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sayyadina773 's review for:
Beneath the Haunting Sea
by Joanna Ruth Meyer
*MINOR SPOILERS*
A beautiful, resonant story that aches, inspires, and enthralls. Joanna Meyer's prose flows and sings like music, as music itself becomes one of its most prominent themes - coming alive from the very pages, making its images dance before our eyes. I don't think you'll find a more exquisitely written book, as you can hear the haunting call of the waves, feel the textures of salt, earth, and sea, and sense every inch the power of myth vibrating through each paragraph and sentence. Her world is full of so much tenderness and melancholy, you cannot help but be swept away in the beauty and romance of it all. Everything about this story moves with fluid grace, in both its telling and its imagery. The music within the story - the music of the words - transform themselves into the whirls and undulations of the ocean water, which in turn finds its repetition in the story beats and character arcs. The whole composition of this story flows seamlessly and almost dream-like, and perhaps being a visual artist, this is what struck me the most.
As for the story itself, told through the fierce and brave Talia, it is one that is about the restorative power of belief and the relentlessness of love. And I don't mean just love in a simple "love conquers all" sort of way, but love in all its many forms, enduring through real pain and sacrifice. One of my favorite quotes from the book is "To love is to be broken. That is the very definition of the word." And one of my favorite characters is Wen, the young man Talia finds herself betrothed to at the beginning of the book. He is the "Samwise Gamgee" of this story, and I just loved his character! I won't spoil further, but he stands out as exemplifying this kind of steadfastness and unconditional love.
Yet there is more I could say about how myth is used in this story as well. It stands out from other works of fiction in this way because it becomes living and breathing within the narrative. It isn't something the remains inert and buried in ancient books but shows itself to have real and lasting power – even in a world that has long since forgotten it. I am reminded of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien on this account, and how they were proponents of how myth had this unique aspect of being able to translate transcendental truths like no other form could. Words are magic. Story itself is power. It can touch us deep within our souls, reveal to us our failings, spur us on towards hope, and lead us to joys we never thought possible. This is what SEA is about, and I find its unwavering and heartfelt stance on the abiding strength of love and faith to be truly encouraging.
So, if you love ethereal Gothic fantasy romances that are tenderhearted or just captivating and hopeful stories that come from a unique and passionate voice unlike anything you might find today, then I would highly recommend this book. Also keep an eye on this author, as she is only just getting started.
A beautiful, resonant story that aches, inspires, and enthralls. Joanna Meyer's prose flows and sings like music, as music itself becomes one of its most prominent themes - coming alive from the very pages, making its images dance before our eyes. I don't think you'll find a more exquisitely written book, as you can hear the haunting call of the waves, feel the textures of salt, earth, and sea, and sense every inch the power of myth vibrating through each paragraph and sentence. Her world is full of so much tenderness and melancholy, you cannot help but be swept away in the beauty and romance of it all. Everything about this story moves with fluid grace, in both its telling and its imagery. The music within the story - the music of the words - transform themselves into the whirls and undulations of the ocean water, which in turn finds its repetition in the story beats and character arcs. The whole composition of this story flows seamlessly and almost dream-like, and perhaps being a visual artist, this is what struck me the most.
As for the story itself, told through the fierce and brave Talia, it is one that is about the restorative power of belief and the relentlessness of love. And I don't mean just love in a simple "love conquers all" sort of way, but love in all its many forms, enduring through real pain and sacrifice. One of my favorite quotes from the book is "To love is to be broken. That is the very definition of the word." And one of my favorite characters is Wen, the young man Talia finds herself betrothed to at the beginning of the book. He is the "Samwise Gamgee" of this story, and I just loved his character! I won't spoil further, but he stands out as exemplifying this kind of steadfastness and unconditional love.
Yet there is more I could say about how myth is used in this story as well. It stands out from other works of fiction in this way because it becomes living and breathing within the narrative. It isn't something the remains inert and buried in ancient books but shows itself to have real and lasting power – even in a world that has long since forgotten it. I am reminded of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien on this account, and how they were proponents of how myth had this unique aspect of being able to translate transcendental truths like no other form could. Words are magic. Story itself is power. It can touch us deep within our souls, reveal to us our failings, spur us on towards hope, and lead us to joys we never thought possible. This is what SEA is about, and I find its unwavering and heartfelt stance on the abiding strength of love and faith to be truly encouraging.
So, if you love ethereal Gothic fantasy romances that are tenderhearted or just captivating and hopeful stories that come from a unique and passionate voice unlike anything you might find today, then I would highly recommend this book. Also keep an eye on this author, as she is only just getting started.