Non-Fiction Book Review - 'The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One (Women Are Some Kind of Magic, #3)' by Amanda Lovelace

2023 EDIT:

Reread: Sadly, I'm just not feeling it this time. It's like I've read an entirely different poetry book than I did before, years ago. Most of these "poems" confuse me, and they don't make much sense. At least, the story they tell as they "progress" don't make a lot of sense to me. They're hardly about mermaids or fairy tales at all, even metaphorically. Can these verses even be called poetry anymore, or merely repetitive ramblings? Repetitive life advice?

I still love and own the first two 'women are some kind of magic' books, but from 'the mermaid's voice returns in this one' and onwards, it goes downhill a bit, and they all begin to read the exact same; with the exact same message.

Regardless, I won't leave a harsh rating, due to these books being very, wholeheartedly, achingly personal to the author, whom I admire and respect.

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



'i have a terrible habit of writing myself braver than i'll ever be, & i'm not sure which of us i'm trying to convince--you, or me.'

'it should be safe for little girls to ride their little yellow bikes around the block without someone ending up in handcuffs.-- wanted.'

'the first time you take me home & introduce me to your parents, your father takes one look at me & says, "that girl looks like she's much too smart for her own good." -- why wasn't i smart enough to stay away from you?'

'he told me he was fond of broken girls like me & i didn't so much as blink an eye. later, i thought to myself, if only they had taught me how to recognize the warning flares instead of wasting their time teaching me how mistake them for flattery.'

'with his pocketknife, he sheared off my her hair while she slept curled as a quiet comma into his side, only for him to glue it all back to the ends so he could show her everything he could do to her & still manage to get away with it. -- maleficent.'

'what if he just does it to another girl? -- this is why i can't go.'

'at this point, staying with you is nothing more than muscle memory.'

'& so she did what any rational woman would do--ever so calmly, she reached out & tore the stars apart.'

'I. when they say "no." II. when they can't say "no." -- they're both assault.'

'you don't get to say it's my fault for staying. it's his fault for making me afraid to stay or go.'

'i don't write what i write to hurt you -- i write what i write to heal me.'

'i am magic all the days i am a woman & i am magic all the days i am not. -- demigirl/demigoddess.'

'i tucked my story into the folds of silence in order to put other people at ease. -- no more.'

'i am my reason for recovery.'

'"be stronger than the villains. be every storybook heroine come to life". -- mother knows best III.'

'a chorus of mermaids cried out to her then, "DON'T BE AFRAID TO SING. BELT IT OUT. YOUR VOICE COULD SINK SPACESHIPS."'

'the reason they tell us we cannot have it all is because they fear we will become even more dangerous than we are, & we are already such forces to be reckoned with.'



And these are just the few of the verses of poetry in this, the final collection of Amanda Lovelace's 'women are some kind of magic' trilogy.

'the mermaid's voice returns in this one' - like the others, it deals with sexual assault, abuse, trauma, depression, victimhood and survivorhood, and self-esteem. Plus; reading, fairy tale books, different scenarios for Romeo & Juliet (including him loving her and respecting her boundaries as an asexual, and them parting and pairing up with someone of the same sex, and remaining friends), friendships, and motherly advice.

And above all, the poems are about healing.

Life isn't a fairy tale, but you can take control of your own life, your own storybook; be the heroine of your life, and don't let anyone else define you. While it takes time, learn to let go of the past to survive in the mercies of the present and future, full of possibilities. As long as you are alive, there is always a chance of surviving every day. Take your own time. Sadness doesn't last forever.

Find your voice. Use it any way you want. You can do it.

'the princess saves herself in this one' is still my favourite, and 'the mermaid's voice returns in this one' doesn't always make sense, but these outpourings from the bloody heart, into unconventional poetry, are important.

Save the women of the world. Give them the chance to save themselves. To heal themselves. Let them live.

They can be happy in this world of ours, if only we let them.

They don't have to be real princesses, queens, witches, mermaids, goddesses, or dragon slayers to be seen as worthy of respect.

Thank you for expressing yourself, giving yourself the chance to heal yourself, through all of this, Amanda Lovelace. May you inspire others to do so as well.

Final Score: 4.5/5