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A review by mermaird
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
5.0
Deeplight is a strange yet mysteriously beautiful story of the wonders that the sea can offer, and the dangers lurking deep beneath the surface of the waves.
The story is set in a place where the Gods have died; the Gods all lived in the sea. Hark, the boy that I felt should be older than he was supposed to be, was a boy who was enchanted by tales and stories about the Gods, despite never living during the time when they were still around. He struggles to make a living through the visitors of their island, but I would say that his biggest trouble source was Jelt, his best friend. Greed and manipulative relationships were some of the main points of the story; it somehow hurt me beyond the core of they way Hark and Jelt's friendship folded out. It made me question myself about my own treatment towards my friends, for fear that I have this manipulative trait in me as well.
Hark's character development was truly something that I enjoyed through reading this book. In the early parts of the story, he seemed to me to be a lost boy, who yearned for the Gods without knowing exactly the meaning of his life. But as the story progresses, he grew more mature and was able to stand on his own. I love the friendship he formed unwillingly with Selphin–a very badass and strong character, who's not afraid of expressing what she feels–and how they worked together to make things right. Quest is also another character that I liked reading about; he has this charm despite being an old priest, and he too was not afraid to say what he wanted to say.
The way each God was carved out in the story were astounding, and just as I had titled this post, the breathe in your fear. The more you fear them, the stronger they become—which is how things actually worked in reality. If you don't face your fears, they will eat you alive.
Deeplight is the kind of book that is hard to be put in words, there are just too many things to say about it. It's complex; it's beautiful; it's eye-opening in regards of what creatures that could be lurking deep down on the ocean floor—or way beneath that; it's a book that I don't think I'll ever read again, but it will stay in my mind for a very long time.
Many thanks to Pansing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Deeplight is now available in all good bookstores!
The story is set in a place where the Gods have died; the Gods all lived in the sea. Hark, the boy that I felt should be older than he was supposed to be, was a boy who was enchanted by tales and stories about the Gods, despite never living during the time when they were still around. He struggles to make a living through the visitors of their island, but I would say that his biggest trouble source was Jelt, his best friend. Greed and manipulative relationships were some of the main points of the story; it somehow hurt me beyond the core of they way Hark and Jelt's friendship folded out. It made me question myself about my own treatment towards my friends, for fear that I have this manipulative trait in me as well.
Hark's character development was truly something that I enjoyed through reading this book. In the early parts of the story, he seemed to me to be a lost boy, who yearned for the Gods without knowing exactly the meaning of his life. But as the story progresses, he grew more mature and was able to stand on his own. I love the friendship he formed unwillingly with Selphin–a very badass and strong character, who's not afraid of expressing what she feels–and how they worked together to make things right. Quest is also another character that I liked reading about; he has this charm despite being an old priest, and he too was not afraid to say what he wanted to say.
The way each God was carved out in the story were astounding, and just as I had titled this post, the breathe in your fear. The more you fear them, the stronger they become—which is how things actually worked in reality. If you don't face your fears, they will eat you alive.
Deeplight is the kind of book that is hard to be put in words, there are just too many things to say about it. It's complex; it's beautiful; it's eye-opening in regards of what creatures that could be lurking deep down on the ocean floor—or way beneath that; it's a book that I don't think I'll ever read again, but it will stay in my mind for a very long time.
Many thanks to Pansing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Deeplight is now available in all good bookstores!