Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

32 reviews

alsoapples's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

Minor: Eating disorder

ramblereader's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Police brutality

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Outing

Minor: Confinement

amandaquotidianbooks's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective 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

I loved the intersection between race and magical species in this contemporary urban fantasy. I also enjoyed how the two POV characters were equally important to the story. There was an excellent integration of recent politics into the story, specifically police brutality and BLM.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Police brutality

Minor: Bullying, Gore, and Death of parent

aseel_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

5.0

2022: 5 ⭐

Not t sure why I didn't rate this higher the first time I read it, it's still absolutely brilliant and I have thought about this book all the time since reading it two years ago. It blended social critique, mythos, and family dynamics so well. 

2020: 4.25 ⭐

This was everything I never knew I needed. Just the real world/fantasy/mythology intersected with racial issues was *chef's kiss*. I love the sister bond we have and the writing was excellent. Honestly, just wish this was longer

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

keenanmaree's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

5.0

This book was so wonderful. It’s a beautiful exploration of Black female friendship, family, and intersectionality. The characters all feel so real (even the ones who are really mythical beings) and multidimensional, and the story is so gripping that I blew through it faster than I’ve read any other book in a long time, because I just HAD to know what happened next. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Self harm, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent

mannab's review against another edition

emotional mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was incredible. From the moment I started it, I couldn’t put it down - I found constant excuses to read instead of doing anything else. Some of Tavia and Effie’s issues can get a bit repetitive, but despite that, you’ll want to know who they are and how they’re going to face their challenges. It was particularly incredible the way that Bethany C Morrow intertwined fantasy with reality so beautifully and intricately that I’m not convinced this ISN’T the real Portland. 

I also really loved that Black Lives Matter was at the heart of this book and a central theme.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Self harm, Violence, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

maisierosereads's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

thereadinghammock's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A story of friendship, sisterhood, a celebration of Black sisterhood, and the unique weirdness of the PNW. Tavia and Effie are nearly inseparable after Tavia's move to Oregon just before high school, and both doing their best to survive the inherent troubles that teenage life brings. Add on top of that, being Black in a mostly white part of the country, and Tavia being a siren, and it's only a matter of time before something stirs up more trouble for the girls.

Enter Effie's drama, with an unexplained skin condition that seems to be getting worse, her seasonal gig as a professional mermaid seeming more and more real, and unexplained blackouts and these girls are in for a double whammy.

I loved the friendship and unquestioned sisterhood between Tavia and Effie. Their support of each other was nearly effortless, and I appreciated Bethany's characterization of their ability to recognize their own biases and traumas in trying to be a supportive sibling. I enjoyed the couple of plot twists (and I was sure-ish of one of them before the big reveal), but there was enough to keep me engaged and wanting to know more throughout the whole book. Not sure if I needed there to be a sequel, and I really don't feel I'm ready to sympathize with Naema as a character in the next book, but I won't say no to reading it. Just not right away perhaps. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Death of parent

Minor: Police brutality

booksandprosecco's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Violence and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement and Suicide attempt

sebrittainclark's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Police brutality

Minor: Death of parent