Book Review: "The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One" by Amanda Lovelace

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Cover of "The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One" by Amanda Lovelace
*Spoiler alert!*

4/5 stars

The third and final volume of the “Women Are Some Kind of Magic” series reveals that after the deepest, darkest parts of her journey, Lovelace is ready to confront her past and move on.

Writing, an essential survival mechanism to start with, has become more of a way to take joy in merely creating. Therefore, the title referencing The Little Mermaid seems very apt here.

GIF: Ariel signing away her voice to the sea witch

“Star light/Star bright/First star/I see tonight/I wish I might/Flee my skin/For but a night”

The previous lines may indicate that writing is still a survival mechanism for Lovelace—as I’ve pointed out before, writing is many things all at once for different people—but I feel that these words betray also the wonder one finds in the words of another, that allow yourself to experience many lifetimes in your very short one (cosmically speaking). Pure joy and defiance.

While I could relate to aspects of Lovelace’s life experience as I read the first two volumes in this series, I really connected with this one.

Finding your voice again after it seems that it was gone forever is one of the best things I’ve felt in my life, and I think that Lovelace feels a similar kind of triumphant joy. The world does its best to take away your voice, but can never take it away completely. Although, it does try its best.

Happy reading, and don’t let your spark be extinguished.

--BookOwl

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