In the vein of The Pisces and The Vegetarian Chlorine is a debut novel that blurs the
line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale told from an
adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts pressure
on young women and their bodies… a powerful relevant novel of immigration sapphic longing
and fierce defiant becoming. Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the
pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach is her guiding light. If she swims well
enough she will be scouted get a scholarship go to a good school. Her parents will love her.
Her coach will be kind to her. She will have a good life. But these are human concerns. These
are the concerns of those confined to land those with legs. Ren grew up on stories of
creatures of the deep of the oceans and the rivers. Creatures that called sailors to their
doom. That dragged them down and drowned them. That feasted on their flesh. The creature that
she’s always longed to become: the mermaid. Ren aches to be in the water. She dreams of the
scent of chlorine the feel of it on her skin. And she will do anything she can to make a life
for herself where she can be free. No matter the pain. No matter what anyone else thinks. No
matter how much blood she has to spill.
