A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

The last few weeks have been ones of chaos and community, tears and tributes, and a period I have tried to take as a time to listen and learn. I will say here that I have not sought out enough diverse books. I have not read enough on being anti-black. I had not looked at ways that I can change the status quo. For that I apologize, and say I will do better. Particularly here, where I have a voice, no matter how small. Between the movement that happened due to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and in light of the stark racism that is apparent after #PublishingPaidMe it is important that I am reading and sharing books that represent our world. So I’ll start looking for more, reading more diversely, and promoting ways that we can become an impact on systemic racism.

This week I read a book that I’d been so excited to finally have in my hands after hearing about it, A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow. Team. This book would have been a stunner at any time. But with the protests that are currently happening? It hits so close to home. It resonates on another frequency.

This story is one that I will recommend to everyone. Black girls who need to see a beautiful depiction of themselves in fiction. White girls, like myself who need to read about people who don’t look like them. People searching for hope. People trying to understand what being Black in America today looks like. People who protest.

AND that doesn’t even do justice for the beautiful storytelling. She focuses on a beautiful best friend pairing who aren’t only looking at trying to grow up with frenemies, disapproving but loving parents, and heartbreak in high school (which is hard enough as we all know), but in a world where they go to school with eloko’s, gargoyles perch on rooftops, and black girls are sirens. This alternate world highlights the challenges that minorities in our world face, while bringing in magic and legends of old.

The world building was lovely. I could see all of her depictions, her imagery was perfect–also I want to go to Ren Faire to see Effie as Euphemia the Mer so badly! Additionally, Bethany deals with the challenges of grief and hormonal strife like they are two edges of the same blade. Her writing truly highlights the full breadth of human emotions, and what it’s like to deal with that in high school. Also dealing with high school bullies, I have words for Naema.

Then Bethany builds in what is every day to the black community, an entire altercation that seems unreal to me but is a norm, “I was driving while Black.” That entire scene for me was heart breaking in so many reasons. Then Bethany does it again, when she describes what a protest looks like off camera. How it instills hope, even while being surrounded by the terror of violence. I got literal chills.

I have no words, and yet so many at the same time. I think I’ll leave off with how much I fell in love with Tavia and Effie. Their bond of friendship was a true wonder. They are best friends, play-sisters, and everything one should want in a friendship. I finished it and immediately wanted to reread it. To go back to my strong girls, who are both shy and quirky in the best ways. I adored them, I adored this story, and I can only ask you go read it. ASAP. Our girls deserve to have their story told.

You can get A Song Below Water at Bookshop.Org, which supports local independent bookstores!

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