This one felt a little disjointed to me in the beginning; some of the dialogue felt very abrupt and I didn't understand what they meant by deducting points. By the end, the story grew on me and I liked the inclusion of Eno's Journey. It showed a place that wasn't like Blognig, where the unhumans are hated and banished, but also not like how Aquatia is described, where unhumans can live and be who they are freely. Eno is not hated but she's not truly free, while Mio is royal but told to be something she is not and taught not to accept herself as she is. Both girls start off trapped, one by family in the only life she's ever known, and one by gratitude for the man she considers to have saved her. I would like to see more unhumans, but considering volume 1 takes place in Blognig where any unhuman (besides Mio) is banished, it makes sense that we don't see any other than the princess except when referring to another character's children. With Eno's story, the author is able to show the reader a few more ideas for unhumans which is nice. Both Mio and Eno are upbeat and kind of naive despite their circumstances and I didn't expect much character development from any of the side characters but I was pleasantly surprised. While there isn't a lot, there is still enough to show that each character is more complex than meets the eye, which is a big theme here. There are clear morals to the story and they are well delivered throughout. The idea behind this story is interesting and I look forward to seeing what happens in volume 2.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mio is a mermaid in a kingdom that treats Unhumans as second-class citizens and deports them if discovered. When she meets her new tutor—who not only accepts but encourages her in exploring her identity as a mermaid—a friendship blossoms and she begins to question and rebel against the injustices perpetuated against the magically-inclined citizens of her kingdom.

The first volume was compelling: the bubbly art style suited the story and Mio’s progression towards questioning herself and her kingdom’s customs was enjoyable to read. Art-wise, the screentone choices to depict shading and texture on the characters (particularly their clothes) were varied and compelling, and the way the artist drew ocean and water was very pretty. In terms of the story, I hope that in the following installments, we get more answers about why the people of Mio’s kingdom are distrustful of magic and magical creatures in the first place. I was also surprised by how fast-paced the story was for a shojo manga—a surprising amount of action happened within the first few chapters and it makes me wonder if the next few volumes are going to take place on a journey.

I’d recommend this to shojo/fantasy fans in upper elementary or older! People who liked reading Cursed Princess Club by lambcat will likely enjoy this manga.

Thank you NetGalley and VizMedia for the opportunity to read this volume!

I loved this!
In this world, there are people with powers named Unhumans who are looked down upon and bullied. Except, the princess is an Unhuman (no one knows this, though). She has powers of a mermaid. The only reason she is still alive is because she is destined to marry a prince, which is why a man comes to train her on the ways of being a human.

Mio's a mermaid in a kingdom that despises magic. The castle staff tries to control her magic by giving her potions that turn her human. When an attendant from her betrothed's kingdom arrives to tutor her in preparation for her marriage, she learns that her magic may be more important that her family realizes.

The art is gorgeous. The story is compelling. There are secrets and hidden identities. I love it and you will too!

Wow I loved this manga!! The story and the art style are really compelling. Definitely one of the better mangas that I've read this year.