TOTW: Mermaids!
For many people, the quintessential mermaid is Ariel of The Little Mermaid. For me, it’s the siren in The Mermaid Summer by Mollie Hunter - a wild, beautiful, and selfish creature to whom humans are mere playthings.
From frightening demons of the deep who lure sailors to their death, to teenage girls with fish-tails and crushes on human boys, mermaids have always had the power to fascinate. I think a lot of that fascination comes from our history with the sea - an environment foreign and hostile to humans that is simultaneously an intrinsic part of our lives. When I think about mermaids, I always find myself thinking about coral reefs… so unearthly and weird, and at the same time so beautiful.
(pic copyright www.bibleplaces.com)
So what do you think lies at the heart of our fascination with mermaids? Which version do you prefer - heartless sirens, human-like princesses, or something else entirely? What are your favorite mermaid books - and which of the many 2011 mermaid titles are you most looking forward to?
From frightening demons of the deep who lure sailors to their death, to teenage girls with fish-tails and crushes on human boys, mermaids have always had the power to fascinate. I think a lot of that fascination comes from our history with the sea - an environment foreign and hostile to humans that is simultaneously an intrinsic part of our lives. When I think about mermaids, I always find myself thinking about coral reefs… so unearthly and weird, and at the same time so beautiful.
(pic copyright www.bibleplaces.com)
So what do you think lies at the heart of our fascination with mermaids? Which version do you prefer - heartless sirens, human-like princesses, or something else entirely? What are your favorite mermaid books - and which of the many 2011 mermaid titles are you most looking forward to?