The Mermaid of Blank Conch is the fairytale I wished I grew up with. There is something whimsical about this tale and I couldn't help but feel a sense of magic emanating from the pages.

I adored the dialect which immediately transported me to home, my little island of Trinidad and Tobago, and I honestly felt as if I was by Miss Cece's parlour listening to one of the "ole folk" who was "liming" by the corner, tell me this tale. What better way to begin a tale than to pluck one from our childhood legends of the mermaid?

There is such a simplicity to island life that the author perfectly encapsulated. When David first encounters the mermaid Aycayia he ponders, "Is it a mystery of the sea or is it the musings of a man who has consumed too much rum and too much marijuana????

This islander way of thinking translated throughout the book and I adored the uncomplicated and honest viewpoint. Take David's interpretation of the origins of mermaids for example- "In his mind, she was a creation of God that got interrupted in the middle, she was from a time where creatures from the water were developing into creatures of land and she was stuck in between."

Such powerful themes were being portrayed in the Mermaid of Black Conch, from the old feelings of racism and resentment from the slavery days to the different iterations of family, love, the greed of men, the jealousy of women, and the cost of freedom.

They say, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and there is no better expression to describe the predicament of Aycayia. Cursed by the Goddess because of the jealousy of women, forced to roam the earth alone because she could not control the urges of men.

This exploration of the animalistic nature of men is explored throughout the novel. From their desire to consume to the different types of kisses a man can give, on your mouth, heart, and other places (cough cough). The author does not shy away from sexuality and I applaud her blunt and bold approach.

We learn of men and their wandering nature and the archaic role women were expected to play, staying at home and tending children while allowing them free reign. Lastly, we see a man, a gentle soul, who was different because even though he appreciated women, he lusted over men which drove a wedge between him and his anachronistic father.

"History or love. One must win. I cannot fight history. I cannot. You win. I’m bad. I always will be. But we can do better than letting history win out over love."

We learn that freedom has a price. Whether it’s freedom from the confines of a small town and not being able to explore your dreams, freedom from responsibility, freedom from the labels society has given you, freedom to love and be loved, or even the freedom to be yourself.

When Aycayia is looking back on her life she reflects, "She had outgrown her life, but she was still a part of it." This is such a profoundly deep and moving statement that resounded with me for infinite reasons and accurately describes the struggles of small island living. Some see their islands, the slow pace, and tranquility as peace and home while others feel strangled and restrained by the simplistic lifestyle.

Reading this book for me was bittersweet because even though it feels like a snapshot of the Caribbean of the past, from the atmosphere, the type of music they were listening to, the food that they consumed, and the overall vibe, it also feels like an appropriate representation of the present. There is always a lingering division of race, existing not only in the Caribbean but globally, between white and black.

"Life change quick boy. Another planet so. Later I saw that change came as change always comes, from a chain of events with a long history, too long to see from back to front, till it comes"

This is such a phenomenal read that I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairytale retellings or seeking to explain their knowledge of Caribbean folklore.