A review by thenovelmaura
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-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? No

4.0

This book was rather unexpected, but I did end up enjoying it! I was expecting a fantasy world based off the description, but this is better described as magical realism. You're dropped right into a world where sirens and elokos exist, without much explanation about how their powers work. For me, the blend of fantastical creatures and Black Lives Matter activism really worked in this contemporary setting, even though the pacing was too slow towards the middle. There was a lot of adults telling these girls to stop asking questions and the story stalled out because they weren't learning any new information. Things really started to pick up at the 2/3rds mark, and then there's a ton of action and revelations to keep you moving towards the conclusion.

I loved the relationship between these two sisters who brought out the best in each other and those around them. There were so many twists and turns on their paths to finding their identities, but I was rooting for them the whole way through. I'd recommend this book to fans of Slay by Brittney Morris, with the caveat that it takes a more sobering look at issues of systemic racism, discrimination, and police brutality than that book does.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Racism

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Suicide attempt

In the past, Tavia hurt herself in an attempt to suppress her siren powers, and it was treated as a suicide attempt by her family. While she definitely harmed herself, Morris doesn't overtly portray her as suicidal. I do think it's up to the reader to interpret the intentions behind her actions.