Vivien lives with her grandmother (Mimi) in Lake Splendour where legends of mermaids are what keeps the tourists flocking there and helps the town stay afloat. Every year, the town holds its mermaid festival where the parade and winning the Mermaid Crown is the heart of the festivities. However, Vivien doesn't think she will ever win the crown so when Alice DeLacey asks her to help her find the mermaid of the lake, she jumps at the chance. But behind the legend, there are watery secrets that will lead to danger. But will the truth be revealed before it's too late?
Vivien is a complex character, dealing with lots of different things. She lives with her grandmother as her mother works away on the cruise ships and it become apparent that her mother is elusive and unreliable, leaving Mimi to bring Vivien up. The family run Enchanted Tails, a shop selling mermaid memorabilia. Money is tight so Vivien doesn't have the latest technology and her clothes are second-hand. She feels different from the other girls in school and certainly doesn't feel like her appearance fits with winning the Mermaid Crown, perhaps this is why she is lured by Alice into stealing Alice's auntie's diary so they can find the mermaid. Their new friendship comes with gifts (the latest phone, new clothes and hair straighteners which allow Vivien to have the straight hair she has always desired), but it also changes her and that effects her existing friendships. It is clear that Vivien is desperate for her mum's attention and approval and this drives a lot of what she does in the book.
The town of Lake Splendour is built around the legend of the mermaids (hailing from 1914, when two 15-year-old girls announced that the Lake Mermaid spoke to them) and everything is linked to this, including the name of every shop in town (Splash Tearooms; Poseidon, the fish and chip shop; Fin's Waves, the ladies' hairdressers...). It's a small place where everybody seems to know everybody else and the older residents' are resistant to change. The place feels as though it is living in the past somewhat but the mermaids is all it has.
The Mermaid Call is a beautifully told tale full of mystery and secrets that will entice you in and then surprise you with its twists. It's a captivating story about mermaids, friendship and finding your true self with an ending that I loved and had me cheering!
Released on the 7th July, The Mermaid Call will make a wonderful summer holiday read.
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