Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite

“The Water Calls: One Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Dignity and Freedom by Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi is a non-fiction self-help memoir in which the author uses her own life experiences as the foundation for her calling to help others work through their own. Mazzucchi begins with some backstory on her personal life, sharing the collection of emotional stones thrown at her by those she loved, trusted, and were meant to nurture her, that ultimately led to an adult life and relationships where the same cycle continued. Narrated in vignettes, Mazzucchi provides the reader with the perspective of “Emma” whose pain and experiences are depicted in slices, and are accompanied by artwork, poetry, reflections, and meaningful question prompts to tie Emma's struggles into ours.

It is Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi's profound honesty that makes The Water Calls instantly engaging and relatable. I admit I've never been able to or known a person who acknowledged the ability to commune with nature and guides outside those I can physically touch. I do believe it exists and that the likelihood of me knowing someone who was uncomfortable sharing their capabilities is more likely than me not knowing someone at all. Mazzucchi puts her gift and her story out there, and that takes courage. The book itself is well-written and heart-wrenching, but the promise of inspiration is fulfilled. I am a grown man who got incredibly choked up while reading the chapter entitled Helga, named for a storm, where Emma experiences the circle of life in both its beauty and agony, which transcends an orphaned lamb. Very, very highly recommended.”

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers’ Favorite

The Water Calls: One Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Dignity and Freedom by Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi is an unforgettable true-to-life story of one woman’s journey. It is simultaneously an opportunity for us readers to get to know ourselves, as well as to tap into the latent connection we have to Mother Nature and what she has to offer. It is about how the author learned to set herself free after she emerged triumphant from struggling to make sense of her chaotic divorce. She shares her personal story as an invitation for you to explore your journey to free yourself from the shackles of other people’s judgments and expectations. Each chapter presents a poem that expresses an artistic sense of her personal experience, which she claims is presented in a pure state both spontaneous and intuitive.

Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi’s combined narrative, verses, and images are profoundly evocative, making you sense the most powerful things in nature. It is a testament to the healing properties of the natural things around us, particularly animals, that guided Mazzucchi to decode the riddles of her existence with their untainted wisdom. The rhythm and sounds of her tales resonate, giving you a sense of renewal, of rebirth, as the most natural things yield fascinating revelations when you pay attention to them. The Water Calls isn’t simply written from the viewpoint of imagination. It is written from the heart and mind of observation and experience. It is nourishment for any human soul that seeks to find answers. It’s a must-read.”

What began as Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi’s desire to understand her traumatic divorce became the revelation of a heroine’s journey. Written through the eyes and voice of “Emma,” Ariana unravels a lifetime of conditioning to fit in—to be “the good girl” and “the good wife”—convinced to hide her intuitive powers and deeply connected relationship to the natural world.

Through significant life moments, Ariana shares how her animal guides, sacred relationship with horses, and the healing lessons gleaned from nature helped her heal old wounds and betrayals—and reclaim her dignity and freedom. Her personal reflections reveal how a modern-day spiritual warrioress finds her way back to her shamanic way of being.

Each chapter, many adorned with her illustrations, provides inspiration from nature and her animal friends that ultimately guide Ariana through her most vulnerable and challenging undertaking: to stand tall without apology. At the end of each chapter, Ariana offers “opportunities to contemplate” and “time in nature reflections,” inviting readers to awaken to their personal transformations and take a stand for their original selves.