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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
A book club side quest. I love the concept of this book, especially that it evolved from a song. What a cool way to create a new mythology. The premise - that a society of deep sea mermaids descended from pregnant African women thrown overboard during the slave trade - is just amazing.
The novella itself, while short, thoughtfully explores the concept that holding knowledge of intergenerational trauma is both a burden and an inescapable way of maintaining identity. It’s nuanced and cleverly done. I just feel that the story and characters themselves aren’t that well fleshed out, and I wanted a bit more from either the plot or the protagonist. Maybe one where the concept is better than the reality.
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
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:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely f*cking beautiful. The creative collaboration that happened to create this story is a blessing to the world. The writing style, the thematic elements, the characters study, etc. are all perfectly woven together. Solomon’s works never fail to make me view the world differently and also make me violently emotional.
I did want more from the ending, as it felt like the pace increased towards the end rather than keeping the same level of detail and lyricism throughout.
It’s not at all action-heavy, so if you’re looking for something with excitement and adventure this isn’t it. However, I found that the thoughtfulness of it only helped me enjoy the experience.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars is because I didn’t fully commit myself to understanding the world building. At some point I’ll listen to the related music and reread it for the full experience.
I did want more from the ending, as it felt like the pace increased towards the end rather than keeping the same level of detail and lyricism throughout.
It’s not at all action-heavy, so if you’re looking for something with excitement and adventure this isn’t it. However, I found that the thoughtfulness of it only helped me enjoy the experience.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars is because I didn’t fully commit myself to understanding the world building. At some point I’ll listen to the related music and reread it for the full experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal death, Sexual content
Plot was predictable but the narrative was emotionally engaging.
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
fast-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
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
A beautifully written, lyrical novella about the descendants of African slave women making a life in the deep.
This tale took on the task of what it means to understand a people’s history of slavery and barbaric treatment, and where they must go from there. Who are you without your history?
Big themes of utilitarianism, generational trauma, love, and community.
I really appreciated that throughout all the conflict that drove the story, there was still love as the biggest motivator. Love as the driver to understand, protect, heal, and connect. I’ll be thinking about this book forever.
This tale took on the task of what it means to understand a people’s history of slavery and barbaric treatment, and where they must go from there. Who are you without your history?
Big themes of utilitarianism, generational trauma, love, and community.
I really appreciated that throughout all the conflict that drove the story, there was still love as the biggest motivator. Love as the driver to understand, protect, heal, and connect. I’ll be thinking about this book forever.
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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