Scan barcode
kwthor's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Slavery, and Toxic friendship
velvetsilk42's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gaslighting and Body horror
Minor: Slavery
slighte's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Loved the fantasy world and learning more about it and its history throughout the book. Loved the plot. Loved the deaf rep - this was integrated really well throughout and echoed really well with irl Deaf culture! However it did feel a little longer than it needed to be, and although the story relies on the toxic friendship, it did get a bit tedious and I was expecting a more emotionally triumphant moment in the ending of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Slavery, Animal death, Murder, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Additional content warning for drowning, a fair bit of this takes place in submarines/underwatermdwsn27's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
aqulia's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is so good. Hark's character development was amazing. Quest was also such a good character. And the way the god's memory was still affecting people was just *chefs kiss*.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Slavery, and Kidnapping
Doesscifi_rat's review against another edition
the story didn't really hook me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Slavery
antimony's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- 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
5.0
read 4 || jan. 2024 even though it took me literally 2 weeks to read this (i was so excited to bring deeplight to ireland and reread it here and i started it on the plane and then just. didn't read at all) i still loved it of course. i think this time around i was left with a new love for dr vyne she's simply so real. she finds out the leaguers are making a god and she's like oh of COURSE i'd love to help and she never even considers they'd want to bring it to life bc it's all about the fascinating science to her.
read 3 || dec. 2022 my favorite book ever is there anything more to say !!! i adore the world i adore the writing i adore the characters i adore the weird creepy frecht of the gods
read 2 || feb. 2022 i love this book quite a bit & i already have another review (on a different edition) detailing how it basically is everything i could want in a book so i will not repeat all that. i adore the world and i love the characters. i also didn't mention this in my last review but i really love the concept of frecht, like something to describe the eldritch beauty of a creature that is much too strange and unknowable to truly be seen as beautiful but undeniably is so anyway. i like that a lot. not sure if i have any more coherent thoughts but maybe read 3 will do that?
read 3 || dec. 2022 my favorite book ever is there anything more to say !!! i adore the world i adore the writing i adore the characters i adore the weird creepy frecht of the gods
read 2 || feb. 2022 i love this book quite a bit & i already have another review (on a different edition) detailing how it basically is everything i could want in a book so i will not repeat all that. i adore the world and i love the characters. i also didn't mention this in my last review but i really love the concept of frecht, like something to describe the eldritch beauty of a creature that is much too strange and unknowable to truly be seen as beautiful but undeniably is so anyway. i like that a lot. not sure if i have any more coherent thoughts but maybe read 3 will do that?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery
madarauchiha's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
β€οΈ 𧑠π π π π my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara π π π π 𧑠β€οΈ
I really loved this book. Have you ever wanted a story about eldritch religious horrors and deep sea terror, but without the racist, hideous h p lovecraft garbage? This is it. Granted it is very much for younger readers, I'd say 13-20 yo? This isn't aimed towards adults specifically, but I wouldn't say adults can't read it. Just understand that the reading level is going to be a little juvenile if you have outgrown it. That the main character is 15 doesn't help this, but it's not a detriment to the story. It does make sense in that he's very young and will make stupid decisions as a 15 yo orphan child with no parental guidance.
I loved the world set up in this as well. They 'elder gods' aka known deities in are not blatant rip offs on lovecraft lore. They are fleshed out enough that they're unique and incredibly creepy.
The characters are fantastic and have clearly defined voices and povs. I love that there's an actually disabled deaf character who is portrayed realistically. I saw in the author's acknowledgements that they hired sensitivity readers and engaged with actual Deaf organizations, which I appreciate. That is what I require from authors when they are writing about things they haven't experience and require conscious effort and purpose in showing.
The plot was surprisingly interesting. I wasn't expecting much when I discovered that the MC was 15 yo. I had braced myself for a very boring, by the numbers YA plot. That wasn't the case. The writing was sensible and florid enough when it needed to be. I would enjoy seeing more from this author and this series.
Content warnings:
minor religious bigotry [fictional], animal death, ableist c slur, emetophobia, body horror,
medium suicide, drowning,
major deep water scenarios, thalassophobia, mass death, ableism, child abuse, ableism, gore, body horror, manipulation, slavery, oceans, open water, abuse, murder, gore, body horror, kidnapping, child abuse, toxic relationships,
I really loved this book. Have you ever wanted a story about eldritch religious horrors and deep sea terror, but without the racist, hideous h p lovecraft garbage? This is it. Granted it is very much for younger readers, I'd say 13-20 yo? This isn't aimed towards adults specifically, but I wouldn't say adults can't read it. Just understand that the reading level is going to be a little juvenile if you have outgrown it. That the main character is 15 doesn't help this, but it's not a detriment to the story. It does make sense in that he's very young and will make stupid decisions as a 15 yo orphan child with no parental guidance.
I loved the world set up in this as well. They 'elder gods' aka known deities in are not blatant rip offs on lovecraft lore. They are fleshed out enough that they're unique and incredibly creepy.
The characters are fantastic and have clearly defined voices and povs. I love that there's an actually disabled deaf character who is portrayed realistically. I saw in the author's acknowledgements that they hired sensitivity readers and engaged with actual Deaf organizations, which I appreciate. That is what I require from authors when they are writing about things they haven't experience and require conscious effort and purpose in showing.
The plot was surprisingly interesting. I wasn't expecting much when I discovered that the MC was 15 yo. I had braced myself for a very boring, by the numbers YA plot. That wasn't the case. The writing was sensible and florid enough when it needed to be. I would enjoy seeing more from this author and this series.
Content warnings:
minor religious bigotry [fictional], animal death, ableist c slur, emetophobia, body horror,
medium suicide, drowning,
major deep water scenarios, thalassophobia, mass death, ableism, child abuse, ableism, gore, body horror, manipulation, slavery, oceans, open water, abuse, murder, gore, body horror, kidnapping, child abuse, toxic relationships,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Animal death, Ableism, and Religious bigotry
sophiesmallhands's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
This is the kind of middle-grade I love. I would compare it to the His Dark Materials books; not in plot, but the themes explored, the adventure and the fact that while the main character is 15 years old (and actually acts like a 15 year old, not 20 year old!) but there are still some dark undertones and themes explored in the book. These include toxic friendships, the power stories have over us, monsters (the undersea kind) and monstrous acts (perpetrated by the most mundane of humans).
I admit, it did take a little time for to sink (pun absolutely intended) into this vibrant, vivid world and understand what was happening and some of the book-specific terms like βsea-kissedβ and βgodwareβ. Once I did, it was a joy to continue reading and immerse myself in this world. Frances has also included some excellent representation of deaf characters after being approached by one of her readers, and sign language and deafness feature predominantly in this book.
I consider myself a total Hardinge convert now!
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder and Slavery
lucymeg's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Slavery
More...