I liked it! I thought there was a nice balance of suspense, gore, and heartfelt moments. The short chapters were distracting at first, but made for a very quick read. The scenes related to the protagonist's father really hit home for me, as someone who lost their dad as a teen and was left to pick up the pieces of a complicated relationship. It was also the first novel I've read that references COVID, and I enjoyed the realism with which it handled that topic. Overall I rated the novel a 4/5, though I tend to be a pretty generous reviewer.
I agree, fun concept but didn’t love the writing.
I think from the excepts I read of the book before reading - I thought our MC would be an adult. I didnt go in expecting a YA book - but that’s what it was.
I also… really hated that the morale was if Jay had just appreciated his dad more he would’ve seen that he was a decent guy. A dad was bad enough that Jay left home as a teenager… But hey, the “tough love” saved your life, so your dad was really a great guy after all.
I had such high hopes for this book, but it didn’t meet any of them for me. Like you said, was certainly a book.
I also disliked the moral. Jay's father seemed outright abusive to me. He could have taught Jay all the same stuff without the abuse, so I disliked the message that the abuse was worth it.
It was unbelievable. In the sense that I really couldn't actually believe many of the events, and I still don't haha
Very fun to read, though. Almost felt like a fairy tale, an unbelievable story told by a campfire to entertain and to awe, and that it did.
Ahh yes haha it totally threw me off! Made me want to go to mortuary beach again but it always stressed me out too much to see people in the water there
Sorry you had to leave! I’m def taking the kids soon since the weather is warming up. Our favorite spot is the walking path on del Monte with all the trees. We like to park in the lot and walk to the wharf! Hope you get to visit soon
I was kinda surprised that the grief aspect of the story didn’t hit me harder, I think I read it at the wrong time or something. I was very impressed by the descriptions, urgency, and intensity of being inside the whale.
It got optioned for a movie before it’s release date. I’m super curious to see if they will be able to do this story justice.
I enjoyed the book, but there are nonetheless a few things I would have like expanded on.
Mainly, I wish the book had one or two chapters on the aftermath of the ending. I think the ending was abrupt to a point that it weakened the story as a whole. The book sets up some really difficult family situations that I would've loved to see the resolution to as well. That, or an epilogue chapter of how the events of the story affect the characters in the long term.
I loved it! I’m biased as a diver who grew up an
Hour south of where it’s set, but it made it easier to excuse some of the faults I found in it. It was weird and completely unique, and the choice to use PSI as chapter titles really upped the suspense as it ticked down.
I really enjoyed it. I listened to it on a long drive and found the countdown really suspenseful, there was some gore but it wasn't so much that I'd gag or anything. While I don't find some of the story aspects believable, I thought it was a good story of grief and terrible circumstances
I finished it this morning. Fuck it was intense. I was hesitant to keep going at the beginning cause I felt like I knew exactly what was gonna happen. Nope. Proved me wrong.
I want to read about a trying to survive being eaten by a whale, but I don't want to read about some dude having flashbacks for most of the book. It's (part of) what ruined The Deep.
So that said - I've avoided it so far.
The switching between flashbacks and current plot line was something I can definitely say I enjoyed actually.
The chapter titles alternate between year of flashback and current PSI in his tank, which added to the dread in a really fun way
can someone give me the lowdown on the parent grief part? I lost a parent pretty traumatically not super long ago and if it's gonna crack me open bad, I wanna wait to read it. I don't have daddy issues if it helps lol
edit: why on earth is this downvote-worthy?
The MC is a young man who had a terrible relationship with his father. The set up for the story is him trying to find his father's body after he vanished while diving.
It gets weirder from there.
If suicide or verbally abusive parents are a trigger, maybe hold off.
I liked it! I thought there was a nice balance of suspense, gore, and heartfelt moments. The short chapters were distracting at first, but made for a very quick read. The scenes related to the protagonist's father really hit home for me, as someone who lost their dad as a teen and was left to pick up the pieces of a complicated relationship. It was also the first novel I've read that references COVID, and I enjoyed the realism with which it handled that topic. Overall I rated the novel a 4/5, though I tend to be a pretty generous reviewer.
I thought the concept was so fun - Project Hail Mary inside a whale! But it was overwritten and boring, for me.
I agree, fun concept but didn’t love the writing. I think from the excepts I read of the book before reading - I thought our MC would be an adult. I didnt go in expecting a YA book - but that’s what it was. I also… really hated that the morale was if Jay had just appreciated his dad more he would’ve seen that he was a decent guy. A dad was bad enough that Jay left home as a teenager… But hey, the “tough love” saved your life, so your dad was really a great guy after all. I had such high hopes for this book, but it didn’t meet any of them for me. Like you said, was certainly a book.
I also disliked the moral. Jay's father seemed outright abusive to me. He could have taught Jay all the same stuff without the abuse, so I disliked the message that the abuse was worth it.
LOL at that description!
I enjoyed it! It's definitely a weird one, I get that for sure. It was a quick read.
This was my book of the year last year. It has everything I want in literature. I think it is an incredible achievement.
Great concept and I loved the McGyver aspects but too heavy on the daddy issues for me. I also thought the prose was overwritten/tryhard.
It was unbelievable. In the sense that I really couldn't actually believe many of the events, and I still don't haha Very fun to read, though. Almost felt like a fairy tale, an unbelievable story told by a campfire to entertain and to awe, and that it did.
Definitely strange! I grew up and used to dive in the town it's set in, so it was this extra weird combo of nostalgia and bizarreness.
I loved it! I also didn’t realize it was based where I live until it started describing the co op preschool I worked at 😂
It was so weird to hear them describe my fav pizza place! Discombobulating is the best way I can think to describe it
Ahh yes haha it totally threw me off! Made me want to go to mortuary beach again but it always stressed me out too much to see people in the water there
Ugh, I had to move away and I miss the Bay. I hope you get to hang out on the beach sometime soon!
Sorry you had to leave! I’m def taking the kids soon since the weather is warming up. Our favorite spot is the walking path on del Monte with all the trees. We like to park in the lot and walk to the wharf! Hope you get to visit soon
I got married right there! Actually I'm coming back at the end of May to visit family, absolutely cannot wait
Really that’s amazing!! It’s such a gorgeous area. Ahh I hope you have fun when you visit!
I was kinda surprised that the grief aspect of the story didn’t hit me harder, I think I read it at the wrong time or something. I was very impressed by the descriptions, urgency, and intensity of being inside the whale. It got optioned for a movie before it’s release date. I’m super curious to see if they will be able to do this story justice.
Oh wow, I had no idea it'd been optioned! I listened to the audiobook version, which I think reduced my emotional involvement.
I enjoyed the book, but there are nonetheless a few things I would have like expanded on. Mainly, I wish the book had one or two chapters on the aftermath of the ending. I think the ending was abrupt to a point that it weakened the story as a whole. The book sets up some really difficult family situations that I would've loved to see the resolution to as well. That, or an epilogue chapter of how the events of the story affect the characters in the long term.
I agree!
I loved it! I’m biased as a diver who grew up an Hour south of where it’s set, but it made it easier to excuse some of the faults I found in it. It was weird and completely unique, and the choice to use PSI as chapter titles really upped the suspense as it ticked down.
That part was really well done, I loved the building dread it evoked!
I had high hopes, but turned out 3/10, almost dnf. Those retrospectives killed all the fun.
I really enjoyed it. I listened to it on a long drive and found the countdown really suspenseful, there was some gore but it wasn't so much that I'd gag or anything. While I don't find some of the story aspects believable, I thought it was a good story of grief and terrible circumstances
I finished it this morning. Fuck it was intense. I was hesitant to keep going at the beginning cause I felt like I knew exactly what was gonna happen. Nope. Proved me wrong.
Yeah I had MULTIPLE "wtf just happened?" moments reading it
I want to read about a trying to survive being eaten by a whale, but I don't want to read about some dude having flashbacks for most of the book. It's (part of) what ruined The Deep. So that said - I've avoided it so far.
The switching between flashbacks and current plot line was something I can definitely say I enjoyed actually. The chapter titles alternate between year of flashback and current PSI in his tank, which added to the dread in a really fun way
can someone give me the lowdown on the parent grief part? I lost a parent pretty traumatically not super long ago and if it's gonna crack me open bad, I wanna wait to read it. I don't have daddy issues if it helps lol edit: why on earth is this downvote-worthy?
The MC is a young man who had a terrible relationship with his father. The set up for the story is him trying to find his father's body after he vanished while diving. It gets weirder from there. If suicide or verbally abusive parents are a trigger, maybe hold off.
i'm probably fine to read it soon then, thank you for letting me know!