Have I been straying from my water theme? Kinda Sorta.
When I saw this on Net Galley, I knew it was one for my Water 2025 extravaganza. I wasn't sure what to expect from this debut novel, as I've had some hit and miss this year indeed. To be honest, I kind of went into this thinking it might not be that good. We are at the halfway point in my water year, and indeed...some of it hasn't been great. This however, hit me at just the right time!
For me, this was a hit! Firstly let's take a moment to appreciate the cover: It took me a hot minute to discover the cover artist and designer: Camryn Jette Anderson (Art) and Ashley Sherrif (Design)
Small synopsis without spoilers: This is a Young Adult Debut novel. Readers follow Marisol through the final weeks of her last year in school when she will be assigned to a permanent assignment in her undersea settlement. Marisol's been underwater on the Aqueous campus for 10 years, she's happy and well adjusted, and dreams of becoming an elite diver, a dangerous position. Prior to this she was adopted in the chaos of a dying earth above the ocean. She's always felt her mother gave her up so she would be sure to have a better life. As she adjusts into her new adult role, Marisol learns some information about the above world that changes everything. She's unsure of what's to come, but she won't keep silent. We are left with a big CLIFFHANGER and I'm left wanting book two now.
The biggest strength of the novel is the fantastic, detailed worldbuilding. I was fascinated and really enjoyed all of the descriptions of the sea steading pods created to survive climate disaster. This is not the first underwater city that I've traversed this year (in reading) , but this is the first one I enjoyed. I could entertain a life under the sea if it's like this one! (OK so please, just let's go now!)
If there is a weakness, it's in the dialogue. Overall, it is oddly stiff/formal and made me feel like I wasn't really reading/listening to teens talk among themselves, but I was able to suspend my ideas and I told myself that theses were all kiddos who learned to interact "under the sea" and of course their language might be different. In addition, the author clearly enjoys alliteration, and for some this might be annoying. For me, I decided it was a quirk of Marisol, and thankfully it wasn't always present.
This is a novel that's a bit unique in the YA genre right now. It is a true story for Young Adults. It isn't an adult story that's dumbed down, it's clear it really was meant for the YA audience specifically. I would have LOVED this at age 12 -14. Marisol and her cohort go through things that kids her age go through, they deal with parents, relationships, confusing romantic (not sexually intimate) situations, and the angst of disappointment as the reality of the unfairness of life creeps into their under the sea community. I really liked that this wasn't a romance disguised as YA, and that the author didn't depend on supernatural powers for her characters development. Because of this, even though the underwater environment was different, I felt that Marisol and her community were very relatable.
The audiobook is read by the author herself and does included 2 musical numbers which were pretty enjoyable (I usually skip right over any added lyrics /poetry so if I say I enjoyed it, that's a real endorsement).
This might not be appreciated by adults, but I think a certain subset of the population will enjoy it and I think it's definitely a very thoughtful book for the YA audience. It would be great for a reading group as there are lots of themes to talk about: climate, community, gender norms, coming of age, discovering one's purpose, family, the future. I do want to read book 2, and I think this author/story line will only improve with each new installment.
STATS
First Published : May 2023
Pages: 204
Available as an Audio Book : YES
Trigger Warnings: ocean creatures, adoption/abduction, Climate crisis, Death of child, death of parent, blood, medical situation, (not a complete list- be responsible!)
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