Reviews - The Deep | The StoryGraph

7.19k reviews for:

The Deep

Rivers Solomon

3.9 AVERAGE

emilyjwagner's review against another edition

4.0

mysterious reflective sad 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

bleedingheart518's review against another edition

2.0

Meh. I liked the premise of it. I really did but I kept waiting for something, anything to happen and it didn't.

mahoukat's review against another edition

5.0

Not much to say that the novel doesn't itself - A story about connection born out of the worst of human greed and cruelty. Rivers is just an astounding writer and Yetu and Zoti's voice were incredibly engaging.

tymout's review against another edition

3.75

dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

If I could, I’d give the middle four stars and the first chapter and end chapters two. It felt at times that plot was an afterthought, and that the richest relationship was an empty plot tool. That said, the premise and setting were very interesting, and parts of it will stick with me

grumpusgoblin's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

A profoundly beautiful and heart-breaking book about intergenerational trauma, Afro-American sci-fi/fantasy, folklore, and even some environmental fiction. Also, the deep and dark isolation of oceans, despite the mermaid communities being founded within that darkness! And storytelling, memory, cultural historians, and so much more. Amazing what can be packed into a 166-page novella. My book club's only critique is that we wanted more!

isabelreads's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional hopeful 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: Yes

An Afrofuturist fusion of The Giver with mermaids and the middle passage in a tour de force novella that any SFF fan should engage. Its exploration of the pain and trauma of the archive, the pain and trauma of enslavement and genocide, is simply masterful. Additionally, a rare novella that feels complete as it is while also still leaving me wanting more within the world. Incredible pacing, fantastic world building and worth every ounce of hype its gained over the years.