From the author of the award winning ‘Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles’ comes another journey into a darker fairytale.Before she was the sea witch, Ersyla was a simple girl with an unfortunate secret.It wasn’t her fault magick was a part of her, or that the King’s heartache turned the world against her. Struggling to understand how she could be put to death just for living, Ersyla must learn who … Ersyla must learn who to trust before her dark secret turns her heart even darker.
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The Rise of Ersyla by J.M. Sullivan takes a dark, twisted look at the girl who become the Sea Witch from The Little Mermaid. We get to explore her younger life, her family, and the tragic events that turned her into one of everyone’s favorite villains. The world building is fantastic, the backstory is totally unique, and the ending…welll, you’ll have thoughts on it. Definitely a great twist to a classic villain! Is the sea witch one of your favorite villains too? If not, what other villain might you like to see J.M. Twist twist up?
Not quite what I was expecting, and a little predictable, but still a decent story.
The descriptions of the wild countryside were the most enthralling parts of the book, and I would have loved to have more deeply explored Ersyla’s connection to the plants, and the hints at the fascinating mythology of her world.
3.5 stars.
The Rise of Ersyla is an origin story and a new spin on a classic villain.
Ersyla, the sea witch from The Little Mermaid, is the protagonist in Sullivan’s novella. It’s a tale exploring her unique childhood in a time when magic is forbidden, and fear and ignorance are a catalyst for tragedy.
Initially, I found the protagonist sometimes unlikable, a shallow character who is often unkind and spiteful to her best friend. As the story progresses,
Ersyla must face the consequences of her actions, and the ensuing self-awareness makes her more relatable and empathetic. From this point, a chain reaction of events accumulates to drive a major character shift. Thus, begins Ersyla’s transformation from innocent youth to the iconic sea witch we love to hate.
I enjoyed the dark atmosphere that Sullivan incorporates into her story. Drifting away from Disney’s lighthearted telling, she provides a version layered with tension. The characters, plot, and tone contribute to the sense of dread hovering in the periphery of the story. It’s a clever foreshadowing of the villainous sea witch Ersyla is to become.
Sullivan has a knack for creating fairy-tale stories that hearken back to the darker, more adult versions established by the Brothers Grimm. Her unique sense for ambiance highlights her writing style; encapsulates the characters and their actions, saturates the tone, and catches the reader’s attention.
The Rise of Ersyla is a tale full of societal ambivalence, fear-driven actions, and damning consequences. If you love dark stories that offer a glimpse into your favorite childhood fabled villains, this one is for you.
This gripping, emotional short is a new spin on a classic favorite. It gives a glimpse into Ersyla’s past, the beginning of her magic, and the unfortunate events leading up to her turn from witchling to the dark sea-witch we know her to be.
Sullivan stuck true to the underlying darkness in the heart of Ersyla’s character, which is what drew and hooked me in. There are moments of childish wickedness, defiance, jealousy, and envy Ersyla feels toward her friend, Bryony, and her familiy. These relatable emotions helped build to the inevitable hate, distrust, and revenge Ersyla feels by the end of the story. It also encourages the reader to sympathize with Ersyla as she struggles to overcome the poor, unfortunate outcome of her actions.
As always, Sullivan’s writing style, pace, tone, and the tension throughout the story kept me glued to my kindle screen. I’m so glad she’s decided to continue writing re-tellings. After reading Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles, I was anxious to get my hands on more of her work. I wasn’t disappointed!