Deeplight

Nothing but wonderful storytelling and well-developed characters here. Undersea gods are not the most original of monsters, but I thought Deeplight handled it in a unique way, a new look at an old mythology type.

I had a few doubts about how the “science” of things worked, but nothing that spoiled my suspension of disbelief or enjoyment of the book.

Pros:
- Unique story
- Deaf characters
- Sign language
- Everybody knowing sign language to communicate with the sea-kissed (deaf)

Cons:
- None as such except the descriptions of the wounds and shape changing stuff might be too much.

Overall, this was a fascinating read. Hark and Selphine were amazing characters. This book showed what a toxic friendship could look like, and how you could be friends with anyone regardless of your age.

Also, bonus points for no romance! Frances Hardinge always write MG protagonists with no romance ☺️

I have to say the world building was impeccable. Hardinge does a great job of making you feel like you know a place and the people who live there. There were some slow moments, but overall I found it to be a captivating ocean fantasy. It's one of those stories with deep themes, danger, and almost Lovecraftian discomfort. Side note: the character names are EXCELLENT.