Monday, July 4, 2011

Lost Voices by Sara Porter

Lost Voices (Lost Voices (Trilogy))Description:
Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder? 
The first book in a trilogy, Lost Voices is a captivating and wildly original tale about finding a voice, the healing power of friendship, and the strength it takes to forgive.
 This book is very original. Not because it deals with mermaids but how it also deals with the darker side of humans. This is the part that captured me. I saw the transformation into a mermaid as more of a metaphor for their abusive experience. For example, like some kids who go through a horrific abuse time stops for them. In the book, when the mermaid appears that is how they will always look. No hair growth, no growth at all. I felt this mirrored the emotional growth that was stunted for these girls. The deaths they caused by using their siren voices to crash ships; their pleasure at dominating the "bad humans", and the look of love and admiration from their victims all parallel their former lives as girls. They either recreated their situation for others or tried to latch on to some poor imitation of love. So, it is safe to say I found the parallels in the dark world fascinating and compelling.

I can also see their siren call, the singing parallel the voice they begin to find within themselves once they feel they have found the support they always craved. The song is often described as an animal taking over and yearns to call death. Considering all the girls have been through, perhaps it isn't taking over as it is lashing back at the pain and the death within. Luce is the only one who even considers her pain and that is perhaps the only reason she tries to conquer her voice as one would conquer the demons within.

Well, to go on, I fear I would reveal too much so I will place a starfish over my lips so I cannot say more. (ow!) Perhaps you will not quite see it the way I found fascinating, but you still may be fascinated in the way the author had with the darkness of this story. I give this dark mermaid book 4 stars. I'm also glad that this is a trilogy as it ends with... not a cliffhanger... but more a... "So? What's next? Huh? TELL ME!" Yes, I need the next one quickly. ;) This book is published today!


I received this eARC from Harcourt and NetGalley and no compensation was received.
Psst... Ashley... TEAM MERMAID! ;D
Other reviews:
Books With Bite
I Swim for Oceans

21 comments:

  1. Great review Melissa! This sounds really good and I am glad it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. I hate cliffhangers.

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  2. Sounds like a dark read, especially the part about turning into mermaids being a metaphor for their abusive experiences.
    The only story with mermaids I have read is "The Little Mermaid" haha. I think I will give this a try.

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  3. Wonderful analysis! I'm curious about this book, but don't know whether I should wait for the rest of the series to come out because I'm very impatient. :)

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  4. OMG! That trailer is awesome! I love it.

    Pull that starfish off your lips and spill. The book look so good. And I really appreciate when a book ends with the feeling of wanting to know what's next instead of a cliffy that has you needing to so you can close out the story.

    Great review, Melissa! Thanks

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  5. The darkness makes me curious. I would love to see how she deals with it all. Oh I should not be curious, I have too many books

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  6. A books which might interest me, the dark side of human nature and all. I loved your review because it was touching the psychological problems of abuse. If the book does it as well I will have to read it for sure.

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  7. I like the idea of this dealing with the darker side of human nature, the thought of the transformation into a mermaid a metaphor interesting - thanks for this review.

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  8. Oh I need to find out when the segual will be out. I mean, it ends with questions I need answers too. ;) Great review.

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  9. I agree too! I loved this plot of this story. I liked how unique it was and how the mermaids dealt with it. Nice review!

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  10. I've seen this book around but I'm afraid I just pegged it as another mermaid book but from your review I find that I must give it another look. I love the idea of transformation as redemption.

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  11. I loved this review...kudos to you, I was sooo well written. I love this way of dealing with such dark subject matter. TY

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  12. I'm currently reading this one and it's so different from the usual mermaid's books.

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  13. @Nic... Thx! Some may consider it a cliffie, but really it could have been an ending. Questions still abound tho.

    @Misha... I hope it was the original and not the Disney version. ;D

    @Belle... I know what you mean. I want the next one like yesterday! :)

    @Missie... *Tears starfish off lips* OW!! Hey! Stop laughing! :) Yes, you will want the next one quickly!

    @Blodeuedd... I know what you mean, but even so... *evil laugh* ;)

    @anachronist... I think as long as you see it as a metaphor, you may like it.

    @...Petty... I liked the idea as well. It was unusual!

    @Nina... I haven't heard yet. Hopefully soon, but I fear it won't be until next year. :P

    @Liz... I thought it was! :)

    @Savannah... Oh I liked your review of it too. It was good!

    @Stephanie... I love mermaid stories but I know exactly what you are saying. No, this one was not a "fluffy" story.

    @animewookie... Oh ty! *blushes* I think you will enjoy this one.

    @Gaby... I hope you are enjoying it. I loved that it was different.

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  14. Have to agree with your review about the mermaids metaphor... (and also glad I've already written mine even though it won't be posted until Friday!!) :)

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  15. Sounds fascinating. You took so much out of it. Love the metaphors and connections to humans dark nature. Awesome trailer!

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  16. I'm really curious about this one, I haven't read many mermaid tales and I like that this one is a bit darker in nature. Must add this to the list!

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  17. This book is so cute, I'm glad you liked it :D I want to read more mermaid books!

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  18. Wow, this definitely sounds intriguing. The way that you describe the book made me think of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys who fall out of their cradles and end up in Never-Never Land.
    I'll have to check it out. And thanks for the reassurance that it doesn't end in a cliff hanger. I hate those.

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  19. I think you are totally right about the metaphor - that makes perfect sense to me. I think the emotional journey in this story was way more interesting than the plot, and appreciated the dark stuff. Great review!

    I might turn into Team Mermaid. :)

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  20. woah! I've had this book for some time and haven't picked it up because I just wasn't in the mood. However, I had no clue about the content and background of the girls, and now I really want to read it. Thanks for the great review!

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