A review by egkaetzel
Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

The concept of Daughters of the Merciful Deep is incredibly original. Right now there are so many myth retellings, but this book does something different in the way it weaves with history. It takes the real histories of post-civil war South and drowned Black towns and uses the magic of folklore to create an alternate history that both remains true to life and infuses hope. 

 

Definitely be aware that there is discussions of racism and violence typical of that era, so readers should be remember that this is still very much set in a real and painful part of history. But if you are a fan of the modern folklore/myth genre and alternative histories this is a great way to hear stories you likely haven’t heard yet. 

 

I am also fascinated by the role of water in folklore of the African diaspora. Having read The Water Dancer which is more magical realism but integrates similar lore, it was really interesting to hear more water mythology from the African South. 

 

The writing style is different than what I am used to, and it can be slow in places, so it took a minute for me to get into the rhythm of it. So I encourage readers who feel the same at the beginning to stick it out if the story is interesting to them to see how the mystery unfolds. 

(I read this book as an ARC from Redhook Books. Opinions are entirely my own)