This is way darker than I remembered - and rereading my old review, I made the same mistake twice. I should have expected it, but the Disney version of the tale lives so vividly in our minds I think that I forgot where it came from.

The story is fascinating. It really feels more like science fiction than fantasy, the "mermaids" in this world being more like an alien species. As intelligent as humans, with their own culture and science (instead of magic), and very different biologically. I liked that the protagonist is a scientist studying atargati but there is still so much she didn't know, because her knowledge was limited to what one group of atargati was willing to share.

But also wow, it hurts.