Author: Aimee Ogden
Publisher: Tor.com
Release: February 23^rd, 2021
Received: NetGalley
Warnings: Disease, quarantine, stillbirth, miscarriage

I received a copy of Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Little Mermaid retold in Space Opera form? Count me in! Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters, written by Aimee Ogden is absolutely the most creative retelling I’ve read, and I’ve read a lot of them.

Atuale was born in the sea, and for the longest time, the sea was where she belonged. However, sometimes one has to forge their own path in life, in order to achieve true happiness. The opportunity for change was granted to Atuale, thanks to her connection to the World Witch.

The World Witch gave Atuale the mods needed for her to live on land. For her to make a place for herself with the people that lived near the sky, and for her to fall in love with one of them. However, the peace she found has been put at risk, and she’ll do whatever it takes to save it. To save them.

“Guilt flushes her chest, only to be scrubbed quickly away by determination and relief.”

If you going into Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters expecting a simple retelling of the Little Mermaid, you’re going to be in for a world of surprise. Pun intended. This is a rich and complex tale, one that isn’t afraid to take risks and create something powerful and beautiful as a result.

Though I may be biased here, being a massive fan of both space opera, and the original tale of the Little Mermaid. Yet it’s also more than both of those two elements combined, and should be considered a novella that stands on its own.

Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters touches upon many evocative points, from societal expectations to love and adventure, and everything else that lies between. Atuale’s entire being is so focused on love and staying true to herself. Even when she doesn’t know what that means, or what it will involve.

I feel like that is a feeling many of us can connect to, on at least some level. Granted, Atuale’s story takes it much farther than that. She used mods (in place of magic) to grant her the ability to leave the water. Then, she took to the stars, all in hopes of saving those she cared about.

Then there’s the World Witch, a character who in truth could justify a story all on their own. I won’t say too much about this character, because I don’t want to spoil any revelations. But I will say that I love the merging of witch/technology here, it’s clever and fascinating, all in one.

I really was blown away by Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters. It was a delight to read, and brought many interesting concerns to the surface. In a way, it touched upon a little bit of everything, and I really adored that about this novella.