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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
aimzthereader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Holy moly this book is sooo good! Who knew I needed a book about killer mermaids? Also I am never going in the ocean again. I will say I was not expecting as much science as this book offered but I found it very interesting. It took a bit to get used to the pacing of this book because it moves at a slower pace especially initially then you would think a scifi horror would. There were also scenes where it would be moving very quicklly and then slow down so the pacing took a bit to get used to but it mae a lot of sense. This book is literal perfection , it even made me care about the characters which I tend not to when I know there is a possibility that they can die. Overall this book was very well done, very enterttaining and is one that will stick with me for a long time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Cursing, Confinement, Gore, Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Medical trauma, Grief, Death, and Blood
Moderate: War, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Vomit, Sexism, Mental illness, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Biphobia, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
beccaand's review
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Death, Blood, Body horror, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Gun violence
Moderate: Ableism, Drug use, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Biphobia and Sexual content
adelin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Body horror
jonknightknighthunterbooks's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Interestingly, I'm not sure I'd call this a horror (perhaps because I'm a Seanan fan rather than a horror reader?) - instead I'd say it's the novelisation of a disaster/b-movie that doesn't exist.
The few times I recognised tropes, thats where they were from. (The obnoxious guy who makes you root for the monsters being my favourite.)
This really needs to be a movie.
It's also generous and kind, including people who are normally not, and highlighting their strengths - while being fair about their weaknesses.
Rocketing pace, enjoyably weird biology that is also deeply creepy.
The few times I recognised tropes, thats where they were from. (The obnoxious guy who makes you root for the monsters being my favourite.)
This really needs to be a movie.
It's also generous and kind, including people who are normally not, and highlighting their strengths - while being fair about their weaknesses.
Rocketing pace, enjoyably weird biology that is also deeply creepy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, and Blood
weird_but_fucking_beautiful's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I first thought this story would be as mindless to read as watching a B horror movie; something along the lines of the Creature from the Black Lagoon per se. I was pleasantly surprised at the heft this story carried. The setting, steeped in both myth and science, takes place upon a cruise ship like fortress full of scientists sitting in the middle of the Mariana Trench. The majority are in the narrative as context and have no bearing on the story. The search for physical proof of the existence of the mermaids who took out the crew of another ship a few years prior is what drives the plot. I found a few parts of the narrative to be dull, but maybe I’m just impatient. The mermaids or sirens were as fascinating as they were horrifying. I wish the author would’ve delved deeper into the mermaid’s perspective. I found it fascinating to perceive the situation through their thought processes. It definitely less demonized them. The ending felt a little rushed. There was the final reveal which I would’ve liked to have explored a little more and then the quick wrap up. Solid 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Confinement
gilbertbg1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Snagged a copy of this book at a local bookstore after pondering over it for months and it did not disappoint! Mermaids the way they should be written!! I have been aching for mermaid fiction that portrays them as the apex predators they are, and this book delivered! (If you're interested in a similar portrayal of mermaids, the TV series Siren on Freeform really nailed it (but really only until s3 :/)!)
Scary and suspenseful and full of unexpected twists that, as soon as they happen, you suddenly realize there was no other possible outcome. This book is full of diverse characters who are flawed and broken and selfish and brilliant and loving and, and, and, and... The book is a beautifully done commentary on climate change and capitalism, all wrapped into a tightly woven hard science fiction gore-fest. Highly recommend to anyone looking to get into horror. I haven’t finished a book in months but I flew through this one and will be looking for another by this author asap.
Scary and suspenseful and full of unexpected twists that, as soon as they happen, you suddenly realize there was no other possible outcome. This book is full of diverse characters who are flawed and broken and selfish and brilliant and loving and, and, and, and... The book is a beautifully done commentary on climate change and capitalism, all wrapped into a tightly woven hard science fiction gore-fest. Highly recommend to anyone looking to get into horror. I haven’t finished a book in months but I flew through this one and will be looking for another by this author asap.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Gore, Blood, Death, and Body horror
punkrockingnerd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
As a person who loves dolphins? Horrified. As a person who has difficultly with gore? Horrified. As a fan of mermaid and/or siren cryptids? I'm a little excited! But overall, horrified
Ms. Mira, I reject your reality about Twitter, Cecil, and Kearney AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Violence, Cursing, Medical trauma, Death, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Drug use, Cannibalism, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Vomit, and Animal death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Stalking
ladykatka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I listened as an audiobook and it was gripping. I really liked that some main characters were deaf or autistic. This book is a little heavy on the telling and not showing but I still really enjoyed it. It is written in a way that would make it a great movie, and honestly if it becomes a movie I would watch the crap out of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical content, Animal death, Blood, and Gore