Recently I picked up this book called "The Summer of Chasing Mermaids" by Sarah Ockler. Its been on my list of things to read for a while now and I've finally finished it. Growing up there weren't many books that featured a female protagonist of color whose life wasn't about getting out of the hood and even less that were fantasy stories. So, when I stumbled upon this book, I knew I had to share it.
I'm rating this a 4 out of 5
"The Summer of Chasing Mermaids" is a YA novel by Sarah Ockler. It is a retelling of the Disney's version of the "Little Mermaid." "The Summer of Chasing Mermaids" tells the story of Elyse, the youngest of six sisters from Tobago, who was a singer until she lost her voice in an accident. Now the speechless ex-singer is living in an Oregon seaside town called Atargatis Cove, trying to figure out what to do with her life.
So What Do I Think of This Book:
I love it! Its been on my "to read" list since I heard about it in its June release. Its actually the first book I've read from Ockler but I would gladly read more of her work. Elyse is truly a great character, going from a life of performing on the stage to the big change of having no voice at all. Sometimes she's gets comfortable in her new life, other times she crying for her old life back. Its something we could all relate to if we were in her shoes.
Not to mention there is no "slut shamming" in this book. Elyse, her cousin Kirby, and their friend, Vanessa, openly talk about their love lives, each representing a different way of thinking, and none is shown to be more right than the other. I think that's important in our society that tends to go for the extremes when thinking of the body.
I only have one small complaint about this book and that's I wish Ockler wouldn't have had Elyse and her love interest, Christian, fall in love so quickly. Christian starts off as the "bad boy" you have seen in a lot of novels and I think it would have been better for Elyse to soften up to him after we find out about his home life, because its such a big part to understanding his character.
That aside I highly recommend this book, especially to any fans of the "Little Mermaid."
