Fear the Drowning Deep Blog Tour: Review

Fear the Drowning Deep
Author: Sarah Glenn Marsh
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release Date: October 4, 2016

Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal

Synopsis:

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.

Fear the Drowning Deep is a wonderful blend of fantasy and historical fiction, and will leave readers wanting more. I was really excited to read this book after seeing the description. I'll admit that I had sort of high hopes, but the novel did not disappoint. Every aspect of the book was fantastic and I ended up devouring the entire story in a matter of a few hours. The plot was unique and intriguing - it had me guessing what was really going on for quite awhile. I love that the author set the story back in the early nineteen-hundreds. I think it gives the book a different feel than a modern-set book would - it adds to the uniqueness of the story.

The characters were all well rounded with their own personalities and traits. The main character, Bridey, was a great lead. She's incredibly realistic and easy to identify with right from the start. She has a lot of positive qualities - she's a loving sister and daughter, determined, and defends what she believes even if others disagree with her or think she's a bit crazy. That takes serious guts, which I also enjoyed about her. Another positive for me was the first person writing style the author uses. I love the first person POV for a lot of different reasons and I really think most stories should be told this way. It gives the reader a chance to connect with the narrator on a personal level, which makes the story even more realistic. This novel was told from Bridey's point of view, so it felt as if I was right beside her while all the craziness was happening. Every other aspect of the writing and the book in general were fantastic and very well done. I definitely recommend this novel for fans of fantasy, paranormal, historical fiction, and even romance.

Sarah Glenn Marsh writes young adult novels and children’s picture books. An avid fantasy reader from the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life, she’s been making up words and worlds ever since.


When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys watercolor painting, ghost hunting, and pursuits of the nerd variety, from video games to tabletop adventures. She’s never met an animal or a doughnut she didn’t like.


Sarah lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and their tiny zoo of four rescued greyhounds, a bird, and many fish. She is the author of Fear the Drowning Deep, the Reign of the Fallenduology, and several picture books.