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rebeccajost's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Biphobia, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Confinement and Alcohol
Minor: Genocide, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Slavery, and Infidelity
anastasiadreaming's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Interesting description of the land and how it changed because of colonialism.
Bad stuff:
Extremely hypersexual (the word ‘sexing’ was used so many times I wanted to pull my eyes out), needless and frequent girl-on-girl hate, lack of nuance, gross lack of hygiene, and the ‘born sexy yesterday’ trope that I vehemently dislike.
Graphic: Sexual content, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Classism, Colonisation, Grief, Kidnapping, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Cursing, Ableism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Slavery
oliviaclaire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is its own kind of modern fairytale, set on the fictional Caribbean island of Black Conch in the 1970s where a local fisherman meets a mermaid early one morning off the coast. She is later caught by American tourists (who naturally intend to sell her to the highest bidder) and 'stolen' by our afformentioned fisherman, who attempts to care for her as she begins the transition from mermaid to, well, maid I guess. I won't give away any more than that but it is a wonderful and heartwrenching story with a diverse cast of well fleshed out characters.
The use of description, tone and atmosphere is truly transportive and I fell in love with nearly all of our core cast as we got glimpses inside their lives and their experience of the mermaid. In her afterword, Roffey takes the time to thank the Arts Council of England, The Royal Literary Foundation and The Author's Foundation for helping to fund her progress and if this book is the result, it is a testament to how vital these programmes are! I adored this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that straddles the boundary of contemporary fiction and fairy tale.
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
molliepop's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
jadetrip's review against another edition
Graphic: Gore, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
libby_bebby's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Suicide attempt
the_literarylinguist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Homophobia and Slavery
rachwalker's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Excrement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence