Review: The Vicious Deep

The Vicious Deep (The Vicious Deep #1) by Zoraida Cordova
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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

The Vicious Deep also has some interesting mythology behind it and I enjoyed that but it just wasn't as unique or creative as I had hoped. I had heard that these weren't like the mermaids you find in The Little Mermaid, but I actually didn't find them to be that different. They weren't nearly as creepy as I was expecting, so it really didn't deliver on that end.
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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