Release Date ~ May 1, 2012
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13: 9781402265105
ARC received from Raincoast Books for review
Goodreads Synopsis:
For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave.
He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.
His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he’s heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he’s suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.
Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea…and now it wants him back.
Mermaids seem to be the new "it" thing right now, and although I've only read a couple of them that I've greatly enjoyed, I was optimistic when it came to reading The Vicious Deep. The description definitely gives you the idea that these aren't your typical mermaids and I was curious about that.
Ultimately, however, The Vicious Deep didn't stand out as much as I hoped it would, but it was a fun and interesting read nonetheless.
- Role reversal:
You know what I really liked about The Vicious Deep? That we get to have a MALE main character, one who has a history of being a jerk and getting around. And even though I found myself rolling my eyes at him (often), it was refreshing to read from the perspective of a character that isn't focused on much. And his willingess to admit when he's wrong (at least in his head) made him endearing; I think we'll be seeing a significant amount of personal growth from him in future books. Plus, I liked that we got to experience his confusion regarding his relationship with his best friend since most of the books I read take place from the female perspective. - Layla and her endearing character:
Layla was my favourite character, hands down. I loved that she wasn't willing to put up with any of Tristan's crap and she was willing to call him out for it. And she exhibits so much bravery in the face of uncertainty, you just have to admire her for that. Like I mentioned above, I also enjoyed seeing her through Tristan's eyes. I think SHE is the character to watch and that she'll be the one who ends up being a force to be reckoned with.
But my biggest issue with it was how slow it felt; it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time to get the ball rolling, even with such high stakes. The story takes place in such a short period of time, and most of it revolves around Tristan sorting himself out and figuring out what he should be doing. I was hoping for something that was a bit more fast-paced.
Overall, it was still a fun read and I enjoyed reading it. I'll be picking up the sequel to see where the story goes, but I'd advise you not to expect anything mind-blowing.
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7 comments:
Great review! I've got to check this out everyone is saying it's good. :)
This one sounds incredible!
I too love it when there's a male POV and main character, and when he's far from perfect. You really get to see him develop that way by being privy to what he really thinks.
ccfioriole at gmail dot com
I've never read a YA book about mermaids before, so I'll give this a try. I hope I won't be disappointed xD
Thanks for the review!
angkarina_angkasuwan at hotmail dot com
I thought the same thing - the voice of the main character was great, but the plot was not my favorite.
Awesome review! I'm sorry it didn't really live up to your expectations, but I'm glad you still enjoyed it. :D A lack of creative mythology and slow pacing can be a huge drag, but a male POV IS always fun to read through. I may pick this one up from the library.
Mythology! Sounds like a nice book. It must be refreshing for a role reversal. :)
I felt this book sort of read like a Pixar movie. All the stereotypical characters were there. Especially the cocky main character, who thinks he's awesome but by at the end realizes he needs other people.
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