I can’t even begin to describe how much I LOVED this book! I was already fairly excited going into it because I had already read Astrid Scholte’s other book, Four Dead Queens, and really enjoyed that one, but The Vanishing Deep was something else.
Scholte’s writing style has improved so much, to the benefit of this book. Initially, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like the atmosphere, but it was beautiful. Extremely atmospheric and really brings you into the world. The descriptions of how Tempest and everyone else lived with all the water around were believable and well-done. The pacing was neither too slow nor too fast, and I loved that most chapters had a timestamp to tell you when events happened or should happen. There was a sense of urgency as I read, and I just had to keep reading.
It was very easy for me to get lost in this book. There was always this underlying tone that something darker was going on with Palindromena and its “services.” You knew the employees were hiding things from the general public, and I was thrilled that the book delivered on everything. When you have a plot like the one this book has, it’s extremely easy for things to get underwhelming or overwhelming, but I never felt that way while reading.
The secrets and twist at the end were surprising yet weren’t confusing or ridiculous. I really liked that the author seemed to have thought of everything because I didn’t find myself wondering about much, except perhaps about the fate of a certain character.
Along with the plot, the characters and relationships were absorbing. Tempe and Elysea, Lor and Raylan. Family was vital to the book, and there were many times when I was tearing up because of moving moments between Tempe and Elysea. Even Lor and Raylan’s friendship had its moments. You could just feel how the characters of this book were there for each other through thick and thin.
If there were any problems I had, they were all minor and really only with two characters: Lor and Tempe. They were both too much of something with each other. Lor was too apologetic with Tempe. Tempe was too angry with Lor. It got really old reading over and over about Tempe getting angry at Lor for being alive when Elysea wasn’t. However, I still liked them as characters. Especially Lor. He was one of the most empathetic characters I’ve ever read in a YA book.
Just an amazing book all around! I imagine it would be even more atmospheric to read The Vanishing Deep on a rainy day or just in a water environment, such as near an ocean or lake. I’m not quite sure if this was meant to be a standalone or not, but I hope it is. It ends on a high note, and I can’t wait for whatever book Astrid Scholte writes next!
Scholte’s writing style has improved so much, to the benefit of this book. Initially, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like the atmosphere, but it was beautiful. Extremely atmospheric and really brings you into the world. The descriptions of how Tempest and everyone else lived with all the water around were believable and well-done. The pacing was neither too slow nor too fast, and I loved that most chapters had a timestamp to tell you when events happened or should happen. There was a sense of urgency as I read, and I just had to keep reading.
It was very easy for me to get lost in this book. There was always this underlying tone that something darker was going on with Palindromena and its “services.” You knew the employees were hiding things from the general public, and I was thrilled that the book delivered on everything. When you have a plot like the one this book has, it’s extremely easy for things to get underwhelming or overwhelming, but I never felt that way while reading.
The secrets and twist at the end were surprising yet weren’t confusing or ridiculous. I really liked that the author seemed to have thought of everything because I didn’t find myself wondering about much, except perhaps about the fate of a certain character.
Along with the plot, the characters and relationships were absorbing. Tempe and Elysea, Lor and Raylan. Family was vital to the book, and there were many times when I was tearing up because of moving moments between Tempe and Elysea. Even Lor and Raylan’s friendship had its moments. You could just feel how the characters of this book were there for each other through thick and thin.
If there were any problems I had, they were all minor and really only with two characters: Lor and Tempe. They were both too much of something with each other. Lor was too apologetic with Tempe. Tempe was too angry with Lor. It got really old reading over and over about Tempe getting angry at Lor for being alive when Elysea wasn’t. However, I still liked them as characters. Especially Lor. He was one of the most empathetic characters I’ve ever read in a YA book.
Just an amazing book all around! I imagine it would be even more atmospheric to read The Vanishing Deep on a rainy day or just in a water environment, such as near an ocean or lake. I’m not quite sure if this was meant to be a standalone or not, but I hope it is. It ends on a high note, and I can’t wait for whatever book Astrid Scholte writes next!