In a world where humanity often seems lost, what does it mean to be human? A new twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved–yet tragic–fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.”There’s more than one way to drown.Coral has always been different, standing out from her mermaid sisters in a society where blending in is key. Worse yet, she fears she has been afflicted with the dreaded Disease, said to be … afflicted with the dreaded Disease, said to be carried by humans–emotions. Can she face the darkness long enough to surface in the light?
Above the sea, Brooke has nothing left to give. Depression and anxiety have left her feeling isolated. Forgotten. The only thing she can rely on is the numbness she finds within the cool and comforting ocean waves. If only she weren’t stuck at Fathoms–a new group therapy home that promises a second chance at life. But what’s the point of living if her soul is destined to bleed?
Merrick may be San Francisco’s golden boy, but he wants nothing more than to escape his controlling father. When his younger sister’s suicide attempt sends Merrick to his breaking point, escape becomes the only option. If he can find their mom, everything will be made right again–right?
When their worlds collide, all three will do whatever it takes to survive, and Coral might even catch a prince in the process. But what–and who–must they leave behind for life to finally begin?
Praise for Coral
“I was not prepared for Coral. Sara Ella strikes every emotional chord imaginable, sweeping the reader into a breathless, powerful journey of the heart and mind–raw, beautiful, and as real as it gets. Coral is a painful, resonate tale that will linger long after The End.” –Lindsay A. Franklin, award-winning author of The Story Peddler
“Part fantasy, part reality, this heart-wrenching tale will pull you under its spell. Coral is an in-depth look at the lives we lead, the ones we lose, and how we get through it all.” –Annie Sullivan, author of A Touch of Gold and Tiger Queen
“As magical as a fairy tale, Coral is a beautiful reimagining full of heart, hope, and the powerful healing of unconditional love.” –Lauren Mansy, author of The Memory Thief
“Sara Ella gives readers an honest, candid portrayal of depression that’s sure to resonate with readers.” –Christina June, author of It Started With Goodbye, Everywhere You Want To Be, and No Place Like Here
more
I absolutely loved how the author wove a magical story with the reality of depression and suicide at its heart.
This book. Wow, I’m not even sure I can put in words how my reading experience went. First let me start by saying this was a difficult read. Perhaps the hardest book I’ve ever read emotionally. There is a lot of mental health issues that are addressed here – and kudos to Sara Ella for going above and beyond by listing them before you even get to the first chapter. There are some dark moments in this book, I am not going to sugar coat it. And yet, I couldn’t stop reading. The characters kept calling me, inviting me back into their world. I found myself drawn to them, even on an emotional level, which is why it was so very hard for me to read. Thankfully none of these issues are triggers for me, but I know they can be for others. So I suggest reading with extreme caution. But if you’re like me, I think it will open your eyes to so many things you never even thought about before. And that, perhaps, is what I liked most about this book.
Sara Ella poured her heart and soul into this book. It is very evident by the depth, the emotion, and the willingness to write about such difficult topics. Kudos to her for bring these issues to light. Not a lot of authors decide to go this route, and/or I feel like they moreso glorify suicide (not done here at all in my opinion) when they do, which I am strongly against. Instead, while reading Coral I felt like I was getting a glimpse of what happens to people struggling with mental health. You see the good, the bad, and the ugly. It wasn’t rainbows and unicorns, and it certainly wasn’t fluffy. What was it then you ask? Real. Authentic. Thought provoking. Eye opening. And dare I say even a teeny bit hopeful.
The characters were so creatively written that it really took me awhile to understand how they were all going to connect. And I did have a few surprises as Ella clarified this, ones that I felt I should have been more aware of and able to figure out, but I just wasn’t. While I read the last few chapters of the book, I found myself looking back and putting all the pieces together. I kind of understood the characters a little better too once all this came together. One thing I missed was perhaps a prologue that showed the characters maybe five years down the road. But the truth is, maybe we aren’t meant to see it. Maybe we’re just supposed to imagine the possibilities in our own minds, and give these characters the ending we want them to have.
Again I cannot stress enough that this book was not for everyone. But it touched me in ways I still don’t understand, and I am so very happy that I read it. I received a complimentary copy of this book, and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I received a copy of the book from The Fiction Guild, I was not required to give a favorable review. This is a great young adult fantasy book. It was about a young mermaid who wanted to be something different than her sisters and after her sister dies from a strange disease affecting all of them. Merrick is dealing with a controlling father & a younger sister who has tried killing herself. Can the three of them bring safety & peace back into their lives.
With a writing style as lyrical as it is heartbreaking, Sara Ella has crafted another fascinatingly unique tale in Coral.
Through a stunningly fresh take on a classical fairy tale, she delves the depths of loss, depression, and just maybe…hope.
To be perfectly honest, I struggled quite a bit with this book.
It was sad. It made me sad. But I think it is also a testament to Sara Ella’s incredible talent that I am able to become so entwined in her stories. As I traveled the journeys of Merrick, Coral, Brooke, and the supporting cast that brought this tale to life, I was confronted with difficult topics and questions. I was forced to look within myself more as I grappled with what was presented in these pages.
I adored the characters. They were so unique and their stories so capturing. They were…relatable. Human. The background and settings came to life for me. The story itself caught me up and fascinated me.
But there were some parts of the book I didn’t agree with. That I didn’t enjoy.
The ending left me reeling, but at the same time, it helped me find a bit of hope as the characters work through lives broken and interrupted by the pain that is depression and all that follows.
The thing that made me most sad for Coral is…I would have liked to see more…God in a story that deals with such loss and pain. He is the great Healer, compassionate, and redeeming. He can take pasts beyond broken and still create incredible futures. So, in a book craving hope, I wanted so much to see more of Him and his faithfulness expressed.
3.5 stars
Content Warnings: This book deals very heavily with suicide, suicidal thoughts, and depression. It is fairly clean, but because of that, I would not recommend this book for younger teens or those with potential triggers.
Note: I received a copy of this book for FREE, and a positive review was not required.
I must have missed the warning that came with this book. If you are triggered by mental health issues, this story deals with multiple issues head on. Once I realized the power behind the tale, I was able to embrace the creative take on The Little Mermaid. I loved how all the story lines wove together and brought full closure at the end. I will be more prepared next time, but I am looking forward to another story by this author.
3.5 Stars
Let me state that Coral is not a re-telling of The Little Mermaid. It’s a reimagining of the beloved fairy tale. While there are elements of the original in Sara Ella’s rendition, most of the story is completely new. Another quick disclaimer: Please, please, please read the author’s note about triggers at the beginning of the book. If you choose to proceed after reading that, be sure and have some tissues handy.
Ella tackles some extremely difficult topes such as depression, suicide, self-harm, and vague mentions of abuse.
The three points of view—Coral, Merrick, and Brooke—did get a bit convoluted at first, but about halfway through the book, I had an epiphany about the connection between these characters and everything started to click (my hunch was, indeed, spot-on).
I will say that while Ella handles her topics with care and consideration, I was disappointed there wasn’t any sort of faith thread in the story. It would have given the overall tone of the book more hope-of-things-to-come filled than the darker overtones.
That said, this story engaged me in the lives of the characters, and my heart hurt for them in their pain, despair, and loss.
Disclosure:
I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Coral by Sara Ella is an imaginative version of fantasy and discussing a disorder without being too brash. The writing is vibrant and full of sensory details. I love the way she describes the ocean from Coral’s perspective. Everything sparkles and shines, bringing this underground world to life. I have never seen the ocean, and honestly, don’t like waters, so I’m okay without seeing it, but Ella captured the wonder and the mystery of the ocean in her writing. As for the plot, when I first started the story, I was a little confused with the three storylines. They don’t interact, and I didn’t understand why the three mental issues were being told this way, but don’t worry, Ella ties things up nicely at the end of the story. The plot moves a little slow at certain parts, but overall, it is a story that I believe teenagers would relate to and enjoy. A good gift for a troubling teen. Now I’m curious what else Ella will come up with.
I received a complimentary copy of Coral by Sara Ella from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
4.5 stars
I’m not 100% sure what to say.
Coral was nothing like expected, but everything I needed.
It ripped off the “blinders” concerning mental health in a way where these characters are not just characters on the page. They are reflections of real people, real stories. It made me realize that it can be so easy due to social media to feel “involved” in others’ lives, but also make us feel like a mermaid out of water. That so many of us struggle with or know someone personally who struggles with anxiety, depression, and/or feels suicidal and “mask” it in different ways.
Because of that, this feels like one of the hardest books I’ve read.
Coral is an extremely relatable character even if I have never been in her fins. Add Brooke’s and Merrick’s story and my heart aches, but it heals to seeing their story. That our, the readers, story doesn’t have to end in pain. It can heal. It can love.
I am mind blown how the author was able to take a “hidden topic” in society today and present this beautiful, heart-breaking story.
Again, Coral was nothing like expected, but everything I needed.
Recommended to readers who want a story that shows they are not alone and those who need to read a story of healing.
*(I received an ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.)*
Absolutely beautiful, heart breaking and ultimately about the power of love. I note that many view this as a retelling of The Little Mermaid but I beg to disagree. I found this to be slightly inspired by it yes but only as a vehicle to tell a profound story about depression and the ugly consequences.
This quite rightly carries a trigger warning as it’s a very heavy subject but told in a deft intriguing way. Its surprising, profound and imaginative. Told initially from the point of view of Coral we gradually learn about Brook, Hope and those around them. There was a moment I became confused and then as I read on I realised that the characters imagination and sheer overwhelming need for peace and escape had her sinking down into a pit that she needed help escaping.
The author takes us on a ride through imagination and tragedy and it will not please everyone. If blunt at times I wanted to simply walk away but I persevered and found this story pulled at my heart strings and made me feel for these characters. A unique way to get us to think about depression as a disease and I’m extremely glad I read this book to the very end.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Ughhhhhhh I wanted to like this book so bad!!
Listen, before I get into this review, I want to applaud Sara Ella. Mental health is so complex, and people who don’t deal with it just don’t understand. What the author tried to do here is fantastic, she tried to spread an awareness and understanding of people who struggle with loss and poor mental health.
When I picked up this book, and one of the first lines was, “You are not nothing, my friend, and neither am I.” I wanted to cry!! I have struggled with anxiety, depression, and suicide, it’s why I READ books, it’s to escape, to find characters who are like me. I want there to be more books that promote an understanding of what anxiety/depression is, and how it affects people, and how to help. And I truly am thankful for people like Sara Ella who are writing stories and spreading awareness for help.
And this book almost, almost, almost nailed it.
“I’ve discovered the secret to breathing underwater, she wrote. Don’t. Hold you breath as long as you can. Count to ten, then twenty, then thirty. Don’t breathe. Don’t surface until the nothing comes…”
UGH such beautiful quotes wasted on such boring characters!! I think that’s what got me the most about this story. For one, the main characters themselves don’t have definitive personalities. It’s almost like they are defined by their mental illness, and I hate that. If you ask me who Coral is, I’ll say an anxious mermaid. Merrick? His sister, who doesn’t have that much of a personality either, tried to commit suicide (literally, what are his other traits?? I don’t even know). Brooke? …. okay well Brooke was the better of the bunch, she’s a suicidal girl who loves the sea. Her love of the sea is the only thing that marks her a deeper personality, whereas Merrick & Coral? They just didn’t feel real. They weren’t complex, other than Coral’s want for revenge on her sister and Merrick looking for his mother, they didn’t have anything else to them.
Pair the bad characters with the bad pacing…and you got yourself something rough. This book is incrediblyyyyyy slowwwwwww, at the 48% mark I made a note on my Kindle: “What’s the plot?” Once you GET TO the plot (takes an eternity), I hate to say it, but the writing flopped. It’s the little things that irritated me, like the fact that in EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER the author would talk about the Red Tide, and NEVER TELL US WHAT IT IS! Hiding something that is so important to a story for literally no reason doesn’t make it a mystery. Like there was no reason why Coral talked about the Red Tide so much–it KILLED her sister and started the whole fiasco–and we don’t know what it is. Once I’d reached the 75% I wasn’t intrigued by what the Red Tide was, I was just tired of being kept in the dark the whole damn novel.
Alright, alright, alright, let me take a deep breath. I know what kind of picture I am painting, and truly this book wasn’t ALL bad. Like I mentioned, the mental health part of the story was nailed on the head. I felt the author depicted what anxiety/depression felt like quite well. I liked the immersion of the sea world with the real world. I like the…ambition this story had.
But it just wasn’t my favorite for execution. I would recommend to pick it up, for all I know you might react to it differently and it might help you on your journey with mental health! For me personally, I just could not look over the execution mistakes.
With that said: keep spreading awareness! Keep spreading kind thoughts!