⭐️⭐️ / 2 stars

Deeplight is a book where we are in a world who has lost its gods decades ago. When Hark finds the living heart of one of those gods, he risks everything to keep it out of the wrong hands.

The mythology of this world is fresh and original. It’s really inventive and I liked how she tackled topics like toxic friendships and people oppressing authority. That being said, I didn’t connect with the book. I struggled a lot throughout reading to keep my mind focused on the story.

I also couldn’t really connect with the characters. Jelt was just really manipulative and not in a good way. I just really didn’t like him and since he was a big part of the story it was hard to like what I was reading. I also was a bit annoyed by Hark during the book. I couldn’t follow or understand his actions and honestly kept screaming at him. I came across as passive and that’s not what the main character should be like. I felt like Hark shouldn't have been the main character. Quest or Selphin felt more like main characters. Their stories were sidelined but seem more vital than Harks.

The book started really slow for me, and not really liking the characters didn’t help. I would’ve liked a bit more explanation or worldbuilding. Often times I was a bit confused with the world and especially the two types of sea. A lot in this book also felt like a filler storyline to me. It wasn’t until the last quarter of the book that I finally understood what the storyline was building towards. I honestly think the story could’ve been told in half the number of pages this book has.

Overall, this story just didn’t work out for me. I did like her writing style and the mythology she build. She did a good job building an intriguing world and language but that’s where it ends for me.