Brendan Reichs

Ally Condie

Middle-schoolers Nico, Tyler, Ella, and Opal discover a hidden island in a forbidden cove that appears uninhabited, but something ancient has awakened knowing their wishes, dreams, and darkest secrets.

The Darkdeep

Sheila Goicea

I received an ARC of this book in a giveaway. Note that anything quoted may not match the finished publication.



Content Warning: Death, Injury, Fighting, Bullying

  The pool was the darkest thing she’d ever seen. And it was deep.

I think the older I get, the more I appreciate the Middle Grade genre. Granted, I’m not old in some people’s opinion. What I feel like I never outgrow are the simplistic lessons many Middle Grade books have to offer--The Darkdeep being one of them. Essentially, The Darkdeep is about a group of kids coming together to overcome their differences, and ultimately, their fear.

  He’d never felt so powerless inside the Darkdeep. So small and insignificant.

I don’t know about you, but I will never lose my appreciation for a story that discusses real-life matters that are applicable to any-aged reader. The Darkdeep may be more geared towards the older Middle Grade reader and up, as it does contain some eerie and scary elements, but it is applicable to many. In a world that has so many facets that are larger an individual, teamwork, and coming together, can change the outcome in an instant.

Another point I love about this novel is that it is a story that is enjoyable, easy to read, impactful, and has many of the qualities I look for in a good book. The concept is creative, and kept me wanting to know more about the plot the entire way through. The characters, Nico, Opal, Ella, Tyler, and Logan all have individual personalities, and are relatable to the majority of readers. Each character has something that they struggle with, and ultimately have to overcome those fears in the end in order to defeat the Darkdeep. I think a story like this has a good takeaway, and I’m looking forward to reading more in The Beast.

Vulgarity: None.
Sexual content: None.
Violence: Moderate for this genre, as it does focus on some aspects that may be more dark in comparison to others in this genre.

My Rating: ★★★★

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laura

* I got this book for review from the publisher*

I am big fan of stranger things and found this to the prefect halloween novel for the middle grade set. It had was the prefect mix between mystery, scary and adventure. I was equally connected to both POV characters. It was such a fun novel to read with just a enough scare that younger kids will love it. I really loved the world building that was crafted and really am excited to see what comes in book 2. This book I was able to finish in two days, and found it to the prefect read to start off the fall season!

Lynn Braden

The Darkdeep is the story of five middle school kids who are all dealing with their own set of problems, but they come together when they discover something they call The Darkdeep. On a remote island inside the lower depths of an abandoned houseboat, they find swirling water that looks and behaves strangely. Emma accidentally gets pulled in, and when she comes out, an image of something from a childhood memory is created. It's fun for a while, creating memories, but when the memories start to become more solid and finally dangerous, the kids know they have to do something to stop The Darkdeep.

The Darkdeep is a creepy paranormal story that includes the woes of middle grade students and weaves in a story about facing fears and accepting them. There are several main characters who are not well developed, all except for Nico whose father caused a loss of jobs in town due to his efforts as a conservation officer. As a result, Nico is bullied, making his life miserable. Through Nico, many of the book's themes are revealed. Overall, The Darkdeep is an interesting story with a satisfying ending that could lead into it's sequel.

The Darkdeep

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