The gods of the Undersea are dead, but there's a thriving market in their remains, known as godware: the men and women of the Myriad archipelago risk their lives to retrieve such relics from the depths of the ocean. Since the Cataclysm forty years ago, no sacrifices have been made to the gods. The Myriddens live free of fear, and tell stories about the gods that have taken on a life of their own.

Hark and Jelt are teenage con-artists, orphans, chancers who'll turn their hands to any enterprise that might be lucrative. Hark is the more decent of the two, and doesn't always like his best friend: but 'nobody was permanent ... except Jelt'. Their toxic codependency is strained when Jelt ends up as an indentured servant at the Sanctuary -- a refuge for priests made redundant by the Cataclysm. Some of the priests, such as old Quest, have very interesting tales to tell, and Hark -- who loves stories -- is eager to learn.

But Jelt is working with 'cold-eyed' men who want to use Hark's new position -- and his access to the work of Dr Vyne, practical theophysicist -- for their own ends.

<i>Deeplight</i> is a marvellous example of worldbuilding: the gods, monstrous Lovecraftian creatures who dwelt in a sea beneath the sea, are vividly individual, and their legacy -- fear of invasion by the continentals now that the Myriad's natural defenses are dead; the trade in godware, and the injuries and mutations caused by diving for salvage; Dr Vyne's scientific investigations of the gods' natures -- is thoughtfully explored. There are evocative descriptions of the vasty deep, stories of the time of the gods, plenty of skulduggery and some rip-roaring adventure. And weaving through all that, there's the human debris: Hark's queasy loyalty to Jelt, the PTSD and deafness suffered by Selphin (who was a girl of ten when she nearly died underwater), and the ways in which people try to change other people. The scene where Selphin's family try to 'cure' her, against her will, is compelling and emotionally raw: Jelt chooses his (very literal) metamorphosis, while Hark's life changes course without his having much say in the mechanisms. It's how he reacts to that course-change, how he interacts with others, that shapes him. "We are all squeezed into new shapes by the people around us. If we are paying attention, though, we always have some say in how we are altered." [loc 2612]

All the characters were credible, though I found Hark a little too passive in his dealings with the vile Jelt. I especially liked Dr Vyne, who is sharp and idealistic and happens to be a woman, and exhibits a reckless joy in her work. ("... every voyage is a safety test, and it'll be scientifically fascinating if we die ...")

I wasn't wholly convinced by the ending, which Hark and company heard about at one remove; and I'm not sure there was a sufficient sense of resolution. But overall, a fascinatingly weird read.

Also, I have learnt the term for a group of jellyfish, which is a <b>fluther</b>.

Like J K Rowling and Phillip Pullman, Frances Hardinge’s writing appeals to YA and adults alike. As with her previous novels, The Lie Tree and A Skinful of Shadows, the rich descriptions and vivid imagery are utterly compelling. Deeplight is set in a mythical underwater dystopia which conjures up thoughts of Dickensian London. I was riveted by this story from the first page to the last and my imagination was sparked by the writer’s constant pushing of boundaries for the reader’s entertainment. Thank you for the ARC.

I did not realise this was a children's book that was my mistake. I have never read a book from this author before but I definitely will be going back to look at her older books. An exciting interesting read.

Frances Hardinge gives us vividly vibrant world building in this spellbinding and magical fantasy adventure of gods, sea creatures, pirates and so much more. Myriad is an archipelago where the gods once reigned supreme through terror, fear, and the sheer force of their power until the cataclysm that resulted in their deaths. Since then, an industry has built up where 'godware' is keenly sought and scavenged for, these remnants and fragments of the gods command an obscene level of financial rewards, although there is more than a suggestion that perhaps the gods have not lost all their powers. Hardinge provides a large cast of characters and other creatures, and a location that is a feast for the senses, with the classic elements that underpin the excitement, obstacles and challenges of the adventure yarn.

The narrative revolves around Hark, an orphan from a tough and challenging background, his dangerously troubling best friend, Jelt, so close as to be a brother to him. Their relationship may seem strangely bizarre, for Jelt is the most unpleasant of characters, cruel, manipulative and offhand about the dangers he leads Hark into, so intensely manipulative that you wonder why Hark does not boot him out of his life. However, their relationship provides an authentic exploration of the nature of toxic relationships, an important theme in the book. Hark is working as an indentured servant for Dr Vyne at the Sanctuary for ex-priests from the heydays of the gods. This puts him in a position where he becomes aware about the gods and the cataclysm. In a narrative that takes in the magical undersea pulsating beneath the waves, the fantastically brave and deaf Selphin, with her fear of the sea, a consequence of an incident in her past, the adventure culminates in a thrilling finale.

Hardinge is a remarkable storyteller, the prose is captivating, and her world building is done with care and imagination, a world inhabited with a wide array of the strange, curious and wonderful. This is an fabulously immersive an entertaining read, full of verve, and with plenty of suspense and tension. I think many of Hardinge's fans will adore this, as will readers with a love of adventure. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

A world of islands and oceans and giant sea bound Gods, Hardinge is one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

I rarely read children's literature but this has persuaded me to think again .. beautifully written and evocative, it's a story of the sea .. and the gods who have disappeared but cwhose body parts are now valuable... the smuggling and theft and deceptions that go on involves Hark, who gets in deeper in trouble than he meant.. real moral issues, and engrossing plot lines! Recommended.

A frustrating but ultimately satisfying read. I found the first 70% of the book slow and hard to get immersed in, I think because the story to that point is mostly just Hark bumbling about collecting snippets of stories from others, rather than any actual action. Once the action DOES kick in though, it makes it all worth it.

I also think I’m so used to Hardinge’s protagonists being female that it felt harder to connect with Hark. Not really a criticism as such, more an observation of my own expectations.

Overall, I think I prefer Hardinge’s historical based fantasy fiction (Skinful Of Shadows remains my absolute favourite) but her worlds are as ever, immersive, intriguing and deeply built. The last 30% of this book made the whole thing worth reading for me, but if you’re not in it for the long haul, probably best to pass on this one.

This is the first book I have read by Frances Hardinge and I now want to delve straight into her back catalogue. I absolutely adored this book.

This book is set in a world where underwater gods once terrified the humans who lived on the islands of the Myriad but now that the gods have all gone the residents have taken to scavenging for any remaining parts of these creatures. On one of these islands we are introduced to our protagonist Hark who is led by his friend Jelt into a little more trouble then he would have liked.

Although this book is action packed do not go in expecting it to be just that. Hardinge takes the time to set the scene and build up the world within which the story takes place. I found myself captivated by the world and the day to day dynamics as much as the action led crux of the story,

Skinful of shadows really sold me on Hardinge’s work and Deeplight was just as compelling. In a world once terrorised by gods of the deep seas, profit is now made selling items crafted from their remains – godware. Into this thriving lucrative and dangerous trade spill the characters Hark and Jelt. Like all of Hardinge’s characters they are brilliant, compelling and complicated. No one is completely a white hat and you always feel every character distinctly has their own agenda. This was a beautifully wrought mystery in a fantastical world. Highly recommend.

I have always been a fan of frances Hardinge and she is very popular with the readers at our school. she deserves her place on all the shortlists for children's literature prizes. I really enjoyed this book. whilst it deviated from her usual historical narrative I was immersed in the world of her creation. the nods to intolerance reflecting our current state of affairs was obvious. her characterisation was excellent and the relationships between friends/enemies were nuanced. I am always astounded by Hardinge's imagination that can come up with these fantastical ideas. a great read that I will be recommending to our students.

Wonderful storytelling, with so many strands and a full sense of the history of the gods and islands

Frances Hardinge yet again creates an immersive world that entrances and intrigues. Her writing always beguiles but never patronises.

When I chose Deeplight, I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting and at first wasn't sure it was something I would want to read. However, it quickly drew me in despite not being my usual choice of reading matter. I'm so glad I stuck with it.

Hark and his older friend, the manipulative Jelt, are scavengers living on their wits on one of the islands of the Myriad. Parentless, their lives are violent and hard.

Gods once ruled the islands the Myriad - sea monsters who periodically killed their worshippers. The gods have gone now but the memories and hair-raising tales remain. When Hark finds what he believes is a god's heart - still living and capable of healing illness and injuries, he thinks he has struck gold. Jelt quickly muscles in on the action and the pair start performing 'miracles'. Naturally, there is a cost to these activities and Jelt, who spends most time with the heart, starts to mutate.

Meanwhile, Hark is working with Dr Vyne as part of a punishment for breaking some spotlights. Dr Vyne is also looking for god goods. If she finds out about the heart, she will do her best to confiscate it. At the same time, some pirates are unhappy with Hark and Jelt and some xenophobic Outlanders are also milling about causing trouble.

I particularly liked the idea of the 'seakissed' - those who had lost their hearing through spending time underwater. It's so good to have a positive take on signing.

With a denouement under the sea, Deeplight sweeps to its conclusion taking in screaming submarines, rebuilt gods and elderly priests. The underwater realm is beautifully described and otherworldly. Hark must fight against the compelling delusions of the deep as well as his enemies and sometime friends. He may have to sacrifice himself to avoid a greater disaster.

Recommended for adults and others.

And the moral of this review? Step out of your comfort zone and read something you wouldn't normally look twice at.

A very long and so very cost effective read!

This is a fantasy set in a archipelago of islands called The Myriad. The Myriad had been home to a range of underwater gods who protected the islanders in exchange for sacrifices and kept Continenters and their potential threat away from the islands. Each island had its own god, with names like The Hidden Lady and the Gathergeist. They lived in the Undersea, a strange area of ocean beneath the normal sea in which humans can breathe and see clearly and are protected from the immense pressure of the water above. But The Cataclysm saw the gods destroy each other and reduce them the godware, the bits of dead god that still contained power, like glass that changes shape and form with certain sounds.

Hark lives on Lady's Crave, an urchin with no family beyond a friend called Jelt, who he is not sure is truly a friend but more of someone who demands his attention and love. Jelt, inevitably, gets Hark in trouble and he is sent to work at The Sanctuary, the place that once housed the priests who worshipped the gods and now offers shelter to the broken remnants who have no where to go since the death of their charges. There, Hark learns more about the gods than he ever imagined possible, truths are revealed and horrors unleashed. The fate of The Myriad falls into his hands - what will he choose to do with it?

A unique storyline, and a different way of looking at the concept of godhood constructed around a complete civilisation with a history and a future. A mix of old and modern, muskets and submarines, bizarre technology and pirates. A wonderful mix, a world that I would like to read more of.

If there were a criticism, it would be that Ms Hardinge does pile on the description at times, 'they did this and it did that and then this happened and that happened and....they went up and up was like this so they went down and down was no better...' which made the story drag in places when it could have zinged, but it is a minor complaint. The world she creates is marvellous and there are a lot of stories that could be told about it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of Deeplight in exchange for my honest review. I’ve rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars!

Deeplight is a YA fantasy adventure novel about friendship, power and the relationship between gods (or should I say monsters?) and humans.

Set in the fictional collection of islands the Myriad, the novel follows Hark, an orphan who gets by on simple, mostly harmless cons and other petty crime. However, he is often drawn in to far more dangerous schemes by his best friend Jelt. This is how he finds himself as an indentured servant, caring for (and spying on) former priests from the time when the islands of Myriad were still living under the terrifying rule of the gods of the Undersea.

Another relic of these times is ‘Godware’ – parts of the destroyed gods which are worth massive amounts of money. Dragged by Jelt into a crazy plan to retrieve some of this Godware from the depths of the wild sea, Hark saves Jelt’s life when it all goes wrong and this is where the story truly takes off.

I think it’s important to note that this story went in a totally different direction to what I had expected from the blurb provided and perhaps that is part of the reason I was a little disappointed. When I read ‘something… pulsing beneath the waves, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it’, I thought about heroes and demi-gods and my Percy Jackson loving self got super excited. This is not that kind of story.

It’s still a great adventure though – I read it in almost one sitting! Hardinge is, without a doubt, an excellent storyteller. The pacing is spot on throughout the novel, with plenty of nerve-wracking moments and cliff-hangers, though I agree with other reviewers that the ending felt a little rushed.

The real star of the show though is the world that Hardinge has created. She paints so vivid a picture that you can practically smell the sea, taste the salt on your tongue and see Hark darting along the craggy coast of Lady’s Crave. I also loved the rich history of the gods – creating your own mythology is impressive. The idea of the Undersea – a sea beneath the sea, home of the gods, where the air is not air but fear, yet still breathable – is endlessly interesting to me, too.

Unfortunately, much of the plot explored and relied upon the toxic relationship between Hark and Jelt and, for me, this was poorly done. We are repeatedly told Jelt is Hark’s best friend, like a brother to him, that Jelt has saved Hark on multiple occasions and this is why Hark is loyal to him. Yet, from the beginning of the book, Jelt is simply awful. He is manipulative and cruel to the extent that even though we’ve been told about this extraordinary bond between them, it’s not really believable enough to justify Hark putting up with Jelt for as long as he does. This is the main reason I’ve dropped the rating to 3.5 stars.

While I hated Jelt, I loved Selphin. I thought she was an excellent character – feisty and strong, determined and stubborn. One of her defining characteristics is her deadly fear of the sea, born of a terrifying near-death-experience when diving, and yet she manages to almost singlehandedly save the day UNDERWATER through sheer force of will. Girl just gritted her teeth and got on with it. Yas queen.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with fantastic world building and I’m very grateful to have had the chance to read and review this advance copy.

Frances Hardinge is for me, one of those authors that you cannot escape hearing good things about. So when I saw the cover (yes, I’m sorry!) and read the blurb for ‘Deeplight’, I was instantly intrigued!

Deeplight is a unique story set in a world of mystery and myth. In this world, people believe there are remnants of the all-powerful Gods at the bottom of the ocean. As such, a lucrative and dangerous trade is born on the islands and people are constantly searching for pieces of ‘Godware’.

I did feel the characters in this story, though complex and interesting enough, lacked that special quality which connects me as a reader. Also, sometimes I felt a bit lost as to the purpose of the story. For all its strangeness, it wasn’t until the last quarter that things started to pick up story-wise. I didn’t dislike the book, maybe it is my age, but with children’s fiction I tend to favour stories with a more traditional structure.

I do think Hardinge does a fantastic job of keeping the language interesting and the world building was definitely well thought out. Overall, it was the uniqueness of the story which made the book a pleasing read.

I absolutely adored this book. I enjoyed the deepwater themes and that gods have died and are now money and trade. The characters have a grey area likeability about them, which gives that loveable rogue sense of character, its beautifully written as many of Hardinge's books are and I would recommend wholeheartedly.

I love Frances Hardinge's work. Every book is a brilliant adventure into the unknown. She's such a strong writer and I really think she's done a disservice in terms of being pigeonholed as a YA writer. This novel about belief and the relationship between gods and men is a stupendous adventure but also a thoughtful exploration of superstition, religion, belonging and othering. It's fantastic.

I absolutely loved this novel. An incredibly creative novel for adults and teens, based in a world where thirty years ago a cataclysm killed the Gods that lived under the sea. I was so invested in the characters and have never read anything quite like it. I couldn't put it down! People on the island make a living from diving for old parts of the gods, which have mystical powers, and there are pirates and smugglers. Hark is caught and sentenced to work at the Sanctuary, where he starts to learn more about what happened to the gods. There is an interesting use of sign language as a key language, and you never know who is good or bad.

Hardinge is at her best in this fantasy adventure. I preferred this one to The Lie Tree. Hark, Selphin and Quesr are great characters, made more real because of their flaws.
Hardinge has created a wondrous world, with gods, myths, priests and daring heroes.
One of the best childrens books I've read in a while.
My thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this copy.