Susan Fletcher delivers a beautifully written young adult novel that explores identity, belonging, and sacrifice. The writing is sharp and engaging, pulling the reader into the emotional struggles the characters face. The relationships feel honest and real, and the choices are complicated with lasting consequences.

This is a thoughtful and moving story that stays with you long after the final page. Fletcher captures the emotions of being young and pulled between two worlds, while raising questions about family, love, and the risks that come with following your heart. The blend of futuristic science and personal emotion creates a story that feels both timely and timeless.

Reviewed by: Orsayor

This is a new twist in the little mermaid, in the future some children are born with gills due to experimentation. The main character is Turtle, one of the children with gills called a mer. We read as she struggles to decide if she belongs with her fellow mer or humans. What will she choose?

The writing is good and I liked getting to know Turtle and the world she lives in. I thought the ending was a bit rushed but still enjoyable.

I recommend this book for people who like fairy tales retellings and sci fi.

Susan Fletcher’s Sea Change is a beautifully written and deeply moving story that blends science fiction, coming-of-age emotion, and a subtle nod to The Little Mermaid in a way that feels both timely and timeless.

Right from the start, I was drawn into Turtle’s world, which is a haunting, half-drowned near-future shaped by rogue gene editing and the fallout that followed. Turtle is a Mer, genetically modified to survive in the water, and her life on an old cruise ship with others like her feels richly imagined and eerily plausible. But when she meets Kai, a Normal, everything she thought she understood about her world starts to shift.

What makes Sea Change so compelling is how real Turtle feels. Her longing for connection, for love, and for belonging is so relatable, even though her circumstances are anything but ordinary. Her voice is honest, thoughtful, and filled with the restless energy that comes with growing up and trying to figure out who you really are.

The book explores big questions about identity, choice, and what it means to belong, but never feels heavy-handed. Fletcher’s writing is lyrical without being flowery, and the underwater imagery and emotional depth of the story make it one of those books that stays with you long after you finish the last page.

I’d highly recommend Sea Change to readers who enjoy thoughtful dystopian or speculative fiction. It’s also a great pick for teens who like character-driven stories that ask big questions, but still have room for romance and hope.

In the end, Sea Change is about transformation in every sense of the word, including how we change, how we choose, and what we’re willing to give up for the people and lives we love.

Thank you to Books Forward for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Sea Change is a story loosely inspired by The Little Mermaid, where gene modification has separated people into 2 camps: those who are modified and those who aren't. The main character, Turtle, belongs to a small group of people who were illegally modified to have higher lung capacity which resulted in them having gills and being named Mer.

The book tackles discrimination and prejudice, young love, and a wanting to belong in numerous ways. I think the book did a great job at describing and portraying these themes, especially young love. I found that the writing of the book was really fun and it definitely sucked me in. I would tell myself "one more chapter" or be eager and excited to pick up where I left off. And in a good way, I wish parts of the story were expanded on.

The only downside to me was that I felt that many of the characters felt empty, like a lack of substance. I don't know if this was due to the length of the book, writing, or just limited interactions with characters i thought would be important. This didn't effect my enjoyment of the book too much though, as the concept and storyline was really interesting to me.

This was a unique story with a cool premise! I liked the way it addressed found family and social norms. I enjoyed it and look forward to more from this author.

Set in the near future, gene editing has resulted in children who have both gills and lungs, and are known as Mers. We follow Turtle, who lives on a ship with a group of other Mers, away from what they consider Normals.
What follows is the story of Turtle trying to decide if she should live in the Mer world or the human world, and if these two lives are compatible.
It was an interesting new take on the Little Mermaid but I found myself not terribly invested in the characters. Still a good read though, especially for a YA audience.

Sea Change is a beautiful and haunting twist on The Little Mermaid, set in a future shaped by climate change and genetic engineering. The story follows 15-year-old Turtle, a member of the Mer children genetically altered to have gills and lungs who lives aboard a decaying cruise ship with others like her. As Turtle forms a secret bond with Kai, a Normal boy, she faces an agonizing choice: undergo surgery to remove her gills and live among Normals, or remain with her Mer community and the life she's known.

The story is emotional, imaginative, and thought-provoking. Susan Fletcher writes with heart, bringing to life a world that feels both magical and eerily possible. Some parts of the world could have been explored more deeply, Turtle's emotional journey remains compelling throughout. If you enjoy coming-of-age stories with a sci-fi edge and deep emotional core, this one’s a gem. Thank you Books Forward PR and Susan Fletcher for sharing this book with me!

Sea change is a fun YA novel that explores genetic modifications with a loose little mermaid retelling theme.

Turtle is sweet & I liked following her story & exploring her world. I apricated the ending & who Turtle ends up with.

Would recommend for fans of utopian/dystopian fiction like The Lunar Cronicles, Pretties series & Scythe Trilogy.

Set in a dystopian reality, this read strongly ties to the Little Mermaid while creating a world of its own.

Thanks to gene mutations before her birth, Turtle had to leave her family as a child and live with the Mers, individuals who illegally were changed to have lungs and gills. Since the Normals look down on those like her, Turtle is forced to scavenge in those areas, where civilization has been flooded and remains underwater, to survive. When she saves a Normal, she grows increasingly curious to learn more about him and soon is doing everything she can to spend time with him. Her friends want her best but aren't all for this pursuit, especially thanks to their very differing worlds. But there's more trouble as her own family's past reveals secrets that could harm her more. In the end, she needs to choose where she belongs, and who she wants to be.

This book slides right into the same plot line as the Little Mermaid, but in the direction of the original and not the Disney version. While the world and circumstances are very different from the original fairy tale, Turtle faces many of the same basis problems. The parallels are obvious and will delight fans of the original story. Still, the characters and surroundings give the tale a very original setting and create a more scifi atmosphere which draws in. So, the foundations which made the original fairy tale are still very present and stay true to the tradition.

Unlike the original fairy tale, Turtle is pulled between two worlds, which really shouldn't exist in the first place and do each make up a part of her. So, her desire to be a part of both is understandable. It's also no problem to sympathize with her as she attempts to juggle her feelings and desires, especially when the circumstances change around her. Her wish to stay true to her Mer friends is endearing, while her desire to reconnect with her siblings is very understandable. And through all of this, she also wants to follow her heart on the romance end. While the balance remains an impossible battle, her struggle makes her easy to cheer for the entire way through.

While the links to the original tale are clear, the author makes sure to weave in several aspects, which cause food for thought and hit upon modern issues. First, there's an environmental side as rising tides have placed earlier areas of dry land under water. Then, there's the entire argument surrounding gene mutation and the moral questions surrounding it's use and dangers. Both of these build the backbone for the world and struggles, and are fairly well based. There is a bit of lack of depth in the world building, but this is more on the details surrounding the society, history, and such. All in all, though, it flows nicely to create an enjoyable read and the logic doesn't offer large hiccups, either.

This is a lovely read for those, who enjoy fairy tale retellings, and want to take a slightly different twist without losing footing of the original tale. The characters are easy to enjoy, the plot is quick-paced, and the themes do lead to some thought. In other words, it's worth taking a look at.

I thought this was an interesting take on a retelling of "The Little Mermaid". With genetics coming into play and the idea of physically changing yourself to feel more like yourself can open the door to a lot of conversations with families about this kind of stuff.

For some reason I just couldn't click with the writing style. I would finally feel immersed in a chapter and then it would end abruptly.

Sea Change is a beautifully atmospheric and emotionally charged YA novel that reimagines The Little Mermaid through a near-future lens of bioengineering and identity. With lyrical prose and haunting depth, Susan Fletcher tells the story of Turtle, a girl caught between worlds, not just sea and shore, but belonging and becoming.

Turtle’s journey is one of aching choices: between the underwater freedom of her Mer life and the human connections she's losing on land. Her longing for love, family, and a sense of place is palpable, and her internal conflict—rooted in who she was designed to be versus who she wants to become—is heartbreakingly real. The romance with Kai is tender but never overshadows the bigger questions the book raises about body autonomy, systemic injustice, and environmental decay.

Rich in theme and immersive in worldbuilding, Sea Change is a timely, thought-provoking tale for readers who enjoy speculative fiction with heart. It asks: what are we willing to sacrifice for love, for identity, for the chance to belong? And is transformation always worth the cost?

This was not the book I thought it would be. While the writing and underwater aspects were well described and whimsical in feel, I felt the overall writing was for a younger audience than I had been prepared for. The main character in the novel was an older teen, but the writing seemed to appeal more to a 12 or 13 year old reader. A lot of the stakes didn't make sense to me and I wasn't a huge fan of the world building. It's a shame I didn't like it more due to the fact that I love the little mermaid and I thought that story meeting sci-fi dystopian future would be very cool, but it did not hold up.

I’m really unsure about this one! I will probably buy it for the library because I think it will be amazing for its right audience… but I just couldn’t quite get on board with something. Let me be clear, I should love this, little mermaid retelling, genetic modification, little romance… I should love it. But something was just… missing when it came to gripping me.

Thank you Netgalley and Amulet Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Susan Fletcher’s “Sea Change” is a haunting, beautifully imagined reworking of “The Little Mermaid” mythos set against a near-future backdrop of rising seas, climate catastrophe, and the unintended consequences of genetic engineering. With emotional depth and a sharp eye for social justice themes, Fletcher crafts a compelling coming-of-age story that blends the allure of classic fairy tales with urgent contemporary issues.

The story follows Turtle, a 15-year-old member of the genetically modified Mer community, who can breathe underwater thanks to illicit gene editing. The Mer, viewed with suspicion and prejudice by the unmodified "Normals," live aboard a decaying cruise ship called The Mermaid under the iron rule of Constance, a leader bent on controlling every aspect of their lives—including severing their ties to biological families. As Turtle scavenges flooded towns and dreams of reuniting with the family she lost, she secretly forms a friendship—and then a tentative romance—with Kai, a Normal boy whose world seems worlds apart from her own.

Fletcher masterfully captures Turtle's inner conflict: caught between her Mer identity and her longing for the human world, torn between love for her friends and a yearning for a different kind of future. When the Normals offer a surgery to remove the Mer’s gills—potentially allowing Turtle to live openly among Normals and be with Kai—she faces an impossible choice that forces her to reckon with questions of belonging, sacrifice, and self-acceptance.

The world-building is stunning, from the eerie drowned cities to the vibrant, treacherous life under the waves. Fletcher excels at creating a setting that feels both magical and grounded in the harsh realities of climate change and societal prejudice. Turtle herself is a standout protagonist—stubborn, vulnerable, fiercely loyal, and utterly relatable in her messy, aching desire to find her place in the world.

“Sea Change” also grapples thoughtfully with ethical questions around genetic modification, bodily autonomy, and systemic injustice. While I did wish for a deeper dive into the broader consequences of gene editing and eugenics, especially regarding disability rights, Fletcher does a commendable job of introducing these heavy themes in a way that’s accessible to a younger audience without losing complexity, especially since Turtle herself is only 15, making her relatable to younger readers.

While some plot points—particularly relating to the larger genetically modified community and the logistics of the Mer’s existence—felt underdeveloped, the emotional heart of the story, particularly Turtle’s relationships and the stakes of her choices, remains strong and compelling throughout.

Overall, “Sea Change” is a moving, thought-provoking novel that melds fairy tale inspiration with a distinctly modern and socially conscious sensibility. If you've ever stood between two worlds and wondered where you truly belong, Sea Change is the book for you.

Sea Change is a "Little Mermaid" retelling that meets "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children". Our main character is called Turtle, and she saves a "normal" boy named Kai from downing. Turtle is a part of a group of children who were genetically modified to have gills and can survive underwater. When Turtle is allowed to have surgery to become like a normal human, she does so. This novel shows one's ability to find themselves and learn to love themselves for who they are despite the nature of their birth.

This book was inspired by and follows a very “The Little Mermaid”-esque plot. Turtle must choose between her found family and the life she currently leads, and the family she thought she lost and a brewing romance. This book was well written and interesting. The climate change conversation is very relevant at this time and is important for teens to be exposed to and understand. I would recommend to fans of popular dystopian books, for the genetic manipulation elements of the story, and to romance fans who haven’t yet explored any dystopian or sci-fi leaning novels as an easy step into the genre. Would highly recommend for libraries to purchase.

Review: unfortunately I had to DNF this one. I really liked it at first! The climate damaged world, genetically modified mermaids, a group of kids living in an old cruise ship, little mermaid retelling. All of that sounded good and was, I read the first half really quick. But my interest in it just fizzled out. I was having trouble getting into and sticking to reads so it might just be me at the moment, if I picked it up at another time I might have finished. The only thing I wasn’t vibing with was the romance, again I liked it at first, but once Turtle got to land the boy was not wowing me enough lol Overall it had the makings of a unique story so if it sounds cool to you definitely check it out! Thanks to netgally and Amulet Books for a copy of this book!

This book was engaging and entertaining. Not the most original story out there, the theme has been explored many times with similar outcomes. The story doesn't explore anything new, but it is still well written and interesting, and the theme is relevant and explores problems that are very present in our current society, and are worth exploring and sharing constantly in the hopes that in the future we will be different. I think this book would actually work better as a TV show, i kins of picture it in my mind that way. And it would be a hit. Sadly, the book, as it is, wasn't for me. I enjoyed it, I specifically like the main character and her very realistic teenager attitude and naïveté. And her sense of awareness and justice. But it was slow and in between action it was dragging a bit and I got sometimes bored, making me take longer to read it than I would have normally other books of the same length.
And even though it wasn't for me, I think plenty of people special younger audiences, to whom the book is actually marketed for, would enjoy it very much

I recieved a copy of this story through Netgalley in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I have previously liked books that discussed the concept controlling human genetics, and this book handled it quite well. It seemed to be geared a bit younger than I usually read, but I still enjoyed it.

There were a few times in the book where there was a time skip over something that seemed rather important that I didn't quite enjoy, but they were explained afterwards so it didn't effect my understanding of the story.

The story handled the ethical concerns of developing mermaid children and other augmentations, and it did a very good job of discussing consent in those scenarios. I think it was missing a deeper discussion of the ethical implications of wiping out every genetic based disability. It was mentioned in the book that preventing Mer's from having babies was eugenics, but the word eugenics wasn't carried over to the addition of "desirable" traits such as eye colour and beauty to a child who had never consented, or the elimination of disability. I can understand that this may just be a result of there being a younger audience for the book.

"Sea Change" follows a genetically mutated teenager named Turtle. In an attempt to increase lung capacity, geneticists accidentally created a group of babies with both gills and lungs; the babies became known as the Mer. For years, the Mer have lived on an old cruise ship in pods under the supervision of a Normal woman named Constance.

Turtle misses her biological family, whom she was separated from as a child. After an encounter with a Normal teen named Kai, Turtle becomes determined to visit the land she once called home. Her desire grows stronger when she learns her father may have escaped prison, and that she may be able to track down her eldest sister. When doctors offer a way to reverse the genetic mutation, Turtle is torn between her life with her fellow Mer, and her desire to date Kai and reunite with her family.

Pros:

Written in compelling prose, "Sea Change" tackles hard questions surrounding genetic modification and the ethics of "playing God." I enjoyed how the story uses dialogue and excerpts from an in-universe history book to present multiple perspectives without passing judgement on either the pro- or anti-genetic modification arguments. Dialogue adds nuance and challenges the readers' expectations.

The setting and characters bring the story to life, especially during the second half of the novel. Turtle reminds me of a real teenager who makes mistakes and acts selfishly at times, but ultimately means well. There was one moment in particular where the "Little Mermaid' inspiration shines. Overall, the story was enjoyable and made me think critically about the portrayed topics.

Cons:

The story's twists were predictable and unoriginal. I immediately recognized one major twist but had to wait until the end for it to be revealed. I feel this particular twist did not have a satisfying conclusion and the ending felt rushed.

I felt there were too many characters, most of whom were not fully fleshed out. By the end, I was questioning the motivations of several different characters. Twice, I had to go back to remember who certain characters were after seeing their names again. Turtle's relationships with her sisters felt unsatisfying, and her relationships with her friends felt hollow. The remaining characters were not memorable or felt like plot devices. I spent the first half of the book wondering why Turtle and Kai liked each other when the text barely spends any time showing the characters interacting -- and this was supposed to be a central topic in the story.

The pacing of the first half felt awkward and clunky overall, which was disappointing considering the world building interested me greatly. The second half did improve the pacing issue (at least until the very end), but too much time was divided between too many characters. I feel the plot twists hurt the story more than they benefitted it.

Ultimately, this story is more of a social commentary piece than it is a teenage romance. The mystery and suspense also drive most of the plot points. This story is far from bad, but it does not tread new waters (pun intended).