She also talks about rapes, mating of people and creatures and Philoctetes coupling with Sirena. “I imagine the males depositing packets of sperm in the females with their hand-like tentacles in an orgy of relief.” p 48 “…picking lilies and tying them with bunches of seaweed to their tails in an effort to cover all but their lovely brown breasts.” p 5 On the negative side, the story line moves beyond sensual to being sexual, which doesn’t feel appropriate for the intended young audience.įor example here are a few quotes that illustrate the nature of the novel. Napoli has alternate explanations for hybrid monsters like the Minotaur that are equally plausible.

She also is familiar with Greek deity and seems to have stayed true to their personalities. On the positive side, Napoli has taken a 10 year period from the fabled Philoctetes’ life, which has no stories associated with it, and has fleshed out a plausible explanation. The writing style is quite simplistic, but the content is rather mature. Sirena came as a recommendation to us from a librarian, and it was not what I was expecting. Sirena and Philoctetes are tested in their courage and understanding of love. Greece has not fully forgotten Philoctetes and returns ten years later to persuade him to return to fight in their battle with Troy.

As this man, Philoctetes, recovers he gently persuades Sirena into a friendship and they develop a love for one another. She cannot allow this beautiful, mortal man to die, and so knowing she may be incurring the wrath of Hera, she works to save his life.

Overcoming her fear, Sirena cautiously approaches the man to find that he is wounded. While there, she witnesses a ship abandoning a single man. Knowing she cannot be the cause of death for men, Sirena swims to Lemnos, a deserted island. Part of the mermaid curse is that they must remain mortal until they are loved by a man. The survivors abhor the mermaids as monsters believing the sirens want to lure sailors to a watery grave. Unwittingly Sirena and her sisters use their siren’s song to lure a ship of men to their island not realizing that many of the men will die because they don’t know how to swim. Sirena is a mermaid and her strongest wish is to be loved by a man.

Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli