Together, they deliver a satisfyingly full-circle ending, both in the big and small picture. We care what happens because of the unique richness of Marcellus and Tova’s relationship. Though the story is somewhat predictable-and rather, um, fantastic, in all meanings of the word-the specificity of detail, especially when we’re wrapped up in the many legs of Marcellus, keeps it all surprisingly believable. I kept reading, trusting the author to eventually connect his story back to the more intriguing original storyline… and soon I understood why we had to see the world through Cameron’s eyes as well.
I was eager to hear more from these two when Cameron, the third narrator, butted in he’s a rather cardboard version of a down-and-out 30-year-old who decides to go in search of his father (if only to shake him down for child support).
They develop a strong bond-especially once Marcellus realizes that a ring he found deep in the ocean, before he was captured, belongs to Tova’s drowned son. She also begins to share her life story with Marcellus, through his tank’s glass, which she simultaneously tries to keep fingerprint-free. Because she’s also a remarkable creature, Tova rescues him-and keeps his late-night wanderings a secret. One evening, Tova finds Marcellus entangled in a charging cord, unable to return to his tank after a late night snack on abandoned takeout. Teen readers will likely appreciate the length of this gothic, Southern epic and be very happy to return to the sultry small town of Gatlin as soon as possible.The first chapter is less than 500 words long, and it definitely leaves us wanting more… but after this introduction we move on to Tova, the 70-year-old woman who comes after hours to clean the aquarium. There were a few too many new characters thrown into the final battle, but readers can look for them in the sequel. The book opens with some lovely, lyrical writing and it's hard to believe it was written by two authors collaborating. Lena and Ethan are both somewhat tragic characters, innocent, upright, and well-intentioned. Ethan and Lena both write poetry - and it all sounds like poetry by teens - and song lyrics also play a large part in the story.
There are many stock characters, both teen mean girls and powerful, intense older women alike, but the sweet romance, dark danger, and supernatural battles that sweep across a well-romanticized background of Civil War deaths and teen parties will entrance teen readers and maybe as many adults as the Twilight Saga did.
Ethan and his male friends are well written, and if the adult characters seem unoriginal, they are at least reliable and likable.
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