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velvetsilk42's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body horror and Gaslighting
Minor: Slavery
slighte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Loved the fantasy world and learning more about it and its history throughout the book. Loved the plot. Loved the deaf rep - this was integrated really well throughout and echoed really well with irl Deaf culture! However it did feel a little longer than it needed to be, and although the story relies on the toxic friendship, it did get a bit tedious and I was expecting a more emotionally triumphant moment in the ending of it.
Graphic: Violence and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Additional content warning for drowning, a fair bit of this takes place in submarines/underwatermar_gier's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I liked this book, but it was... weird. Like, really weird. A good-weird, but also a weird-weird. Like, Unraveller this book should really be considered a horror book as well as a fantasy book. (Also this book should definitely be classified in the dark fantasy subgenre of fantasy.) Deeplight was honestly even more dark and unsettling to read than Unraveller.
But yeah, I don't know, I guess it's cuz I found creepy Lovecraftian sea monster-gods and evil magical purple-black not-actually-seawater more disturbing than a dark fantasy about a dark magic forest with a mind of its own. I guess the latter just felt less unnatural to me for whatever reason. (Plus, the deep ocean is super freaky.)
Even though I did enjoy it, it also kind of disturbed me the same way that Subnautica does, so I couldn't quite give it four stars. But if you like Frances Hardinge's other books, and weird, unsettling fantasy is your thing, you'll probably like this book.
But yeah, I don't know, I guess it's cuz I found creepy Lovecraftian sea monster-gods and evil magical purple-black not-actually-seawater more disturbing than a dark fantasy about a dark magic forest with a mind of its own. I guess the latter just felt less unnatural to me for whatever reason. (Plus, the deep ocean is super freaky.)
Even though I did enjoy it, it also kind of disturbed me the same way that Subnautica does, so I couldn't quite give it four stars. But if you like Frances Hardinge's other books, and weird, unsettling fantasy is your thing, you'll probably like this book.
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting
akira516's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Very Slow and boring. It tries to over explain what's happening which makes it even more confusing. The ending was weird and didn't wrap it up at all. There was only one likeable character who dies at the end The villain is annoying and the plot line is obvious. The main characters relationship is terrible.
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death and Murder
adequateanja's review
If I want to hear about a narcissist gaslighting and manipulating a 14-year old I‘m just gonna think about my dad or my extremely toxic high school best friend. No thank you very much, it made my skin crawl.
But cool mythology and I really liked the MC, would‘ve loved to learn more about the world and Hark.
But cool mythology and I really liked the MC, would‘ve loved to learn more about the world and Hark.
Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic friendship
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