Review: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce
Obtained: Book Expo America
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 304
Buy it: Amazon & IndieBound
Shelf it: on Goodreads
Jackson Pearce: Twitter & YouTube & Website

Goodreads Summary of Fathomless

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant — until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn’t know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea — a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid — all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she’s becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she’s tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude’s affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there’s only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

Elizziebooks review of Fathomless

I was thoroughly satisfied with this novel. It answered a few questions I didn’t even know I had about Sweetly by Jackson Pearce and the age old question of, “How big is the Reynolds family?” Answer: HUGE. Like, Mama and Papa Reynolds decided to have as many kids as God would allow them. Of course, Celia and her sister’s got the short end of the stick. Their mom passed away and their dad is in an assisted living home with Alzheimer’s. And it seems as though even though they have a boatload of siblings, they have to fend for themselves in more ways than one.

The characters were pretty dang awesome in Fathomless by Jackson Pearce. I found Celia to be relatable and I liked the alternating POV with her and Lo. And, hellooooo Jude. You can be my guitar-playing boyfriend any day. ;D Forreal though. Celia, Jane, and Anne have to be a force to be reckoned with. Again, more ways than one. These girls get stuff done, y’all! Particularly at the climax when BLEEEEEP. I’m sorry, I nearly spoiled you guys. But really, they do some awesome things for each other.

I liked Lo. I’m not every sure if we’re SUPPOSED to like Lo since she’s a “I’ll drown your boyfriend so I can be human again” mermaid. I just liked her progression as a character, not just when she was Naida (her human brain/self).

Okay, can we talk about how intricately connected this series of companion novels are? I felt the need to re-read Sisters Red and Sweetly after reading Fathomless. If you plan on reading Fathomless, it isn’t necessary, but it’s good to have that backstory.

AND THEY LIVED (Somewhat) HAPPILY EVER AFTER. THE END. Or is it?! I hope not. I freakin’ love these modern mermaid stories. If you read Fathomless and need to read a few more, read The Mermaid’s Mirror and Lies Beneath. SO SO GOOD. I can’t even.

Tagged as: Fairytale Retellings, Fathomless, Jackson Pearce, Little Brown, Little Brown Books for Young Readers