A review by savvylit
Chlorine by Jade Song

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Chlorine left me speechless. Even as I write this review, I am struggling to formulate coherent sentences to explain just how much this story affected me. Chlorine is a devastating and powerful glimpse of the myriad pressures that young women face just by existing. Then, add to that already immense pressure the specific difficulties of navigating a highly competitive sport while being a queer Asian American teenager who is also trying to maintain excellent grades. Protagonist Ren captured my heart - her intensity, perfectionism, and derealization were all highly relatable. And then her increasing mermaid obsession... it ultimately tore me apart. I've been gutted ever since I finished this novel.

Chlorine is not for the faint of heart! This is a horror novel that features some unforgettably gruesome imagery. Luckily for all of us, Jade Song includes a content warning at the very beginning to prepare her readers. However, I will say that I was still surprised by the extent of the detail in the horror scenes; but that's just me and my own comfort level with body horror.
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