(no subject)

[damselfish]

For the past few days I've been trying to work out a mermaid story based on a conceit I used for Pirates ages ago--that mermen are ugly and that's why mermaids like to cavort with human men so much. This idea always sat wrong with me, because 1) how would the species propagate if the females were repulsed by the males,* and 2) yeah, of course human men would say that! Maybe mermen's ugliness is irresistible to mermaids, they're like fish-people birds of paradise strutting their weird fish faces and green teeth at the ladies. Maybe that drives the ladies wild.

And humans make up stupid stories to explain this because they just can't understand it.

But the form of the story isn't the one I want it to be so I figured I'd put it to rest and just go read some mermaid stories to scratch this itch. All I really want is an exploration of the Other, some charming romance, some cultural foibles, some adorable scenes on a beach, and lots of commentary on biology. Aside from the last, this should be a staple of the mermaid genre, right? There's a huge mermaid boom in YA right now that's flowed over into adult, and sure it's mostly romance but I'm looking for romance, right?

I check out Goodreads.

All the stories are basically the same and you could take their basic elements and churn out a story. Here, watch!

Girl is:
[a] shy
[b] bored
[c] a science geek
[d] someone who just doesn't fit in
[d1] bonus points if she has a stupid name
[d2] cry yourself to sleep if her name is Sirena, Sapphire, or Marina
[d3] oh god someone thought that name was one they wanted to type three thousand times

She discovers
[e] that she's a secret mermaid
[e1] something that curses her into becoming a mermaid
[e2] a special aquatic power that doesn't make her a mermaid, you cheater
[f] a hot boy with a mysterious secret**
[f1] he has no personality
[f2] but he looks good with a shirt off
[f3] there are no restraining orders under the sea

Now she must
[g] save the undersea kingdom
[g1] where she's secretly the princess
[g2] where she becomes ruler after her heroic escapades
[h] resist the temptation of the hot boy
[i] give in to temptation with the hot boy
[j] break the curse that made her into a mermaid
[k] save the hot boy from the other mermaids
[k1] before it's too late
[k2] unless there's another hot boy she likes more

Mix and match and you have your story. In almost none of the reviews do I read anything to pique my interest, but boy do they all sound exactly like the previous books I've read, none of which satisfied. They had absolutely nothing I want out of mermaid lore or modern mermaids. I'm not picky! I'll take soulless maneaters, misunderstood ocean people, guardians of the environment, anything! Just give me something that isn't YA paranormal romance mad lib with "mermaid" and "undersea world" subbed in for "study abroad!" It's pretty much "Girl studies abroad and is swept away by dark stranger! Ooooooh!" with mermaids in.

Though a mermaid study abroad would be more interesting, gotta say.


*I know, I know, it's folklore and logical consistency doesn't matter, and also if I asked this question of other audiences, the answer would be horrifying.

**If the hot boy's secret was "he's a mermaid" I would be a lot more interested. Alas, he's always a mere merman.

Comments

[alexseanchai]

I think there is a chance you would be interested in Kit Whitfield's In Great Waters. It's not YA paranormal romance, that's for sure.

[damselfish]

Never heard of it and I can't imagine WHY it's not coming up in goodreads, because that looks a thousand times better than the description of anything I've looked at.

...Granted fans of YA paranormal romance seemed mostly pleased, and I don't want to rain on other people's parade if they like it! I just thought this so-called glut would include a bigger target audience.

I'll check it out, thanks for the recommendation!

[foxfirefey]

I think I recommended Kit Whitfield's Benighted to you, too, though I don't know if you ever got around to reading it--if you did, though, you'd have a good idea of the woman's skill in turning around mythological creature cliches into something very gripping!

[damselfish]

You may have, but alas I didn't read it. It was during a time when I wasn't doing much reading to begin with! But now it's on my list.

[foxfirefey]

that is very understandable! The prose is clumsier than it needs to be because it's in present tense, but the world building is great.

[badgerbag]

Now I kind of want to write a study abroad with mermaids story! A mermaid sorority! And guardians of the sea! *ponders*

[damselfish]

If you write it, I want to read it.

[robert_v_frazier]

DC Comics has a character who is a mermaid who studied abroad. Lori Lemaris of Atlantis, who studied at Metropolis University, where she met Clark Kent. They dated for a while. Clark didn't mind that Lori was wheelchair-bound; he loved her for her mind. Lori knew that Clark is Superman, because all Atlanteans are telepathic. Clark did think it was a bit odd that Lori slept in a literal waterbed (a big tank full of salt water), but he was open-minded about that, too. Eventually, he found out she is a mermaid, and realized that marriage was not really a viable option. They remained friends ever after, though, and Lori sometimes helped Superman out on his crime-busting cases.

First appearance of Lori Lemaris was in Superman #129, published in May, 1959.