Sea Change - by Susan Fletcher

About the Book

Born with a genetically modified set of lungs and gills, fifteen-year-old Turtle faces a difficult choice between her life with the Mer community and life on land with a Normal named Kai.

Book Synopsis

An original and timely new YA novel from acclaimed author Susan Fletcher, set in a near-future where rogue gene editing has changed humanity--loosely based on The Little Mermaid

A girl torn between two worlds . . .
Turtle is scavenging a drowned town when she saves a stranger's life. There's something special about Kai--an attraction she's never felt before. She would do anything to see him again.

But Turtle can never truly be with Kai, because Kai is Normal, and Turtle is one of the Mer, kids whose genes were illegally hacked before birth and who now have working gills as well as lungs. Turtle lives on an old cruise ship with the other Mer in order to be close to the water she needs to survive.

Yet she sneaks away and lies to her friends to spend more time on land with Kai. And the pull of the shore grows even stronger when Turtle reconnects with her sisters and learns that her father, who has been in prison for having her genes modified, has escaped and may be hiding out nearby.

When scientists come up with a way for the Mer to surrender their gills and live as Normals, Turtle faces a terrible choice. Turtle loves her life with her Mer friends, but she desperately misses her family. And then there's Kai . . .

Should she give up her Mer community and their way of life, along with the joy of living freely under the sea? Or give up the guy she's falling for . . . and any hope of reconnecting with her family?

Review Quotes

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Focusing on tribalism, othering, and the moral ambiguities of genetic modification, this disturbing, even-handed, and skillfully executed story presents a grim view of human carelessness when it comes to both the environment and biology. Engrossing, disturbing, and thoughtfully written."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"A gorgeous updating of The Little Mermaid that's entrancing, deeply moving, and urgently contemporary."-- "Nancy Werlin, New York Times Bestselling author of Impossible"

"Still, a world that is torn by a need for progress and a desire for familiarity makes an uncomfortably authentic and relatable setting, and the questions posed here about the ethical ramifications of genetic modification will surely spark some discussion."-- "Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

"Susan Fletcher wowed me with this tender, brilliantly woven story of love, found family, and self-discovery amid the ravages of what climate change may bring. Sea Change is a wondrous and illuminating look at a possible future and a visionary reinvention of a deeply loved classic."-- "Nova Ren Suma, New York Times bestselling author of The Walls Around Us and Wake the Wild Creatures"

"Susan Fletcher's marvelous Sea Change surges with affection for those afflicted by change, and those challenged by it. With the brave and committed Turtle, we swim toward hope. Take a deep breath and dive in!"-- "Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked"

The romantic elements are as compelling as the philosophical and scientific questions throughout the text, and Turtle's efforts to slow down and observe the world make for moments of beautiful prose.-- "Horn Book Magazine"

About the Author

Susan C. Fletcher is the award-winning author of 11 novels for kids and young adults. Collectively, her books have been translated into nine languages, and her accolades include a Golden Kite Honor Book, the American Library Association's Notable Books and Best Books for Young Adults, BCCB Blue Ribbon Books, and School Library Journal's Best Books. She lives in Bryan, Texas, with her husband.