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A review by wdianasheppard
Deep in Providence by Riss M. Neilson
4.0
"Deep in Providence" is a slow-moving examination on love, grief, and loyalty wrapped in a coming-of-age tale. Following three teenagers as they attempt to come to terms with losing one of their own, "Deep in Providence" reckons with addiction, anger, sexuality, and unplanned pregnancy through the lens of a haunting. This book defies a lot of genres - I'd call it contemporary YA, but it takes place nebulously in the early aughts, and in places it is quite unsettling and frightening like a horror. The girls meddle in magic, trying to bring their lost friend back to life, but something is stalking them from the shadows.
All in all, I truly enjoyed this book. It's not about Big Plot - it follows their lives, the minutiae and the mundane - but deals with all the thorny strangeness of their emotions as they reckon with their families and their ambitions. "Deep in Providence" features a diverse cast and set of cultures, but is wonderfully rooted in a sense of place - that of Providence, Rhode Island. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes slower burns, who values character over a swiftly-moving plot.
All in all, I truly enjoyed this book. It's not about Big Plot - it follows their lives, the minutiae and the mundane - but deals with all the thorny strangeness of their emotions as they reckon with their families and their ambitions. "Deep in Providence" features a diverse cast and set of cultures, but is wonderfully rooted in a sense of place - that of Providence, Rhode Island. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes slower burns, who values character over a swiftly-moving plot.