Book Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

(NOTE: we transferred this post from our old squarespace account, and we lost some comments in the transfer. Apologies if one was yours!)

With mermaid paranormal romances, you always hope that the mermaid love interest will be Finnick Odair sexy—all glistening abs and one-liners, rather than a Little Mermaid caricature. I’m happy to report that the mermen-like Syrena in Anna Banks’ Of Poseidon are definitely of the Finnick Odair variety: gorgeous, with a great sense of humor and a sexy overconfidence (that is mostly for show). Galen—the Syrena prince who is investigating Emma’s Syrena-like appearance and powers—is definitely the kind of merman you would let drag you out to sea.

Banks has crafted a unique mythology to support what is essentially a very hot paranormal courtship, throwing in a dash of mystery surrounding the main character’s origins to keep things interesting. The story moves along quickly and is a fun, light read, with a whopper of a twist that will leave you craving the sequel.

Here are a few reasons Of Poseidon is such fun:

Smoking hot chemistry

If your paranormal romance is lacking this, I hope you have the good sense to send it packing. Chemistry and sensuality are not a problem for Emma and Galen. From the moment they first meet, they can physically sense one another, and when they touch, there is an electric, palpable presence between them. Watching them dance around the possibility of a forbidden romance as their attraction grows stronger keeps the book simmering along nicely.

DANGER in the water

Discovering you’ve got a connection to the deep blue sea doesn’t come without some measure of peril, and it doesn’t all come from human and Syrena enemies. We’re quite jarringly introduced to the risks Emma faces when entering the water in the first scenes of the book. Let’s just say her leeriness of the ocean prior to meeting Galen is VERY well founded.

 Rayna

Galen’s sister is a total beyotch who speaks her mind freely and often nastily, and it’s pretty hilarious to watch. She’s obsessed with human artifacts, so I imagine her as equal parts mermaid mean girl and frivolous Ariel, which makes her quite likeable in spite of herself, and responsible for more than a few laughs.

Lost underwater ruins

The underwater kingdom that Banks has created is already captivating, and she adds in tantalizing lost city ruins and shipwrecks, which basically means the deepest parts of the ocean are one giant, well preserved Natural History Museum. I kind of want to turn into a Syrena just so I can go take a gander at Atlantis (or Tartessos in this story). For history buff Emma, there is no greater guilty pleasure way to wile away a few hours than exploring shipwreck ruins (except maybe making out with a merman).

Syrena Politics

The two factions of Syrena are not exactly friendly ever since Nalia, a beloved daughter from the Poseidon royal line, died in an explosion, and her union with the Triton prince Grom couldn’t take place. The need to unite the kingdoms and pass on the gifts of the Generals Triton and Poseidon is great, and finding a lost heir who possesses these gifts would be of great value to both sides. Just as old mysteries and political problems are cleared up, new problems arise, and I have a feeling these royal squabbles will provide more than enough entertainment for a few more books.

Of Poseidon is definitely recommended if you’d like a fast-paced, pleasurable romantic read. I imagine this would be even MORE enjoyable if you were actually on the beach when you read it—it gave me some serious summertime beach bum pangs.

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