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Book Review of Forgive My Fins

Forgive My Fins
skywriter319 avatar reviewed on + 784 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


FORGIVE MY FINS is a cute and entertaining mythical twist on the typical high school romantic comedy. While the plot is predictable, bumbling Lily's voice is easy to slip into, and the nautical surprises will delight even the most jaded reader.

Lily is a fun protagonist, a little ditzy and immature at times, but nevertheless endearing. Tera Lynn Childs' writing reminds me of Meg Cabots, with that effortlessly angsty yet relatable heroine. Secondary characters often run the risk of being "filler" characters, but Lily and Quince's fiery relationship is still quite entertaining. Readers will chuckle as they follow these two main characters' antics and discoveries about one another.

The basic plotline is one that we've seen many times before, but the mermaid twist allays the plot's tiredness and puts new energy into this old story. FORGIVE MY FINS gives us an almost Disney-esque mermaid kingdom feel, with fascinating sights, customs, and details. So while Lily goes through the sort of romantic drama that countless similar heroines have gone through before in previous YA books, the constant switching between land and underwater scenes is undeniably fascinating.

Overall, FORGIVE MY FINS is a predictable tale, but it still ends up being a success. Younger readers will find Lily and Quince's interactions adorable (this book would've easily been one of my favorites had it existed back when I was in middle school), while readers with more experience will get a kick out of a foray into this as-yet-uncovered treasure trove of a new, magical world.