7-8 8-9 Fiction Middle Grade Young Adult

Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch (Villains, #3) by Serena Valentino

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Published: 2016
Author: Serena Valentino
Genres: YA Fantasy, Disney Retelling
Audience: Grades 7–9
Number of Stars: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Goodreads Link: Poor Unfortunate Soul
Content Warnings: Emotional abuse, death of a parent, and fantasy violence.

Publisher’s Summary

The story of the little mermaid has been told many times: a girl wants more than her world offers, a father demands she stay within his domain, and a sea witch extracts a terrible price. But that is only half the story. What of Ariel’s nemesis, Ursula? What led her to become so twisted, scorned, and filled with hatred?

In this third installment of the Villains series, Serena Valentino explores an account of the sea witch’s past. From her abandonment by her human family to her complicated ties with King Triton, this tale attempts to explain the pain and isolation that shaped Ursula into the “poor unfortunate soul” we know today.

Full Review

As a fan of the first two books in the Villains series (Fairest of All and The Beast Within), I was excited to dive into Ursula’s backstory. Unfortunately, this installment was my least favorite of the three. While the premise promised a deep dive into the sea witch’s motives, the execution felt removed from the heart of The Little Mermaid tale.

The biggest issue is that Ursula often feels like a secondary character in her own book. The “Odd Sisters” (the trio of witches from the previous novels) take center stage here, and their search for a missing sister pushes Ursula’s development into the background. There is a missed opportunity to explore the emotional weight of her connection to King Triton; instead, the plot introduces many new, often confusing characters that don’t quite blend with the classic Disney version.

Additionally, the world-building leaves significant gaps. For example, Ursula transforms from a mermaid into an octopus form, but there is no explanation as to why or how this magic works. The author notes her family abandons her because they cannot accept her form, which touches on themes of identity and isolation, but the lack of clarity left me feeling disconnected. With rushed pacing and underdeveloped plotlines, this story didn’t deliver the emotional depth I expected. It may serve as a text for older students to explore themes of acceptance and loneliness, but it lacks the cohesive “origin story” feel of its predecessors.

 

🌀 Narrative Structure: The “Odd Sisters” Multiverse

Serena Valentino uses a “Shared Universe” approach where the same group of original characters influences multiple Disney villains.

  • The Odd Sisters: Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha. Their interference is meant to explain why these villains turned “evil,” but in this volume, their own subplots (searching for Circe) often overshadow the titular character.
  • The “Tale Within a Tale”: The book attempts to run the classic Little Mermaid plot alongside a new mythology, which can lead to pacing issues as the story jumps between familiar Disney scenes and original lore.

🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections

  • ELA (Character Motivation & Agency): Discuss whether Ursula is the “hero” of her own story in this book.

    • Activity Idea: Identify moments where Ursula makes a choice versus moments where she is manipulated by the Odd Sisters. Does this change how we view her as a “villain”?

  • Creative Writing (The Unexplained “Why”): Address the reviewer’s critique of the missing transformation explanation.

    • Activity Idea: Write a “lost chapter” that explains the magic behind Ursula’s transformation into an octopus. How would an explanation for her change have helped readers connect with her pain?

  • Social Studies/SEL (Identity and Acceptance): Explore the theme of being abandoned for being “different.”

    • Activity Idea: Use Ursula’s experience with her family as a springboard for a discussion on Universal Human Rights and the importance of acceptance. How does isolation contribute to the “villain” archetype in literature?

  • Media Literacy (Retellings & Adaptations): Compare this book to the 1989 Disney film or Hans Christian Andersen’s original 1837 story.

    • Activity Idea: Create a T-Chart. One side should list “Classic Traits” (from the movie) and the other “New Lore” (from the book). Which version of Ursula feels more human?

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