately in love with James despite knowing nothing about him. They help the humans to the land and both head to the Sea Witch who can turn them human. From Faye she takes her voice and strikes a bargain that she must convince the prince to fall in love with her within seven days or lose her life. From Kale she strikes the same bargain but takes his eyes instead of his voice.

Both have quite a handicap to overcome and there is drama on land involving James and a distant cousin that wants the throne. Only by knowing herself and recognizing love will Pearl be able to make everything turn out all right in the end. And of course she does so both of the little mermaids turn out to have a happily ever after but Pearl returns to the sea and Faye remains on land with James.