Deeplight

by Frances Hardinge

Enter a fantastical, underwater world in Deeplight, from Frances Hardinge, the Costa Award-winning author of The Lie Tree.

'One of our finest storytellers,' – Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent

The gods of the Myriad were as real as the coastlines and currents, and as merciless as the winds and whirlpools. Now the gods are dead, but their remains are stirring beneath the waves . . .

On the streets of the Island of Lady's Crave live 14-year-old urchins Hark and his best friend Jelt. They are scavengers: diving for relics of the gods, desperate for anything they can sell. But there is something dangerous in the deep waters of the undersea, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it.

When the waves try to claim Jelt, Hark will do anything to save him. Even if it means compromising not just who Jelt is, but what he is . . .

• ISBN10: 1509897569
• ISBN13: 9781509897568
• Publish Date: 2 April 2020 (first published 31 October 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Macmillan Children's Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Come to Myriad, where the sea gods are revered even though they ceased to exist decades ago. They harvest pieces of the gods (godware) themselves from the sea as their industrial world develops.

Come meet 15-year-old Hark, an orphan who scams tourists to keep his belly full. His best friend, Jelt, offers him a lucrative gig that lands him in trouble. In fact, Jelt often gets Hark in trouble. This time they discover an usual piece of godware that will lead Hark on a perilous journey. He will have to save not only Jelt but the world.

Sacrifice, growth and heroes emerge as Hark begins his quest to save his friend, but his quest is weighted by decisions that will affect all.

This was my first experience with Hardinge and I loved the vivid, unique world she created. The tale unfolds smoothly without information dumps. We learn through Hark’s voice and alongside him as he learns more about the Gods, the Priests and the world he thought he knew.

Secondary characters were well-developed, intriguing and added to the tale as Hardinge ramped up the suspense and danger in the second half. Her prose brings this world together in vivid 3-D, so much so, that I could taste the salt air and feel the wind blowing my hair.

Joshua Akehurst narrates as the voice of Hark. This was my first experience with Akehurst and I enjoyed his unique voices, both male and female. From his tone I could desertion age, sex and emotions.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[HekArtemis]

I really liked the world, the idea of the ocean gods, the loss of religions and break down of the priests. I liked most of the main characters and loved Quests back story and revelations. I wasn't expecting this to feel so much like an investigative thriller type novel, but I kind of liked that too. Making deafness and hearing loss and sign language a commonplace thing was an interesting addition and I thought it was done well and made a lot of sense.

"a friendship as dark and dangerous as the ocean" - what that means is our mc, Hark, is in a very abusive familial relationship with his "friend" Jelt. Jelt is a jerk. This book really captured abuse well actually. The way Hark was gaslit over and over. But because it captures abuse well it's hard to read.

Overall I think I really liked this book. The abusive friendship detracted for me though.