Sirena

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Summary: I felt like I was Sirena!
Review: Sirena was and might still be, a mermaid who was supost to sing to get a human man to fall inlive with her. This is because the mermaids needed to become immortial. Sirena leaves her sisters and swims off to Lemnos, an island that was once was inhabited by the Amazons, large woman that killed every man that set foot on the island. She meats a man and falls in love but not by singing. You HAVE to read the book to find the further adventures of Sirena.

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Summary: A fishy tale of romance
Review: I am almost done with this book and I agree with the above reviewer: too few characters. I think it is interesting how Napoli personified the Greek characters, and I liked Sirena's independent streak,that is,refusing to lure men to their doom through her singing. I'm not a fantasy reader, so I found it a little unbelievable. The use of present tense throughout the story was a little irritating. The subject matter of passionate love seems better geared for the older young adult reader while the simple vocabulary made it more suitable for the 4th-6th grade reading level--found this irritating as well. I am reviewing as a librarian. Overall, imaginative story, but some reservations.

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Summary: Entrancing
Review: This book was another very good one by Ms. Napoli. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The plot was interesting and the heroine a perfect one to tell the tale. The author's view of the Sirens is very different, but not a bad different, and any teenage girl could relate to Sirena. The only thing which I didn't like -- not meaning I liked the book any less, only it's something I noticed -- was that there are relatively few characters. Of the four or so that Ms. Napoli does develop, they are very well-developed, but I find myself now wishing we could get to know more people in that world. However, that is not her point or her object. She is telling the story of one person -- er, mermaid -- who reveals to us the people who have the most influence on her. Most of Ms. Napoli's books focus on just a few characters (at least, the three I've read), and they weren't any worse for that. :-)

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Summary: A Greek myth turned into a romantic tale!
Review: If you like Greek Mythology then you will love this book! Like me, you will get a diferent view on how these legendary creatures lived. You will not be disappointed if you read this book. I was captivated as I entered Sirena's world and learned about her wish for immortality. And the desperate situation she finds herself in when she finally acheives it.

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Summary: "Realistic" bittersweet dose of Mermaid life
Review: This was a sweet little story. I loved the incorporation of all the greek myths, gods, etc. I felt that it dealt with some more "real" complications of being a mermaid and trying to have relations with humans than I've seen in any other mermaid story I've encountered. I wasn't emotionally invested enough to actually cry, I guess, but it was a lovely, bittersweet story.

Rating:
Summary: Sirena
Review: This was one of the best books I have read so far in my life. The chapters just flowed all the way through the book. I was never bored once during my time reading this book. It also gave you some historical facts. I personal liked how they told some old mythical stories, like I learned a lot about some of the gods of the greek background. I personaly do not recomend this book if your don't like fantasy books, or romantic stories.To sum it all up I truly loved this book.

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Summary: As beautiful as a thousand sunsets
Review: Wow!

That was the word that came to my mind when I finished reading this book: wow! Usually I am not fond of the use of either first person narrative or present tense in the writing of a book, but in this instance I was willing to make a huge exception. So great is Donna Jo Napoli's writing skill that she not only made both of these narration methods work, but more importantly, she made them work really well--something rarely accomplished by the majority of authors.

The thing I liked most about the book was that Ms Napoli totally managed to get inside the psyche of the mermaid Sirena--and did so so perfectly that you'd almost think she must be a mermaid herself! The realism of not only this character, but also the other characters, animals, plants and scenery is amazing. In fact, this book is so utterly believable that you might even find yourself suspecting that the gods, goddesses, nymphs and legendary heroes of Greek mythology who regularly pop up in it really do exist.

The plot in this book seems simple--a mermaid must win the love of a mortal man to claim her right to immortality. But in this premise's simplicity is a depth and complexity that astounded me. Either this author was extremely knowledgeable about Greek mythology to begin with (because there's way more stuff in here than you'll ever learn just by watching 'Troy' or 'Clash of the Titans') or she's done her research meticulously. It's kind of like a Greek history/geography lesson, but a million times more fun! You will probably want to set sail for Greece right away, just like I do, to see for yourself the glorious places that this book describes.

Sirena herself is a wonderful character whom you can't help but empathise with. She is naive at first, having lived a relatively sheltered life, but she is intelligent and adaptable, and learns quickly even the hardest of lessons that life has to teach (for even immortal life is not without its ups and downs.)

If your heart and soul are yearning to read a heartfelt love story, but your brain insists on it being a well-written, believable one with candour and wit, then this beautiful tale is for you. It is listed as a young adult book, which means it is suitable for anyone aged twelve and over, but that recommendation shouldn't put off adult readers, who I'm sure will enjoy it just as much as I did!

Rating:
Summary: a good read
Review: this was a great good book! In Greek mythology there are creatures called Sirens, whose sweet, beckoning singing caused countless shipwrecks. But did the Sirens (who Napoli makes into mermaids) really mean for the sailors to perish? Maybe their song isn't meant to be one of death. In this book the Sirens must live a mortal life...unless they can get a man to love them. But after the survivors of a shipwreck kill one of her sisters the main character, Siren, decides that she she won't trick a human into loving her. She vows to live alone on an island. Unfortunately fate seems to have a very different idea of what is to become of Sirena

SIRENA is a great book for fantasy lovers, but also includes a nice amount of Greek mythology. If you're looking for it there's also a bit of romance. Anyways I strongly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, mythology, or if you are just looking for a light read, the book not being that long. I myself really like mythology, fantasy, and loved SIRENA!


Rating:
Summary: Sirena
Review: Sirena is an interesting read. the story gives you a perspective on the war in Troy that is completely fresh and new. i had been looking forward to reading this book and was dissapointed to find that i finished it in one night. now, i loved this book, i'm not saying it wasn't good, it was just really short for me. i thought the perspective alone was a great reason to read this book. Sirena is a siren, (she is depicted as a mermaid.)Sirens are usually the bad guys. Sirena decides to swim away from her sisters after a particularly bad shipwreck of men. The men loathed her and her sisters despite the fact that they were trying to help them. The men kill one of her sisters and she leaves. She goes away to live alone, near an island. She soon finds an injured man on the island and cares for him. he soons discovers her and they fall in love. she is told stories by him and truly loves him. She is never really shure about his love for her. He shows his love a few different ways and she listens to his stories about half human, half animals in disgust. She wonders if he is really disgusted by her fish tail... He is called to war in Troy, and tells her of Helen. She grows upset but eventually... i hate to leave you hanging, but it's really a great read for anyone who wants a great, quick read. A great airplane book, too. Anyway, extraordinarily told, as usual with Ms. Napoli's books. Bravo
- PS- i want a sequal for this book, too :)
thanx for reading this [smiles and winks]
:) PLEASE RATE ME :)

Rating:
Summary: Sirena
Review: Sirena Scholastic Signature, 1998,
210 pages,, ISBN 0-590-38389-2
Donna Jo Napoli

Immortality, the chance to have no pain, no death and no physical pains what so ever. To live happily with you sisters, and swim in the sea forever. This is all Sirena has ever dreamed of. But this privilege has to be earned, as all good things in life. A mortal man must love her, even though she's a mermaid. When the day comes, will she sing that song that makes men go weak in the knees, or will she risk dieing, to have a relationship with the man who could be, the man of her dreams.

The authors craft was happening minute by minute, and was always in Serena's perspective. When you combine these two techniques of writing, not much excitement can happen. But the original plot makes mythology lovers wishing there was more.