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A review by liamunderwood
Deep Trouble by R.L. Stine
3.0
Deep Trouble feels more like R.L. Stine writing a (kid friendly) adventure book than a (kid friendly) horror book. Whilst there are fleeting mentions of a sea monster, the inclusion of this feels mostly like an afterthought. Instead we get a story about mermaids. Not scary mermaids. Just friendly mermaids who serve to prove that no good deed goes unpunished.
Unlike the majority of Goosebumps protagonists, I actually didn't mind the lead character Billy Deep. Admittedly on more than one occasion he threatens to punch someone's lights out (as an aside, I know there are subtle differences between the UK and US editions - for example in the UK release the figure of a million pounds is discussed whereas I suspect the US edition it's a million dollars - and it may very well be that this is, for some reason, another of those differences) which feels a bit jarring, but for the most part Billy is likeable enough. All of the twists in this book are predictable, but I still actually found myself enjoying reading this. It is a little disappointing that there are less horror elements, but as an adventure story this is perfectly adequate.
3/5
Goosebumps Ranked
1) One Day At Horrorland - 4/5
2) Stay Out of the Basement - 4/5
3) Welcome to Dead House - 3.5/5
4) Piano Lessons Can Be Murder - 3.5/5
5) Night of the Living Dummy - 3.5/5
6) The Girl Who Cried Monster - 3.5/5
7) The Werewolf of Fever Swamp - 3.5/5
8) The Haunted Mask - 3/5
9) The Ghost Next Door - 3/5
10) Monster Blood - 3/5
11) Deep Trouble - 3/5
12) Say Cheese and Die! - 3/5
13) Why I'm Afraid of Bees - 2.5/5
14) Be Careful What You Wish For... - 2.5/5
15) The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb - 2.5/5
16) Monster Blood II - 2/5
17) Let's Get Invisible! - 2/5
18) Welcome to Camp Nightmare - 2/5
19) You Can't Scare Me - 1/5
Unlike the majority of Goosebumps protagonists, I actually didn't mind the lead character Billy Deep. Admittedly on more than one occasion he threatens to punch someone's lights out (as an aside, I know there are subtle differences between the UK and US editions - for example in the UK release the figure of a million pounds is discussed whereas I suspect the US edition it's a million dollars - and it may very well be that this is, for some reason, another of those differences) which feels a bit jarring, but for the most part Billy is likeable enough. All of the twists in this book are predictable, but I still actually found myself enjoying reading this. It is a little disappointing that there are less horror elements, but as an adventure story this is perfectly adequate.
3/5
Goosebumps Ranked
1) One Day At Horrorland - 4/5
2) Stay Out of the Basement - 4/5
3) Welcome to Dead House - 3.5/5
4) Piano Lessons Can Be Murder - 3.5/5
5) Night of the Living Dummy - 3.5/5
6) The Girl Who Cried Monster - 3.5/5
7) The Werewolf of Fever Swamp - 3.5/5
8) The Haunted Mask - 3/5
9) The Ghost Next Door - 3/5
10) Monster Blood - 3/5
11) Deep Trouble - 3/5
12) Say Cheese and Die! - 3/5
13) Why I'm Afraid of Bees - 2.5/5
14) Be Careful What You Wish For... - 2.5/5
15) The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb - 2.5/5
16) Monster Blood II - 2/5
17) Let's Get Invisible! - 2/5
18) Welcome to Camp Nightmare - 2/5
19) You Can't Scare Me - 1/5