**Disclaimer: I was given a free ARC of the below in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.**
Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing a copy of this book in both ARC and finished format.
Title The Vanishing Deep
Author Astrid Scholte
Release Date March 3, 2020
Description from Amazon
Seventeen-year-old Tempe was born into a world of water. When the Great Waves destroyed her planet five hundred years ago, its people had to learn to survive living on the water, but the ruins of the cities below still called. Tempe dives daily, scavenging the ruins of a bygone era, searching for anything of value to trade for Notes. It isn’t food or clothing that she wants to buy, but her dead sister’s life. For a price, the research facility on the island of Palindromena will revive the dearly departed for twenty-four hours before returning them to death. It isn’t a heartfelt reunion that Tempe is after; she wants answers. Elysea died keeping a terrible secret, one that has ignited an unquenchable fury in Tempe: Her beloved sister was responsible for the death of their parents. Tempe wants to know why.
But once revived, Elysea has other plans. She doesn’t want to spend her last day in a cold room accounting for a crime she insists she didn’t commit. Elysea wants her freedom and one final glimpse at the life that was stolen from her. She persuades Tempe to break her out of the facility, and they embark on a dangerous journey to discover the truth about their parents’ death and mend their broken bond. But they’re pursued every step of the way by two Palindromena employees desperate to find them before Elysea’s time is up–and before the secret behind the revival process and the true cost of restored life is revealed.
Initial Thoughts
I was really excited when Penguin Teen offered me the chance to snag an ARC of this book. I loved Four Dead Queens and was eager to read Astrid Scholte’s next novel. I also loved that this is a mystery / thriller.
Some Things I Liked
- Everyone’s names. I loved the meaning behind all of the names. Elysea gave me Elysian fields vibes (and that’s exactly what she represented, the afterlife), Tempe (Tempest), was a storm in her own right, and lastly Lor. I won’t get into the symbolism behind his name, but I loved that the names were so carefully crafted for this story.
- Dual POV. I loved that the POVs overlapped at times and we got to see both Lor and Tempe’s perspectives of certain scenes.
- Fast-paced timeline. Most of the story is a race against the clock and I really enjoyed the pace of the timeline.
Series Value
I’d absolutely love to revisit this world that Astrid Scholte created. I loved the post-apocalyptic aquatic setting and I feel like there is so much more that could happen here. I’d also like some closure on certain events at the end of The Vanishing Deep. I was ok with the ending, but I’d love to know more!
Final Thoughts
This book was so thought-provoking and I loved the themes represented in it. I really hope Astrid Scholte decides to write a sequel to this book. I’d go back to this setting any day.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Scythe by Neal Shusterman – if you liked the themes around the finality of death that The Vanishing Deep explores, definitely check out the Arc of a Scythe series.
- Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sarah B. Larson – if you liked the bond of sisterhood between Elysea and Tempe, try this series about sisters who would do anything for each other.
- Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – I just love Astrid’s writing style. If you do too, try her 2019 release, Four Dead Queens.
- Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford – if you liked the aquatic setting as well as sisters as the main characters, try this series by Mara Rutherford. The names used in this series are also filled with meaning and I just loved that.
Books Over Everything 