The third novel in Serena Valentino’s (Fairest of All, Beast Within) “VILLAINS” trilogy, featuring the story of the Little Mermaid from the perspective of the sea witch Ursula
I thought this book was awful and poorly written. It tried to follow the theme of the Disney movie “The Little Mermaid” from the perspective of Ursula. That sounds like a cool idea but the story became very convoluted as they introduced more characters and referred to other Disney movie plot lines and jumped all over the place. It seemed like the author was trying to use her high school Creative Writing 1 class skills and tried to use some big vocabulary words. Don’t waste your time on this one. It was just not a worthwhile read at all.
Author
lynaebendixsen
3 years ago
Terrible! Waste of my money.
Author
alsanders
3 years ago
I was expecting more and while it did try and draw you into the world to read more books I found it lackluster enough that I won’t be reading anymore in the series.
Author
shakesewa
3 years ago
It started off well but collapsed into a lil mermaid tale and not Ursula.
Author
mbenzz
3 years ago
Another fine installment of the Disney Villians Series. I liked the background of where Ursula came from and who she really was in relation to Triton…I thought that made her anger and hatred all the more believable.
Again, the Three Sisters play an enormous role in this story. It seems the further into the Villians series we go, the more prominent they become, almost eclipsing the main character entirely.
I personally don’t mind this as I like Circe and her three sisters, but some people seem to be irritated by this. Just something to keep in mind if you’ve finished the second book and are trying to decide if you want to continue on.
So far, I’m really enjoying this series!
Author
thebeeskneesbookblog
3 years ago
GREAT QUICK READ!
Poor Unfortunate Souls is the third book in the Villains Series! As of now, there are 5 books in the series.
***I will leave a reading order at the very bottom of this review.***
I loved the first two books in this series, however I felt like this one was pure garbage. This story was not focused on Ursula. There was very little backstory as to why she became evil. I personally feel like this series is no longer focused on Disney Villains. This story has completely switched to the Odd Sisters being the main focus. I got lost in all the chaos and characters. The story was all over the place and I had to force myself to finish it. The ONLY reason I gave it 2 stars with because the cover is BEAUTIFUL.
*****READING ORDER*****
1. Fairest of All
2. The Beast Within
3. Poor Unfortunate Souls
4. Mistress of All Evil
5. Mother Knows Best
Author
alexapostol
3 years ago
Though this was my least favorite book in the series so far, it was still a great read and great for the overall moving forward of the series. I love how all the books are connected through these Odd Sisters!
Author
jess
3 years ago
[THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS]
Poor Unfortunate Soul – the third book in the Valentino Villains series – gives Ursula her very own voice with which to tell her very own story. The tale of the cheeky sea witch, maker of deals, and uncrowned queen of the Unprotected Waters challenges the reader to think about what he or she values and how those values might manifest. It also advances readers to the next level of villainy: detestation for human failings, vengeful destruction and “divine hatred.”
In many respects the lessons in this book go against the grain of traditional fairytales, advocating instead for being true to oneself and embracing what others might perceive as imperfections. Ursula is most comfortable in her octopus-like skin rather than her Vanessa form or any other form bestowed upon her by others. Tulip has learned a lot from her first romantic ordeal and strives to be stronger, less generically physically attractive, and less giggly.
These self-love lessons, however, come at a cost. Ursula is forced to balance the power she feels in her true tentacled form with the dark power arising from her “deep, penetrating sorrow” that seeks to possess her. She is comfortable in herself and in her nightmarish revenge. It is strangely comforting to know that achieving balance, whether in the world of mortals or magic, is not particularly easy (and not always successful).
I thoroughly enjoyed my immersion into magic in this book. Valentino invites the reader to begin exploring the many different levels of magic and power possessed by the characters in a way that we had not seen in Books 1 and 2. Circe has great power and great control over her power; [SPOILER] Pflanze has more of a slowburn magic requiring lengthy recuperation time; [SPOILER] Nanny’s power is gradually coming back to her after a considerable hiatus and is delicately juxtaposed with the power wielded by Circe and Pflanze. The Odd Sisters’ reminders that “fire and water don’t mix” also give the reader some insight into the likely clash of curses between Ursula and Maleficent. Magic is not a simple, straightforward business.
While playing out Ursula’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” scene from The Little Mermaid was not, in my view, necessary (I felt that it detracted from Valentino’s creative prowess), it did provide continuity for the film and story plots. The lyrics are irrefutably fabulous and denying Valentino’s Ursula her debut might have pulled her too far away from The Little Mermaid for young readers. This scene was also a challenge for Valentino who did not have to contend with musical numbers for the Wicked Queen or the Beast.
In any event, I love the more subdued tie-ins – [SPOILER] like Circe as one of Ursula’s minions, eventually set free to rise out of the skeleton garden as the minions did in one of the final scenes of the film. I always wondered what some of the minions’ stories were beyond “this one longs to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl.” Such execution is also suggestive of the Valentino story playing out right before your very eyes in the film, not just behind the scenes where the real (Odd Sisters’) magic happens.
I also have a soft spot for Valentino’s backstories of famous objects from the Disney films. In Fairest of All, I loved the story of the pierced-heart box. In Poor Unfortunate Soul, Ursula’s shell necklace carries more baggage than just Ariel’s voice. I have probably spoiled too much already, so to uncover these and other nifty histories, snag yourself a copy of Poor Unfortunate Soul! In the meantime, I leave you with my favorite quote from Book 3:
“I’d rather spend my days reading and learning something of the world! Not trapped away in some man’s castle, at his beck and call!” – Tulip
Author
kelseymecher
3 years ago
What happens to someone when they have been wronged by another? Usually we feel hurt. We feel lost. We get angry and try to get back at the other. But when they apologize for wronging you, you may be able to forgive but you will never forget what they have done. And it may ruin a good relationship, or you could move on and try to rekindle the love you have that other person.
Or you could have a heart full of rage and hatred that no matter what anyone tells you, you will have blood. Either their blood or someone close to them. But somehow, somewhere you will get your revenge and nothing will be sweeter.
That is the basis of The Sea Witch, Ursula. She was wronged all those years ago by humans for being different. She was tossed aside like she was nothing by her own brother. And now more then ever, she wants blood to exact revenge on those who wronged her. Doesn’t matter who she uses, she’ll kill them in the end. No matter who she hurts, no one could match her pain. She sees red, and the world better see it too.
Only problem: she wronged the wrong sisters.
There are three witches who are powerful, full of hate and can do wonders for anyone who has a villainous mind BUT there must be a reason. A reason for the hatred. Not just a feeling of “because I want to”. No, there has to be a bloody well good reason for this kind of illicit hatred for them to help. But now that one of their own is missing, the three sisters feel lost and can’t think straight. Ursula knows their pain and knows how to use it to her expanse. The three sisters go along with the her plan without question.
Till someone comes along and tells them Ursula’s big secret. A secret that will answer the three sister’s answers. A secret that could have been useful to Ursula but damaging to the sisters.
Now that the three most powerful sister witches know Ursula’s secret and how she was going to use them, well let’s just say they aren’t very pleased.
Pleased to the point of ruining Ursula’s big plan of revenge and stopping her from taking over the world in her hatred. Even allowing a princess….a PRINCESS mind you to get away with love…once again. But this time, the three sisters don’t care. They care for one thing and Ursula tried to have her captured and killed. Not while the three sisters still live will they allow this.
Serena has done it once again with these fairy-tale re-tellings from the villains point of view. This time, Serena dives into the Little Mermaid story with the Ursula’s point of view.
You poor unfortunate soul for not have read this yet.
Author
hugobonnard
3 years ago
Powerful book about the danger of forcing someone to hide his/her true nature and make him/her feel loathsome and unwhorty of love. Ursula is a wicked foulish creature yet her dark and tragic story make us root for her. Ariel play a nice role in the book and the references to other Disney princesses movies like Snow White, Aurora and Cinderella are pleasant.
Author
melinda7371
3 years ago
I think I should have read these books in order.
Author
mbtjthomas
3 years ago
Dark take on the fairy tales and characters we know.
I thought this book was awful and poorly written. It tried to follow the theme of the Disney movie “The Little Mermaid” from the perspective of Ursula. That sounds like a cool idea but the story became very convoluted as they introduced more characters and referred to other Disney movie plot lines and jumped all over the place. It seemed like the author was trying to use her high school Creative Writing 1 class skills and tried to use some big vocabulary words. Don’t waste your time on this one. It was just not a worthwhile read at all.
Terrible! Waste of my money.
I was expecting more and while it did try and draw you into the world to read more books I found it lackluster enough that I won’t be reading anymore in the series.
It started off well but collapsed into a lil mermaid tale and not Ursula.
Another fine installment of the Disney Villians Series. I liked the background of where Ursula came from and who she really was in relation to Triton…I thought that made her anger and hatred all the more believable.
Again, the Three Sisters play an enormous role in this story. It seems the further into the Villians series we go, the more prominent they become, almost eclipsing the main character entirely.
I personally don’t mind this as I like Circe and her three sisters, but some people seem to be irritated by this. Just something to keep in mind if you’ve finished the second book and are trying to decide if you want to continue on.
So far, I’m really enjoying this series!
GREAT QUICK READ!
Poor Unfortunate Souls is the third book in the Villains Series! As of now, there are 5 books in the series.
***I will leave a reading order at the very bottom of this review.***
I loved the first two books in this series, however I felt like this one was pure garbage. This story was not focused on Ursula. There was very little backstory as to why she became evil. I personally feel like this series is no longer focused on Disney Villains. This story has completely switched to the Odd Sisters being the main focus. I got lost in all the chaos and characters. The story was all over the place and I had to force myself to finish it. The ONLY reason I gave it 2 stars with because the cover is BEAUTIFUL.
*****READING ORDER*****
1. Fairest of All
2. The Beast Within
3. Poor Unfortunate Souls
4. Mistress of All Evil
5. Mother Knows Best
Though this was my least favorite book in the series so far, it was still a great read and great for the overall moving forward of the series. I love how all the books are connected through these Odd Sisters!
[THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS]
Poor Unfortunate Soul – the third book in the Valentino Villains series – gives Ursula her very own voice with which to tell her very own story. The tale of the cheeky sea witch, maker of deals, and uncrowned queen of the Unprotected Waters challenges the reader to think about what he or she values and how those values might manifest. It also advances readers to the next level of villainy: detestation for human failings, vengeful destruction and “divine hatred.”
In many respects the lessons in this book go against the grain of traditional fairytales, advocating instead for being true to oneself and embracing what others might perceive as imperfections. Ursula is most comfortable in her octopus-like skin rather than her Vanessa form or any other form bestowed upon her by others. Tulip has learned a lot from her first romantic ordeal and strives to be stronger, less generically physically attractive, and less giggly.
These self-love lessons, however, come at a cost. Ursula is forced to balance the power she feels in her true tentacled form with the dark power arising from her “deep, penetrating sorrow” that seeks to possess her. She is comfortable in herself and in her nightmarish revenge. It is strangely comforting to know that achieving balance, whether in the world of mortals or magic, is not particularly easy (and not always successful).
I thoroughly enjoyed my immersion into magic in this book. Valentino invites the reader to begin exploring the many different levels of magic and power possessed by the characters in a way that we had not seen in Books 1 and 2. Circe has great power and great control over her power; [SPOILER] Pflanze has more of a slowburn magic requiring lengthy recuperation time; [SPOILER] Nanny’s power is gradually coming back to her after a considerable hiatus and is delicately juxtaposed with the power wielded by Circe and Pflanze. The Odd Sisters’ reminders that “fire and water don’t mix” also give the reader some insight into the likely clash of curses between Ursula and Maleficent. Magic is not a simple, straightforward business.
While playing out Ursula’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” scene from The Little Mermaid was not, in my view, necessary (I felt that it detracted from Valentino’s creative prowess), it did provide continuity for the film and story plots. The lyrics are irrefutably fabulous and denying Valentino’s Ursula her debut might have pulled her too far away from The Little Mermaid for young readers. This scene was also a challenge for Valentino who did not have to contend with musical numbers for the Wicked Queen or the Beast.
In any event, I love the more subdued tie-ins – [SPOILER] like Circe as one of Ursula’s minions, eventually set free to rise out of the skeleton garden as the minions did in one of the final scenes of the film. I always wondered what some of the minions’ stories were beyond “this one longs to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl.” Such execution is also suggestive of the Valentino story playing out right before your very eyes in the film, not just behind the scenes where the real (Odd Sisters’) magic happens.
I also have a soft spot for Valentino’s backstories of famous objects from the Disney films. In Fairest of All, I loved the story of the pierced-heart box. In Poor Unfortunate Soul, Ursula’s shell necklace carries more baggage than just Ariel’s voice. I have probably spoiled too much already, so to uncover these and other nifty histories, snag yourself a copy of Poor Unfortunate Soul! In the meantime, I leave you with my favorite quote from Book 3:
“I’d rather spend my days reading and learning something of the world! Not trapped away in some man’s castle, at his beck and call!” – Tulip
What happens to someone when they have been wronged by another? Usually we feel hurt. We feel lost. We get angry and try to get back at the other. But when they apologize for wronging you, you may be able to forgive but you will never forget what they have done. And it may ruin a good relationship, or you could move on and try to rekindle the love you have that other person.
Or you could have a heart full of rage and hatred that no matter what anyone tells you, you will have blood. Either their blood or someone close to them. But somehow, somewhere you will get your revenge and nothing will be sweeter.
That is the basis of The Sea Witch, Ursula. She was wronged all those years ago by humans for being different. She was tossed aside like she was nothing by her own brother. And now more then ever, she wants blood to exact revenge on those who wronged her. Doesn’t matter who she uses, she’ll kill them in the end. No matter who she hurts, no one could match her pain. She sees red, and the world better see it too.
Only problem: she wronged the wrong sisters.
There are three witches who are powerful, full of hate and can do wonders for anyone who has a villainous mind BUT there must be a reason. A reason for the hatred. Not just a feeling of “because I want to”. No, there has to be a bloody well good reason for this kind of illicit hatred for them to help. But now that one of their own is missing, the three sisters feel lost and can’t think straight. Ursula knows their pain and knows how to use it to her expanse. The three sisters go along with the her plan without question.
Till someone comes along and tells them Ursula’s big secret. A secret that will answer the three sister’s answers. A secret that could have been useful to Ursula but damaging to the sisters.
Now that the three most powerful sister witches know Ursula’s secret and how she was going to use them, well let’s just say they aren’t very pleased.
Pleased to the point of ruining Ursula’s big plan of revenge and stopping her from taking over the world in her hatred. Even allowing a princess….a PRINCESS mind you to get away with love…once again. But this time, the three sisters don’t care. They care for one thing and Ursula tried to have her captured and killed. Not while the three sisters still live will they allow this.
Serena has done it once again with these fairy-tale re-tellings from the villains point of view. This time, Serena dives into the Little Mermaid story with the Ursula’s point of view.
You poor unfortunate soul for not have read this yet.
Powerful book about the danger of forcing someone to hide his/her true nature and make him/her feel loathsome and unwhorty of love. Ursula is a wicked foulish creature yet her dark and tragic story make us root for her. Ariel play a nice role in the book and the references to other Disney princesses movies like Snow White, Aurora and Cinderella are pleasant.
I think I should have read these books in order.
Dark take on the fairy tales and characters we know.