A Song Below Water

Initially fearful, but thoughtful, kind, and strong, Tavia Philips is one of A Song Below Water’s protagonists (along with Effie) and a siren. Since half the novel is told from her point of view, Tavia is given space to learn, grow, and change while also supporting Effie’s growth and offering opinions of her. She functions not only as a heroine, but Effie’s best friend, confidant, and protector. Accepting her identity and power as a siren, learning to speak up rather than stay silent, is Tavia’s primary conflict. For her entire life, she’s endured anti-siren culture, one her father, Rodney, fears and often warns her about. A life of hiding and feeling unworthy of her father’s love caused 11-year-old Tavia to attempt to “strangle” her siren voice out of her. Due to fear and immaturity, Tavia almost died by suicide. Though she wasn’t mentally unstable, she faced the consequences of being locked up in a hospital for treatment—when ironically, she could have Compelled everyone to let her go free. Teenage Tavia still feels pressured to keep her sirenness a secret, as she knows society mistrusts and abuses sirens: “I’m al­ways hold­ing some­thing back.