2021 EDIT: 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap' really is a book strictly for children. Only I didn't think that any book, whatever its target audience, could get away with millions of plot holes, and astounding character stupidity.
I could go on all day about how the mermaids, and how they work, in this book make no sense, even for a fantasy. But I'll start by saying: the mermaids in this world are exactly like humans, except they have fishtails. Pardon the pun, but there's no depth to them. There's hardly any otherworldly quality and wonder to them - for me, at least. They're generic and cartoony, at best.
There's no mention whatsoever about how the mer-people's breathing works. Emily can breathe underwater when she's a mermaid, no problem (and no gills), and she can suck in, hold and release her breath out of anxiety underwater. How? Mermaids speak and write in English, and they can talk underwater, because of course they can. Yes, I said that they write, and on paper, on scrolls, using ink, all deep under the sea. No explanation at all is given on how their paper can last there, perfectly fine and sustained. No magic is mentioned in the book. Where do they even get the paper? Where does their light come from?
It's Spongebob logic, I guess.
Do the mer-people use other fish simultaneously as food and slaves, too? Also, mer-people can stuff things inside the scales of their tails like pockets. Emily does the same as a mermaid. Where do the items go when she turns back into a human? Is it magic? Does she get giant lumps in her legs? Apparently not; that detail is never addressed.
Maybe the reason for why I've noticed these plot holes easily is because I'm an adult reading a children's story, but I know I'm not nitpicking. These holes are very obvious, and should have been spotted in the editing process.
I can't take any book that has the word 'splishometer' in it seriously, either.
The characters, as I'd already stated, are unbelievable idiots; extremely gullible and dangerously naïve; especially Emily, though she is twelve. But my certainty of this fact comes from the treatment of the most hateable character in the whole book, Mr Beeston. Basically, he is the villain, or he is treated as such, and rightfully so. Until literally the last five pages; then suddenly he is a good guy that Emily trusts and respects. This is in spite of the fact that everything bad that has happened in the story is all Mr Beeston's fault, and he is absolutely unrepentant and despicable. Or he was until his mermaid society changed its ways in two seconds because a twelve-year-old girl said it should (I'll get back to that). So he's nice now! And I want to scream at the book: He has been drugging a woman for over a decade! He threatened and physically harmed a twelve-year-old! He betrayed his best friend, condoned his imprisonment, and manipulated and gaslighted his wife for twelve years! He lied, abused and betrayed everyone and very nearly got them killed! He testified against them in that stupid court! He is never sorry!
But no. Mr Beeston is off the hook (no pun intended) at the very, very end, receiving no punishment whatsoever. Out of the blue. For no reason.
What shark sh**.
I was quite young when I first read 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap', so I could have been more forgiving of its flaws back then. But I do not remember that sudden, out-of-nowhere and out-of-place courtroom scene at the end of the book.
I'll be blunt: it is the shortest, stupidest, most arbitrary, insulting and easily swayed courtroom scene that I have ever read about or seen in anything, ever. I could have sworn it was added in the story at the last minute, when the author had thought she wouldn't be able to write a sequel, or she was forced into writing the scene by an editor.
And that eighteen-page plot point resolves itself in two pages - two pages of Emily, who has committed major crimes in the eyes of mer-people law, and whose existence is an abomination according to mer-people society, pretty much saying to the court, with a tyrannical king as the judge, "But love, though". And it works! Everything is fine, everyone gets their happily ever after, and no one hates humans and human/mermaid hybrids anymore! Man, if only real courts could finish quickly and with ignorant little kids saying "Can't we all just get along?". And if only real arrogant, cruel and narcissistic tyrants and dictators could be swayed by kids talking about love! It's just that easy!
I'm not really a fan of 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap' anymore, is what I'm trying to articulate.
On the positive side, it is cute in places, and I like mermaids. I even like Emily sometimes, when she isn't a dingbat.
I've said my piece, for now.
Final Score: 2/5
I could go on all day about how the mermaids, and how they work, in this book make no sense, even for a fantasy. But I'll start by saying: the mermaids in this world are exactly like humans, except they have fishtails. Pardon the pun, but there's no depth to them. There's hardly any otherworldly quality and wonder to them - for me, at least. They're generic and cartoony, at best.
There's no mention whatsoever about how the mer-people's breathing works. Emily can breathe underwater when she's a mermaid, no problem (and no gills), and she can suck in, hold and release her breath out of anxiety underwater. How? Mermaids speak and write in English, and they can talk underwater, because of course they can. Yes, I said that they write, and on paper, on scrolls, using ink, all deep under the sea. No explanation at all is given on how their paper can last there, perfectly fine and sustained. No magic is mentioned in the book. Where do they even get the paper? Where does their light come from?
It's Spongebob logic, I guess.
Do the mer-people use other fish simultaneously as food and slaves, too? Also, mer-people can stuff things inside the scales of their tails like pockets. Emily does the same as a mermaid. Where do the items go when she turns back into a human? Is it magic? Does she get giant lumps in her legs? Apparently not; that detail is never addressed.
Maybe the reason for why I've noticed these plot holes easily is because I'm an adult reading a children's story, but I know I'm not nitpicking. These holes are very obvious, and should have been spotted in the editing process.
I can't take any book that has the word 'splishometer' in it seriously, either.
The characters, as I'd already stated, are unbelievable idiots; extremely gullible and dangerously naïve; especially Emily, though she is twelve. But my certainty of this fact comes from the treatment of the most hateable character in the whole book, Mr Beeston. Basically, he is the villain, or he is treated as such, and rightfully so. Until literally the last five pages; then suddenly he is a good guy that Emily trusts and respects. This is in spite of the fact that everything bad that has happened in the story is all Mr Beeston's fault, and he is absolutely unrepentant and despicable. Or he was until his mermaid society changed its ways in two seconds because a twelve-year-old girl said it should (I'll get back to that). So he's nice now! And I want to scream at the book: He has been drugging a woman for over a decade! He threatened and physically harmed a twelve-year-old! He betrayed his best friend, condoned his imprisonment, and manipulated and gaslighted his wife for twelve years! He lied, abused and betrayed everyone and very nearly got them killed! He testified against them in that stupid court! He is never sorry!
But no. Mr Beeston is off the hook (no pun intended) at the very, very end, receiving no punishment whatsoever. Out of the blue. For no reason.
What shark sh**.
I was quite young when I first read 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap', so I could have been more forgiving of its flaws back then. But I do not remember that sudden, out-of-nowhere and out-of-place courtroom scene at the end of the book.
I'll be blunt: it is the shortest, stupidest, most arbitrary, insulting and easily swayed courtroom scene that I have ever read about or seen in anything, ever. I could have sworn it was added in the story at the last minute, when the author had thought she wouldn't be able to write a sequel, or she was forced into writing the scene by an editor.
And that eighteen-page plot point resolves itself in two pages - two pages of Emily, who has committed major crimes in the eyes of mer-people law, and whose existence is an abomination according to mer-people society, pretty much saying to the court, with a tyrannical king as the judge, "But love, though". And it works! Everything is fine, everyone gets their happily ever after, and no one hates humans and human/mermaid hybrids anymore! Man, if only real courts could finish quickly and with ignorant little kids saying "Can't we all just get along?". And if only real arrogant, cruel and narcissistic tyrants and dictators could be swayed by kids talking about love! It's just that easy!
I'm not really a fan of 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap' anymore, is what I'm trying to articulate.
On the positive side, it is cute in places, and I like mermaids. I even like Emily sometimes, when she isn't a dingbat.
I've said my piece, for now.
Final Score: 2/5
P.S. What happened to stupid Millie the "psychic" at the end? What is her fate upon the verdict at the mer-people's court? She just up and disappears from the narrative.
I remember reading this at school, and I really enjoyed it.
It's a simple tale (tail?) about love and devotion, friendship and self-discovery. I like swimming, so I connected to the main character Emily and how she wants to swim. But she isn't allowed to by her frankly confused mother.
Yes, a lot of the characters are stupid and too trusting, the twists are obvious, and some parts are contrived. Places are described too prettily, especially the undersea setting. But this is a children's story that's fun and joyful nonetheless.
Emily herself at least never gives up on her dreams and is determined to do anything she feels is right, even if it'll lead her on dangerous paths.
And as I get older and find that 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap' isn't as original as I once thought it to be, I still look back with fond memories of reading it. Good nostalgia.
A nice and heartfelt mermaid book without being artificial like junk food.
Final Score: 4/5
It's a simple tale (tail?) about love and devotion, friendship and self-discovery. I like swimming, so I connected to the main character Emily and how she wants to swim. But she isn't allowed to by her frankly confused mother.
Yes, a lot of the characters are stupid and too trusting, the twists are obvious, and some parts are contrived. Places are described too prettily, especially the undersea setting. But this is a children's story that's fun and joyful nonetheless.
Emily herself at least never gives up on her dreams and is determined to do anything she feels is right, even if it'll lead her on dangerous paths.
And as I get older and find that 'The Tail of Emily Windsnap' isn't as original as I once thought it to be, I still look back with fond memories of reading it. Good nostalgia.
A nice and heartfelt mermaid book without being artificial like junk food.
Final Score: 4/5
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