Random House

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STARRED REVIEW

Skin of the Sea

This inspired take on “The Little Mermaid” blends West African religion and history in a story as powerful and majestic as the sea.

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Review of ‘Skin of the Sea’

It’s the 15th century, and the grim shadows of Portuguese slave ships loom over the Atlantic Ocean. The divine orisa Yemoja, prevented from destroying the ships by ancient magical law, instead uses her power to transform seven humans into mermaidlike beings called Mami Wata. They are tasked with collecting the souls of enslaved people who…

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