Ingo- Helen Dunmore

Sapphire's father mysteriously vanishes into the waves off the Cornwall coast where her family has always lived. She misses him terribly, and she longs to hear his spellbinding tales about the Mer, who live in the underwater kingdom of Ingo. Perhaps that is why she imagines herself being pulled like a magnet toward the sea. But when her brother, Conor, starts disappearing for hours on end, Sapphy starts to believe she might not be the only one who hears the call of the ocean.


When I first started reading Ingo I wasn't sure I would continue it. All I thought was "oh great, a mermaid book " but then I carried on and loved it. 
Helen Dunmore very convincingly describes the beautiful sea. Ingo is the sea we know and swim in but enhanced. More beautiful and twice as dangerous.

Helen Dunmore writes Ingo in a lyrical account of the undersea world, filled with poems and songs; the first we hear of Ingo is in a song sung by Sapphire’s father.

The novel is filled with stunning descriptions of undersea destinations, ocean currents, sea creatures and the Mer people. Although Helen Dunmore is very imaginative and describes Ingo wonderfully but she stills leaves parts of Ingo for our imagination, making the book all the more magical.

Ingo pulls Sapphire towards the sea, and as she leaves the land behind all she can think about is Ingo. Ingo becomes the main point to her life. Voices pull her towards the sea and she finds she can’t live without it.

My favorite thing about Ingo is the danger and mystery; although it’s very light and colorful we never know if Ingo is good or bad. Unlike mermaid books I’ve read before Ingo is full with danger. I just got the second book and can’t wait to read and review it!