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razzberry_pi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Deeply rooted in the impacts of intergenerational pain and trauma, The Deep offers a glimpse into an underwater civilization built by the decendents of kidnapped pregnant African women who were throw overboard during the trans atlantic slave trade.
Tackling differing views on the role that history, storytelling and trauma can play in a society along with beaufiful prose and world building.
Tackling differing views on the role that history, storytelling and trauma can play in a society along with beaufiful prose and world building.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Slavery
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
Minor: Pregnancy
inestelle_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Genocide, and War
galexy_brain's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This novella beautifully explores how intergenerational trauma can wear on individuals of later generations. It touches on how forgetting is easier but doesn't allow for healing. Interrogating the past is important because one is nothing without their history. Supporting one another as a community is a way to work through the collective trauma that stops individuals from shouldering the burden alone.
I overall enjoyed this book but found the main character, Yetu, quite frustrating. I appreciated that the themes also explored parents misunderstanding their children (notable quote: "Yetu appreciated Amaba's caring nature, but sometimes her gentle chiding turned into chafing, and Yetu was reminded of all that was wrong between them.") and what I interpreted as navigating a neurotypical world as a neurodiverse person.
I overall enjoyed this book but found the main character, Yetu, quite frustrating. I appreciated that the themes also explored parents misunderstanding their children (notable quote: "Yetu appreciated Amaba's caring nature, but sometimes her gentle chiding turned into chafing, and Yetu was reminded of all that was wrong between them.") and what I interpreted as navigating a neurotypical world as a neurodiverse person.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, War, Slavery, Animal death, Death, Grief, and Kidnapping
suzylit's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Child death, Grief, Violence, Colonisation, Gore, Murder, Slavery, and Death
juney_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Beautifully written. Read it for a class but I am really glad to have been shown this book. Solomon's writing is intricate, yet not filled with jargon and unnecessary adjectives and descriptors. I will be reccomending this book to as many people as I can <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, Gore, Blood, Death, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Torture, and War
lmatakas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A singular concept and execution of a novella that’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. The use of the ‘remembering’ as a way to show historical and generational trauma was really, really interesting, and the way it was woven throughout the novella and affected different sections in different ways was really interesting as well. I also appreciated reading the afterward, which explained how the work was developed collectively—a fascinating process that created an excellently-crafted work
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Murder
Moderate: Violence
titch's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Slavery
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
lilifane's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
I loved it. Loved the writing, the setting, the atmosphere, the world building, the story, the emotions, the queerness. And was impressed how the real history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the resulting intergenerational trauma was processed. It's such a short but impactful story. Wow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Slavery
Moderate: Genocide and Pregnancy
Minor: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content
3littlewordz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The Deep by Rivers Solomon was described as a novella, but I really wish it was a longer, full-length novel. I don't usually read fantasy but I wanted to expand my horizons and this fulfilled one of the prompts for the #readingeverybodyblack challenge. Also, I've actually been excited to read this since I first heard of it a few years ago. This premise had so much potential! The imagery I built in my head while reading this was extensive. I think if it was longer, the author would have had more time for world-building to really flesh out the story. We really glossed over the potential of an Atlantis-type world! The author's writing style is fantastic! If you really like fantasy, please check it out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Violence
booking_along's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book is one of those that is so unique and different, covers so many things topics and situations and emotions -both, from characters and what is being told and the ones felt by the reader during the story- that it’s difficult for me to try and describe how this book was or even who or if i would recommend this.
would i say go read this?
yes absolutely.
BUT if you have triggers, definitely look them up and make sure that they aren’t in this book since this book covers so many different generational traumas.
it’s a beautifully written story.
i love the idea and in most moments how the story is told.
the idea of the ocean being something capable of saving the ones that need it -granting the wish to survive- is fascinating and interesting.
the whole thing with the historians and instead of sharing memories burdening one person with all the history no matter what that does to that individual.
but in some moments this story struggled a long a bit for me and while some moments were something i couldn’t stop reading and wanted to know more but than the plot changed a bit and i felt taken away from what i wanted to follow and i struggled to want to continue.
maybe cause sometimes the switch from one plot/moment to another was so different and made it a bit grading.
i don’t know if the length of this book helped with that or not for me.
maybe i just wasn’t fully prepared for just how personal some moments felt -especially the ones were nobody seems to understand or want to understand the invisible struggles and constant pain some can have.
because i loved the length of this.
i don’t think a whole length novel would have worked so well for this, i think it would have started to dragged and become to long a story to keep interest because of all the horrors and trauma this story tells.
the writing as mentioned is beautiful.
i can’t remember the last book i marked quotes simply because the spoke to me and/or how it was said.
i defiantly want to try more by the author and see what else they have.
i think this is a book that i will come back to and need to reexperience to know how to helpfully review it.
would i say go read this?
yes absolutely.
BUT if you have triggers, definitely look them up and make sure that they aren’t in this book since this book covers so many different generational traumas.
it’s a beautifully written story.
i love the idea and in most moments how the story is told.
the idea of the ocean being something capable of saving the ones that need it -granting the wish to survive- is fascinating and interesting.
the whole thing with the historians and instead of sharing memories burdening one person with all the history no matter what that does to that individual.
but in some moments this story struggled a long a bit for me and while some moments were something i couldn’t stop reading and wanted to know more but than the plot changed a bit and i felt taken away from what i wanted to follow and i struggled to want to continue.
maybe cause sometimes the switch from one plot/moment to another was so different and made it a bit grading.
i don’t know if the length of this book helped with that or not for me.
maybe i just wasn’t fully prepared for just how personal some moments felt -especially the ones were nobody seems to understand or want to understand the invisible struggles and constant pain some can have.
because i loved the length of this.
i don’t think a whole length novel would have worked so well for this, i think it would have started to dragged and become to long a story to keep interest because of all the horrors and trauma this story tells.
the writing as mentioned is beautiful.
i can’t remember the last book i marked quotes simply because the spoke to me and/or how it was said.
i defiantly want to try more by the author and see what else they have.
i think this is a book that i will come back to and need to reexperience to know how to helpfully review it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Grief, Gore, Child abuse, and Self harm