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darniy's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
An emotional story about a young girl navigating changes in her life while still dealing with grief.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
mimi_chartier's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
kait_sg's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
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
addisalazar's review
4.0
this is my fourth book by this author and she’s truly brilliant. she depicts family dynamics, friend groups and relationships in such a beautiful way. i specially love how well grief was handled, it was heartbreaking and so sad but i’m so glad this book exists for the story it’s telling the world. also how cute is the nickname peach?
satashan's review
4.0
4.5, really good exploration of loss and grief for teens but still made me cry.
jess331709's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
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
2beenough's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
parzival703's review
5.0
The amount that I cried. I think Ashley Herring Blake is an incredible author, one that apparently keeps having me give her books 5 starts. This story was tragic and sad but also filled with hope and love. Besides that it's prolly one of the best pieces of enby rep I've ever read, which is funny as this is technically a book written for middle schoolers. I loved it, and just like with Girl Made Of Stars already feel like rereading it.