Skin of the Sea

Skin of the Sea, Book 1

By: Natasha Bowen

Narrated by: Yetide Badaki

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The must-hear Black mermaid fantasy series that #1 NYT bestselling author Nicola Yoon calls “epic and original,” in which one mermaid takes on the gods themselves. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and anyone who can't wait for the live-action The Little Mermaid.

“Riveting.”—NPR

“Evocative.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Remarkable.”—Buzzfeed

A way to survive.

A way to serve.

A way to save.

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable—she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods.

To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There's the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail . . .

Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she fails, she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

©2021 Natasha Bowen (P)2021 Listening Library

Critic reviews

Instant New York Times Bestseller

NPR Best Book of the Year

PopSugar Best New Book–November 2021

Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

Children’s Africana Book Awards–2022 Honor Book for Older Readers

Top 10 YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults

"Bowen has built an impressive mythology to buttress her fairy tale, and it's a pleasure to discover this world through Simi's eyes."—The New York Times

"Riveting . . . I'm sure that Simi has many ardent fans to await her further adventures."—NPR

“Skin of the Sea is one of the most epic and original fantasies I've read. . . . Simi's story will stay with me for a long time to come.”—Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing

Wonderful story!

I absolutely LOVED this story! The mixture of history and fantasy helped to make the story feel real, so to speak. There is just the right amount of adventure and conflict to fully round out the tale and move the story along. There was never a point that I didn’t want to listen. And I thought the narrator’s voice and delivery were perfect for this story.

Magnificent & Beyond!

Engaging, romantic, & intelligent! Although set in the 1400s of early slavery, the light & love of a people shines, along with a definitive & everlasting hope that transcends time.

Inspired!

This book was amazing and definitely inspires me to seek African Mythology. Well performed as well ❤️

Beautiful

The author threads history, mythology, and prose into a magically thrilling tale. Wonderful to dive into a story about African perspectives, themes of compassion, and rich cultural narratives.

Awe inspiring

Such an amazing story and so well narrated!! Hearing the native language spoken did it a justice I never could have with reading an actual book.

Magical & Melanated

Loved the depiction of African deities, the love story and story of strength woven throughout the book. Looking forward to a sequel.

A must read!

Everyone who loves the blending of historical facts with fantasy should read this book. I loved this book and the narrator was amazing! Ten out of ten.

Loved it

I loved every minute of this book. I look forward to more from this author.

AMAZING!!!!

I loved this, It was so well written. I can’t wait to start, “Soul of the Deep”

How awesome

This book was amazing from beginning to end. I imagined in a way I never have before