I’m going to start this review with a word of caution and a bit of grace. When I was halfway through the novel, I suffered a stroke. I read some parts in the hospital and finally finished. Perhaps that contributes to my overall feelings about Sylvie Cathrall’s A Letter to the Luminous Deep (4/23/24 Orbit); however, I did have some issues with the story pre-stroke. Take from that what you will.
Let’s start with the good. This cover is absolutely gorgeous. The premise is whimsical and fantastical. It’s Jane Austen but with more whimsy and underwater. There are some adorable parts, particularly in the unfolding of the love story between E and Henerey.
Now to the parts that I found unappealing. This is an epistolary novel, which can work fine, but in this case the voices are too similar. Additionally, I disliked the unfolding of events being told by E’s sister and Henerey’s brother and the correspondence between them. The mirroring of the conversations was an unfortunate choice; especially when our cast of characters are nearly interchangeable. The most unappealing thing, however, is that this is the first of a series. Hard pass. It could have been done and done well in one novel. I’ll die on that hill.
The novel is cute and somewhat intriguing, but I was largely disinterested. The last quarter, however, sparks a bit of interest. I wish that interest had been sparked at the beginning, and that this was the novel of two scholars and their respective partners striking out to find their missing siblings and secret worlds.
All that said, I want to stress that this book just wasn’t for me. This is a me issue more than it is a novel issue, so give the book a try if it tickles your fancy. But you’ve been warned about it being part of an unfinished series.
Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy.
A Girl Named Tommi 