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nerdinthelibrary 's review for:
The Wicked Deep
by Shea Ernshaw
content warnings: underage drinking, abduction, drowning, loss of a loved one, murder, abandonment, consent issues (taking over someone’s body)
representation: latina side character
Oh. My. God. I was expecting to like this book, probably give it three or four stars. I didn't expect to fall madly in love with it. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect. Some of the characters feel underdeveloped, and the excessive use of colons will annoy some people. But this is undoubtedly a five star book for me.
Even the people who didn't really like this book have had one praise for it: the atmosphere. Shea Ernshaw is a master at creating a mystical, creepy, alluring atmosphere throughout the entirety of this book, whether the characters are staring ominously into the sea or are just hanging out and chatting. There's something incredibly unsettling about the entire book and it was wonderful.
Also, normally flashbacks annoy me, particularly when they don't follow the main character. I usually find them distracting and pretty unnecessary. But Shea Ernshaw always knew exactly when to put in a flashback and how long to make one to maximise impact and minimise disrupting the flow of the main story.
As I mentioned, sometimes the characters do feel slightly underdeveloped, but that didn't make them any less enjoyable. They suited the story perfectly, all somewhat mysterious and with secrets that made reading each page they appeared a joy.
The thing that really sold the book for me was the twists and turns it makes. In particular, there's one twist at around two-thirds in the book which was one of the best I've ever read. It was foreshadowed beautifully, to the point where at the back of my mind I had actually already guessed what it was without realising it.
I am so excited/nervous for the Netflix adaptation of this. I think it's a really good book to adapt as long as they find the right location, and god I hope they don't fuck it up. I can't wait to read what Shea Ernshaw writes next, whether its another book in this world or something entirely new.
representation: latina side character
Oh. My. God. I was expecting to like this book, probably give it three or four stars. I didn't expect to fall madly in love with it. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect. Some of the characters feel underdeveloped, and the excessive use of colons will annoy some people. But this is undoubtedly a five star book for me.
Even the people who didn't really like this book have had one praise for it: the atmosphere. Shea Ernshaw is a master at creating a mystical, creepy, alluring atmosphere throughout the entirety of this book, whether the characters are staring ominously into the sea or are just hanging out and chatting. There's something incredibly unsettling about the entire book and it was wonderful.
Also, normally flashbacks annoy me, particularly when they don't follow the main character. I usually find them distracting and pretty unnecessary. But Shea Ernshaw always knew exactly when to put in a flashback and how long to make one to maximise impact and minimise disrupting the flow of the main story.
As I mentioned, sometimes the characters do feel slightly underdeveloped, but that didn't make them any less enjoyable. They suited the story perfectly, all somewhat mysterious and with secrets that made reading each page they appeared a joy.
The thing that really sold the book for me was the twists and turns it makes. In particular, there's one twist at around two-thirds in the book which was one of the best I've ever read. It was foreshadowed beautifully, to the point where at the back of my mind I had actually already guessed what it was without realising it.
I am so excited/nervous for the Netflix adaptation of this. I think it's a really good book to adapt as long as they find the right location, and god I hope they don't fuck it up. I can't wait to read what Shea Ernshaw writes next, whether its another book in this world or something entirely new.