If you loved
Goodbye, Lara
Series · 2026
If Goodbye, Lara captured your imagination, you will love these stories that explore the haunting isolation of living outside human time.
Start with the source
The source
The Little Mermaid
John Musker · Film · 1989
Adaptation
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
Film · 2000
Books on the same thread
The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder
Marissa Meyer · Book · 2012
Shares a thread with Goodbye, Lara: Fairy Tale Retelling.
Much like the fish-out-of-water struggle in Goodbye, Lara, Cinder finds herself navigating a rigid society while grappling with a hidden identity that threatens her very existence.
Dark Curse
Christine Feehan · Book · 2008
Explores: fated mates, supernatural heritage, overcoming childhood trauma.
Readers drawn to the supernatural heritage and romantic stakes of Goodbye, Lara will connect with this tale of ancient beings and the intense, fated bonds they forge.
Kraken and Canals: A Historical Fantasy Second Chance Romance
Anne Renwick · Book · 2018
Explores: Second Chance Romance, Forbidden Love, Defying Conventions.
The desperate search for love and survival seen in Goodbye, Lara echoes through this journey, where a dangerous quest forces a woman to defy impossible, ancient conventions.
Hooky
Míriam Bonastre Tur · Book · 2021
Explores: found family, magical destiny, fugitives.
If you enjoyed the magical displacement in Goodbye, Lara, you will appreciate how these protagonists navigate the consequences of their unique destinies while fleeing those who misunderstand them.
Films on the same thread
The Deadly Little Mermaid
Cameron Uzoka · Film · 2026
Explores: deception, isolation, predatory behavior.
This film flips the coastal mystery of Goodbye, Lara on its head, focusing on the predatory deception and dark secrets that can emerge when a stranger arrives from the sea.
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
Film · 2018
Shares a thread with Goodbye, Lara: Immortality.
Those moved by the existential weight of immortality in Goodbye, Lara will find a poignant reflection of that same grief in this story of a timeless being raising a mortal.
The Bride!
Maggie Gyllenhaal · Film · 2026
Explores: playing god, existential loneliness, bodily autonomy.
This story mirrors the existential dread and tragic romantic stakes of Goodbye, Lara by exploring what happens when a reanimated being tries to find a place in a world not meant for them.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
If the themes of love and loss in a hostile environment resonated in Goodbye, Lara, this audio drama offers a similar, haunting perspective on the struggle for survival.
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cultural origins, archetypal storytelling, human condition.
Because you loved the fairy tale retelling of Goodbye, Lara, you will appreciate these deeper dives into the ancient myths and archetypes that form our shared cultural history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Goodbye, Lara based on the original The Little Mermaid book?
Goodbye, Lara is an original story about a mermaid princess who awakens in Lake Biwa 200 years after a failed transformation. While it shares thematic elements with the 2003 book The Little Mermaid, it is a distinct narrative rather than a direct adaptation of that specific text.
How does the plot of Goodbye, Lara compare to the 1989 movie The Little Mermaid?
In the 1989 movie The Little Mermaid, the protagonist seeks to join the human world through a deal with a sea witch. Goodbye, Lara follows a similar premise of a mermaid becoming human for love, but focuses on the consequences of her failure and her attempt to find love in Lake Biwa.
Should I watch The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea before Goodbye, Lara?
You do not need to watch The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea before viewing Goodbye, Lara. These titles are separate productions with different storylines and settings. Goodbye, Lara functions as a standalone story about a mermaid princess awakening in a lake centuries after her initial transformation.
Does Goodbye, Lara follow the same story as the 1989 The Little Mermaid?
Goodbye, Lara is not the same story as the 1989 The Little Mermaid. While both feature a mermaid princess who chooses to become human for love, Goodbye, Lara centers on a unique plot where the protagonist awakens in Lake Biwa 200 years later for a final chance at life.