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A review by ametakinetos
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
3.0
Conceptually, this book is absolutely genius. I think mermaids are terribly underused in the sci-fi/fantasy sphere, and the scientific aspects were tremendously well-researched. It truly felt like these creatures could exist in reality. The entertainment industry's presence made certain plot devices more believable and provided a cinematic vibe to the entire story.
However...the large cast of characters and their alternating POVs made it difficult to become attached emotionally. Their narratives were redundant in their revelations at times and switched so frequently that I didn't develop connections to any of them. While many had compelling motivations and histories that I would've happily focused on for the entirety (Tory, Dr. Toth, and the Wilson sisters come immediately to mind), throwing them all together left me disappointed. The drawn-out style negated the horror elements until I didn't care anymore beyond discovering the next mermaid anatomical factoid.
Execution is a tricky thing.
Spoiler
AKA sirens, in this caseHowever...the large cast of characters and their alternating POVs made it difficult to become attached emotionally. Their narratives were redundant in their revelations at times and switched so frequently that I didn't develop connections to any of them. While many had compelling motivations and histories that I would've happily focused on for the entirety (Tory, Dr. Toth, and the Wilson sisters come immediately to mind), throwing them all together left me disappointed. The drawn-out style negated the horror elements until I didn't care anymore beyond discovering the next mermaid anatomical factoid.
Execution is a tricky thing.