Sirena

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.

Rating:
Summary: Depressing
Review: What happend to happily ever after? A depressing story. It ends bad, and through out the book sirena is discontent because she doesnt know what the man (A forgot his name) is doing. ANd he spends most of his time on land... It is an okay book I supose but not worth your money or your time. If you want to read it go to the library.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful Fantasy/Romance Story
Review: I read this book in half a day. And not because it is an easy book that one can get through quickly, it is because it such a wonderful story that makes you want to know the ending.

I really loved the idea of the story, and usually I don't go for the terrible romance stories but Sirena was a great tale and I really felt sad for it to end. The story tells of a seventeen year old mermaid named Sirena, who lives with her sisters on an island where they try to sing to the passing ships and win the love of sailors so to bestow upon themselves immortality.

After witnessing the deaths of a crew of men after they crashed they boats upon their island, Sirena swims away to another called Lemnos where she rescues a dying man who has been abandoned by his men. I can't say any more without ruining the story but take my word for it, Sirena is an awesome book and I recommend it for ages 12 and up.

Rating:
Summary: best book ever!!!!
Review: Sirena takes you on a magical journey through the mind set of a siren.It has great historical accuracy without it being boring.I have always loved romance but this is the best book I'v have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: Tedious, Melodramatic Romance
Review: Although "Sirena" by Donna Jo Napoli is classified as a fantasy, I feel it is much better suited to the romantic genre. There are quite a few problems in this book. For one, Sirena isn't very likeable as a heroine. She spends most of the book dwelling on the fact that her true love is going to die and she's not. Considering how romantic the book is, Sirena doesn't really seem to be trusting or tolerant with Philoctetes. She often complains how he lives on land, wants to return to his home, and collects things.
Another major issue is that, considering Napoli's other works, one would expect this to be a retelling of a fairy tale. Not so. "Sirena" is no fairy tale; it is a romance that happens to involve mythology. Overall, I would reccomend "Sirena" to fans of Lurlene McDaniel, and for fans of retold fairy tales, the works of Robin McKinley, Cameron Dokey and Tracy Lynn.

Rating:
Summary: exelent!!!
Review: Ms.Donna Jo Napoli is an exelent writer. She is one of my favorite authors.The story of Sirena was a touching love story,the feelings displayed by Sirena are able to be compared to real peoples emotions.Though I haven't been in love,finding the love of life is a great thing to have.You don't have to be major on mythology or a book worm to love this book.I would very much recomend this book to a friend.I'm pursuing a career in writting and Donna Jo Napoli is an inspireationto me.If I HAD to say some thing bad about Sirena it would be that the sadness ate at me. Over all this is an awsome book!

Rating:
Summary: An exotic and thought-provoking read
Review: Now famous for her ability to take old, familiar tales and present them through new perspectives, Donna Jo Napoli now tackles the subject of Greek mythology and the captivating mermaids of the oceans.

The Sirens were long thought to be deadly women, either humanoid or bird-like, who lured sailors to their deaths on the rocks with their enticing songs. But Napoli presents the Grecian Sirens as mermaids - half-women, half-fish, a hybrid creature who are just as cursed as the men they destroy. Due to a spiteful nymph's curse, the mermaids are mortal until they can cause a man to fall in love with them and be their mate, thereby securing immortality for themselves (quite a change from the usual stories when falling in love means a heroine must *give up* her immortality). Thus, the heroine Sirena and her nine sisters spend each day on the lookout for ships, carrying precious men.

But when their plan of inticing the men to love them goes terribly wrong, and Sirena's younger sister is killed, she vows never to harm a human life in order to gain immortality and swims from her family and all that she's ever known, to the deserted island of Lemnos to live out her mortal life. But Fate it would seem has different ideas for Sirena, and when the Greek soldiers heading for the Trojan War abandon one of their men on the shores of Lemnos, the inevitable happens...

Philoctetes is a handsome young warrior, but the festering serpent wound upon his ankle has caused his fellow companions to discard him. Sirena cares for him, and Philoctetes is enchanted by the marvellous creature. But when warding off a dangerous she-bear with her song, Philoctetes overhears, and Sirena fears that their new-found love is based on nothing more than enchantment on his behalf. Throughout the years of the Trojan War the two live peacefully together, intellectually debating issues such as honour and glory, and sharing many stories together of well-placed Greek mythology. Yet Sirena mourns - Philoctetes love has made her immortal, yet he is not, and she can see the signs of age appear on his day by day. And it would seem he and his poisonous arrows still have a part to play in the far-off raging Trojan War...

It's hard to imagine any fans of Donna Jo Napoli not enjoying this accompaniment to her steadily growing collection of re-told tales. Calling on Greek mythology that she adds in throughout the story, and much of her own ideas, such as the gaining of mermaid mortality, Napoli creates a familiar yet fresh presentation of old ideas. Her language, told in first-person narrative through Sirena's eyes is vivid and atmospheric - her creation of life in the sea, and Sirena's explorations up in the rivers of the island are especially enjoyable. Anyone with fore-knowledge about the Trojan War and Philoctetes' part to play within it may already know how the story ends, and may be already shedding a tear, but either way, this is a powerful, beautiful, tragic story about the giving and receiving of love, life and sacrifice.

Rating:
Summary: I cant believe how much I love this book!!!!!
Review: This is perhaps one of my favorite books and ive read it many many times.

Sariena was insightful and i felt as alone as she did at times.her heart is strong and pure when she finally found her true love i found myself to be a bit over zealous of the love between herself and Philoctetes. I now wish to be a writer due to this book. Donna Jo Napolli rocks!

Ive also read her book Beast which couldnt be better.

I recomend this book to those who are emotional, and mainly girls(sorry guys.)Please read this book it is the perfact starter book for future fantasy and mythology freaks! Like me...Hee...Hee.

Rating:
Summary: A Favorite!!!
Review: As an avid reader of Greek myths, I have tried this book and found it to be absolutely magnificent! This book is a mixture of a beautifully retold fairy-tale and love story.

Sirena is mermaid in ancient Greek mythology who is told that to gain immortality, she must make a human man fall in love with her. Being a hybrid of fish and human mortal, the only way she could achieve this was to use her siren voice. However, after a tragic event, Sirena decided to leave her mermaid school for a secluded, uninhabited island.

At that island, Sirena found love. Cast cruelly upon the island was a wounded man. He had suffered the wrath of Hera, and would have died had it not been for Sirena, who had taken it upon herself to save him.

To find out more, buy the book...I would recommend it very much, and I must say it is one of the best books I have ever read (and I've devoured a whole lot). In truth, if there were more stars to give, the book would deserve it. It really pulls (hard) on the heartstrings, and I even shed tears while reading this amazing story.

Rating:
Summary: Sirena, a cute book.
Review: After reading of Donna Jo Napoli's wonderful work, I knew I had to read Sirena. After a trek to the library I sat down for a light read.

Sirena is a hybrid, half one thing half another. In her case she is half fish. Sirena and her mermaid sisters are waiting for a ship to come, which can bring them men. These men will mate with them and then Sirena and her sisters will become immortal. One day a ship comes and Sirena and her sisters begin to sing there song, the ship crashes on the coral and half of the men die. This begins Sirena's conflict. Sirena decides that instead of living a life of immortality, she will live alone funtil she dies. Of course, fate intervenes. She finds Philoctetes passed out on the island of Lemnos. They begin to become friends, and then mates. Years and Years pass, and Philoctetes and Sirena are doing quite well. Then a ship comes.

The book was very nice and well written. The author knows her stuff. Everything was well researched and fit together nicely. Although I had a few questions and found a few things to be off. I recommend Sirena for anyone who is looking for some light reading, yet with a deep and well thought out story line. One word of advice though, you may want to make sure you have a tissue handy at the end. Happy Reading!