A Promising Tale with Beautiful Imagery, But Lacking Depth.

“Skin of the Sea” by Natasha Bowen is an intriguing take on West African mythology, blending fantasy with rich cultural elements. The premise of a mermaid, Simi, who is tasked with gathering the souls of those lost at sea, is both original and captivating. Bowen’s writing shines in its vivid descriptions of the ocean and the mythical creatures that inhabit it, creating a lush and immersive world. Though the world-building is impressive, the story itself sometimes felt rushed and underdeveloped. The characters, particularly Simi and Kola, have potential but lacked depth and emotional connection needed to make their journey truly resonate. The pacing of the plot can also be uneven, with some sections feeling hurried while others linger without much progression.

Thank you @netgalley for providing me with a free digital version of this book.

I enjoyed all the characters, the pacing was great, and I felt like the fantasy aspect of the world was rich and well explored for a book that’s only 300 pages.

While the characters were realistic and well-rounded, I found the actual story to be a little bland. I got about halfway through the book and couldn't finish it. I did like the different take on mermaids/sirens through African mythology, which was a refreshing change to the typical western/European mermaids.

Hey everyone! I’m back with another review. Honestly it’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a review on my blog, and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to actually do this one justice since it’s been a while since I read this one. Please bear with me as I try to remember what I read and loved about this book. It may not be super long, but I’ll share my thoughts as they come.

Also this is so late but thank you Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wish me luck, friends! Here we go.



Okay first of all, I adore Simidele! She is the main character of this story, our resident Mami Wata (aka Mermaid for those that don’t know) and she is great. She’s a complicated character that doesn’t tow the company line all the time. For some reason, with the arrival of Kola, she starts to actually question what is happening with her life. Or, her after life. She wasn’t always a Mami Wata, since they must be turned into what they are by Yemoja…

Anyway, from the moment Kola comes into her life, a human that she ends up saving from an attempted drowning, she goes on an adventure with him. I loved their dynamic and it made me wish that there were more books about them. Yes, this is a duology, but that’s just not enough books for me lol. Give me all the books about Simi and Kola! Give me more!


Because now, Simi must somehow make sure that her fellow Mami Wata, and Yemoja herself, aren’t punished for her mistake. Was it a mistake? Not really, but it wasn’t something that she was supposed to do and now she must pay the price to save the rest. Kola goes with her, while he is also trying to save his siblings.


This is a fantasy world but it takes place in the past, during the trans-Atlantic slavery era, which has a major part of both Simi’s and Kola’s backstory. It was almost like I could see this happening in the past, and maybe there were Mami Wata out there in the ocean, we just couldn’t see them. I was so engaged in this story and this world that I read it a few times already. I wanted to learn more about Simi’s underwater world, traveling with both of them and meeting the different Orisha during their journey. It really made me want to read more stories about the Orisha, especially Yemoja as she ended up being my favorite.


Natasha’s writing was amazing. I felt like I was with Simi the entire time, almost like her own personal shadow, making sure that she is able to experience her journey the way she needed to. I hope that she ends up writing more books, because I loved both of them and her writing was amazing. I said that already but really, I just loved it that much.


Simi ends up saving Kola from drowning, the big rule that she is not supposed to do as her duty as a Mami Wata. From that point, she must find a way to ensure that Yemoja and her fellow Mami Wata are not destroyed for her discretion. She also somehow helps Kola return to his village in order to ensure that he can protect his twin siblings that are somehow reincarnated Orisha and will hopefully have the power to rectify the situation.

I liked the plot and being able to see other mythical creatures in this world outside of the Mami Wata – not to say that I don’t love them – and find out more about Simi’s past since she doesn’t always remember it herself.

I’m going to skip the rest of the categories mostly because I am working off of a brain that is not all there sometimes, and really the main thing to this review is that I loved it, and I need more black mermaids in my life.

I enjoyed this book. I liked that you could see the framework from the Little Mermaid, but Bowen really filled everything in and made it her own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I really liked the story of Simi and Kola. Finally a book in a west African setting, embodying the African gods and spirits. I have to admit that this book has been written for young adults and I am not in the target group. Sometimes Simi was a bit too naive for me and the pacing was too slow, but probably young readers will love this story. It is also wonderful in terms of representation.

And did I mention the gorgeous cover?

Skin of the Sea is a beautifully written novel based on African mythology. As Natasha Bowen's debut novel, it paved the way for much-needed black girl magic in the mermaid fantasy genre.

A great spin on the classic mermaid story…that frankly makes a lot more sense re:motivation of everyone involved than the original. I really enjoyed the characters and the world-building in particular. It was such a good read, and I think just about anyone who likes mermaids should love this book.

There’s apparently already a sequel in the works, but I thought it was a pretty satisfying standalone read.

Thank you to Fierce Reads for giving me access to Skin of the Sea. However, after hearing of the harmful portrayals of Yoruba, I won't be reading or reviewing this book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Thank you for approving me for this title! However, I unfortunately was unable to download/read this book prior to it being archived on Netgalley. I hope to read and review this book on my own soon, and hope to read other books from this author and publisher. Thanks again!

This is a very interesting take on mermaid mythology. I liked that the main character was strong and had her own mind. This is a must read for every classroom, especially as a speculative text to complement studies about slavery and the middle passage.

This book set out to accomplish a lot and it was a huge undertaking. I'm not sure it was wholly accomplished. However, there is a lot to take away from this novel. I would push for implementation of this for schools who have interdisciplinary curriculum that involves cross planning between ELA and History teachers. Even if not used in sum, there are many parts that stand alone without leading to confusion if one would rather use an excerpt.

Simi is a Mami Wata (mermaid) tasked to collect the souls of those who die in the sea during the Middle Passage. When a boy is thrown over, Simi is prepared to take his soul until she realizes that he is still alive and she cannot bring herself to see him die - she saves his life. Together, they undergo a journey: Simi to make amends for her defiance and Kola to save his twin siblings.
The cover hooked me, the premise reeled me in: a story of a Black mermaid woven with West African and Yoruba mythology. Told from Simi's POV, this is a fantasy adventure book where our main characters undergo a series of quests and make friends along the way. Unfortunately, Simi and Kola had 0.01 chemistry and so their relationship seemed forced. There are few too many side quests and conflicts that were too easily wrapped-up as a result, I think that's why it took me way too long finish (a WHOLE YEAR!!) - I also think this is the trouble with the first book in a series in that a lot of time has to be taken for world-building and character introductions. 2.5 rounded to 3 stars.

4/5 stars
This read was so refreshing. Loved the concept and representation!

Simidele is one of the Mami Wata. She is a mermaid tasked with collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing them for their journey to Olodumare. However, memories of her time as a human haunt her and she spends as much time as possible reverting back to her four-limbed form. Perhaps that is why she is more inclined to save the drowning boy rather than waiting for his life to end? Perhaps that is why she neglects her role and sacrifices the safety of her sisters for a stranger? Perhaps that is why she will prove to be the kingdom's, both above and below, only hope.
This was such a flawless and well-crafted story. It took a few pages to orientate myself in this world, as the reader is introduced to Simidele and her watery abode with no other, prior introduction. I quickly caught up with all that was occurring and was hooked from then on.
Events moved at a fast-pace but Bowen never neglected one element when crafting this fantastical world and her setting proved as seamless a creation as her writing of it was slick. The characters that roamed there were treated with the same intricate and authentic production and I fell in love with them all. Simidele stole the show though, and proved immediately herself a feisty, fearless, and fabulous heroine adored reading about.
The only element that did not enthral me was the quickly-budding romance that featured. Little was acted upon and the romance did in no way overshadow the plot, but I thought emotion was built too quickly to be truly believable, for me. I felt the book would have been stronger without it overall. However, this minor negative was a very small one in the grand scheme of this wonderful debut novel. I'm hopeful that a sequel is forthcoming and Bowen has ensured a faithful reader of anything she produces in the future, with the high-calibre of all I have read here.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

A story well-rooted in West African mythos, this novel is a good read for those looking to see this integration within a YA romantic fantasy structure. As someone who prioritizes fast to medium paced reads, I found the prose, while descriptive, too slow moving to be appealing. I do like the level of detail and context given to the African side of the early Transatlantic Slave Trafficking.

DNF. Couldn't get into this book, this book just wasn't for me, sadly. Thank you for approving me and I'm sorry I didn't enjoy the book.

I do own 2 copies though so I might try again one day

Unfortunately this was really nothing new. And sometimes that works, but with this book it became boring rather quickly to the point where I started skimming.