Author: Nuria Riera Carrillo
- Fiction
- Bartleby Editores
- ISBN: 9788492799336
- Release Date: 01-01-2011
-Reviewed by: Jorge A. Romero

The book begins with the main character, Mamen, a 34 year old woman going somewhere on a plane. Her adventure starts when she is standing by a very tall, white with red stripes light house and, all of a sudden, a "wave that tastes like fish" (Una ola con sabor a pez), takes her right into the sea. There, she finds herself having a conversation with an octopus about being or feeling like a mermaid. The next thing she knows, when she opens her eyes, is that she is surrounded by people who seem to be worried about her, that's when she notices that her clothes are wet and a boy tells her that she fell in the sea, but she was rescued and the ambulance is on its way to take her to a hospital.

Once in the hospital, she meets the doctor, Noé, and confesses to him that she speaks to octopuses, in particular with one. She had many questions for it and receives answers to all her questions. The doctor checks her and plays along with her story, making comments and questions about her conversation with the octopus in the sea by the light house. At the hospital, she meets a girl who seems to have a terrible cold, Orlanda and her mother Aye. What she doesn’t know yet, is that the girl is connected to what’s going to happen to Mamen. 

When Mamen is released from the hospital, she goes back to the place where the light house is located. Something inside her, perhaps instinct or a very strong feeling has made her go back there. She looks around and after a while, she finds a very big door with a doorbell in the middle of the door and presses it. A girl, Isla, comes to the door, it's Orlanda's twin sister. She then meets the father, Abraham, after an awkward introduction. The father asked Mamen to watch Isla so he can go to the hospital to be with Orlanda and Aye. Mamen agrees to it and this is where the rest of the story unfolds. 

During her stay at the light house, Mamen learns to find beauty in the small things in life. She also learns about many mysteries of the light house and the family that inhabits it.  Isla is very playful and Mamen finds herself loving this little girl and all the things they do together. Isla helps Mamen love life through the simplicity of the moments. 

Doctor Noé is Abraham's brother, and Mamen, without expecting it, falls in love with him because he helps her see life in a way that Mamen hasn't seen it or felt it in a very long time. Even though she feels like she should stay, Mamen decides to go back to her old life. She goes back to work, to visit with her mother and sister, and to do all the things she used to do in her “normal” life, before her conversations with the octopus and her time with Isla’s family. 

Life is normal again. She has a job, runs her errands and routines. Everything seems ok. That is until she receives some odd packages in the mail from Isla and Noé, such as a container full of sea water, and later, octopus ink on paper. 

She decides to be adventurous and follow her heart. To go find the light house by the sea, Isla and her family, and the man she has learn to love, Noé. 

I must say that this is one of the best books I have read in the last couple of years. It has everything it needs to capture the reader’s attention and to engage them until the end. Núria’s writing is poetic, fantastic, is everything a great book should be to be enjoyed. 

The author has mixed fantasy, poetry, romance, adventure, and it has paid off. This is one of those stories that makes one yearn for a longer story. Núria has a way with words that one doesn’t see every day. This is truly a story to be shared with the world. I cannot tell you enough how much I have loved this book. I also had the opportunity to see some reviews, critiques and comments for “Ola con sabor a pez,” and people really like the book. There’s something about this book that readers like love. I felt very happy every time I picked this book up to read. It has encouraged me to pay attention to the small things in life because that’s what really matters. 

It is a well written book. I liked the symbolism, the poetry and the way Núria has played with the vocabulary to make this a must read book.