A Song Below Water: A Novel

Written by Bethany C. Morrow

Narrated by Andrea Laing and Jennifer Haralson

Bethany C. Morrow's A Song Below Water is the story for today’s listeners — a captivating modern fantasy about black mermaids, friendship, and self-discovery set against the challenges of today's racism and sexism.

In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers.

Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against literal demons from her past. Together, these best friends must navigate through the perils of high school’s junior year.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice at the worst possible moment.

Soon, nothing in Portland, Oregon, seems safe. To save themselves from drowning, it’s only Tavia and Effie’s unbreakable sisterhood that proves to be the strongest magic of all.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Teen

“An enthralling tale of black girl magic and searing social commentary ready to rattle the bones.” — Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jun 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781250755018

Bethany C. Morrow

Bethany C. Morrow is a national bestselling author. Her young adult novels include A Song Below Water, A Chorus Rises, and the Little Women remix, So Many Beginnings, and she is editor/contributor to the young adult anthology Take The Mic, which won the 2020 ILA Social Justice in Literature award. Her adult novels include Mem, and the social horror, Cherish Farrah. Her work has been featured in The LA Times, Forbes, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. She is included on USA TODAY's list of 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read.

Reviews for A Song Below Water

[Eclair Morrowind · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book and how it talks about protesting and activism. It is a beautifully written commentary on social inequality and how it effects life, especially the lives of African Americans and African American women in particular.

[Laura McMaster · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was incredible. I loved this take on the mythology, and on a contemporary fantasy world with magic that's out of the closet. The alternating first person narrative really dives deep into both sisters' characters, and the way the fantasy elements were used to illuminate issues of racial injustice in the US was both masterful and heartbreaking. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in any variety of civil rights issues, or just a really compelling contemporary fantasy story.

[Katie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Magical. It is unlike any other book I've read. Check it out!!

[Lizzie Rhoades · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I very much loved the idea of this book, but the magic didn't quite make it across the page. I felt like I was thrown into a world where I needed a primer class beforehand (for example: I had no idea what an ekolo was). Because of that, I had a hard time focusing on the wonderful things. The ending also fell a bit flat for me, I didn't love it. However, I 100% suggest this book if you want to read a book you can't put down because the emotions come screaming at you. I finished this book thinking "a book like this should never have had to be written," as all of the microaggressions the two sisters dealt with were heartbreaking. But the thing is, this book had to be written. We have to have more books that shove the inequality and danger of living while black into everyone's faces. So. No matter what happened with the ending and the magic storyline, you need to read this.

[Xiomy Santiago · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While I enjoy that this bool dealt with important relevant topics the story just felt flat. I think the author wanted to introduce so many topics that the length just didn't work. Pkus, the mytholigical aspects to it felt unexplained and just jumbled into the story.

[Margaret Humphrey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the main characters and some of the plot twists I didn't see coming!!

[lola clair · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed amazingly read and a great story with very powerful undertones !!

[Erricka Hager · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Literal Black Girl Magic.

I struggled with a few parts of the book because I assumed this was book about Black mermaids. However, it seemed to cover more intersectional topics of being a Black woman or a sprite while living in America.

[Lauren Bartlett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Exactly the right book to be reading at this time. Truly loved the message of being proud for who you are, especially as a black woman!

[Abigail C · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really a 3.5 for me but rounded up to a 4. I really liked Tavia and Effie’s friendship and it was very poignant and relevant for the time right now, but, for me, things just weren’t explained very well.

[Artista Hairston · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great read. Page turner indeed. Sometimes I wish scribd didn’t force us to leave a review

[Shellan Ward · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Loved the focus on family this book had. Really wish more focus was placed on world building, and I also felt that Tavia's character development took a fall at the end.

[O. · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kudos to the narrators. I really loved their performances and they did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life.

[Gabrielle Patmore · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love these two sisters. They're so sweet to each other and emotionally intelligent

[Charlotte · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sirens aren’t something I’ve ever read about before so being introduced to them in a contemporary magical realism novel was refreshing. I was confused for most of this book, as the characters themselves are, but I think that the author did an amazing job maintaining intrigue rather than the confusion keeping me at a distance.

Bethany C. Morrow used the magical elements of the story to talk about racial injustice, police brutality, racial profiling and the power of protest which felt grounded in the world we live in. The magical elements didn’t overpower the messages of the story but they added an extra layer of mystery.

This book would be a great introduction to those new to fantasy and if you love well-developed characters, this is the book for you. Tavia and Effie have distinct voices (this is true for both the writing and the audiobook) and their development as characters is well paced throughout the novel. I’m interested to see where the sequel goes as this isn’t the usual type of book that becomes a series but I’m excited for that release.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book and it’s something that has opened up a whole new world of creature fantasy to me.

4 out of 5 stars!

[Jen Ingrid Engen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the theme of Black Lives Matter as well as the exploration of “voice” for young black women in North America. It was both thought provoking and educational in a fun way. I loved the mythical characters but it felt that without the mythology was absent for the most part and this was the books biggest drawback. The author didn’t really do the kind of world building I enjoy so it was hard to invest in the myth of the book. I would recommend. I read this book with my daughter for book club and it’s a worthwhile read!