MONSTROUS BEAUTY

Seventeen-year-old Hester feels drawn to Ezra, and as she investigates her family history, she learns why. Digging into resources at the Plymouth Library, she learns of an ancestor who was said to be a mermaid, who gave up her life in the sea to marry a human. Narrator Katherine Kellgren smoothly moves between the 1870s and current time. Her talent with accents is put to good use as she portrays folks of various English backgrounds and helps the listener keep track of each time period. In an interview at the end of the book, both author and narrator discuss the importance of research to their work. J.E.M. 2013 Odyssey Honor © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]