Undercurrent

Gr 8 Up—Not long after the events in Siren (Egmont USA, 2010), Vanessa is trying to uncover the secrets of her parentage and her own transformation into a siren, which garners her unwanted male attention. Her boyfriend, Simon, is back at college and she is afraid that he loves her only because of her siren powers; this fear, coupled with confusion over her new friendship with handsome, popular Parker, creates the teen's believable inner conflict. Vanessa is also dealing with the knowledge that the sirens from Winter Harbor, ME, who are responsible for killing her sister and a number of other people, are back to take revenge on her and Simon for their roles in freezing the water in a bay and trapping them there. Her anxiety over their plan and her feelings of isolation and fear will draw readers in. However, the pacing is uneven, and the climax is something of a letdown, with a great deal of explication being required afterward to sort out the plot threads. This entry in a projected trilogy will be enjoyed mostly by fans of the first book.—Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City