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A review by bandysbooks
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
3.75
A Song Below Water is a mix of mythology, current events, and young adult fiction that follows main characters Tavia and Effie as they navigate the pressures of highschool. Tavia, a siren, is forced to keep her siren song under wraps for fear of persecution if her powers are discovered. Effie, her best friend, is being haunted by literal demons. At a police rally in Oregon, Tavia's powers are discovered and her world explodes from there.
The thing that I really loved about this book is the way it seamlessly weaves current events into a mythology based story. Sirens are victims of prejudice, forced to wear literal shock collars to prevent them from using siren song. Racial tensions exist as well, so Tavia is really dealing with a lot. It makes you feel so much empathy for everything she's experiencing and that's the brilliance of this.
I also love that both main characters are young strong black women. They face many challenges in the story, but are constantly reflecting on and challenging the world they are presented with. They never just accept what they are told and I think that's a particularly important quality in young adult writing.
My only critique of this book is that it felt a bit all over the place. It's almost as if there are so many good ideas that they're all competing for prominence within the story. I think it might've benefitted a bit if it had focused on one or two specific issues instead of spreading itself so thin.
All in all, I think this was well written and relevant. A good read for adults and teens alike.
The thing that I really loved about this book is the way it seamlessly weaves current events into a mythology based story. Sirens are victims of prejudice, forced to wear literal shock collars to prevent them from using siren song. Racial tensions exist as well, so Tavia is really dealing with a lot. It makes you feel so much empathy for everything she's experiencing and that's the brilliance of this.
I also love that both main characters are young strong black women. They face many challenges in the story, but are constantly reflecting on and challenging the world they are presented with. They never just accept what they are told and I think that's a particularly important quality in young adult writing.
My only critique of this book is that it felt a bit all over the place. It's almost as if there are so many good ideas that they're all competing for prominence within the story. I think it might've benefitted a bit if it had focused on one or two specific issues instead of spreading itself so thin.
All in all, I think this was well written and relevant. A good read for adults and teens alike.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence