“Hook’s Little Mermaid” by Suzanna Lynn

Due to being a small book, it was definitely a quick read. Like most books, I like to try to guess who will end up with who or guess the ending as I read along. Due to the title and cover of the book, I knew Hook would end up with the red-haired mermaid, but I was not prepared for how little she was written into the story. Suzanna Lynn also throws in the character of Little Red Riding Hood, leaving the reader to expect Red to have a larger part in the story than she really has. However, the sequel to this book is told from Red’s perspective. Thankfully Lynn is very responsive to her readers because I had started to worry that there was not a sequel to this when in fact it is, just told from another perspective.

But back on topic of this book. I am an avid fan of the show Once Upon A Time, so I have learned the show’s own take on Captain Hook. When picking up this book, I was a little hesitant as to how Lynn could write a story differentiating from the classic, while also not having similarities to the show. I am pleasantly surprised at the difference! Hook has a wonderful and dark back story that explains why he is the way he is now. His dark demeanor does not come from losing a beloved, like the story of Once Upon A Time, but is form losing his brother thanks to Peter Pan. He is out for revenge to the boy who took his brother whom he had just began to develop a relationship. Enter “Ariel,” or in this case Elynna, who is part of the mermaid lagoon gang that swoon over Peter and slash in the water with him. Hook meets an evil sea witch, a hint at the well known Ursala, who is King Triton’s sister. She claims she was banished from his kingdom and his daughter was basically the cause of it. She also convinces him that if he captures Elynna, Peter Pan will become vulnerable and able to be killed. Hook sets up a plot to capture Elynna to weaken Triton so sea witch can take his crown, and he can kill Pan. Long story short, Hook falls for Elynna and at the last second flips to her side without telling sea witch, develops a plan to capture sea witch instead and rend her powerless, thus freeing Elynna to retrieve King Triton to deal with his sister once and for all. Like all real fairy tales, the plan does not work out as planned. Elynna gets freed but does not return in time with her father so sea witch chops off Hook’s I am very excited to read the sequel which Suzanna Lynn has in store for us.

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