Ashley Herring Blake

Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea

Carrington Kinslow

“Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea” is a beautiful journey that is about so, so many hard things. It’s about grief, it’s about trauma and anxiety. It’s about neglect and self worth. It’s about moving on and never forgetting, too. It’s about the the power of love and forgiveness, the strength found in family and friends, and what to do when you struggle to recognize yourself. 

It’s an emotional story, one that had me in tears several times. I had to put the book down and just take a second every once and a while. It’s heavy and mature, but still perfectly done for a middle grade audience. 

Ashley Herring Blake writes lovely prose, and the character journey she took Hazel Bly on was one of heartbreak and strength. I loved Hazel, I saw myself in her and could feel her sadness and unwavering love just radiate off the page. This story was so beautiful, and I was at times so frustrated for, sad for, and ultimately, happy for, Hazel and her friends and family.

I thought that the overarching conflict of this book, between Hazel and her Mama, was wrapped up a bit too fast and too nicely. I thought that Hazel’s mother had done some pretty shitty parenting and I hoped for Hazel to get better answers for that. This is actually a criticism I had over Blake’s other novel, “Delilah Green Doesn’t Care.” Blake just seems to like setting up a lot of angst without really ending it in a satisfying way.

Despite this, I think this book was just excellent. I loved it.

Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea - 4/5 Stars

Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea

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