SHORELINES

This Irish import, a dark retelling of “The Little Mermaid,” follows Muireann as she mourns her sister, Mairéad, who was captured in a fishing net.

The merfolk face starvation from overfishing, and Muireann hopes the Prince will help once he learns of the crisis. She seeks out her Aunt Réaltín, the Sea Witch, requesting a potion that would allow her to walk on land and speak with humans. After coming ashore, Muireann meets the green-eyed Prince and is shocked when he boasts about his kingdom’s fishing prowess. Refreshingly, Muireann isn’t a conventional svelte mermaid; she has “lovely rolls” that keep her warm and “strong and wide arms.” The mermaids have “thick tails” that mostly are “a deep blue, / or murky black, // shimmering scales / that capture an / imaginary light / in this beautifully dark place.” The callous Prince finds her body repulsive and cruelly displays her at his nightly parties, forcing her to eat and dance, and imprisoning her in the dungeon by day. Ennis portrays Muireann’s tragic story through concise poems and longer free verse, using the size and physical layout of the text to illuminate her movements and emotional state. When describing the bars of her cage, the words form a grid pattern on the page. In another poem, two columns of echoing lines compare Mairéad and Muireann. The themes of body shaming and environmental harm will resonate with readers, and the masterful writing truly stands out.

Grim yet powerfully and lovingly rendered.