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A review by arathenerd
Beneath Cruel Fathoms by Anela Deen
4.0
ARC generously provided by BookSirens in exchange of an honest review.
I’m not gonna say I was expecting to dislike this book, but I definitely didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. In fact, I can’t wait for the next book in the trilogy.
She kept ahold of his hand as they resumed walking. “We aren’t defined only by our failures and sorrows. I’m starting to believe we’re an assortment. A few big events, but countless smaller details. Little joys that carry us through the days, even when those days are hard. I want to know yours.”
The book trapped me almost instantly: we start with Isaura’s side of the story, and we quickly learn that things are going less than ideal for her. She’s trying to get away from the island where she lived with her now ex-husband, when tragedy strikes. A huge storm arrives to the ship she’s in, sinking it with her and the crew in it. But she survives.
Because of some turn of destiny, the universe doesn’t want Isuaura to die just yet.
Leonel is the last of his species: a merman. He’s also the guardian of the sea, it’s protector and defender. Abnormal and dangerous storms have been striking human ships, putting in danger everything and everyone, so he needs to find out what’s going on. In pursuing these answers, Leonel discovers Isaura, the only survivor of the wreck. She may be his only clue to find out the truth.
Sooner than later, these two people form an alliance to both protect the sea and the humans traveling in it.
I really liked Isaura and Leonel’s relationship development. They both arrived to each other’s lives when they needed the most. They both offered valuable lessons to each other about life and themselves, and they grew so much because of it. I loved seeing Leonel learning about love, kindness and happiness. I loved to see Isaura learning her self-worth didn’t depend on what she couldn’t do, but on who she is. The development of these characters and their relationship was nicely built indeed.
While the plot was also great (war between the gods, magic from the sea, different creatures, and was that Nordic mythology?) I think this book mainly lacked in small details, like some things about the world not being well explained, so I kind of feel like I left the book with more questions than I had at the beginning. Or the simplicity of the plan the main characters had built. The execution of how Leonel and Isaura were tying everything to stop the threat coming their way was good but needed a little bit more, to be pushed just a little bit more to the edge. It isn’t until towards the end the stakes are finally settled.
Despite that, the story has a lot of potential, each character earning its place and value in the story, and the story only seems to get more and more interesting. I really want to know what will happen next!
I’m not gonna say I was expecting to dislike this book, but I definitely didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. In fact, I can’t wait for the next book in the trilogy.
She kept ahold of his hand as they resumed walking. “We aren’t defined only by our failures and sorrows. I’m starting to believe we’re an assortment. A few big events, but countless smaller details. Little joys that carry us through the days, even when those days are hard. I want to know yours.”
The book trapped me almost instantly: we start with Isaura’s side of the story, and we quickly learn that things are going less than ideal for her. She’s trying to get away from the island where she lived with her now ex-husband, when tragedy strikes. A huge storm arrives to the ship she’s in, sinking it with her and the crew in it. But she survives.
Because of some turn of destiny, the universe doesn’t want Isuaura to die just yet.
Leonel is the last of his species: a merman. He’s also the guardian of the sea, it’s protector and defender. Abnormal and dangerous storms have been striking human ships, putting in danger everything and everyone, so he needs to find out what’s going on. In pursuing these answers, Leonel discovers Isaura, the only survivor of the wreck. She may be his only clue to find out the truth.
Sooner than later, these two people form an alliance to both protect the sea and the humans traveling in it.
I really liked Isaura and Leonel’s relationship development. They both arrived to each other’s lives when they needed the most. They both offered valuable lessons to each other about life and themselves, and they grew so much because of it. I loved seeing Leonel learning about love, kindness and happiness. I loved to see Isaura learning her self-worth didn’t depend on what she couldn’t do, but on who she is. The development of these characters and their relationship was nicely built indeed.
While the plot was also great (war between the gods, magic from the sea, different creatures, and was that Nordic mythology?) I think this book mainly lacked in small details, like some things about the world not being well explained, so I kind of feel like I left the book with more questions than I had at the beginning. Or the simplicity of the plan the main characters had built. The execution of how Leonel and Isaura were tying everything to stop the threat coming their way was good but needed a little bit more, to be pushed just a little bit more to the edge. It isn’t until towards the end the stakes are finally settled.
Despite that, the story has a lot of potential, each character earning its place and value in the story, and the story only seems to get more and more interesting. I really want to know what will happen next!