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judassilver's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The end is wrapped up in an extremely unsatisfactory way, the writing became extremely repetitive with an overuse of rambling (parenthetical tangents that went no where), and I didn't feel that any of the characters actions had real impact. Suspension of disbelief only takes me so far when suddenly the mermaids that ate everyone else without discrimination spare you, multiple times, because you're the main character. Everything just wraps up a little too conviently for there to be real tension. How many times do you have to come to the revelation that the killer mermaids want to kill you?? I thought these people were adult scientists but they read incredibly juvenile. I also didn't need the point of view of every single character-- the dolphins? Are you serious? And the mermaid (sorry, Siren) POV completely took me out of it . Would recommend for those looking for a YA novel with horror elements and a diverse cast, otherwise, skip it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Biphobia, Drug use, Chronic illness, Animal cruelty, and Violence
narsere's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
moodreadererin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
While the last few chapters picked up pace ,I still couldn't rate this more than 2.25 stars . The ending was rushed and the" big twist" was anticlimactic . Too many point of views and it dragged for me . Also I feel like the detail of the science instead of the actual mermaids being seen bored me . I just didn't care for any of the characters that much due to that fact . I just wanted to like this more than I actually did. One thing I did like was the the "mermaids" and how they are described and how they act .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Death, Medical trauma, Grief, Cursing, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, Confinement, and Chronic illness
Minor: Biphobia
shadowspinner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Ableism, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Biphobia
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief and Medical content
theaceofpages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I have read some of Mira Gant's books before (not recorded on here) and I found this was the same blend of attention-grabbing tension and questioning why I like this book. The writing is addictive, but at the same time it doesn't particularly stand out. I don't mean that in a bad way though. It was a fun read, which is what really matters.
The crew of the Atargatis disappeared near the Mariana Trench. Seven years later, a second ship is sent out to try to find out what happened. The footage says mermaids but the world doubts this is true - particularly since the ship was sent by an entertainment company. Unfortunately for everyone involved, they are real. And they are hungry. The ship soon finds itself under attack by creatures from the deep, who seem determined to drag everyone on board under the waves.
Overall I loved this book. It was more than a little creepy and had a great tone. I imagine it would be even worse if you are already afraid of the sea and what lives down there. It was a little repetitive at points though (certain details being repeated more frequently than necessary) and, unfortunately, while not a bad one, I found the ending a little bit disappointing and rushed, Especially after the long build up. As a biologist, I also loved the scientific aspects of this book. I'd love to know what the scietists are up to. (although I take offense at the fact that security members think we can't take care of ourselves. Maybe a hoard of mermaids is a little different, but field biologists are definitely not soft). But at points the science is questionable. Or a wrong term is used. Probably not noticeable to non-scientists though. The example which sticks with me most (because of its simplicity) was the use of the word necropsy - a dissection with the intent to find the cause of death - rather than dissection. Small things though and probably wouldn't be picked up by most.
If you want a book about vicious mermaids killing people who can't get away, this is the book for you. It features a diverse cast, where the diversity simply is and the people are allowed to just be people. It did take a bit of time to get into, but it definitely starts getting tense when the mermaids emerge.
Some notes on some of the content warnings:
Overall I loved this book. It was more than a little creepy and had a great tone. I imagine it would be even worse if you are already afraid of the sea and what lives down there. It was a little repetitive at points though (certain details being repeated more frequently than necessary) and, unfortunately, while not a bad one, I found the ending a little bit disappointing and rushed, Especially after the long build up. As a biologist, I also loved the scientific aspects of this book. I'd love to know what the scietists are up to. (although I take offense at the fact that security members think we can't take care of ourselves. Maybe a hoard of mermaids is a little different, but field biologists are definitely not soft). But at points the science is questionable. Or a wrong term is used. Probably not noticeable to non-scientists though. The example which sticks with me most (because of its simplicity) was the use of the word necropsy - a dissection with the intent to find the cause of death - rather than dissection. Small things though and probably wouldn't be picked up by most.
If you want a book about vicious mermaids killing people who can't get away, this is the book for you. It features a diverse cast, where the diversity simply is and the people are allowed to just be people. It did take a bit of time to get into, but it definitely starts getting tense when the mermaids emerge.
Some notes on some of the content warnings:
- Death, gore, blood, etc:
A lot of people and mermaids are killed. - Grief:
Surrounding deaths caused by the mermaids - Animal death:
Both on page and described by two hunters on the ship. Don't want to give more details because of spoilers. - Confinement:
To various degrees - areas ranging in size from ship to pipe. - Medical trauma:
A character gets poisoned by an unknown mermaid-related venom and has terrible side effects, which they are treated for. There is also a dissection. - Chronic illness:
A character has nerve damage he has to take injections for (pain management) - Drug use:
Cannabis is allowed on the ship. Weed infused chocolate balls are used to teat pain. - Biphobia:
An off hand comment, which is later clarified. The character has heard it before though. - Ableism:
A deaf character gets upset at so few people being able to use sign language. It seems most characters didn't even know she would be there (one person mentions having seen the manifest beforehand and someone else replies it would have been nice if the rest of them had). Unintentional, but is taken as ableism by the character, who gets upset). - Drowning
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Gun violence, Grief, Medical trauma, and Confinement
Moderate: Chronic illness, Body horror, and Drug use
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Biphobia, and Ableism
winglesswarrior's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gore
obscurepages's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
HOLY SHT. This is one of the wildest rides I've ever been on.
This part horror, part science fiction is a masterpiece. It takes you on a damned journey to find the truth about about a ship and the creatures that attacked it. But it also takes you on a journey to know more about people, about humans, our environment, and both the known and unknown history and mysteries of our world.
This was just so so good. Atmospheric, poetic, dark, gritty. Also I loved the diversity in the cast.
Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire is a blessing in literature 🤧
Find me elsewhere: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/obscure.pages/">Instagram</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lxndrnae">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://enthralledbookworm.wordpress.com/">Blog</a>
Marking this book as part of reading challenge: <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/de133357-4196-421b-8d50-0445bfec4ec3/">#ReadQueerly2023</a>.
This part horror, part science fiction is a masterpiece. It takes you on a damned journey to find the truth about about a ship and the creatures that attacked it. But it also takes you on a journey to know more about people, about humans, our environment, and both the known and unknown history and mysteries of our world.
This was just so so good. Atmospheric, poetic, dark, gritty. Also I loved the diversity in the cast.
Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire is a blessing in literature 🤧
Find me elsewhere: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/obscure.pages/">Instagram</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lxndrnae">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://enthralledbookworm.wordpress.com/">Blog</a>
Marking this book as part of reading challenge: <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/de133357-4196-421b-8d50-0445bfec4ec3/">#ReadQueerly2023</a>.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Body horror, Gun violence, Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Sexual content, and Animal death
baileycowen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
wow. Just wow. I’ve never read anything like this, it drew me in from the beginning and I had no idea what was going to happen.
Grant’s storytelling is genius, the way suspense builds through the whole story, the range of emotions you feel while reading, and the pure genius of monster and man- amazing.
Grant’s storytelling is genius, the way suspense builds through the whole story, the range of emotions you feel while reading, and the pure genius of monster and man- amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Gore and Medical content
nefariousbee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
the constructed atmosphere in this book is absolutely phenomenal. I did not think I'd love all the science talk half as much as I ended up to, and the ease with which the author gets in the heads of all kinds of different people is so effortless and real... I just loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Gore, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Gaslighting