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A review by lateromantic
The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill
adventurous
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
3.5
I didn't enjoy it as much as Louise O'Neill's other books I've read, but she did a wonderful job of extending The Little Mermaid and showing the queer and proto-feminist aspects of the story. Some bad language and sex references, though I would say the sex references are OK for young high school students as it teaches them about relating to healthy desires in a safe way and consent. More on-the-nose than her other books, but likely because it's aimed at a younger audience than them.
Graphic: Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol