Review: Of Triton

OF TRITON
Of Poseidon #2
Anna Banks
Paranormal Young Adult
256 pages
Feiwel & Friends
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)
Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she's a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to death.

As if that's not bad enough, her mother's reappearance in the Syrena world turns the two kingdoms--Poseidon and Triton--against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen's request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself--and her Gift--to save a people she's never known?

MY THOUGHTS
Of Triton is one of those reads to be picked up purely for the joy of reading, with expectations of emotional intensity and plot complexity kept reasonably in check and at times set aside in favor of utter escapism. While Ms. Banks captivated us instantly in Of Poseidon with Emma's hilarious first meeting with Galen, we get off to a bit of a shakier start with this sequel, some frustration with Emma's mother keeping us a bit at a distance as she seeks to perpetuate a miscommunication decades long rather than finally facing it. Once things are cleared up however (which thankfully does not take long), this story really finds its groove and we're easily swept up in the increasing political tension between the House of Poseidon and the House of Triton.

Emma isn't quite as socially inept and endearing as she was in book one, but then again the seriousness of her and Galen's situation–as well as that of her mother and Galen's brother Grom's–calls for a more somber Emma who is forced to mature a great deal in a short period of time. While we can't help but miss her offbeat and adorable sense of humor a bit in this tale, it's gratifying to see Emma start to listen to Galen and not fight him every step of the way as she did previously, finally trusting in his knowledge of Syrena laws and customs and not pushing him in order to assert her independence. She in no way bends to his will though, instead she pushes her opinion when she deems it important and then defers to him when she recognizes she's in over her head, forcing a smile of appreciation to stretch our lips at her handling of some very fragile circumstances.

Emma and Galen's relationship is of the sweet variety, relatively light on angst and emotional drama (for which we are extraordinarily grateful), but at the same time we don't really have the opportunity to get our hooks in them and see their struggles, their pain, and their love from point-blank range. We're happy when they're happy and we root for them throughout, but the ride in this book is fairly smooth, almost like running a gauntlet while completely encased in bubble wrap—emotional and physical blows are muted and don't quite have the strength to really knock us off our feet or send us reeling. Though that fact is a minor criticism, it's also a compliment as sometimes a lighter read is exactly what we we're looking for, and Of Triton certainly delivers on that front with an easy, fun jaunt into an underwater world.

Rating: 4/5

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.