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A review by jkkenobi
The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill
5.0
I’ve read Asking for It by Louise O’Neill and she did an incredible job of exploring the issue of victim-blaming after rape, so I was extremely keen to read her feminist reimagining of the Little Mermaid. I first saw the Disney movie as an adult, and that probably vastly altered my perception of the story! I felt I was meant to see Ariel as incredibly romantic, but to me she was just very young and rather foolish.
The author adds far more depth to the story. She really shines a light on ingrained societal behaviours: The women are unduly concerned regarding their weight and nudity – somehow expected to walk the line between modesty, allure, and always be at the men’s disposal. I’m happy to say the novel is not an anti-men rant, but rather gives us the fascinating opportunity to see human behaviour through a stranger’s eyes.
Ceto, the Sea-Witch is an intriguing character, and I found myself wondering how Ursula (the Disney equivalent of Ceto) came to be the evil villainess that she is portrayed in the film.
Whilst the plot is familiar to most, the author has really made the story her own – this is very much a reimagining rather than a straightforward retelling – and in addition to the feminist slant contains an underlying message regarding propaganda, and administrators who rule through fear without permitting question of their actions.
The author adds far more depth to the story. She really shines a light on ingrained societal behaviours: The women are unduly concerned regarding their weight and nudity – somehow expected to walk the line between modesty, allure, and always be at the men’s disposal. I’m happy to say the novel is not an anti-men rant, but rather gives us the fascinating opportunity to see human behaviour through a stranger’s eyes.
Ceto, the Sea-Witch is an intriguing character, and I found myself wondering how Ursula (the Disney equivalent of Ceto) came to be the evil villainess that she is portrayed in the film.
Whilst the plot is familiar to most, the author has really made the story her own – this is very much a reimagining rather than a straightforward retelling – and in addition to the feminist slant contains an underlying message regarding propaganda, and administrators who rule through fear without permitting question of their actions.