Elegy (A Watersong Novel) by Amanda Hocking (2014-02-04)

Elegy was quite the conclusion to the Watersong series. When I look back at Wake, the story has just come so far in terms of character development and plot. What was once a very predictable story with decent characters has turned into something unexpected with characters I've come to love. Hocking continues with her unique spin on Greek mythology to create something really special in Elegy.

There is so much tension in Elegy. We have couples who don't know if they'll ever make it through their siren adventure alive, family in danger of losing loved ones, a centuries old mystery to solve, and a long-lost goddess to track down. Whew! Sounds like a lot for one book, doesn't it? Even though there was so much going on though, the plot was perfectly balanced between mystery and adventure and the heart-felt moments where the characters just try to enjoy each other in the face of so much uncertainty.

I was truly taken aback by how much I loved Harper, Gemma, Alex, and Daniel by the end of the story--especially Gemma. At the beginning of the series, Gemma was unbelievably reckless--to the point of being stupid. I was so frustrated with her choices that it put a damper on the book for me, but she did a lot of growing up as the series continued and by the end of Elegy she is a very strong main character with a sense of responsibility. Alex ended up being great too, which was nice since I wasn't very connected to him in the beginning. Harper and Daniel I have actually always liked, although I am thrilled that Harper finally took a chill pill and let loose.

Elegy was a great conclusion to a wonderful mythology series. Hocking's take on the way myths are told and events unfolded was truly original, and she breathed new life into the stories I have loved so much for so long. While I am sad to see this one come to an end, I am looking forward to whatever Hocking has in store for us next.

This book was worth trudging through Lullaby and Tidal to get through. The mythology, fight scenes and epic romances were truly entertaining, a love story to get swept up in and captivated by. I loved this book and will most likely read the series again due to the fascinating world that is the sirens and their journey to defeat the curse.

There were still a couple of pretty big plot holes, but this ending was better constructed than any of the other books I've read by Hocking, so it's an improvement. I can see where she set some stuff up in the previous books, and for the first time it felt like Hocking actually thought about what she wanted to write instead of putting down whatever came to her as she went. Some loose ends didn't get tied up, but overall the last battle made up for whatever didn't make sense at the very end.

On a side note, Gemma and Harper's dad, Brian, never ceased to piss me off. How many times can you walk in on someone and threaten your daughters' boyfriends to not have sex with them? The characters in Watersong also continue to make irrational or impulsive decisions in this book. Some of their choices make no sense, and aren't validated by the plot. However, I identified with Gemma more than ever before through this book, and found her to finally become a multi-dimensional character like I hoped she would be by the book's end.

Overall, my favorite series by Hocking. This series will stay on my bookshelf for years to come.

This was the final book in the Watersong series and boy was it good. The book starts out with meeting the new siren. She does everything that Penn tells her to but she goes a little overboard with everything. She becomes just as bad, if not worse than Penn, so someone always has to be babysitting her. Even though this girl is crazy, Penn still likes her better than Gemma and still wants to kill and replace Gemma. Harper is finally at college but she still worries about everyone at home, so she visits frequently. Everyone wants to protect Harper and let her have a normal life, so she is keep out of the loop. Gemma got the scroll with the curse on it from Thea, so she is trying everything she can to destroy it. She does let Harper help her with this though, so Harper brings it to a professor at her school that tries to translate it for her. Meanwhile, Daniel is trying to protect both Harper and Gemma, so he tries to stay on Penn's good side and ultimately makes a deal with the she-devil. There were a lot more action scenes in this book than in the previous three, so I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The reader also gets a lot more information about the mythological side of the curse and those involved. We were introduced to some new characters, while other characters got more involved. All of the reader's questions were answered and by the very last page, I was satisfied with everything that happened. Overall, I really liked this book and this world that we were brought into. As much as I can't get enough of this series, I am glad that these people will not have to go through anything else and I am glad it ended like it did.

This is book number 4 in the Watersong series and I think it was a good ending to the series as a whole. The sirens could be really scary at times and creepy at others. I don't think I ever liked them even Thea, she was weak and let thing happen instead of doing anything about it...at least until the end and the she did get a back bone...finally.

Notice the page count and you will see this is a book that will take more than an afternoon to get through. I think at times it felt long and drug on...I wish Amanda had cut a bit more out. I found the background interesting, but just too much information that did not seem relevant to the on-going plot line...interesting yes...needed no. I love long books, but every word needs to hold my attention if I am going to read close to 600 pages in the 4th book in the series.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I enjoyed the series and look forward to Amanda's next project. This book took a step up from the teen romance and added sex to the equation which makes me glad my 13 year old is still on the second book and doesn't read that fast....I would not recommend this series to younger than 15 or so, but we went to a book signing and Cenneidigh insisted she had to read the series after meeting Amanda.

Good series and worth the time to read if you enjoy young adult romance/supernatural. Mermaids, mythical monsters, goddesses and the like fill the pages and it was fun to escape to a small seaside town to see life from a different point of view.This is book number 4 in the Watersong series and I think it was a good ending to the series as a whole. The sirens could be really scary at times and creepy at others. I don't think I ever liked them even Thea, she was weak and let thing happen instead of doing anything about it...at least until the end and the she did get a back bone...finally.

Notice the page count and you will see this is a book that will take more than an afternoon to get through. I think at times it felt long and drug on...I wish Amanda had cut a bit more out. I found the background interesting, but just too much information that did not seem relevant to the on-going plot line...interesting yes...needed no. I love long books, but every word needs to hold my attention if I am going to read close to 600 pages in the 4th book in the series.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I enjoyed the series and look forward to Amanda's next project. This book took a step up from the teen romance and added sex to the equation which makes me glad my 13 year old is still on the second book and doesn't read that fast....I would not recommend this series to younger than 15 or so, but we went to a book signing and Cenneidigh insisted she had to read the series after meeting Amanda.

Good series and worth the time to read if you enjoy young adult romance/supernatural. Mermaids, mythical monsters, goddesses and the like fill the pages and it was fun to escape to a small seaside town to see life from a different point of view.

Here it is. ELEGY, the final installment in the Watersong quartet by Amanda Hocking... The entire series has built up to this... have you been waiting for it? I have, and though my expectations were not fully met, it was a good read none-the-less.

Even at over 500 pages, ELEGY is a surprisingly quick read - one that I finished over the span of two days and two short reading sessions. This is largely in part to the fact that the text size really isn't all that small, plus there is an abundance of exchanged dialogue throughout the book, which (for me) always makes reading easier. Suffice to say, events transpired quickly, which is perhaps a good thing because, with the exception of the climax of the novel, nothing particularly exciting happens.

ELEGY is perhaps the answer to many readers' call for "more history, more world building, more back story!" In this single installment, we learn more about the lives of the surviving sirens, either through stories of their own telling or within an ancient tale told by a surprising "visitor/mentor/uninterested party(?)" of sorts. [I will not reveal who this is as it would be a huge spoiler.] While the back story is certainly appreciated, some of the logic falls flat. I have a hard time understanding the role of these characters who transcend time... the sirens' ultimate purpose seems less that what it could have been. Although, considering the character through which their story is revealed, I wonder if that was the author's original intent - that sometimes the silliest little things can cause a disaster of cataclysmic (and largely unfair) proportions.

Much of the book is spent both mending and fracturing the relationships between sisters, Gemma and Harper, and their love interests, Alex and Daniel. Honestly, I could not believe the turn that the relationship between Harper and Daniel had taken toward the end of the previous book in the series, Tidal. This "twist" seriously made me question the appeal that Daniel previously had on me as a reader. I liked him, and now... I just couldn't help but think that the author was playing with both Harper's and the reader's emotions in the most absurd way when it came to Daniel. The most absurd way. But then again, this [spoiler] does align with the legend of the siren, so c'est la vie. Unfortunately, that one "twist" that I am referring to lasts for most of the novel, right on into the climax.

If only there had not been so many "conveniences" in this series. The unraveling of the book's events would probably been a bit more believable. Also, some of the character's reactions, particularly that of the girl's father when he discovers their "dilemma", could have been a bit more... well, realistic. Again, c'est la vie. Or well... Not really... But, apparently, such is life in Anthemusa Bay.

Though most of my review may be talking about the book's faults, there are numerous amazing things about this book, as well. I appreciated the added depth that the strategically placed revelations/back stories gave to the overall story. The climax comes at a moment when the reader is practically begging for it. I found myself sympathizing with the character, Thea. And I found a deeper meaning to the overall theme of the series as a whole.

In the end, ELEGY (and the Watersong series) is a story about sacrifice. The sacrifices we make for the ones that we love and the sacrifices we make so that the world can be a better place. The resolutions show that the lives of Gemma and Harper are less about "oneself" and more about "others", or more about "oneself" and less about "others" if that is the lesson one needs to learn. Almost everyone in this book has to make some form of sacrifice. In fact, one of the sacrifices that a secondary character makes at the conclusion had me darn near bawling. Not quite, but close.

Ideal for those who expect more of a teenage contemporary romp with a bit of The Little Mermaid and Greek mythology thrown in for drama and adventure, ELEGY brings the Watersong series to a satisfying, albeit flawed, end. If you have made it this far and enjoy the series, you're sure to find peace with the sirens' final song.

Elege is the 4th and final installment in the Watersong series. It picks up right where Tidal left off, with Gemma searching for a way out of being a siren. I was a little disappointed with the last book, but it didn't take long for me to get swept back into the sirens world all over again, and was not disappointed.

Gemma is still on her mission to no longer be a siren and her determination was something that I have enjoyed following, and watching her grow is another. Her sister Harper, has come a long way too. She has loosened up and had to learn to let go and live a little. Both of their love interests as well as their friends and father played a big part this time. As the story went on, the more like them all even more.

The plot moves a fairly faster pace than the first few books. There is a lot of ground to cover, secrets exposed and history to be given. So, there is plenty of stuff going on, And with the new siren, Liv reeking havoc everywhere she goes and the extremely scary obsession that Penn has with Daniel, there is never really a bored moment. The deal that Penn has offered Daniel would keep Gemma and Harper safe, but it is awful for Daniel. Daniel is willing to do whatever it takes, no matter how disgusting it is. The information that Gemma has obtained, give some new hope to her cause of not wanting to be a siren anymore, but figuring out exactly what it all means and how to make it happen is two different things. All of this leads up to a big battle at the end between the sirens, and Gemma and her friends, and it was freakin awesome. So many questions were answered, and while I am sad to see Gemma's story end, I think how this ended was perfect for Gemma, Alex, Harper and Daniel.

Elegy is a great ending to the Watersong series, a series that is filled with intriguing mythology, sirens and romance, and a series that is not to be missed.

Good series but Alex was so obnoxious. He was not masculine in any way and just simply a beta male. I wanted Daniel and Gemma to end up together. Him and harper seemed so forced and just cringey..Daniel had one of the best personalities and he was hot. Just upset how childish Alex was. I loved Gemma, Thea and Daniel.

As of now halfway through the last book, and extremely disappointed. I waited for days to get this book only so I could read the conclusion to a good storyline that had been built up in the earlier books. I'm sure the story will be concluded but the book is unnecessary long and pathetic... Hoping to God it gets better.
It doesn't help that the characters suck, and everybody has only one mission in life - SAVE GEMMA!
Harper makes me want to throw up, and I have no words for Daniel, the guy who wants to endure an eternity of pain so two irritating teenage girls could live happily ever after. Rubbish.
Let's see if it gets any better. Have to skip through the pages!

I really, really, really enjoyed the Watersong series (and I am an adult reader). It's very evocative and compelling. The character I actually felt was especially well drawn was Thea (and ultimately I empathised with her the most). Unlike the other sirens/mermaids/nymphs/harpies, including Penn, Thea was no American 'mean girl' caricature - you believed that she was worldly, cultured and had seen (and adapted to) much. The only aspect of Watersong that confused me was the mythology - Demeter and Diana have no connection of which I'm aware. The Greek counterpart to Diana was Artemis. Ms Hocking has also taken some liberties with the tale of Demeter/Persephone. But I think that's not such a bad thing - and even the 'ancient' scribes/playwrights were creative. If you can have a fractured fairytale, why not a fractured myth? The siren tale told here IS fascinating. I think another strength of the series is that not all the characters know everything by its close (e.g. the fate of Orpheus/Bastian). Sometimes what is not revealed in a book/series is what makes it compelling. I also hope Amanda revisits Lydia in another series. Great character!!!

Get krunked up! The finale has arrived and everything is at stake as the fight for Gemma's humanity reaches it's high points. Mermaids are not the Disney archetype we have been lead to believe folks and this epic conclusion to one of Amanda Hocking's best series does not disappoint.

In this book, we follow Gemma Fisher, her sister and their friends as they search for a way to break the curse of the sirens.

When I first picked up this book, I was surprised just how thick the book was --it was over 500 pages where the other books in the series are just over 200. And it felt like it just kept going, and going and going to the point where I was ready for this book to be over halfway through. It was a fast and easy read, though and I'm glad I finished the series.

This series was awful. Each book always had a huge climax, but the last two ended the same way. The same resolution, just in a "different" book. Very disappointing. The author built up all this dramatic tension, but ended it with a very cliché resolution.