A review by maple_dove
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

CW: lynching, murder, drowning

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw takes place in a town called Sparrow, a town cursed two centuries ago by the three Swan sisters: sisters who were all lynched by accusations of witchcraft. Every summer, these sisters each take the body of one girl for revenge, luring boys by the water and drowning them.
The main character is Penny Talbot, and it doesn't take long before we meet a boy named Bo, arriving in Sparrow, having no idea what the hell he just got himself into.
The witch hunt starts, Penny has the ability to see what others cannot, and Penny must make a decision: save Bo, or herself.

Review:

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I saw one thing coming from miles away, but this ending still mentally reeling. 🤯

I Liked:
  • The dark, mysterious town vibe(s)
  • How this book addresses that accusations of witchcraft were used to alienate and control people

This book almost immediately had me gripped, and I was tempted to just binge the entire book in one sitting.

I Didn't Like:

. . . The only things I can think of are things like are lack of action. Although, that's simply because that's not what this book is.

Final Comments:

Overall, I definitely think this was worth the read. Not a favorite, but a good read nonetheless.

As always, I highly encourage checking content warnings before reading a book.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings