Secret of the Sirens - Julia Golding

Title: Secret of the Sirens (Companions Quartet #1)
Author: Julia Golding
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 318
Date read: September, 2009

When Connie is sent to live with her aunt, she knows it's going to be one more place where she doesn't fit in. But soon she realises how wrong she is. The seaside town is full of adults and children who have strange links to creatures. It's the heart of the secret Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures, a group of people sworn to ensure that mythical beasts are kept safe.

Normally the creatures and their chosen humans work in harmony. But something abnormal is happening here. The Sirens, who for generations have kept their deadly song to themselves, are once again luring humans to their deaths. It doesn't take long for Connie to realise that the victims are oil workers. The Sirens are fed-up with their seas being polluted, but should the Society protect the Sirens or the oil industry?

Connie doesn't think she has a role to play, until it becomes clear that she's a Universal - the first person in over a century who can communicate with every type of beast on earth and in the air. Her power is immense. It corrupted the previous Universal... and now he's back. And he'll use any means he can - from violence to the terrifying Storm Giants - to turn Connie to the dark side.

I was utterly charmed by this very fascinating first book in a new quartet by Julia Golding. I only "discovered" Julia Golding about a year ago, but if she continues in this fashion, she'll soon become a new favourite fantasy author.

What I really loved about Secret of the Sirens is that it's not as much about magic as about special abilities, and it takes place in our world. Too many fantasy authors invite new worlds, and that is occasionally necessary, but I think it takes a special talent to write a believable fantasy novel in our own universe.

Though the first book in a series, Secret of the Sirens can also mostly stand on its own. The complication of the book is resolved, while still leaving threads open to pick up in later books - rather similarly to Harry Potter actually.

I read it in a day - simply couldn't put it down.