In Desdemona and the Deep, the spoiled daughter of a rich mining family must retrieve the tithe of men her father promised to the world below.
On the surface, her world is rife with industrial pollution that ruins the health of poor factory workers while the idle rich indulge themselves in unheard-of luxury. Below are goblins, mysterious kingdoms, and an entirely different hierarchy.
A goblin market narrative that's also a steep drop into an uncanny, richly painted underworld, C.S.E. Cooney combines 1920s luxury with deeply felt questions of identity and justice that strike at the heart of who we are, human or otherwise.
I did not like the beginning of this story. I disliked Desdemona and her selfishness. But her character growth was fantastic, and I liked how the story progressed.
I think this needed more time to fully expand upon the worlds and magic and to more fully flesh the story out.
I'm definitely going to look into other stories by this author because I really liked what I saw here.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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6 May, 2020:
Finished reading
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6 May, 2020:
Reviewed