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Lorali #1
Lorali
Colourful, raw, brave, rich and fantastical - this mermaid tale is not for the faint-hearted.
Looking after a naked girl he found washed up under Hastings pier isn't exactly how Rory had imagined spending his sixteenth birthday. But more surprising than finding her in the first place is discovering where she has come from.
Lorali is running not just from the sea, not just from her position as princess, but her entire destiny. Lorali has rejected life as a mermaid, and become human.
But along with Lorali's arrival, and the freak weather suddenly battering the coast, more strange visitors begin appearing in Rory's bemused Sussex town. With beautifully coiffed hair, sharp-collared shirts and a pirate ship shaped like a Tudor house, the Abelgare boys are a mystery all of their own. What are they really up to? Can Rory protect Lorali? And who from? And where does she really belong, anyway?
Looking after a naked girl he found washed up under Hastings pier isn't exactly how Rory had imagined spending his sixteenth birthday. But more surprising than finding her in the first place is discovering where she has come from.
Lorali is running not just from the sea, not just from her position as princess, but her entire destiny. Lorali has rejected life as a mermaid, and become human.
But along with Lorali's arrival, and the freak weather suddenly battering the coast, more strange visitors begin appearing in Rory's bemused Sussex town. With beautifully coiffed hair, sharp-collared shirts and a pirate ship shaped like a Tudor house, the Abelgare boys are a mystery all of their own. What are they really up to? Can Rory protect Lorali? And who from? And where does she really belong, anyway?
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2015
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3758 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 163 reviews
August 31, 2015
I love being surprised. I wouldn't normally be drawn to a mermaid book and I'm not sure that I've ever read one before, but I picked up Lorali because:
1) After reading Hi So Much, I trusted Laura Dockrill to create amazing contemporary characters
2) It's so shiny! And pretty! And BLUE!
3) It was my book club's pick for August
I started reading, not knowing what to expect, and then, a few hours later, I had finished.
Lorali begins with the arrival of a naked mermaid on Hastings pier, discovered by Rory on his sixteenth birthday. Lorali has turned her back on her destiny to be an underwater princess in the Whirl, and has become human � a walker. With beautiful, well-written characters and a story like no other, Lorali takes us under the sea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating perspectives: Lorali, Rory and, yes, The Sea. I knew about this unusual perspective before starting the book and I wasn't sure how it would work, but it does a wonderful job of constructing the world for the reader, both the history and the present. I unexpectedly enjoyed discovering how the mermaids came to be and how their world was kept secret from humans � plus all the other creatures and antics under the sea, like fellow mermaid Orla, who revels in being a celebrity!
Laura Dockrill's poetic writing combined with a modern setting and relatable teenage characters made me feel comfortable, as if I were reading a summery young adult contemporary story about family, friendship and falling in love, but with a twist. I found Lorali's naivety and enthusiasm charming, and Rory a loyal and friendly support. And you can't have a mermaid without a pirate: the Abelgare boys � Otto, Oska and Jasper � were both delightful and chilling to read about.
Dark, often violent and with a little social commentary thrown in, Lorali is unique, inventive and impressed me a whole lot.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on .
1) After reading Hi So Much, I trusted Laura Dockrill to create amazing contemporary characters
2) It's so shiny! And pretty! And BLUE!
3) It was my book club's pick for August
I started reading, not knowing what to expect, and then, a few hours later, I had finished.
Lorali begins with the arrival of a naked mermaid on Hastings pier, discovered by Rory on his sixteenth birthday. Lorali has turned her back on her destiny to be an underwater princess in the Whirl, and has become human � a walker. With beautiful, well-written characters and a story like no other, Lorali takes us under the sea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating perspectives: Lorali, Rory and, yes, The Sea. I knew about this unusual perspective before starting the book and I wasn't sure how it would work, but it does a wonderful job of constructing the world for the reader, both the history and the present. I unexpectedly enjoyed discovering how the mermaids came to be and how their world was kept secret from humans � plus all the other creatures and antics under the sea, like fellow mermaid Orla, who revels in being a celebrity!
Laura Dockrill's poetic writing combined with a modern setting and relatable teenage characters made me feel comfortable, as if I were reading a summery young adult contemporary story about family, friendship and falling in love, but with a twist. I found Lorali's naivety and enthusiasm charming, and Rory a loyal and friendly support. And you can't have a mermaid without a pirate: the Abelgare boys � Otto, Oska and Jasper � were both delightful and chilling to read about.
Dark, often violent and with a little social commentary thrown in, Lorali is unique, inventive and impressed me a whole lot.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on .
August 23, 2015
UGH, why do I never have any luck with mermaid books? This was confusing, I didn't really care about the characters and I skimmed a lot of it.
But you'll hear more of that tomorrow when I review it.
____________________________________
Ever since reading Ingo by Helen Dunmore when I was a wee lass, I’ve been hunting for an incredible mermaid book.
These books are AMAZING. They’re kind of dark and powerful and the underwater world is described so amazingly, and the world-building is phenomenal, and there’s Earth and Sea magic, and…ahhh, it’s just incredible.
Even just thinking about them makes me want to reread them.
Unfortunately, Lorali was not that book.
I had a LOT of issues with it. The first issue was pacing. It was REALLY, really slow, and I ended up skimming a fair portion of it because I was just so bored. Plus, out of three POVs, one of them was the perspective of The Sea � I’m not denying that it’s a really unique and interesting way to write (and something I found intriguing) but it was just used as kind of a way to info-dump. So that I wasn’t a fan of.
Lorali herself was an interesting character.
I liked reading her POV to start with because it was full of SENSATIONS, and all these choppy sentences that was her describing how it felt to be on land.
And Rory (arguably the MAIN character) was quite sweet, although he didn’t seem very three-dimensional to me.
Also, can you guess how long it took for him and Lorali to fall in love? Not long.
I also had a problem with the world-building.
The underwater world wasn’t really explained very well. And even the ABOVE-water world � we’ve got pirates (the Abelgare brothers) and Sirens and weird bird-women things and maybe it was because I skimmed a lot, but I had no CLUE what was going on.
Then there was the really confusing mixes of tone.
We’ve got the POV of “The Sea,� which was all dark and mysterious and with lovely writing. BUT THEN, in the middle of the book, when one of the mermaids comes onto land, there are all these blog posts about “mermaid culture� where these twelvies are telling each other that you can transform into a mermaid by filling a bath full of salt and pressing your legs together??? And some girl dies from this and there’s a news article on it?
I MEAN. WHAT EVEN. So then these twelvies just start attacking each other with atrocious grammar, and after a bit of that we go back to the dark, deep, mysterious Sea’s voice.Overall? Not quite my favourite mermaid book out there.
Though I liked Lorali and the uniqueness of using The Sea as a point of view (I really do think it’s a cool idea), I just really wasn’t having a fun time reading it.
But you'll hear more of that tomorrow when I review it.
____________________________________
Ever since reading Ingo by Helen Dunmore when I was a wee lass, I’ve been hunting for an incredible mermaid book.
These books are AMAZING. They’re kind of dark and powerful and the underwater world is described so amazingly, and the world-building is phenomenal, and there’s Earth and Sea magic, and…ahhh, it’s just incredible.
Even just thinking about them makes me want to reread them.
Unfortunately, Lorali was not that book.
I had a LOT of issues with it. The first issue was pacing. It was REALLY, really slow, and I ended up skimming a fair portion of it because I was just so bored. Plus, out of three POVs, one of them was the perspective of The Sea � I’m not denying that it’s a really unique and interesting way to write (and something I found intriguing) but it was just used as kind of a way to info-dump. So that I wasn’t a fan of.
Lorali herself was an interesting character.
I liked reading her POV to start with because it was full of SENSATIONS, and all these choppy sentences that was her describing how it felt to be on land.
And Rory (arguably the MAIN character) was quite sweet, although he didn’t seem very three-dimensional to me.
Also, can you guess how long it took for him and Lorali to fall in love? Not long.
I also had a problem with the world-building.
The underwater world wasn’t really explained very well. And even the ABOVE-water world � we’ve got pirates (the Abelgare brothers) and Sirens and weird bird-women things and maybe it was because I skimmed a lot, but I had no CLUE what was going on.
Then there was the really confusing mixes of tone.
We’ve got the POV of “The Sea,� which was all dark and mysterious and with lovely writing. BUT THEN, in the middle of the book, when one of the mermaids comes onto land, there are all these blog posts about “mermaid culture� where these twelvies are telling each other that you can transform into a mermaid by filling a bath full of salt and pressing your legs together??? And some girl dies from this and there’s a news article on it?
I MEAN. WHAT EVEN. So then these twelvies just start attacking each other with atrocious grammar, and after a bit of that we go back to the dark, deep, mysterious Sea’s voice.Overall? Not quite my favourite mermaid book out there.
Though I liked Lorali and the uniqueness of using The Sea as a point of view (I really do think it’s a cool idea), I just really wasn’t having a fun time reading it.
January 26, 2016
Oh my gosh, this was the best mermaid book ever! I loved the different perspectives and the descriptive writing style was just so beautiful! All the characters were really quirky and developed for such a short book, this is definitely worth a read!
July 21, 2015
I haven't had much luck with Mermaid themed young adult reads, they tend to be underwhelming and not the magical, whimsical storylines most readers are probably expecting. Not only does Lorali break that mould, but it's a much darker storyline than I'd imagined. Told from three points of view, Rory, Lorali and The Sea, it tells the story of Princess Lorali who has surfaced among humans and those who are on the hunt to capture her.
It was deliciously bizarre, the inclusion of pirates, the sirens they tame and the world between the underwater kingdom and Walkers was simplistic, yet incredibly engaging once the hunt for Lorali begins. Rory's character is the average, knockabout lad but cares deeply for his single mother who seems on the verge of falling apart. Along with best friends Flynn and Elvis, they plan on celebrating Rory's sixteenth birthday when the weather turns nasty and Lorali washes up on shore. Her transformation from mermaid to human is incredibly charming.
But lorali is by no means safe, and Rory is about to find out how deadly betrayal can be. As much as I enjoyed the storyline overall, I found the world building lacking. Lorali's underwater kingdom was underdeveloped and I found it hard to imagine. Seeing a point of view from The Sea was bizarre, and it felt as though it used the narrative as a way to explain the pirates and the politics of Lorali's world. Inventive, but personally I would rather have seen a point of view from the pirate Abelgare brothers, who added a dose of intrigue throughout the storyline.
Lorali is a unique storyline of mermaids, sirens and pirates within the human world. Slow to begin, but the action soon heats up as the battle is on to capture and return Lorali home... Or otherwise. With points of view from The Sea, it is a unique read and one of the more engaging mermaid themed books in young adult.
September 1, 2015
this book is genius. I want to live inside Dockrill's mind because damn that place must be amazing! I'm really disappointed with the ending. otherwise, this would be a 5 star book, no doubt about it.
full review here:
full review here:
July 14, 2015
I've never read a mermaid book before and I honestly wasn't sure if this book would be for me but to my surprise I ended up LOVING it. Being inside Laura Dockrill's imagination is a wonderful thing. I now want to read everything she writes!
October 28, 2015
I've never read a mermaid book before but am totally glad that I picked this one up first! If you have any recommendations for me for future mermaid reads then please feel free to leave a comment :)
- So this novel follows the story of a young mermaid princess named Lorali. At the beginning of the novel Lorali is found by a young lad named Rory who is walking along the beach and to his great surprise comes across a completely naked girl (Lorali). Confused and panicky Rory decides to take Lorali home in the hopes of discovering where she has come from and how he can help her. As Rory and his friends attempt to help Lorali there is a whole host of chaos happening under the sea. Below the waves the mermaids are in complete panic at the loss of their beloved princess. They send a mermaid up into London to speak with the humans and plea for the safe return of Lorali. The mermaids also seek the help of a ship full of immaculately dressed pirates who arrive in Rory's town on the hunt for Lorali.
- I loved the chaos and craziness that ensued after Lorali went missing, it gave the book a drive and all these mad situations kept popping up that left me in stiches. The book is split into three perspectives - Rory, Lorali and The Sea. The Sea was by far my favourite perspective to read through, it just had this all encompassing eye over all aspects of the story and I thought that worked fantastically.
- Laura Dockrill also wove poetry within the narrative which I found to be very thought-provoking and it added a wonderful flow to the story. After meeting Laura at the Hot Key Books blogger event I can definitely see her bright and bubbly personality shining out from this novel!
- 4 out of 5 stars, a great read and I look forward to reading more from Dockrill in the future. I would recommend this to any lover of mermaids or anyone looking for a good ole adventure!
- So this novel follows the story of a young mermaid princess named Lorali. At the beginning of the novel Lorali is found by a young lad named Rory who is walking along the beach and to his great surprise comes across a completely naked girl (Lorali). Confused and panicky Rory decides to take Lorali home in the hopes of discovering where she has come from and how he can help her. As Rory and his friends attempt to help Lorali there is a whole host of chaos happening under the sea. Below the waves the mermaids are in complete panic at the loss of their beloved princess. They send a mermaid up into London to speak with the humans and plea for the safe return of Lorali. The mermaids also seek the help of a ship full of immaculately dressed pirates who arrive in Rory's town on the hunt for Lorali.
- I loved the chaos and craziness that ensued after Lorali went missing, it gave the book a drive and all these mad situations kept popping up that left me in stiches. The book is split into three perspectives - Rory, Lorali and The Sea. The Sea was by far my favourite perspective to read through, it just had this all encompassing eye over all aspects of the story and I thought that worked fantastically.
- Laura Dockrill also wove poetry within the narrative which I found to be very thought-provoking and it added a wonderful flow to the story. After meeting Laura at the Hot Key Books blogger event I can definitely see her bright and bubbly personality shining out from this novel!
- 4 out of 5 stars, a great read and I look forward to reading more from Dockrill in the future. I would recommend this to any lover of mermaids or anyone looking for a good ole adventure!
June 14, 2015
I knew this book would be special because it is written by Laura. Laura is one of those brilliantly unique human beings who shine without trying because they are just being themselves.
This book is absolutely bonkers. Quite literally like nothing you've ever read before. Just brilliant.
You will read it and want to be a mermaid. Or a pirate. Or both. The world that Laura writes just begs to be read about and I found myself completely drawn in and unable to put the book down and finished it in one sitting.
I loved the main characters Lorali and Rory. I love Lorali's naivety and how sweet and caring Rory was. I loved how the story was both heartfelt and funny throughout.
The end killed me and left me in pieces
If you want to read something truly unique pick this book up now.
This book is absolutely bonkers. Quite literally like nothing you've ever read before. Just brilliant.
You will read it and want to be a mermaid. Or a pirate. Or both. The world that Laura writes just begs to be read about and I found myself completely drawn in and unable to put the book down and finished it in one sitting.
I loved the main characters Lorali and Rory. I love Lorali's naivety and how sweet and caring Rory was. I loved how the story was both heartfelt and funny throughout.
The end killed me and left me in pieces
If you want to read something truly unique pick this book up now.
May 12, 2016
A solid three stars. I wanted more from the mermaid lore. How to they smoke and drink cocktails under water? The poetic language was a bit heavy handed. I didn't believe the romance and thought the ending was rushed and subversive just for the sake of being so rather than because the narrative called for it. If you're looking for a dark, modern twist on a mermaid tale with pirates and death and social media, then this is the book for you!
July 30, 2015
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Arc kindly provided by the publisher, via netGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Lorali is a cute, lovely book filled with beautiful, thrilling mermaids and pirates and adventure.
Writing Style
Laura Dockrill did a great job expressing every character’s feelings and made it possible to relate. It’s important to know what’s inside the mind of the heroes in order to be able to understand their actions. At first I found weird the way she wrote the book because there were many POVs and every POV had a different way of writing. I thought that it was confusing but then I realized that it was actually genious. I could see the difference in every character’s behavior and thoughts and it was easy for me to know which character is, everytime the writing style changes. I didn’t enjoy the small chaotic sentences in Lorali’s POV but I can understand the reason behind them.
[Heart. Bu-Boom. Listen. UP FOR BREATH.Tick. Tock. Legs. Heavy. Sink. Flap. Flap. Flap. In. Out. Calm. Like the fog.]
There were pages full with small confusing sentences like the one above. Yeah, Lorali’s thoughts were chaotic because she was experiencing new things and she was scared but I’d rather have a different description than this. I was unable to follow page after page full with these small sentences. I skipped. Btw that’s the only reason the book lost a star.
World Building
Mermaids. When I read the blurb I had in my mind the usual mainstream mermaids and I was so excited and relieved when I read that these mermaids were different. The Whirl. their kingdom was a mesmerising place, with sea forests and gardens and creatures and a beautiful castle. I approved of what I read. Mermaids weren’t born the usual way but they were humans who died and got a second chance in life. They were salvaged by other mermaids but I am not going to reveal more, you have to read. It was impressing. Also they had their tapestries in their tails and their memories and feelings could be seen there through colors and shapes and all. How awesome is that?
Also I liked the fact that there were modern pirates. I tend to forget the meaning behind the word ‘pirate� and I’ve only connected it with old times. My mistake.
Characters
Lorali was entertaining. A mermaid that surfaced and got legs is always fun to read. I found cute all of her reactions and I loved how honestly naive she was because of her understandable ignorance. She was thirsty for knowledge and adventure; ready to live. Her fascination over pretty much everything was the best part and her will to trust Rory and the humans was sweet. I liked Lorali and I wish more female leads could be like her.
Rory was the nicest person I’ve ever read about. It was a bit odd to read the thoughts of a 16-year-old boy who is desperate to be a man because I am used to female leads but it was enjoyable. For the first time I could finally understand the struggles of a teenage boy. Actual struggles that normal teenage boys usually have. it was absolutely fun. Well yeah when he met Lorali his priorities changed but it was sweet to read step by step about how he fell in love with her and how he grew to be a man because he needed to keep her safe. I love when there is that kind of character development.
I am not going to talk about more characters because there were many and you also need to find out by yourself. I’ll only talk about the Sea, which was actually a character with feelings and thoughts. The Sea was a narrator and was part of Lorali’s journey, experiencing all of her adventures but mostly she was there to introduce us to the rest of the characters like the Pirates, the Mers and more.
Ending
I am not completely satisfied with how the book ended because I am a fan of happy ends. I am not saying that the book ends in a bad way but it felt like there will be more and to be honest I expect something more because there is more to see anyway.
In general
I found the book unique and interesting and even though there were some parts that I skipped because of the writing style I still felt the need to be generous and rate the book with four stars. It was worthy of my time and if there’s a second book I will definitelly reading.
Check out my twitter
Also you can like my fb page
Arc kindly provided by the publisher, via netGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Lorali is a cute, lovely book filled with beautiful, thrilling mermaids and pirates and adventure.
Writing Style
Laura Dockrill did a great job expressing every character’s feelings and made it possible to relate. It’s important to know what’s inside the mind of the heroes in order to be able to understand their actions. At first I found weird the way she wrote the book because there were many POVs and every POV had a different way of writing. I thought that it was confusing but then I realized that it was actually genious. I could see the difference in every character’s behavior and thoughts and it was easy for me to know which character is, everytime the writing style changes. I didn’t enjoy the small chaotic sentences in Lorali’s POV but I can understand the reason behind them.
[Heart. Bu-Boom. Listen. UP FOR BREATH.Tick. Tock. Legs. Heavy. Sink. Flap. Flap. Flap. In. Out. Calm. Like the fog.]
There were pages full with small confusing sentences like the one above. Yeah, Lorali’s thoughts were chaotic because she was experiencing new things and she was scared but I’d rather have a different description than this. I was unable to follow page after page full with these small sentences. I skipped. Btw that’s the only reason the book lost a star.
World Building
Mermaids. When I read the blurb I had in my mind the usual mainstream mermaids and I was so excited and relieved when I read that these mermaids were different. The Whirl. their kingdom was a mesmerising place, with sea forests and gardens and creatures and a beautiful castle. I approved of what I read. Mermaids weren’t born the usual way but they were humans who died and got a second chance in life. They were salvaged by other mermaids but I am not going to reveal more, you have to read. It was impressing. Also they had their tapestries in their tails and their memories and feelings could be seen there through colors and shapes and all. How awesome is that?
Also I liked the fact that there were modern pirates. I tend to forget the meaning behind the word ‘pirate� and I’ve only connected it with old times. My mistake.
Characters
Lorali was entertaining. A mermaid that surfaced and got legs is always fun to read. I found cute all of her reactions and I loved how honestly naive she was because of her understandable ignorance. She was thirsty for knowledge and adventure; ready to live. Her fascination over pretty much everything was the best part and her will to trust Rory and the humans was sweet. I liked Lorali and I wish more female leads could be like her.
Rory was the nicest person I’ve ever read about. It was a bit odd to read the thoughts of a 16-year-old boy who is desperate to be a man because I am used to female leads but it was enjoyable. For the first time I could finally understand the struggles of a teenage boy. Actual struggles that normal teenage boys usually have. it was absolutely fun. Well yeah when he met Lorali his priorities changed but it was sweet to read step by step about how he fell in love with her and how he grew to be a man because he needed to keep her safe. I love when there is that kind of character development.
I am not going to talk about more characters because there were many and you also need to find out by yourself. I’ll only talk about the Sea, which was actually a character with feelings and thoughts. The Sea was a narrator and was part of Lorali’s journey, experiencing all of her adventures but mostly she was there to introduce us to the rest of the characters like the Pirates, the Mers and more.
Ending
I am not completely satisfied with how the book ended because I am a fan of happy ends. I am not saying that the book ends in a bad way but it felt like there will be more and to be honest I expect something more because there is more to see anyway.
In general
I found the book unique and interesting and even though there were some parts that I skipped because of the writing style I still felt the need to be generous and rate the book with four stars. It was worthy of my time and if there’s a second book I will definitelly reading.
March 8, 2017
I found the ending to this novel incredibly poetic, if rather sad, but felt that it just didn't live up to the hype surrounding it.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
November 13, 2016
The moment I saw this book's cover and heard it was a mermaid story, my mind instinctively went to the TV show H2O and how much I had loved it and was missing it. Then, the cherry on top: three PoVs, among which there was the sea's point of view. Say no more, Lorali, you had to be mine.
But oh, Lorali, why did you have to ruin everything? Why did you had to go ahead and crash all my expectations?
The story was, in one word, boring. In two words, boring and annoying. I actually thought about DNF the book and leave it at that, then the pace picked up a bit halfway through and I started to feel involved in whatever was happening once again. But the conclusion turned out to be a one-way ticket downhill towards eyeroll-land.
Mermaids were not born as mermaids. They used to be humans who died at sea, where they were salvaged by other mermaids. When they begin their new life, they forget everything about their previous one with which the only connection is the story told by their tapestries' design. Mermaids get their final tapestry during an important rite of passage called "resolution".
Something goes awry with Lorali's resolution, something that propels her to surface searching for him. She ends up naked at the shore, where she's found by a guy from Hastings called Rory. Rory doesn't know who she is or where she's from but she's different and he wants to help her out.
A guy who wants to help out a beautiful naked girl at the shore. How noble of him.
Jokes aside, it's not that I didn't like him. I just didn't get to know him well enough, and I can say the same about all the other characters that were involved; I saw the tip of the iceberg and that was it, despite all the unnecessary digressions.
I won't go into many details regarding the worldbuilding, because spoilers, but there were many plot holes and matters that remained unexplained or hanging without resolution.
Now, the 3 PoVs that sold me in the beginning? They started out as three tentative writing styles, as if the author was doing experiments with words but along the way they blurred all together melting into just one fractured writing style that I personally didn't enjoy, and it became harder to figure out who the narrator was unless I checked the head chapter.
To this day, I'm still not sure whether I liked it or not but I tend towards the "didn't like it". It was unique, I won't deny it, but it was confusing and disconnected and it kept beating about the bush when it could have gotten right to the chase.
Not the mermaid story I was hoping to find.
*thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book*
August 26, 2016
I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book as I have never read any Mermaid tales before. The blurb on my proof copy didn't reveal very much either, and honestly, didn't excite me very much. I only read this as the author was coming for a signing in store, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered.
Turns out, I shouldn't have bothered anyway as it was deeply underwhelming.
This book had so much potential to be this beautiful, magical, fantastical YA story, but instead I was utterly bored.
It had mermaids, pirates, sirens and an exciting pirate chase that should be the basis of a gripping story, but the lack of world building just left me counting the pages to see how long before I could finish this book and move on to something better instead.
The book had 3 POVs: main dude Rory, the mermaid with new legs Lorali, and uhhh... The sea. I didn't feel engaged with the 2 leads as their personalities were underdeveloped. The Sea was an interesting POV, and very original, but ultimately not enough "personality" to make it work.
The description of the Whirl (where the mermaids live) was confusing and therefore, that whole part of the story did nothing for me.
The poetic-type prose was too much and tried too hard. It didn't work.
All in all, some great ideas in this novel, but the execution just turned this fairy tale in to a dud.
Turns out, I shouldn't have bothered anyway as it was deeply underwhelming.
This book had so much potential to be this beautiful, magical, fantastical YA story, but instead I was utterly bored.
It had mermaids, pirates, sirens and an exciting pirate chase that should be the basis of a gripping story, but the lack of world building just left me counting the pages to see how long before I could finish this book and move on to something better instead.
The book had 3 POVs: main dude Rory, the mermaid with new legs Lorali, and uhhh... The sea. I didn't feel engaged with the 2 leads as their personalities were underdeveloped. The Sea was an interesting POV, and very original, but ultimately not enough "personality" to make it work.
The description of the Whirl (where the mermaids live) was confusing and therefore, that whole part of the story did nothing for me.
The poetic-type prose was too much and tried too hard. It didn't work.
All in all, some great ideas in this novel, but the execution just turned this fairy tale in to a dud.
August 4, 2015
Rating - 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of Lorali from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lorali by Laura Dockrill is a YA book about a young mermaid Princess who becomes a human and washes up on a beach in England. I thought it was a unique book, different from most of the other mermaid books I've read.
The two main characters, Lorali and Rory, were both likeable. Lorali was sweet and unintentionally funny a lot of the time. The way she was excited about her feet, and cake, and all the new things was adorable! Rory was a typical 16 year old boy, he wanted to hang out with his friends and celebrate his birthday. But when it came to Lorali he really stepped up and looked out for her.
The changing PoVs were a little confusing at times but I think part of that was because my kindle copy wasn't a finished copy so sometimes the narrator wasn't identified until part way through their chapter. I enjoyed the chapters from Opal Zeal's PoV, and the Pirates were interesting.
I really liked the mermaid culture in this book, and I want to see a lot more of it in the sequel. My favourite parts were learning about the tapestries (tail) and how the mermaids were made.
Definitely a fun book.
I received a copy of Lorali from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lorali by Laura Dockrill is a YA book about a young mermaid Princess who becomes a human and washes up on a beach in England. I thought it was a unique book, different from most of the other mermaid books I've read.
The two main characters, Lorali and Rory, were both likeable. Lorali was sweet and unintentionally funny a lot of the time. The way she was excited about her feet, and cake, and all the new things was adorable! Rory was a typical 16 year old boy, he wanted to hang out with his friends and celebrate his birthday. But when it came to Lorali he really stepped up and looked out for her.
The changing PoVs were a little confusing at times but I think part of that was because my kindle copy wasn't a finished copy so sometimes the narrator wasn't identified until part way through their chapter. I enjoyed the chapters from Opal Zeal's PoV, and the Pirates were interesting.
I really liked the mermaid culture in this book, and I want to see a lot more of it in the sequel. My favourite parts were learning about the tapestries (tail) and how the mermaids were made.
Definitely a fun book.
December 14, 2015
This was an odd little book. There were lots of good points but in terms of tone it didn't quite hit the mark. It vacillated between fluffy book for the very young to gritty book for people who like dark shit and, as a result, didn't really succeed in either mark.
I appreciated
-the weirdness. seriously. it was weird and surreal.
-the use of modern British slang and speech patterns and realistic young person behaviour
-the internet stuff
-the sheer wonder of Opal
-the boy makeover scene
-the mermaid creation story
-the effort at an action-packed climax
-PIRATES!
I didn't appreciate
-the indistinguishable voices
-the awful slut-shamey perspective of the mc
-insta-love
-low stakes
-
-conveniently absent/mentally ill mother
so, yeah. not terrible. not amazing. the author just needed to pick a tone and stick to it
I appreciated
-the weirdness. seriously. it was weird and surreal.
-the use of modern British slang and speech patterns and realistic young person behaviour
-the internet stuff
-the sheer wonder of Opal
-the boy makeover scene
-the mermaid creation story
-the effort at an action-packed climax
-PIRATES!
I didn't appreciate
-the indistinguishable voices
-the awful slut-shamey perspective of the mc
-insta-love
-low stakes
-
-conveniently absent/mentally ill mother
so, yeah. not terrible. not amazing. the author just needed to pick a tone and stick to it
June 30, 2015
(3.5)Wasn't what I was expecting (in a good way) and quite eccentric (also in a good way).
July 23, 2016
THIS.BOOK.OMG.
i can't even bye
i can't even bye
September 1, 2015
Not my kind of book at all... mermaids... pirates. But yet I'm sat here having just finished it, with tears in my eyes, thinking I have to give this book five stars! There was action, adventure, a whole new world to explore, with it's own politics and rules on life, and wonderful characters.
It was so beautifully written as well. The three narrators, Lorali, Rory and The Sea, had such distinctive voices, especially The Sea's voice, you could almost hear the waves against the shore wrapped around in the rhythm of the words. All three voices really stood out. The book itself is very descriptive, about the coast and the sea making the story very visual. There's also many twists and tales you don't see coming. And those sirens - ugh, make me shudder just thinking abut them!
It did take me a while to get into the pattern of this book. The whole world of the Whirl, where the mermaids lived needed to be explained but it was in amongst Rory's teen speak, which wasn't easy to start with. Also the story in a couple of points is spoken in "tx spk" which I couldn't fully read/understand and I do wonder how readable that part will be ten years down the line?
This world doesn't deserve just one book! I really hope the author has thought about writing more about this world. Maybe not even Lorali and Rory's story, but the back stories of some of the other characters would be brilliant.
Also it took me 217 pages to realise... Lorali.... Rory!!! :)
And that cover! Really stands out!
It was so beautifully written as well. The three narrators, Lorali, Rory and The Sea, had such distinctive voices, especially The Sea's voice, you could almost hear the waves against the shore wrapped around in the rhythm of the words. All three voices really stood out. The book itself is very descriptive, about the coast and the sea making the story very visual. There's also many twists and tales you don't see coming. And those sirens - ugh, make me shudder just thinking abut them!
It did take me a while to get into the pattern of this book. The whole world of the Whirl, where the mermaids lived needed to be explained but it was in amongst Rory's teen speak, which wasn't easy to start with. Also the story in a couple of points is spoken in "tx spk" which I couldn't fully read/understand and I do wonder how readable that part will be ten years down the line?
This world doesn't deserve just one book! I really hope the author has thought about writing more about this world. Maybe not even Lorali and Rory's story, but the back stories of some of the other characters would be brilliant.
Also it took me 217 pages to realise... Lorali.... Rory!!! :)
And that cover! Really stands out!
April 28, 2015
LORALIMermaids, love, action and hilarious moments.
I haven't read a good mermaid YA in a very long time. There hasn't been one that has captured my imagination until now. After reading it I want to be a mermaid. Better yet I want to be a pirate! I want to sail the seals with mermaid Royalty. I want to brandish a sword and fight my enemies. This book has brought to life a creature that wasn't so prevalent in YA to the full front of greatness.
This book had some really funny moments... From mermaids swimming down the river thames to finding nemo references! It was such a page turner. Laura has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through the beautiful ocean and rainy Hastings on this action packed suspenseful that had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.
I enjoyed the switch between characters. Especially as Laura made the Sea a character. It flowed beautifully and was so cleverly written.
I loved the characters but especially Otto and his brothers. They reminded me of an older more attractive bunch of lost boys from Peter pan. Otto was such a witty, sarcastic seductive character! I can see why Opal has a thing for him.
This novel truly sucks you in and has you reading till all hours of the morning. Don't be surprised if you can't put it down. It sucks you in, drowns you and brings you back to life again in the best way possible!
I haven't read a good mermaid YA in a very long time. There hasn't been one that has captured my imagination until now. After reading it I want to be a mermaid. Better yet I want to be a pirate! I want to sail the seals with mermaid Royalty. I want to brandish a sword and fight my enemies. This book has brought to life a creature that wasn't so prevalent in YA to the full front of greatness.
This book had some really funny moments... From mermaids swimming down the river thames to finding nemo references! It was such a page turner. Laura has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through the beautiful ocean and rainy Hastings on this action packed suspenseful that had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.
I enjoyed the switch between characters. Especially as Laura made the Sea a character. It flowed beautifully and was so cleverly written.
I loved the characters but especially Otto and his brothers. They reminded me of an older more attractive bunch of lost boys from Peter pan. Otto was such a witty, sarcastic seductive character! I can see why Opal has a thing for him.
This novel truly sucks you in and has you reading till all hours of the morning. Don't be surprised if you can't put it down. It sucks you in, drowns you and brings you back to life again in the best way possible!
July 24, 2015
LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED.
Seriously, I just can't get over how brilliantly inventive and hilarious Laura Dockrill is. So much fun, and such vivid imagery. This book is a riot of colour and feels and the most excellent choice of words. I'm pretty jealous to be honest!
A crash-bang-wallop of vivid storytelling and fun!!!
Seriously, I just can't get over how brilliantly inventive and hilarious Laura Dockrill is. So much fun, and such vivid imagery. This book is a riot of colour and feels and the most excellent choice of words. I'm pretty jealous to be honest!
A crash-bang-wallop of vivid storytelling and fun!!!
March 1, 2017
Solid 3.5 sadly I did not feel inclined to continually update my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ especially with it being a Readathon I was very slow on the updates. I enjoyed it I thought it was something different and fun I can't say it's something that's not a favorite but it will remain on my shelf I think it will be something to reread another time and see if it changes
August 5, 2015
4½ Out of 5
“You can't go back. You know you can't…�
Rory is just eating chips on the beach in Hastings, chilling on his birthday, when a storm appears from nowhere, sending him running for cover. Under the pier, he finds a girl. She's naked, new and different. He becomes her protector, but he doesn't know what he's let himself in for.
Because the girl is called Lorali and she isn't just a girl. She used to be a mermaid � but she has run away from everything.
And now the Mer are terrified � the Queen is causing storms, Opal (the human-expert mermaid) contacts her human helpers (who are a group of young, well-kempt pirates) and they are searching the seas desperately.
When they realise that the princess might not be hiding under a rock in the deep blue somewhere, however, the Queen is forced to take drastic measures � ones that will change the world (both above and below the ocean) forever...
I received a shell in the post in March. It was beautiful and came with the cryptic note #ReadingLorali. And yes, I really wanted to be reading Lorali. So when we saw Laura Dockrill at the HotKey and Piccadilly Bloggers' Brunch, heard her brilliant speech about Lorali and saw the utterly gorgeous cover, I knew I had to read it. As soon as freaking possible. And so I started reading on the train home and fell in love. This isn't like any other mermaid story I’ve ever read. It most certainly has that unique Laura Dockrill stamp. It is brilliant and it is bonkers and it is just so. much. fun!
The characters were all very varied, very unique and totally crazy. Lots of them had very intriguing backstories as well. But what really made them all awesome was how absolutely freaking bonkers they all were! Gotta love the eccentric ones!
Lorali was hilarious � so sweet and naive and funny and innocent and adorable. Even if she was a little unworldly, she was still so brave and lovely and strong. She was also so funny: like how clueless Ariel is in The Little Mermaid - that's a little what Lorali's like and it is so sweet and funny!
Rory was really sweet and so so kind - especially for a teenager. He was just so protective and adorable too � him and Lorali together were really cute! Even if they did have a bit of an insta-love situation going on, it was still so darn cute!
The pirates were, according to Laura, based on the "fittest guys ever". They were admittedly hilarious, bonkers, over-the-top and pretty damn badass � even if they were rather sexist and intimidating at times! I found them so funny! Egor was probably my favourite � gotta love a guy who sews! But all of them: they were so crazy, so funny and witty and snarky. And yeah, Opal, we get the crushes... trust us...
Flynn was so sweet and odd. And his granddad, Iris, was brilliant too! And Opal: she was bonkers and funny � like oh-so-many of the characters!
The personification of the Sea was fascinating � she was motherly and nurturing, cold and wild. Her voice was beautiful, her chapters varied and intriguing.
I was seriously impressed by the diverse kinds and styles of writing Laura used in Lorali. I mean, seriously. The beautiful lyrical writing of the sea, the rough talk of the pirates, Rory's teenaged voice and Lorali's poetical, soft way of speaking... It was all so brilliant and so addictive. And then there were the newspaper clippings and the blog pieces and... sigh. I really did love Laura's writing in this � and the split POVs!
This plot... I never knew what to expect. Never. It was as wild and unpredictable as the sea. I was literally clueless as to what would come next and was hooked from the word go. Full of twists, turns, insanity and laughter, Lorali was definitely a wave I loved to ride and never wanted to end � even when I was rushing so I could find out what happened! And the ending... it was so unexpected. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it: on one hand love, it's perfect... on another, not so much... I don't know!
There were parts of the book that were really hard to read � Iris' backstory being one example... This may be a book about mermaids, but don't go expecting a Disney movie interpretation of mermaids. Lorali might be a book about mermaids, with pirates and sirens and the sea, but it is very much set in the real world, with real world problems and issues. It is what made this book even more special and unique.
Well, that and the mermaid mythology, which was intriguing and, I think, really unique. To begin with, it's unclear how Mer are made, where they come from, but soon it's all brilliantly clear, thanks to one of our narrators, The Sea. And their home, the Whirl, deep in the sea, the palace and the Queen Keppel and the tapestries of the Mer and just... everything. It was genius, creative, beautiful and so different and dark at times. Somehow, Laura made this otherworldly Mer universe feel real and true � thanks to the diverse backgrounds the Mer came from and the way she doesn't shy away from darkness, without covering everything with it.
I'm a bonkers gal myself. I love being 'special' as my family calls it. And ergo I adored Lorali to absolute pieces. It was just so much fun � so funny and insane and addictive. This is a must-read for all teenagers who still think mermaids rock � but wish they were a little less Little Mermaid esque. It is a book for people who love to laugh, but love a brilliant, magical storyline just as much. It is just a must-read! It was so insane and so brilliant! Yay Lorali!
Y’know, I read very few truly original books. But Lorali was utterly original, utterly amazing and utterly addictive. It hooked me from the very first word, reeled me in until I was lost in the blue waters of the Mer world and the rocky waves of the storyline and didn't let me go � even after I had finished reading. And now I am so very desperate for a sequel. I'm just not ready to give these wacky mermaids and characters up yet...
“You can't go back. You know you can't…�
Rory is just eating chips on the beach in Hastings, chilling on his birthday, when a storm appears from nowhere, sending him running for cover. Under the pier, he finds a girl. She's naked, new and different. He becomes her protector, but he doesn't know what he's let himself in for.
Because the girl is called Lorali and she isn't just a girl. She used to be a mermaid � but she has run away from everything.
And now the Mer are terrified � the Queen is causing storms, Opal (the human-expert mermaid) contacts her human helpers (who are a group of young, well-kempt pirates) and they are searching the seas desperately.
When they realise that the princess might not be hiding under a rock in the deep blue somewhere, however, the Queen is forced to take drastic measures � ones that will change the world (both above and below the ocean) forever...
I received a shell in the post in March. It was beautiful and came with the cryptic note #ReadingLorali. And yes, I really wanted to be reading Lorali. So when we saw Laura Dockrill at the HotKey and Piccadilly Bloggers' Brunch, heard her brilliant speech about Lorali and saw the utterly gorgeous cover, I knew I had to read it. As soon as freaking possible. And so I started reading on the train home and fell in love. This isn't like any other mermaid story I’ve ever read. It most certainly has that unique Laura Dockrill stamp. It is brilliant and it is bonkers and it is just so. much. fun!
The characters were all very varied, very unique and totally crazy. Lots of them had very intriguing backstories as well. But what really made them all awesome was how absolutely freaking bonkers they all were! Gotta love the eccentric ones!
Lorali was hilarious � so sweet and naive and funny and innocent and adorable. Even if she was a little unworldly, she was still so brave and lovely and strong. She was also so funny: like how clueless Ariel is in The Little Mermaid - that's a little what Lorali's like and it is so sweet and funny!
Rory was really sweet and so so kind - especially for a teenager. He was just so protective and adorable too � him and Lorali together were really cute! Even if they did have a bit of an insta-love situation going on, it was still so darn cute!
The pirates were, according to Laura, based on the "fittest guys ever". They were admittedly hilarious, bonkers, over-the-top and pretty damn badass � even if they were rather sexist and intimidating at times! I found them so funny! Egor was probably my favourite � gotta love a guy who sews! But all of them: they were so crazy, so funny and witty and snarky. And yeah, Opal, we get the crushes... trust us...
Flynn was so sweet and odd. And his granddad, Iris, was brilliant too! And Opal: she was bonkers and funny � like oh-so-many of the characters!
The personification of the Sea was fascinating � she was motherly and nurturing, cold and wild. Her voice was beautiful, her chapters varied and intriguing.
I was seriously impressed by the diverse kinds and styles of writing Laura used in Lorali. I mean, seriously. The beautiful lyrical writing of the sea, the rough talk of the pirates, Rory's teenaged voice and Lorali's poetical, soft way of speaking... It was all so brilliant and so addictive. And then there were the newspaper clippings and the blog pieces and... sigh. I really did love Laura's writing in this � and the split POVs!
This plot... I never knew what to expect. Never. It was as wild and unpredictable as the sea. I was literally clueless as to what would come next and was hooked from the word go. Full of twists, turns, insanity and laughter, Lorali was definitely a wave I loved to ride and never wanted to end � even when I was rushing so I could find out what happened! And the ending... it was so unexpected. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it: on one hand love, it's perfect... on another, not so much... I don't know!
There were parts of the book that were really hard to read � Iris' backstory being one example... This may be a book about mermaids, but don't go expecting a Disney movie interpretation of mermaids. Lorali might be a book about mermaids, with pirates and sirens and the sea, but it is very much set in the real world, with real world problems and issues. It is what made this book even more special and unique.
Well, that and the mermaid mythology, which was intriguing and, I think, really unique. To begin with, it's unclear how Mer are made, where they come from, but soon it's all brilliantly clear, thanks to one of our narrators, The Sea. And their home, the Whirl, deep in the sea, the palace and the Queen Keppel and the tapestries of the Mer and just... everything. It was genius, creative, beautiful and so different and dark at times. Somehow, Laura made this otherworldly Mer universe feel real and true � thanks to the diverse backgrounds the Mer came from and the way she doesn't shy away from darkness, without covering everything with it.
I'm a bonkers gal myself. I love being 'special' as my family calls it. And ergo I adored Lorali to absolute pieces. It was just so much fun � so funny and insane and addictive. This is a must-read for all teenagers who still think mermaids rock � but wish they were a little less Little Mermaid esque. It is a book for people who love to laugh, but love a brilliant, magical storyline just as much. It is just a must-read! It was so insane and so brilliant! Yay Lorali!
Y’know, I read very few truly original books. But Lorali was utterly original, utterly amazing and utterly addictive. It hooked me from the very first word, reeled me in until I was lost in the blue waters of the Mer world and the rocky waves of the storyline and didn't let me go � even after I had finished reading. And now I am so very desperate for a sequel. I'm just not ready to give these wacky mermaids and characters up yet...
August 6, 2015
All Rory had planned for his 16th birthday was a underage drink with his friends in the dead end seaside town of Hastings. Until he finds a strange, naked girl on the beach. Her name is Lorali. Followed by fierce storms and a group of mysterious figures who look like they’ve stepped out of the 18th century, Rory is drawn to the strange creature, determined to protect her. But who is Lorali? Where has she come from? And why is she running?
I have to confess to having a bit of an obsession with mermaids, even since I was a kid and I watched The Little Mermaid. Questionable life lesson aside, who didn’t want to live under the sea? This obsession faded with time, but mermaids still hold a special place in my fantasy heart, so when I saw the gorgeous scaled cover of Lorali, I was buying it! I was expecting an enchanting, fish out of water tale. I got it. But this book is so much more. Much like the sea itself, the book itself is beautiful and lush on the surface, but beneath the surface it is dark and perilous, surprisingly so.
The story is told from three povs; Rory, Lorali and The Sea (yes The Sea!). The writing style is very recognisable to a Brit, with Rory’s internal dialogue wonderfully believable for a teenage boy, his drive to protect Lorali never once feeling contrived. Similarly with the beautifully named Lorali. Wide eyed, naïve and never less than truly adorable, her chapters are made up of literal thoughts and sentence fragments, bringing a heart-warming honesty to her chapters. Thankfully, there’s no insta-love here, rather an organic love story of sorts between two characters more alike than they realise, both yearning for something more, stepping out from childhood into the unknown and beginning to sense the vastness of the world around them. It’s awkward, it’s uncertain, and it’s true.
The Sea is a strange concept for a pov, but it serves as the narrator, addressing the reader directly like an old friend filling you in on the gossip over a coffee and filling in the gaps in the story both above and below the sea. In any other books, these chapters could be seen as info dumps, but they’re so fresh and well written I hardly noticed. We learn the history of the Mer, of the pirates who chase them, those who aid them, their history, and it’s great! Laura Dockrill strives for realism, and does a fantastic job of bringing this fantasy world believably into the present day. There’s no “once upon a time� here. Mermaids and “walkers� live in the same world and this is nicely done. I adored the juxtaposition of the worlds above and beneath the waves. Having visited many a seaside town in my life, Laura Dockrill’s descriptions are perfect! Similarly, the Mer world is beautifully realised, from the harpy-like Sirens to the petrified “underwater forest� with a tragically beautiful history.
I’ve made no secret of my love of authors that aren’t afraid to “go there� rather than glossing over the darker inevitability of the worlds that they have built, and Laura Dockrill certainly does not do that here. And believe it or not that’s my only slight criticism of the novel. The Mer are more often than not abused women rescued by the sea and that, combined with the casual chauvinism of the Ablegare “pirates� who assist them, sits a little uneasily alongside the “star crossed lovers� story. Sure, women rule below the waves, the victims now beautiful and fierce, but it felt it a little bit too little too late. Similarly, going from reading about Lorali decorating her hiding place in one chapter, to hearing about the gang rape (albeit not explicitly) of a minor character in another is a bit jarring at times, the misogyny of some characters and the theme of feminism sitting oddly side by side.
Even with the occasional clash of tones though, the rich story is a gripping and hauntingly beautiful read. I choked back tears on more than one occasion. And the ending…oh the ending! I won’t give anything away, but I will just say that the ending had me literally crying a little. In the park. And an old lady came over and asked if I was ok. How embarrassing! Simply put, Lorali is a beautiful book, albeit not one for the faint-hearted. This is a fairy tale set in the real world, and it doesn’t shy away from all that brings with it. A wonderful read!
Originally posted at;
I have to confess to having a bit of an obsession with mermaids, even since I was a kid and I watched The Little Mermaid. Questionable life lesson aside, who didn’t want to live under the sea? This obsession faded with time, but mermaids still hold a special place in my fantasy heart, so when I saw the gorgeous scaled cover of Lorali, I was buying it! I was expecting an enchanting, fish out of water tale. I got it. But this book is so much more. Much like the sea itself, the book itself is beautiful and lush on the surface, but beneath the surface it is dark and perilous, surprisingly so.
The story is told from three povs; Rory, Lorali and The Sea (yes The Sea!). The writing style is very recognisable to a Brit, with Rory’s internal dialogue wonderfully believable for a teenage boy, his drive to protect Lorali never once feeling contrived. Similarly with the beautifully named Lorali. Wide eyed, naïve and never less than truly adorable, her chapters are made up of literal thoughts and sentence fragments, bringing a heart-warming honesty to her chapters. Thankfully, there’s no insta-love here, rather an organic love story of sorts between two characters more alike than they realise, both yearning for something more, stepping out from childhood into the unknown and beginning to sense the vastness of the world around them. It’s awkward, it’s uncertain, and it’s true.
The Sea is a strange concept for a pov, but it serves as the narrator, addressing the reader directly like an old friend filling you in on the gossip over a coffee and filling in the gaps in the story both above and below the sea. In any other books, these chapters could be seen as info dumps, but they’re so fresh and well written I hardly noticed. We learn the history of the Mer, of the pirates who chase them, those who aid them, their history, and it’s great! Laura Dockrill strives for realism, and does a fantastic job of bringing this fantasy world believably into the present day. There’s no “once upon a time� here. Mermaids and “walkers� live in the same world and this is nicely done. I adored the juxtaposition of the worlds above and beneath the waves. Having visited many a seaside town in my life, Laura Dockrill’s descriptions are perfect! Similarly, the Mer world is beautifully realised, from the harpy-like Sirens to the petrified “underwater forest� with a tragically beautiful history.
I’ve made no secret of my love of authors that aren’t afraid to “go there� rather than glossing over the darker inevitability of the worlds that they have built, and Laura Dockrill certainly does not do that here. And believe it or not that’s my only slight criticism of the novel. The Mer are more often than not abused women rescued by the sea and that, combined with the casual chauvinism of the Ablegare “pirates� who assist them, sits a little uneasily alongside the “star crossed lovers� story. Sure, women rule below the waves, the victims now beautiful and fierce, but it felt it a little bit too little too late. Similarly, going from reading about Lorali decorating her hiding place in one chapter, to hearing about the gang rape (albeit not explicitly) of a minor character in another is a bit jarring at times, the misogyny of some characters and the theme of feminism sitting oddly side by side.
Even with the occasional clash of tones though, the rich story is a gripping and hauntingly beautiful read. I choked back tears on more than one occasion. And the ending…oh the ending! I won’t give anything away, but I will just say that the ending had me literally crying a little. In the park. And an old lady came over and asked if I was ok. How embarrassing! Simply put, Lorali is a beautiful book, albeit not one for the faint-hearted. This is a fairy tale set in the real world, and it doesn’t shy away from all that brings with it. A wonderful read!
Originally posted at;
July 11, 2015
Review Originally Posted on
I received Lorali by Laura Dockrill from The Five Mile Press (Hot Key Books) in exchanged for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts on the book.
As soon as I read the synopsis for Lorali, I knew I needed it in my hands so I could read it. Firstly the cover is stunning, not only does it look beautiful. but it feels so cool. The front has scales like fish do, or like a mermaid’s tale and you can feel them.
Lorali jumps through 3 points of view; Rory the male protagonist and who the novel follows, Lorali; the mermaid that washes ashore and ‘The Sea.�
It was easy to distinguish between the different points of view. Rory had a very man like even boy like attitude in the way that he spoke and referred to things. I actually really enjoyed Rory as a Protagonist. It’s rare that I read a book with a male protagonist and I find them 1. Hard to connect to and 2. There isn’t too much of it. Rory is kind of the loner in a sense � he has friends, yes. But I got the vibe that he likes to be alone and that people just don’t get him.
Pretty early on in the book, the reader is able to see that Rory family is pretty dysfunctional. His father has left and too Rory, he is dead to him, but this took a toll on Rory’s mum and she isn’t what Rory needs.
Lorali’s point of view is interesting. All her sentences are short and don’t always make sense. But I think that added to her character. Lorali acted like a little girl and in a sense she was. She didn’t really know all too much about the land and ‘walkers,� so she was new to everything. She acted like a 3 year old and it was so cute. She was excited about so many different things that a normal 16/17 year old wouldn’t get excited about. It was so adorable and I love the way that Rory acted about it as well; yes it thought it was so wired before he knew what she was, but after…oh it made my heart flutter.
‘The Sea� was an interesting point of view. I haven’t read too many things when an author personifies something and I think that Laura Dockrill, did it perfectly. It was humanized in a way that if the chapters of Lorali didn’t have ‘The Sea� at the top, you would have thought it was human.
‘The Sea� followed a different people and it also gave the reader some back story on things and people that were brought up through the book.
One of the groups of people that the sea followed were aboard the Liberty Ship, the Ablegares boys, who are pirates. Otto, Oksa and Jasper are quite entertaining characters and I really enjoyed following their story. They shared such an awesome bond it was fun to read, but then they could be harsh and mean.
‘The Sea� also follows Orla a mermaid whose job is to keep an eye on the walkers, again she was a really interesting character, which kind of disappointed me in the end.
Although I loved the plot, the characters and all the twists and turns. I didn’t fall in love with the writing style. I am not a massive fan of lots of short sentences, I felt that when the book was in Lorali’s point of view it made sense, but not when it was in others. I also felt the ending lacked � I was just really confused by the ending. I don’t know if that was just me and I missed something.
Overall, I really enjoyed Lorali. It was a fun, exciting read, that I was turning page after page. It was fast paced and exciting. I also loved that Laura Dockrill put newspaper/internet and other forms of media pieces in the book about things that occurred it added something different to an already unique book. There is so much more that I could go on about, but I won’t. If you like fantasy/paranormal, romance anything really, I think that you would enjoy Lorali.
I received Lorali by Laura Dockrill from The Five Mile Press (Hot Key Books) in exchanged for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts on the book.
As soon as I read the synopsis for Lorali, I knew I needed it in my hands so I could read it. Firstly the cover is stunning, not only does it look beautiful. but it feels so cool. The front has scales like fish do, or like a mermaid’s tale and you can feel them.
Lorali jumps through 3 points of view; Rory the male protagonist and who the novel follows, Lorali; the mermaid that washes ashore and ‘The Sea.�
It was easy to distinguish between the different points of view. Rory had a very man like even boy like attitude in the way that he spoke and referred to things. I actually really enjoyed Rory as a Protagonist. It’s rare that I read a book with a male protagonist and I find them 1. Hard to connect to and 2. There isn’t too much of it. Rory is kind of the loner in a sense � he has friends, yes. But I got the vibe that he likes to be alone and that people just don’t get him.
Pretty early on in the book, the reader is able to see that Rory family is pretty dysfunctional. His father has left and too Rory, he is dead to him, but this took a toll on Rory’s mum and she isn’t what Rory needs.
Lorali’s point of view is interesting. All her sentences are short and don’t always make sense. But I think that added to her character. Lorali acted like a little girl and in a sense she was. She didn’t really know all too much about the land and ‘walkers,� so she was new to everything. She acted like a 3 year old and it was so cute. She was excited about so many different things that a normal 16/17 year old wouldn’t get excited about. It was so adorable and I love the way that Rory acted about it as well; yes it thought it was so wired before he knew what she was, but after…oh it made my heart flutter.
‘The Sea� was an interesting point of view. I haven’t read too many things when an author personifies something and I think that Laura Dockrill, did it perfectly. It was humanized in a way that if the chapters of Lorali didn’t have ‘The Sea� at the top, you would have thought it was human.
‘The Sea� followed a different people and it also gave the reader some back story on things and people that were brought up through the book.
One of the groups of people that the sea followed were aboard the Liberty Ship, the Ablegares boys, who are pirates. Otto, Oksa and Jasper are quite entertaining characters and I really enjoyed following their story. They shared such an awesome bond it was fun to read, but then they could be harsh and mean.
‘The Sea� also follows Orla a mermaid whose job is to keep an eye on the walkers, again she was a really interesting character, which kind of disappointed me in the end.
Although I loved the plot, the characters and all the twists and turns. I didn’t fall in love with the writing style. I am not a massive fan of lots of short sentences, I felt that when the book was in Lorali’s point of view it made sense, but not when it was in others. I also felt the ending lacked � I was just really confused by the ending. I don’t know if that was just me and I missed something.
Overall, I really enjoyed Lorali. It was a fun, exciting read, that I was turning page after page. It was fast paced and exciting. I also loved that Laura Dockrill put newspaper/internet and other forms of media pieces in the book about things that occurred it added something different to an already unique book. There is so much more that I could go on about, but I won’t. If you like fantasy/paranormal, romance anything really, I think that you would enjoy Lorali.
October 18, 2015
Mermaids is not really a subject I’m familiar with, other than, of course, Disney’s The Little Mermaid. And it seemed to me this was a take on the original Hans Christian Anderson story, and I wonder why we keep going back to those basic elements instead of trying to create something new. Lorali is a mermaid who longs for something else and, as you would expect from what you know about mermaid stories, she swaps her tail for legs and heads up to dry land. Only when she gets there, she can’t remember why. She just wanted legs. She is discovered by a sixteen-year-old boy, Rory, sheltering from a storm under a pier, stark naked. Lorali’s disappearance from the sea has sparked discord among the mermaids and the pirates, and everyone is looking for her. She has no idea what she’s started.
I found this really hard to get into. The characters were unbelievable � a lot of the time I would read about their actions or things they had said and I would think that didn’t match the character, the age, the situation. There were unnecessary lengthy descriptions, particularly in the first chapter, where the reader was being shoved in the face with some of the points or facts of the place or people being described, and then there were other things I felt weren’t given enough time, like the underwater world. And then there was the third perspective, of the ‘Sea�. The Sea has a conscious now, and is all-knowing, everywhere. The Sea is a rather rambling, strange and annoying perspective who I could have done without. As for the information it provides, it probably would have been better done in third person.
A lot of this book felt like it was jerky and disjointed, and there were lots of leaps that the characters would make that wouldn’t add up to what they knew at that point in time. For example, when Rory firsts sees the pirates he is suddenly panicked for the naked girl left in the shed, but why? How does he know there is any connection? She hasn’t even really spoken to him yet. There were times that Rory would have long trains of thought, that were describing something for the reader’s benefit, but would not be thoughts a person who has seen what he is describing a hundred times would have.
The book did pick up mildly as Rory learns Lorali is a mermaid and they meet up with Rory’s friend Flynn and Flynn’s grandfather, but like the sea it ebbs and flows. There were a few giggle-inducing pages that covered newspaper articles and online blogs about mermaids, but it was the point where I started to wonder if this book was for real or if it was laughing at itself.
I thought the ending was original, but it couldn’t lift the book as a whole to anything higher than two stars. I struggled with it. I read it in an airport lounge while waiting for my flight, and kept stopping to tell my friend what ridiculous thing had happened next. It didn’t drag me in or captivate me, and as I’ve said my interest was only mild.
2.5 stars
I found this really hard to get into. The characters were unbelievable � a lot of the time I would read about their actions or things they had said and I would think that didn’t match the character, the age, the situation. There were unnecessary lengthy descriptions, particularly in the first chapter, where the reader was being shoved in the face with some of the points or facts of the place or people being described, and then there were other things I felt weren’t given enough time, like the underwater world. And then there was the third perspective, of the ‘Sea�. The Sea has a conscious now, and is all-knowing, everywhere. The Sea is a rather rambling, strange and annoying perspective who I could have done without. As for the information it provides, it probably would have been better done in third person.
A lot of this book felt like it was jerky and disjointed, and there were lots of leaps that the characters would make that wouldn’t add up to what they knew at that point in time. For example, when Rory firsts sees the pirates he is suddenly panicked for the naked girl left in the shed, but why? How does he know there is any connection? She hasn’t even really spoken to him yet. There were times that Rory would have long trains of thought, that were describing something for the reader’s benefit, but would not be thoughts a person who has seen what he is describing a hundred times would have.
The book did pick up mildly as Rory learns Lorali is a mermaid and they meet up with Rory’s friend Flynn and Flynn’s grandfather, but like the sea it ebbs and flows. There were a few giggle-inducing pages that covered newspaper articles and online blogs about mermaids, but it was the point where I started to wonder if this book was for real or if it was laughing at itself.
I thought the ending was original, but it couldn’t lift the book as a whole to anything higher than two stars. I struggled with it. I read it in an airport lounge while waiting for my flight, and kept stopping to tell my friend what ridiculous thing had happened next. It didn’t drag me in or captivate me, and as I’ve said my interest was only mild.
2.5 stars
July 22, 2015
This review was written for
You can read the full review
Huge thanks to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
I’m not usually a fan of mermaid books, so I was dubious picking this one up, but knowing that Laura had written it made me curious regardless of the content. I’ve loved Laura’s books in the past –the prose is so incredible and vibrant � and I think that Lorali may actually be my favourite novel of hers yet.
This book is like nothing I’ve read, it’s strange and alien and beautiful and dark. It’s a stunning novel told from three viewpoints � Lorali herself, Rory the human boy who finds her and the sea. Yes that’s right, one of the points of view is from the sea herself and it is stunningly done.
I got lost in this book, completely swept away and couldn’t put it down once I’d started reading. I fell in love with the little seaside town and it reminded me of Thisby from The Scorpio Races in places. It was vivid and wild and filled with unexpected magic.
I fell in love with the characters. With Lorali’s short staccato sentences as she finds words and learns to use them. With Rory’s all too human voice, his slang his kindness and disbelief. And with the sea whispering from all the other corners of the world created � from Opal finally finding a place for herself, to the Abelgare pirates who were some of the most incredible mixture of cut throat and lost boys I’ve ever seen depicted, to Iris and Flynn and their quiet warmth and support.
The story slipped inside me, changing constantly as soon as I thought I had it pegged for a particular story type. It is a glorious mixture of everything, thrown in together to create a truly incredible book. I loved the strangeness and the wildness, I loved the characters and the humour and darkness.
This is an extraordinary book and I am so glad I put my preconceptions of mermaid books aside to pick it up.
You can read the full review
Huge thanks to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
I’m not usually a fan of mermaid books, so I was dubious picking this one up, but knowing that Laura had written it made me curious regardless of the content. I’ve loved Laura’s books in the past –the prose is so incredible and vibrant � and I think that Lorali may actually be my favourite novel of hers yet.
This book is like nothing I’ve read, it’s strange and alien and beautiful and dark. It’s a stunning novel told from three viewpoints � Lorali herself, Rory the human boy who finds her and the sea. Yes that’s right, one of the points of view is from the sea herself and it is stunningly done.
I got lost in this book, completely swept away and couldn’t put it down once I’d started reading. I fell in love with the little seaside town and it reminded me of Thisby from The Scorpio Races in places. It was vivid and wild and filled with unexpected magic.
I fell in love with the characters. With Lorali’s short staccato sentences as she finds words and learns to use them. With Rory’s all too human voice, his slang his kindness and disbelief. And with the sea whispering from all the other corners of the world created � from Opal finally finding a place for herself, to the Abelgare pirates who were some of the most incredible mixture of cut throat and lost boys I’ve ever seen depicted, to Iris and Flynn and their quiet warmth and support.
The story slipped inside me, changing constantly as soon as I thought I had it pegged for a particular story type. It is a glorious mixture of everything, thrown in together to create a truly incredible book. I loved the strangeness and the wildness, I loved the characters and the humour and darkness.
This is an extraordinary book and I am so glad I put my preconceptions of mermaid books aside to pick it up.
December 25, 2015
I did something to up my level of coolness whilst reading this.
Are you ready to hear about it?
Ok.
So.
I read a book about mermaids actually whilst being under water myself. YES.
I'M A MERMAID TOO, AGHH - PEOPLE!!!
Aw well, okay, to be honest, I am not a mermaid, but I nevertheless read this under water, namely in the Euro Tunnel crossing over from France to England.
I thought it was flippin fantastic.
As was this book (uhh, smooth transitioning).
It oozes with british eccentricity and whimsical, poetic story-telling - and after watching some interviews with Laura Dockrill, I was not surprised about the writing anymore.
She could be right out of a whacky fairytale herself!
This was so packed, so dense, so beautiful and a lot to take in; I enjoyed it heaps!
Appreciated the fact that it featured Hastings a lot, since that's a place I visited a couple of times in childhood holidays.
Random fun fact time:
My favourites in this book have to be the mermaid Opal Zeal and the handsome pirates, the Ablegares. *-*
This is genuinely such a freaky, and, excuse the repetition, but whimsical tale, I can't review it properly, but you'll have to read for yourselves anyway, since this is the best mermaid story I've come across.
And proper British. Man!
Need to read more British authors, for sure.
There's just something about them.
Also: Merry Christmas!
Pre-reading
HASTINGS GUYS, HASTINGS!!
#childhoodmemoriesofsummer
So yeah, basically I only added the book because of it's location ;)
Are you ready to hear about it?
Ok.
So.
I read a book about mermaids actually whilst being under water myself. YES.
I'M A MERMAID TOO, AGHH - PEOPLE!!!
Aw well, okay, to be honest, I am not a mermaid, but I nevertheless read this under water, namely in the Euro Tunnel crossing over from France to England.
I thought it was flippin fantastic.
As was this book (uhh, smooth transitioning).
It oozes with british eccentricity and whimsical, poetic story-telling - and after watching some interviews with Laura Dockrill, I was not surprised about the writing anymore.
She could be right out of a whacky fairytale herself!
This was so packed, so dense, so beautiful and a lot to take in; I enjoyed it heaps!
Appreciated the fact that it featured Hastings a lot, since that's a place I visited a couple of times in childhood holidays.
Random fun fact time:
My favourites in this book have to be the mermaid Opal Zeal and the handsome pirates, the Ablegares. *-*
This is genuinely such a freaky, and, excuse the repetition, but whimsical tale, I can't review it properly, but you'll have to read for yourselves anyway, since this is the best mermaid story I've come across.
And proper British. Man!
Need to read more British authors, for sure.
There's just something about them.
Also: Merry Christmas!
Pre-reading
HASTINGS GUYS, HASTINGS!!
#childhoodmemoriesofsummer
So yeah, basically I only added the book because of it's location ;)
January 31, 2016
So, Lorali...
I think I will start out by saying that I really wanted to love this book, I mean mermaids? Yes please! But when I opened it up, the first few pages were just drivel. I could not stand the 'writing style' or however you would like to describe it. I felt as though I was reading a rough draft.
It may seem like a very silly thing to be bothered by, but I felt like I was being taken out of the story by all stopping and starting. Some of you readers might not have any problems with it, but personally I found it horrible to read.
"This can't be. Can it? They didn't tell me about the eyes. They are drying out. Regret. Too fast. What have I done? Take me back down. Can't I. Blink. Blink. Stinging. new. Ripping. Blink. it's dry. This air. Like knives. Cutting salt. I feel the salt. Taste it. Now. My nose. Is it broken? Hydrate?
I can't. Raw. Raw. Blisters. STILL BURNING. My chest. Throb. My heart. Beating. Cold. Cold. Hot. I Don't - I - my nose. I can't swallow. My mouth. My tongue. It's dry."
Also as if I wasn't already enjoying the story,
I felt a complete disconnection to the characters. I didn't find them likeable at all, I also really disliked how some chapters were 'narrated' by the sea itself (as though a living being).
To finish this book I had to force myself on several seperate occasions to just sit and finish it, but I'd get bored and stop after a few pages each time, so all in all I would have to say I was very disappointed.
I think I will start out by saying that I really wanted to love this book, I mean mermaids? Yes please! But when I opened it up, the first few pages were just drivel. I could not stand the 'writing style' or however you would like to describe it. I felt as though I was reading a rough draft.
It may seem like a very silly thing to be bothered by, but I felt like I was being taken out of the story by all stopping and starting. Some of you readers might not have any problems with it, but personally I found it horrible to read.
"This can't be. Can it? They didn't tell me about the eyes. They are drying out. Regret. Too fast. What have I done? Take me back down. Can't I. Blink. Blink. Stinging. new. Ripping. Blink. it's dry. This air. Like knives. Cutting salt. I feel the salt. Taste it. Now. My nose. Is it broken? Hydrate?
I can't. Raw. Raw. Blisters. STILL BURNING. My chest. Throb. My heart. Beating. Cold. Cold. Hot. I Don't - I - my nose. I can't swallow. My mouth. My tongue. It's dry."
Also as if I wasn't already enjoying the story,
I felt a complete disconnection to the characters. I didn't find them likeable at all, I also really disliked how some chapters were 'narrated' by the sea itself (as though a living being).
To finish this book I had to force myself on several seperate occasions to just sit and finish it, but I'd get bored and stop after a few pages each time, so all in all I would have to say I was very disappointed.
July 7, 2016
Disclaimer: Lady B uses lots of naughty language. If you're the type to get your panties in a wad over cussing, then don't read my reviews. If you're a fanboy/fangirl of a book that Lady B has given one star to, don't come and troll my review space. Not interested.
I love mermaids, always have, and I’m always on the lookout for a good mermaid book. But one reason I’m always on the lookout is because I haven’t found a good one yet. And after reading Lorali? Still looking.
Sorry, but I had to DNF this one. The cover was yummy, and I was all up for a juicy mermaid story, but I absolutely could not get on with the writing style.
Here’s an actual extract:
“Then suddenly. Out of nowhere. She wees. Right there. On the floor. Into my jeans. Onto the tiles.�
Want more? Okay.
“I was to be cleansed as something. For real. I would have an identity. A form. And not just any. They said. It would be beautiful. Beautiful. They said. The best of any kind. I was royal. My tapestry would reflect that. They said. They said. In the development. During the resolution.�
And I’m reading this, thinking, “Oh. My God. This is. Really. Really annoying.�
I get that some people might like that style of writing, and that’s great. Each to their own, right? But it annoyed the fuck out of me, and I wasn’t prepared to read more than 300 pages of it.
I love mermaids, always have, and I’m always on the lookout for a good mermaid book. But one reason I’m always on the lookout is because I haven’t found a good one yet. And after reading Lorali? Still looking.
Sorry, but I had to DNF this one. The cover was yummy, and I was all up for a juicy mermaid story, but I absolutely could not get on with the writing style.
Here’s an actual extract:
“Then suddenly. Out of nowhere. She wees. Right there. On the floor. Into my jeans. Onto the tiles.�
Want more? Okay.
“I was to be cleansed as something. For real. I would have an identity. A form. And not just any. They said. It would be beautiful. Beautiful. They said. The best of any kind. I was royal. My tapestry would reflect that. They said. They said. In the development. During the resolution.�
And I’m reading this, thinking, “Oh. My God. This is. Really. Really annoying.�
I get that some people might like that style of writing, and that’s great. Each to their own, right? But it annoyed the fuck out of me, and I wasn’t prepared to read more than 300 pages of it.
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