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serinas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I rated it 4.5 stars. I just wish it was a little longer - to explain some things and exploring the relationships between the characters in more depth. The worldbuilding could also use some work - but I'm more forgiving on this as it was a short book.
The story and premise are something I've never read before, and really sucked me in. I really liked Yetu and the dilemmas she faced, and the philosophical questions that followed. This was definitely more of a 'deep' read, that leaves you thinking about life and the choices we make.
The story was also good, and the origin story of the wajinru was very interesting and sad.
I'll also add that the start was very confusing - but if you're able to push through it, try! It gets a lot better. If you're still not into it 30 pages in, this might not be for you.
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
culpeppper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
- The metaphors were immense, sometimes clever and sometimes a little too on the nose, but largely the use of weaving those metaphors into the story was done well and enhanced the reading experience. As an example, the descriptions in the underwater mimic the setting, relying on feelings and ideas to form the world before Yetu goes to the surface where descriptions change to more solid things rather than concepts.
- The story has multiple perspectives. Though I do feel it worked thematically to have these other perspectives, and the stories they told enhanced our perspective, but it was always jarring and confusing in a way that took me a bit out of the story sometimes.
- It's a work of creative wonder, filled with countless concepts, and it's inspired me to read more of Solomon's work so I can have a longer experience that I think will suit their style of writing better.
Overall, there were some things it lacked that could have built out the world a bit more, and the pacing felt weird and off at times, I think that's partially the form and maybe some stylistic elements I don't fully understand. But I liked the experience of this world, of this look into our world, and the use of history and remembering as critical to it. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Genocide, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Grief, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Animal death, and Confinement
Minor: War, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
xxenjoy's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Minor: Gore and Suicidal thoughts
I would warn anyone especially sensitive to things like overstimulation. As someone who experiences it fairly often, parts of the book were difficult to get through, mostly in the first half.lue_moon's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Genocide, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Animal death and Pregnancy
artemis7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Grief, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Murder
sophia_ryann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood and Slavery
Moderate: Colonisation and Grief
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
bucketsjen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Has themes of cultural, generational, and personal trauma, the pain of being the only one who Knows and Understands, and processing/healing to move forward. It's REALLY well done. While the subject matter is heavy, it's managed deftly and the book is surprisingly healing to read.
I really recommend the audiobook for this one. Daveed Diggs does an incredible job, and the work's musical history really lends it to auditory retelling. There's an Afterward by Diggs which was an awesome addition to the story (he's funny and insightful).
Graphic: Slavery and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Self harm, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death
Animal death, Attempted suicide, Grief, Hallucinations, Slavery (past), Self-harm, Trauma (personal, generational, cultural), violence, references to familial death.numerous_bees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Colonisation, Blood, Child death, Slavery, Genocide, Pregnancy, and Animal death
Minor: Racism, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
biobeetle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Body horror, Blood, and Colonisation
Moderate: Medical content, War, Suicide attempt, Death, Violence, Pregnancy, and Racism
Minor: Child death
arkwen452's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Yetu's story in the deep is visceral, and very compelling. The deep is about a civilization of beings that live in the depths of the ocean. They are descendants of slaves were thrown overboard during the slave trade. Pregnant slaves, who were sick or somehow became a burden to their captors who were tossed to the ocean. This society or community of these beings has evolved over the years, and they have accessibility in the ocean, two cents and feel vibrations in the water amongst themselves in the creatures around them but also this electric pulsing power.
They have this almost telepathic ability, when connecting to each other, during the remembrance ceremony, where the chosen historian of the community, for each generation shares with them memories of all those that have passed, and also the memories of their ancestors, who were thrown in to the ocean and lost to the creatures that dwell on the surface. While there are a few ways to interpret Yetu's pain and the way in which she suffers with the weight of being a historian, and not having a choice in the matter versus the the weight of the importance of preserving their history in their ancestors history really captivates the readers.
I was interested in reading this book for the Trans Rights Readathon 2024, but also just for the concept in and of itself. I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about the narrative, considering it's another book tied to slavery; and as a black American, there is so much more than slavery when it comes to our history and our culture. But it's also not a thing that we can fully escape from and when it comes to this book, I did not feel that , the source of their existence was the anchor to the story that I thought it was going to be.
Yes, this community is involved form of those thrown overboard, but they are so much more than that. And the mess one of the messages in the story really just comes from , the perseverance and preservation of their community you continue to thrive and flourish. I think that the deep is a book for all readers, because there are some for all the readers to really draw from when it comes to be struggle of identity purpose the feeling of longing, the feeling of wanting to be connected to others or to another being. There is this feeling of wanting a freedom to be oneself and only oneself without having to hide.
Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Violence, Slavery, and Pregnancy