Review: Fear The Drowning Deep

Fear The Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release Date: October 4th, 2016
Source: Edelweiss
Date Read: 8/3/16 to 8/6/16
304 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰1/2

Witch’s apprentice Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its return to the Isle of Man.

Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.

Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

There’s something about old, coastal towns that I really love reading about. Probably because it reminds me so much of New England, even though this takes place on The Isle of Man. Nevertheless, the setting here paired with sirens, sea monsters, and the likes drew me in. Although I was expecting something a little bit different, I did thoroughly enjoy Fear The Drowning Deep.

The town is continuously haunted by drownings of women, and they don't know what's causing them. In the midst of all of this, Bridey, who is deathly afraid of the ocean after seeing her Grandad jump off the cliffs, takes the job of helping out the town witch, Morag. This involves going out to the beach to collect herbs, which is terrifying for her. Along the coast, she finds an unidentifiable boy, who she calls Fynn. The two spend a lot of time together, while Bridey figures out the truth behind the disappearances and drownings.

Spoiler, it's these squishy animals. Just kidding

I'm a huge fan of stories about mermaids, sirens, sea monsters, and the likes. Fynn turns out to be an interesting character (for reasons I will not say) who ends up wanting to stay by Bridey’s side. Yet even though I say this, I didn't like the fact that (Spoiler, highlight to read) Bridey's blood is what made Fynn lose his sense of violence as a sea monster, and in the end, caused him to fall in love with her. It made the relationship seem a little fake, even though Fynn admits he found her beautiful beforehand (which I really don’t buy at all). (End spoilers) I also liked the sisterly bond between Bridey and her sisters, mainly her younger sister Grayse. The story featured a very tight knit family, one that sticks by each other, and even a stranger who is only supposed to stay temporarily.

However, I did find the writing to be very dense and detailed. Maybe it was because I wasn't too invested in the story or the characters, but there were times where I couldn't help myself as I skimmed ahead. It really wasn't until the end where the action picked up, but even so it wasn't enough to make up for my boredom in the beginning.

Overall, I don’t regret reading Fear The Drowning Deep, however I felt like it lacked the spark that makes a book unforgettable (seeing as I read this back in August, and I barely remember anything, hence why I keep notes from back then).