When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley

“Don’t waste your damn life trying to smother a spark what wants to be a blaze.”

Holy shit this book did things to me!

So to start off, I have to admit, it took me some time to get into this. I really wasn’t loving it, and the reason I wasn’t loving it was I found Río’s captivity to be truly upsetting. I know, I know, the whole plot revolves around his captivity, but I just found it so difficult to read. Especially his POV’s. It was just so terrible, and I kept getting a this sense of claustrophobia!

And I guess, thinking about it, that’s probably the point? Río’s captivity, Benny’s asthma therefore his difficulty to breath, and how he is treated as an immigrant, and POC in 1800’s New York?

“Perhaps the Currents brought us here because they knew we would meet.”

My face flushed. “Why do you say that?”

He looked pityingly up at me through the iron bars. “Because we are both caged.”

As this story unfolded though it caught me in its current and didn’t let go. The writing was gorgeous, Río and Benny’s story was poignant and beautiful. And we also got stunning art to accompany the story, which was a welcome surprise!

My favourite part of this book though was the found family aspect, found family is one of my favourite things in a book, and this was done beautifully. The fact that those who were thought to be ‘freaks’ and on the outskirts society, were the most supportive towards Río and Benny — their relationship — and the plan to try and free Río. They were all wonderful, and risked so much to do what was right, even though what was right was hard. Made my heart go all squishy!

Looking forward to what is to come next from Venessa Vida Kelley!

Synopsis:Synopsis:

Benigno “Benny” Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can’t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds everyone, especially the eccentric side-show proprietor who commissioned it. Benny’s work earns him an invitation to join the show’s eclectic crew of performers—his first welcome in the city—and share in their astonishing secret: the tank Benny built is a cage for their newest exhibit, a living, breathing, in-the-flesh merman stolen from the banks of the East River under a gleaming full moon.

The merman is more than a mythic marvel, though. Benny comes to know Río as a clever philosopher, an observant traveler, and a kindred spirit more beautiful and compassionate than any human he’s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny’s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of Río’s captivity—and his own.

A cage is no place for a merman to survive. Though releasing Río means betraying his new family, bankrupting their home, and losing his soulmate forever, Benny must look within for the courage to do what’s right, and find a love strong enough to free them both.

Benigno “Benny” Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can’t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds everyone, especially the eccentric side-show proprietor who commissioned it. Benny’s work earns him an invitation to join the show’s eclectic crew of performers—his first welcome in the city—and share in their astonishing secret: the tank Benny built is a cage for their newest exhibit, a living, breathing, in-the-flesh merman stolen from the banks of the East River under a gleaming full moon.

The merman is more than a mythic marvel, though. Benny comes to know Río as a clever philosopher, an observant traveler, and a kindred spirit more beautiful and compassionate than any human he’s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny’s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of Río’s captivity—and his own.

A cage is no place for a merman to survive. Though releasing Río means betraying his new family, bankrupting their home, and losing his soulmate forever, Benny must look within for the courage to do what’s right, and find a love strong enough to free them both.