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psistillreadyou's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Grief
Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Murder
katievh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
kylieqrada's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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 listened to this via the audiobook version, which is narrated by Daveed Diggs. I highly, highly recommend that reading experience. I had previously read An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon, so I knew that I was in for some deep (no pun intended) stuff with anything by them. However, I think that what Rivers accomplished here is so beyond anything else I've read, especially when considered with the context of the Drexia ouevre and the clipping song. The exploration of generational trauma and the impact of history on the collective and the individual was heart-rending, deeply impactful, and richly portrayed through each character. Also the diversity in this short novella is some of the best I've ever seen. I see you, demi rep!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
kpem's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I listened to the audiobook, read by Daveed Diggs. I highly recommend that format as he did such a great job. It was just so beautiful and sad and fascinating and moving. The backstory of how the novella came to be: its first iteration was a mythology created by an Afrofuturism inspired electronic music group from Detroit, which was then used to create a song for This American Life by clipping (an experimental hip hop group; one of its members Daveed Diggs), and then Rivers Solomon adapted that song into this novella. It's just a fascinating history of adaptations and a beautiful story about adaptation and unpacking generational trauma. I truly just can't recommend it enough.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
victorianrogue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Racism
nikkiblack17's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
sauvageloup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
brilliant!! ^-^
pros:
- excellent writing, simple but gripping, powerful and visual. It's so easy to just get swept up and immersed in it, just like the sea
- Yetu is a relatable figure, even as she struggles with herself over what to do. The situation is fictional but the pain between self and community, between past and present, desire and duty, are all relatable difficulties
- there is a clear arc, even as there are diversions and back-and-forth parts in the middle. Yetu grows hugely, as does her mother, and Oori, too, and their whole community
- the idea and worldbuilding are fascinating and the details of 'mud womb' and their traditions add a lot of depth
- i loved the dips into previous "historians", who were clearly of very different temperaments to Yetu. it never became too confusing about what time we were in, roughly, nor where we were headed
- whilst it dealt with very heavy topics and Yetu was struggling, there was never an overwhelming heaviness that made it suffocating to read
- the we pronouns used in it were a great way to emphasise the community and togetherness of the wajinru
cons:
- only con was for me personally, that i could've done without the fairly graphic description of birth, though it didn't go on long enough to be too bad. Also wasn't too interested in wajinru genitals tbh, but i appreciate that it showed Oori and Yetu's growing relationship and her curiosity.
overall, fantastic. I'd like to read it again when i've forgotten it a bit. it's a powerful must-read
pros:
- excellent writing, simple but gripping, powerful and visual. It's so easy to just get swept up and immersed in it, just like the sea
- Yetu is a relatable figure, even as she struggles with herself over what to do. The situation is fictional but the pain between self and community, between past and present, desire and duty, are all relatable difficulties
- there is a clear arc, even as there are diversions and back-and-forth parts in the middle. Yetu grows hugely, as does her mother, and Oori, too, and their whole community
- the idea and worldbuilding are fascinating and the details of 'mud womb' and their traditions add a lot of depth
- i loved the dips into previous "historians", who were clearly of very different temperaments to Yetu. it never became too confusing about what time we were in, roughly, nor where we were headed
- whilst it dealt with very heavy topics and Yetu was struggling, there was never an overwhelming heaviness that made it suffocating to read
- the we pronouns used in it were a great way to emphasise the community and togetherness of the wajinru
cons:
- only con was for me personally, that i could've done without the fairly graphic description of birth, though it didn't go on long enough to be too bad. Also wasn't too interested in wajinru genitals tbh, but i appreciate that it showed Oori and Yetu's growing relationship and her curiosity.
overall, fantastic. I'd like to read it again when i've forgotten it a bit. it's a powerful must-read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual content
graphic scenes of childbirth, suicidal ideation, threat of suicide, passive suicidal ideationrorikae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
'The Deep' by Rivers Solomon is an incredibly powerful and evocative tale that delves into the long lasting effects of trauma and the power of collective memory.
The story centers around the Wajinru, the descendants of pregnant African women that were cast overboard from slave ships. These women gave birth to the Wajinru, mermaids that can live in the depths of the ocean where they have created their own society. As part of this society, they have a Historian, who holds all of the memories of the Wajinru, and who once a year shares them with the rest of the society in the Remembering. In 'The Deep,' we follow Yetu, the current Wajinru historian, who is having trouble dealing with all of the trauma and pain that is captured in the memories that she holds. Seeking rest from the pain, she leaves the Wajinru during a Remembering ceremony to try and find herself.
Recently, I've read a number of books that I feel can't be accurately described in a review and 'The Deep' holds true to this. Solomon's writing brings one instantly into the tale and the pain and suffering that Yetu is feeling. It's a short novel and yet Solomon tells such an expansive story. Through snippets of the Wajinru's history played out beside Yetu's own story, Solomon explores how trauma lives within the body and how history can feel like both a burden and the thing that ties a group of people together.
This is an incredible book. A story that needs to be experienced and that I think everyone should read. I also encourage everyone to seek out owned voices reviews for this story. One of my favorites is by Ashley at Bookishrealm.
The story centers around the Wajinru, the descendants of pregnant African women that were cast overboard from slave ships. These women gave birth to the Wajinru, mermaids that can live in the depths of the ocean where they have created their own society. As part of this society, they have a Historian, who holds all of the memories of the Wajinru, and who once a year shares them with the rest of the society in the Remembering. In 'The Deep,' we follow Yetu, the current Wajinru historian, who is having trouble dealing with all of the trauma and pain that is captured in the memories that she holds. Seeking rest from the pain, she leaves the Wajinru during a Remembering ceremony to try and find herself.
Recently, I've read a number of books that I feel can't be accurately described in a review and 'The Deep' holds true to this. Solomon's writing brings one instantly into the tale and the pain and suffering that Yetu is feeling. It's a short novel and yet Solomon tells such an expansive story. Through snippets of the Wajinru's history played out beside Yetu's own story, Solomon explores how trauma lives within the body and how history can feel like both a burden and the thing that ties a group of people together.
This is an incredible book. A story that needs to be experienced and that I think everyone should read. I also encourage everyone to seek out owned voices reviews for this story. One of my favorites is by Ashley at Bookishrealm.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
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