Scan barcode
shellroch285's review
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.25
Morrow once again holds a mirror to our society as she continues the discussion of how racism functions and keeps certain groups in power in A Chorus Rises’s universe as well as ours. I also feel like I’ve never really seen a character like Naema before, and I love the fact that she realizes she’s messed up in the past while remaining herself. The fundamental parts of her character and personality stay with her through the entire book. I don’t know if there will be another book after this one, but I’d love to read it! These characters are so great, and I want to see them continue to take action.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Pedophilia
zombiezami's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Outing, Hate crime, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Racism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Body horror
Minor: Cursing, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, and Classism
Incarceration, Misogynoiroliviagraz's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia
Minor: Vomit, Violence, Outing, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Confinement, and Classism
anna_wa's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
When I was about to start reading "A Song Below Water", I saw that it had a sequel that I didn't know about. I barely looked at the description before requesting an interlibrary loan for it (since my University library didn't already have it on their own). I saw the word "influencer" and little else, so after finishing the first book, I assumed this was going to be about Camilla Fox.
When I found out it was actually about Naema, I was slightly disappointed but moreso excited. I love media where we get the antagonist's perspective, because almost nobody is mean for no reason at all; they have a reason even if it's not a reason I like or agree with.
The story starts off with Naema a year after she was turned to stone and then subsequently freed from stone. Her popularity with the Portland community who used to love her is in the pits and all the positive attention she used to get just from being Eloko is now turned into negative attention because she was the one who recorded everybody getting turned to stone.
Fed up with Portland, she asks her parents if there's somewhere else she can go for a while since it's the summer and she doesn't have to stay here and go to school. She then goes down to the Pacific Northwest where she meets her cousins, aunts, uncles, and many other relatives who have gathered for the yearly family reunion (a tradition Naema and her parents haven't been part of before, but her mom still contributes to from Portland). Even though they make it clear that she has to be more than just an Eloko to impress them down here, it's through them that she figures out who she really is. Down there, Naema unlocks new magic she never knew she had and she also learns that not all adoration is good adoration and getting revenge on Tavia is not the only thing (or even close to being the most important thing) that matters to her.
It did lose half a star with me because of certain aspects of the ending.I'm all on board with Tavia and Naema teaming up and burying the hatchet. I did, however, get queasy at The Good Cop Who Does The Right Thing In The End character... But nevertheless, I enjoyed this and its predecessor a lot and I hope Morrow writes more YA in the future because I'd love to read it.
When I found out it was actually about Naema, I was slightly disappointed but moreso excited. I love media where we get the antagonist's perspective, because almost nobody is mean for no reason at all; they have a reason even if it's not a reason I like or agree with.
The story starts off with Naema a year after she was turned to stone and then subsequently freed from stone. Her popularity with the Portland community who used to love her is in the pits and all the positive attention she used to get just from being Eloko is now turned into negative attention because she was the one who recorded everybody getting turned to stone.
Fed up with Portland, she asks her parents if there's somewhere else she can go for a while since it's the summer and she doesn't have to stay here and go to school. She then goes down to the Pacific Northwest where she meets her cousins, aunts, uncles, and many other relatives who have gathered for the yearly family reunion (a tradition Naema and her parents haven't been part of before, but her mom still contributes to from Portland). Even though they make it clear that she has to be more than just an Eloko to impress them down here, it's through them that she figures out who she really is. Down there, Naema unlocks new magic she never knew she had and she also learns that not all adoration is good adoration and getting revenge on Tavia is not the only thing (or even close to being the most important thing) that matters to her.
It did lose half a star with me because of certain aspects of the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Stalking and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement and Pedophilia
kayladaila's review
reflective
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Outing
Moderate: Bullying, Racism, and Stalking
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pedophilia
azyef's review
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Police brutality, Stalking, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcoholism and Pedophilia
More...