Plain Jane and the Mermaid

English language

Published 2024 by Roaring Brook Press.

ISBN:: 978-1-250-31485-7

Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter, who might just say yes to get away from his father. It’s a good plan!

Or it would’ve been, if he wasn’t kidnapped by a mermaid.

With her last shot at happiness lost in the deep blue sea, Jane must venture to the underwater world to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?

From Vera Brosgol, the author of Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared, comes an instant classic that flips every fairy tale you know, and shows one girl's crusade for the only thing that matters—her own independence.

Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter, who might just say yes to get away from his father. It’s a good plan!

Or it would’ve been, if he wasn’t kidnapped by a mermaid.

With her last shot at happiness lost in the deep blue sea, Jane must venture to the underwater world to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?

From Vera Brosgol, the author of Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared, comes an instant classic that flips every fairy tale you know, and shows one girl's crusade for the only thing that matters—her own independence.

2 editions

nex3 reviewed Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

None

2 stars

Sweet enough, but more than a little trite. The writing is mostly fine, but it's cutesy much more often than it's clever. For all that the afterword paints this in contrast to Disney princess stories, the morality tale structure would make this feel right at home among the lesser Disney/Pixar stories.

Coleysscrollies

rated it

January 7