OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Siren of Loreley Rock" by Christie D Selph.]

Lorelei is a teenager living in Maryland during the 60s, who butts heads with her narcissistic mother, Anne. Anne owns a multi-million-dollar newspaper empire but never opens a newspaper herself and has a knack for belittling her daughter. Lorelei, alluring as the statue of the siren that shares her name, devours news and aspires to be a successful journalist. Pie in the sky is all well and fine until Lorelei clashes with the devastating reality of the Vietnam War. With her fiancee deployed and an innate need for truth, the stakes are exceptionally high. What will happen to her fiance, John? Will Lorelei ever reconcile with her mother? Can one escape corruption? Will she take control of Leaf Enterprises, her mom's newspaper empire?

The Siren of Loreley Rock by Christie D Selph is both historical fiction and a coming-of-age novel. As we see Lorelei grow and explore love, loss, lust, betrayal, friendship, and self-confidence, we see two countries, the USA and Greece, battling with some growing pains, too. The story is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and its corresponding anti-war movements as well as the Regime of the Colonels, a right-wing dictatorship that ruled Greece for almost ten years.

My favorite asset of the novel was seeing historical figures come to life. The author intermingles fictional characters with real-life social and political actors. Seeing, for example, Ben Bradlee, drinking scotch and ogling Lorelei on her dad’s porch, gives a more human face to history, which readers will appreciate. I also enjoyed learning about the traditions of different cultures. The main one is Greece, but we learn about France from Sylvie, Lorelei’s stepmother, and the author also takes us, for example, to Beirut, Lebanon, and Istanbul. I practically drooled when I learned of güllaç, “a doughy confection made with milk, rosewater, nuts, banana slices, and pomegranate seeds.” (p. 282) Finally, it’s commendable and eye-opening the author broaches important sociopolitical subjects. Namely, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, dictatorships, freedom of speech, and religious wars.

Unfortunately, the author’s commitment to denounce social injustices is a double-edged sword. Selph touches on too many social issues to keep track of them, much less to get involved or get a deep perspective. Characters also receive this kind of superficial treatment. Only a few are fleshed out as multidimensional beings, and this matter is most alarming regarding the main character. Lorelei seems incongruent. Why, for example, does she fight international wars but never take action in her sister’s situation?

The author keeps the dialogues authentic by using a lot of Greek words. Some are explained naturally in the dialogues, but many aren’t. The novel would benefit a lot from a glossary or strategically placed footnotes. Finally, the edition has too many mistakes. They are mainly missing quotation marks, and some are even funny, such as when Lorelei and Philip eat in a brassiere instead of a brasserie. Sure, those are similar words, but one’s an undergarment. Funny or not, it speaks of a careless edition.

I rate The Siren of Loreley Rock 3 out of 4 stars because of the meaningful topics, high-stake plot, and mastery of historical events and figures. I subtracted a star because of a careless edition and the underdevelopment of the characters.

Both of Lorelei’s main romances will make modern readers frown. I know I did because they border issues of consent and ethics, of which we are much more aware today. The same could happen with a recurring tasteless joke about slavery in Gone with the Wind. Lorelei is not racist by any means. These situations and comments are congruent with the time in which the story develops, but they can be bothersome. Sensitive readers should note also that the author touches on child sexual abuse. This is the first installment of a series, so I wouldn't recommend it to readers who need nicely wrapped-up endings. History buffs, and readers interested in politics, sociology, and folklore will love this novel and should keep an eye on the next installments of the series.

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The Siren of Loreley Rock
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I like historical fiction, so this would be interesting to me. I thankful for your warning about some of the incongruent situations.

I don't think I will love this book but I will recommend it to a friend who will admire it.

Quite interesting that someone with a multi-million newspaper empire never opens a newspaper! The justice done on culture and history makes think of picking up this book. Great review!

Cotwani wrote: ↑05 Aug 2022, 11:36 Quite interesting that someone with a multi-million newspaper empire never opens a newspaper! The justice done on culture and history makes think of picking up this book. Great review!

It is ironic and unfair. Anne could have been a fascinating villain if her backstory were more developed.
Thank you for your kind words.

Ruthwriter wrote: ↑05 Aug 2022, 08:48 I don't think I will love this book but I will recommend it to a friend who will admire it.

Thank you!

Gargoylegarden wrote: ↑04 Aug 2022, 18:35 I like historical fiction, so this would be interesting to me. I thankful for your warning about some of the incongruent situations.

Honesty is important both for the author and potential readers. But if you like history, you'll love this story.
Thank you for your interest!

This story is questionable for me, mainly since the character development is lacking. Great objective review, and I laughed at the brassiere error. Could you imagine that?

Stephanie_Chapman wrote: ↑05 Aug 2022, 14:21 This story is questionable for me, mainly since the character development is lacking. Great objective review, and I laughed at the brassiere error. Could you imagine that?

I laughed. A lot.
The book needs a lot of work but the idea is interesting. I agree with you, character development is one of the most important aspects for me. But I have to consider all other narrative aspects to give a well-rounded review.
As always, thank you for your support!

Lorelei sounds like quite an interesting protagonist. I look forward to seeing how she navigates through each adverse situation that she encounters. You have piqued my interest with your review. I will try to look past the errors and enjoy the plot lines. Thank you for your candor and for your terrific book review.

Thank you for your objective review. I was hooked when you described the main character’s predicament with her mother, and even more enticed when you mentioned the time period of the Vietnam War. I have a real soft spot for historical fictions. It is disappointing that too many social issues were only superficially touched, as this is more or less a main attraction for me in historical fiction. The underdeveloped characters and editing also have me on the fence about reading it. However, the overall idea of the plot sounds intriguing. I’m going to keep my eye on this one!

This was a great review. I like historical fiction but due to some of the things you said like character development I might give it a pass. The plot does sound like something I would read though.

Christell Lindeque wrote: ↑12 Aug 2022, 01:03 This was a great review. I like historical fiction but due to some of the things you said like character development I might give it a pass. The plot does sound like something I would read though.

I completely understand. I love the premise of the plot, but character development is fundamental for me, too.
Thank you for your comment!

The authenticity of the dialogue is what I would love about this book.

I see a merge of several plots. Would even say they could do for several stories, a story of a newspaper between a mother and a daughter, a story of the Vietnam War with a romantic flair. I would like to see how they all go together, even though it doesn't really arouse my interest.
Great review.