Reviews

The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey

chloew94's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I loved the narration! It has two narrators for the two POVs and it was well done, the main narrator does an amazing job of voices! I loved getting the mermaid’s Pov and wish we had more from her. Her narrative was told through a sort of prose while David’s is told through third person and journal entries. 

I enjoyed the cast of characters for the most part. They’re all so complex and intriguing but at one point it did get confusing tracking them all, I think mostly because I listened to the audio version.

Not a fan of how sexual the book is. The talk about wanting to do things to the mermaid and sexual organs was a little excessive for me. I hate when authors use “her sex” to describe body parts, it makes me cringe 😭 and the amount of men feeling things “in their balls” or how often the author brought up how innocent and young the mermaid was, in turn making her “better” than the rest of the women was uncomfortable. 

I liked the intertwining of mythology and folklore into the story, as well as the discussions of colonialism and wish there was more of that and less sex.


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taaja's review against another edition

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emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

marianne_clh's review

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

mj_sharps's review against another edition

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3.5

I really liked this - the writing style was really interesting and varied, from David’s creole English to the mermaid’s kind of prose.  I love myths and legends and folklore and the way they shape and influence cultures and communities - and this was a really engaging story reimagining a legend that comes true for the people of Black Conch.  A very different portrayal of a mermaid, compared to the Disney / westernised version. 

lisaelise13's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

abbie_bryant's review

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ayetreads's review against another edition

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5.0

I felt like I was reading a literary classic with The Mermaid of Black Conch. It has fantasy elements but it's also steeped with life. I did not want to put this book down but I also don't want it to end. I found myself pacing my reading time because I know I can finish this in one day but I just want to stay in this world.

I love the mermaid, Aycayia, David, miss Rain, Reggie, and even Life. The author is amazing at creating a world that is lived in and exploring the complicated relationship of coastal communities with a history of slavery and division.

The glimpses of Aycayia's previous life with her tribe and family were also a delight. The storytelling is masterful. I wish there's more.

noellita's review

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I really liked the beginning, but towards the end, the book wasn't as captivating any more.
I felt like Aycayia was put on a pedestal, especially by all the men around her, because of her beauty and her innocence, which bothered me. She is, of course, lovable, but I didn't like how other women were supposed to be a contrast to her (and thus, suck).
There was a very delicate reckoning with the colonial past and the ways in which it impacts the present. The character of Arcadia Rain was well-thought out. I really liked her, but was also able to see her flaws. 
There was decidedly too much mention of genitals for my taste. Men in this book felt everything "in their balls". 
I also disagree on a personal level with the importance sex has in this book. Of course it's amazing to see what kind of pleasure your body can give you, but it doesn't "turn you into a woman". Neither does your period.

elsa3214's review

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3.5

Sjukt brutal i vissa delar och hade den varit skriven av en man hade vissa scener/händelser varit helt unforgivable. Kändes (tyvärr) trolig i händelseförloppet (liksom vad hade faktiskt hänt om ett gäng män hittade en sjöjungfru) och delvis skriven på kreol/dialekt = 10/10. Kanske lite väl mycket snack om oskuld och Wombs och störde ihjäl mig på att hon skulle förstå ASL som nåt slags historiskt, universellt språk när det skapades lokalt ca 1820?
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