BOOK REVIEW: The Syrena Legacy by Anna Banks

The Syrena Legacy by Anna Banks

includes: Of Poseidon, Of Triton & Of Neptune

"My kingdom is threatened by war, extinction, or both, and the only way to solve it is to give up the one thing I ever really wanted."

It seemed an impossible task to write a review on just one of these YA novels by Anna Banks, especially being that I needed to keep reading to decide how I truly felt about the story as a whole. We are introduced to two narrators, Galen and Emma, who meet under strange circumstances.

What we don't realize in the beginning is they both have a secret, but only one knows the truth. Galen is a Syrena, or how we modernly would put it a merman (though in the novel he gets quite angry at being referred to in that way). Emma is a half-breed, and though she has felt out of place or that she is different from all other human beings (being that she has extremely light hair and violet eyes) she was unaware of her true heritage; part Syrena, part human. Galen witnesses a tragedy that involves Emma using a power that is exclusive to the Syrena people, the gift of Poseidon, which drives him to follow her and find out who she is and how it is possible that she exists.

Of course they have this constant "will they both realize that they have feelings for each other and get together already" beginning, and then finally, throughout the rest of the series, how could they possibly make a relationship work (being that he is a prince of Triton and has obligations to his kingdom, and she is a half-breed who is incapable of living under the sea for all the rest of her life). 

There is problems on all sides it seems that this young couple is forced to face: Acceptance of half-breeds who are deemed an abomination and must be destroyed; the discovery that she got her half-breed status because her mother was a Syrena who fled to land during a misunderstand where she thought she killed her fiance, Grom, Galen's much older brother; an uprising of those who oppose the rule of the Poseidon and Triton royalty; discovery by humans that can annihilate their existence entirely; and then the discover that there are full towns of half-breeds that now seek to rejoin and claim their Syrena legacy. 

Of the three, Of Poseidon was my favorite. I loved the couple learning about each other, and falling in love despite all the reasons they shouldn't. I felt it was an exciting story and couldn't get enough. I enjoyed Of Triton as well as Emma learns more about who she is and her special gift which makes her valuable to the Syrena community. However, Of Neptune I really felt was unnecessary to the overall story. While I enjoyed the existence of other half-breeds existing, I found most of it unrealistic. Galen and Emma need to get away due to the tragedy that occurred at the end of the 2nd novel (Of Triton) before they start their lives together as they had originally planned. And then they meet one half-breed named Reed and all of a sudden all their plans are thrown out the window, including the faith either of them have in their relationship. Galen leaves and is kidnapped and more than half the book is Emma running around with Reed, not even really being all that concerned that Galen is gone (she texts and calls him, but that is the extent of it). The relationship had already been established to be so much stronger than that, and in one instance it all falls apart.

Of course the ending did bring Galen and Emma back together, but I found most of the middle part very unnecessary. I also didn't find it totally believable that Reed was throwing himself at her the moment he met her. He's met other half-breed girls so it wasn't a "she's just like me so we are meant to be" situation. 

Overall the series was very entertaining, but I would say the first 2 novels were enough. I understand the use of a love triangle in YA trilogies but sometimes, they just aren't necessary. This was one of those instances. 

My ratings are below!

Of Poseidon- ✭✭✭✭ 

Of Triton-✭✭✭✭

Of Neptune-✭✭✭

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