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dayla_fm's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
I have many thoughts about this book. I've read nearly all of Ashley Herring Blake's works and I am a massive fan--especially of her middle grade books because of how accessible and relatable these books might be for younger readers trying to find themselves in fiction. While I enjoyed HAZEL BLY and have many thoughts, it's not my favourite book of Blake's.
Before I jump into the review, I want to talk about something I read in some of the older reviews on Goodreads that made me hella uncomfortable. There are some reviewers that really had an issue with the non-binary character in this book and how Blake tells her readers about what it might mean to be NB. I've been thinking about those transphobic comments throughout my time reading this book and getting angrier and angrier. Someone even took a star off for Blake being "too woke" and trying to do a check list of some sort--Ya'll know these books are queer right? Like, Queer with a capital Q. How dare kids who might identify as non-binary potentially see themselves in fictional stories? I'm not going to swear because a kid might read this review, but honestly, some of these reviews were disgusting. This is a child and this book is QUEER.
Moving on.
We know the representation in Blake's novels are always going to be top-notch. These are usually my go-to books when I get a baby LGBTQ+ visiting the bookstore and looking for books that feature non-hetero characters. I loved that this exploration of one's identity is so pure in this and not made into some sort of show or shock and awe plot device. It just is.
My biggest gripe with this book is how the mother treats the MC. I know they are both grieving, but it was heartbreaking watching this kid be in so much pain and in need of the comfort of touch and communication. I actually hunted down reviews to see if I was the only one noticing this (hence why I came across those transphobic reviews) and one person made a comment about being sick of emotionally abusive parents in MG and honestly, yes. It's always been one of my biggest pet peeves with middle grade--how awful parents can be, how apathetic they sometimes are, and how dismissive they are of their child's emotions in comparison to their own feelings/beliefs. They can come off as bullies just because "I'm the parent and you're not".
I'm a person who lost a parent at twelve (like the MC) and I had a mother who helped me grieve while she also grieved. It's doable. Hell, we even see it in how another mother grieves with her own daughter. But while it was infuriating, it was also kind of genius in how Blake was able to show the reader these two comparable situations and the different end-results in having an open communication-led grieving process and one where the surviving parent completely shuts down. It was an interesting and complex exploration of grief and how different it truly looks.
Did I cry a few times? Absolutely. Did I feel the joys of childhood watching the MC slowly open up and potentially even find first love? Of course. There's so much innocence in spending your summers hunting for an elusive mermaid and sharing those secret smiles with your potential crush. It's things like that that make a pre-teen childhood so memorable (or cringey, depending on who you ask.) And for those who think these kids are too young for this--they're twelve and thirteen. You're going to tell me you didn't have a crush when you were twelve?! (Unless you didn't actually have one, then you know, you do you, that's perfectly fine.)
I think some of these characters need therapy and it's definitely mentioned (TW: for a suicide attempt). One of the beautiful (and heartbreaking) things about Blake's writing is that she doesn't shy away from the tougher topics that are sometimes seen as taboo by parents. Listen, I work at a bookstore, I have seen all kinds of censoring from parents. But there are a few parents who want their children to read those stories that explore the scarier realities of what it means to be human. And then, you also have those parents who have kids who would heavily benefit from books like this because they might be able to relate to the characters' journey. This is why I will always jump into a Blake novel, feet first.
So, while this wasn't my favourite book of hers, it was definitely one of the more complicated ones. While we get the seemingly summer-filled magic of a mermaid who looks a little too much like the MC, we also get the heavy undertow of emotions unexplored and words unsaid. It's gorgeous, raw, and thought-provoking. I think it's important for kids to read these books, but also adults so they can get a bit of a glimpse into a child's mind.
Happy reading!
Before I jump into the review, I want to talk about something I read in some of the older reviews on Goodreads that made me hella uncomfortable. There are some reviewers that really had an issue with the non-binary character in this book and how Blake tells her readers about what it might mean to be NB. I've been thinking about those transphobic comments throughout my time reading this book and getting angrier and angrier. Someone even took a star off for Blake being "too woke" and trying to do a check list of some sort--Ya'll know these books are queer right? Like, Queer with a capital Q. How dare kids who might identify as non-binary potentially see themselves in fictional stories? I'm not going to swear because a kid might read this review, but honestly, some of these reviews were disgusting. This is a child and this book is QUEER.
Moving on.
We know the representation in Blake's novels are always going to be top-notch. These are usually my go-to books when I get a baby LGBTQ+ visiting the bookstore and looking for books that feature non-hetero characters. I loved that this exploration of one's identity is so pure in this and not made into some sort of show or shock and awe plot device. It just is.
My biggest gripe with this book is how the mother treats the MC. I know they are both grieving, but it was heartbreaking watching this kid be in so much pain and in need of the comfort of touch and communication. I actually hunted down reviews to see if I was the only one noticing this (hence why I came across those transphobic reviews) and one person made a comment about being sick of emotionally abusive parents in MG and honestly, yes. It's always been one of my biggest pet peeves with middle grade--how awful parents can be, how apathetic they sometimes are, and how dismissive they are of their child's emotions in comparison to their own feelings/beliefs. They can come off as bullies just because "I'm the parent and you're not".
I'm a person who lost a parent at twelve (like the MC) and I had a mother who helped me grieve while she also grieved. It's doable. Hell, we even see it in how another mother grieves with her own daughter. But while it was infuriating, it was also kind of genius in how Blake was able to show the reader these two comparable situations and the different end-results in having an open communication-led grieving process and one where the surviving parent completely shuts down. It was an interesting and complex exploration of grief and how different it truly looks.
Did I cry a few times? Absolutely. Did I feel the joys of childhood watching the MC slowly open up and potentially even find first love? Of course. There's so much innocence in spending your summers hunting for an elusive mermaid and sharing those secret smiles with your potential crush. It's things like that that make a pre-teen childhood so memorable (or cringey, depending on who you ask.) And for those who think these kids are too young for this--they're twelve and thirteen. You're going to tell me you didn't have a crush when you were twelve?! (Unless you didn't actually have one, then you know, you do you, that's perfectly fine.)
I think some of these characters need therapy and it's definitely mentioned (TW: for a suicide attempt). One of the beautiful (and heartbreaking) things about Blake's writing is that she doesn't shy away from the tougher topics that are sometimes seen as taboo by parents. Listen, I work at a bookstore, I have seen all kinds of censoring from parents. But there are a few parents who want their children to read those stories that explore the scarier realities of what it means to be human. And then, you also have those parents who have kids who would heavily benefit from books like this because they might be able to relate to the characters' journey. This is why I will always jump into a Blake novel, feet first.
So, while this wasn't my favourite book of hers, it was definitely one of the more complicated ones. While we get the seemingly summer-filled magic of a mermaid who looks a little too much like the MC, we also get the heavy undertow of emotions unexplored and words unsaid. It's gorgeous, raw, and thought-provoking. I think it's important for kids to read these books, but also adults so they can get a bit of a glimpse into a child's mind.
Happy reading!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Suicide attempt
antimony's review
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
cried a lot + MAINE COAST
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Child death and Suicide attempt
drtx_bwt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt
amandalorianxo's review
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? Yes
3.0
There is a lot of sadness prevalent throughout this upper middle grade / lower high school novel. It centers around Hazel Foster Bly and her family (little sister and her mother.) Hazel is going through a lot in terms of trauma - having seen her Mum die during a kayak accident and being the survivor while also physically walking away damaged. I definitely understand that all the Bly ladies were going through so much but the manner in which they tried to move on wasn’t healthy. Constantly moving is not the best way to cope. Neither is being unnecessarily mean to people who didn’t hurt you. I wasn’t a fan of the manner in which Mama patented & all of them should have sought out help from the get go. It doesn’t take away from the story but the mannerisms of the characters made me step away from the prevalent themes of sadness, guilt and pain. Content warning - attempt suicide, death of a parent, trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt
hazelsnoot's review
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Child death
gurnoor's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child death, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, and Bullying
monarchbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
I think this book would work better as teen/young adult instead of middle grade, while books about grief are important for younger people, the fact that the book refused to admit that Hazel attempted su*cide, probably because it was intended for a younger audience, bothered me
Edit: Also, what bothers me most is that Evelyn never apologized for not being there for her daughter. Losing her wife, feeling like she's losing her daughter... is not an excuse for not being there when Hazel clearly needed her. Hazel went to her after the first Ocean Club meeting and Evelyn basically told her that she was tough and to deal with it and that's f*cking bullsh*t.
Edit: Also, what bothers me most is that Evelyn never apologized for not being there for her daughter. Losing her wife, feeling like she's losing her daughter... is not an excuse for not being there when Hazel clearly needed her. Hazel went to her after the first Ocean Club meeting and Evelyn basically told her that she was tough and to deal with it and that's f*cking bullsh*t.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child death and Suicide attempt
its_van_vulpen's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child death, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
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