Spooky season is in full swing with The Depths. If you like one of those thriller mystery reads which leans a bit towards horror, keep reading! This is also one of those kind of ‘locked room’ scenarios in the sense that there’s no escape! Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
A tropical island full of secrets. Two Victorian ghosts, trapped for eternity. And a seventeen-year-old girl determined not to be next.
Eulalie Island should be a paradise, but to Addie Spencer, it’s more like a prison.
Forced to tag along to the remote island on her mother’s honeymoon, Addie isn’t thrilled about being trapped there for two weeks. The island is stunning, with its secluded beaches and forests full of white flowers. But there’s something eerie and unsettling about the place.
After Addie meets an enigmatic boy on the beach, all the flowers start turning pink. The island loves you, he tells her. But she can’t stop sleepwalking at night, the birds keep calling her name, and there’s a strange little girl in the woods who wants to play hide-and-seek. When Addie learns about two sisters who died on the island centuries ago, she wonders if there’s more to this place, things only she can see.
Beneath its gorgeous surface, Eulalie Island is hiding dark, tangled secrets. And if Addie doesn’t unravel them soon, the island might never let her go.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
For me, The Depths survives on vibes. From the very beginning, there’s an atmosphere of eeriness. Maybe it’s just my specific brand of nightmare – being a very poor swimmer and totally uneasy on islands – but the initial premise was instant danger. And Lesperance continues this suspense as Addie is forced to figure out the mystery and danger behind the island. There’s a distinct horror lean to some of the scenes in the description – but don’t worry it’s light horror! I was able to read it without needing to hide under the covers.
The Depths is one of those books where in the daylight the trees look like a paradise. Flowers of bright colors that seem to glisten. While in the night, the shadows lengthen into sinister shapes and whispers. Everything during the day seems just a shade away from our suspicions. One degree away from the sinister with a plausible – if not shaky – explanation. And while I enjoyed the vibes and action immensely, I wasn’t sure how to feel about Addie.
Most of the notes I have while reading The Depths revolve around the mood and atmosphere. How that moment where we breathe our fears, the things we’re too scared to utter, almost makes them come to life. And, don’t get me wrong, that’s extremely important for a thriller and horror. I would even argue that is what makes a horror. Combined with this theme of what we will do under the guise of love – and for someone who knows the right things to say – I did enjoy The Depths.
But for me, I was just a shade away from deeply loving this book. The Depths is a very solid spooky season recommendation. It also feels unique in a few different ways – setting included – but I found that I ended up losing a bit of an emotional connection to Addie. To wondering why Addie does what she does and what motivates her. Maybe I was just too caught up in the vibes and tone to sit with Addie, but for whatever reason I didn’t find myself truly staying awake at night wondering if she’d be okay. I wanted more to find out what was happening on this danger island.
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As I said before, The Depths is still a book I would recommend especially as we roll into fall. Just take it for what it is and expect a story which will transport us to an island and maybe also to our inner fears. Find The Depths on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Awww, that’s kinda sad to hear. But I’ll still give the book a try in future. It’s true that some book surely survive on vibes but sometimes it’s truly not enough. There’s should be always a good amount of balance
Yeah! I did love the vibes a lot, I just wish there had been a bit more at the end