The Sea in You puns its title in this delightful story about an unlikely friendship between 15-year-old Corinth and Skylla, a dangerous mermaid. The illustrations are beautiful, and you can easily get lost in each colorful panel without the story. The characters are diverse and bright, and nothing feels forced. With comedic warmth, impossibly sweet moments with romance, and LGBTQ+ inclusion, The Sea in You is a must-read for teens or adults. It’s that good!
The Sea in You is a 224-page, full-color illustration comic from Iron Circus Comics, written and illustrated by Jessi Sheron. It’s a darker The Little Mermaid tale and more fleshed out. When Corinth meets Skylla, it’s different worlds and upbringings. Mermaids prize strength above all else, but they find unknown similarities.
In The Sea in You Outcasts Unite
Corinth is young, with loving parents and an eye-catching goth style. Environmentally conscious, she roams around the beach, picking up waste to protect animals from ingesting it. She struggles with confidence and has no friends at school. The only person she has is her needy, controlling, jealous boyfriend, Seth. Mermaid Skylla is similar. She does not have friends, and her siblings are all about battling each other. Skylla may have spared Corinth’s life over Corinth’s ankh choker, which Skylla liked and took. But when Corinth returns to the beach, a relationship blossoms between the pair.
Various characters are in The Sea in You; not all are rail thin. Nor are all of them white. The story naturally includes them without feeling forced, yet focuses on Corinth and Skylla. The illustrations are gorgeous, and everyone’s style distinctly stands out. Corinth’s goth style is a fave, but others stand out too. The mermaid world is a kaleidoscope of light, magical and contrasts with their combative natures. But that’s what makes it striking. These mermaids bear little resemblance to The Little Mermaid and have no problem luring and devouring people. Skylla is beautiful, but no one would mistake her for a human.
Shows The Difference Between Relationships
Corinth teaches her sign language and how to speak English as their friendship develops. Despite their rocky and almost tragic start, the pair share innocence and love. Their love is also selfless, with both willing to do whatever it takes to save each other. That’s a far cry from Corinth’s relationship with Seth. The Sea in You shows the manipulative toxic language of abuse.
Although their relationship was not physically violent, it’s evident that he uses Corinth as a release for any pent-up anger. The two relationships Corinth has are vastly different, and that allows her to finally realize the destructive, toxic nature of one of them. It does not matter if the relationship falls into heternormative or LGBTQ+. It just needs to work for the couple.
Sweet Transformative Arc
Both Corinth and Skylla change through a relationship neither expected. Both learn to seek out what and who makes them happy, gaining confidence from each other. You can’t help but smile each time they’re together. The question is whether their relationship is temporary in their youth or if they can grow together to build a lasting relationship. As this ends on a cliffhanger, hopefully, another book continues it while giving more time to side characters.
The Sea in You is dazzling and inclusive, with a remarkable story. I’d love to see this made into an animated series. Young love is not always hetero, and more stories should showcase that. In The Sea in You, Jessi Sheron captures young relationships’ beauty, and conflicting emotions in a fantasy story spun for the present day. Gorgeous and a top recommendation for fans of love, drama, mermaids, and smiling.
