Amazing and an absolutely necessary read

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This novella should be read by everyone. It is beautiful, heartbreaking, informative and rooted in so much history.

Yetu is the memory keeper for her people, mermaids who are descendants of the pregnant slaves who were thrown overboard. While the other mermaids live lives that are peaceful, and even idyllic, she is burdened with the memory of their entire collective past. It is only once every year that she passes their collective memory and history back to the rest of her people - because it is too traumatic for those around her to live with.

While this novella deals with mermaids and mythical creatures, it is actually a striking allegory for intergenerational trauma. The people around Yetu would love to do anything but remember their history, their past, but she has to live through that pain every day and it is slowly killing her.

Just like the other mermaids must come to grips with their past and their trauma, The Deep reinforces the idea that society as a whole must come to terms with the trauma that has either been inflicted on certain people, or the trauma that certain people have inflicted.

It is a lyrical, beautiful novella that will easily make it to the top of anyone's favorite books of a year list.