Remember
The First Of The Mermaid Vampire Chronicles
Remember: The First Of The Mermaid Vampire Chronicles is the work of teen writer Krista Everson. And it is told with considerable enthusiasm. As the story begins, a teenage girl Kristella is dangling her legs in the ocean when, “suddenly, something clutched my leg and pulled me deeper and deeper…Then, out of nowhere, a person with crystal-like eyes…pulled off the shark…” That is how she meets the vampire mermaid, Garrid—the love of her life. Kristella’s rescuer shows up at school the next day, claiming to be a foreign-exchange student. Romance ensues. He tells her that her brother left her on a rock when she was a baby, while he dived for pearls. When her brother came up to the surface, a boat had come by and rescued her. She was adopted by humans. But she is about to return to her origins. Her new boyfriend explains that she is vulnerable until she gets her full powers. Sure enough, werewolves show up at school posing as new students. They want to kill her because they think that it’s not right for mermaids and vampires to intermingle. But, her love will keep her safe until the eclipse, when she will complete her transformation and get her tail.
This story line will appeal to young readers. And as teen activities go, reading this book is one worth encouraging. The book is also worth reading for captivating lines like these: “I’m not like normal people, and neither are you! We’re not even normal fictional characters!” And this: “She was seeing a vampire in secret. They were in love. Well, one night she was with the vampire, and a werewolf saw them…” And this fairly sophisticated conclusion: “All that I knew was that Garrid and I were always going to be together. And that I had to stay away from water and eat a lot of meat.”
This reads like a campfire tale. It has the coltish awkwardness of a first attempt, but it is not without its charms. It’s not polished, but it is neither gratuitously sexual nor violent like other recent vampire books. Remember: The First Of The Mermaid Vampire Chronicles is wholesome and life affirming, which can’t be said for every book in this genre.
Reviewed by
Marilyn Berry
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
