Hark and his best friend Jelt scavenge a living in whatever ways they can, especially if they can acquire some of the artefacts of the dead gods from before the cataclysm.

The world building in this one is fantastic. A group of islands that form the Myriad has a well-developed society, including old priests who remember the gods from just 30 years ago.

However, hints that the gods still have influence begin fairly early in the story. Subtle physical changes on those who deal closely with 'godware' or anything to do with the gods suggest potentially sinister undertones.

I got caught up in the action of this one very soon. The characters flesh out a little slowly, but there is enough going on to carry the story forward and Hark's character development makes noticeable strides by about a third through.

The story is very imaginative and I was particularly intrigued by the 'undersea', a sinister, magical ocean beneath the regular ocean where the 'gods' gain power. Near the end a lot of 'and this is what happened' information got dumped, but there was still plenty going on to reach a satisfying conclusion. A very enjoyable read.

I love the idea behind this book and find the whole idea of 'godware' to be super creative, with Hardinge's worldbuilding being absolutely on point. It's kinda dark and gritty at times, but feels completely believable as a setting. I love the characters and think Hark's personal journey is really interesting and exciting to follow. I simply adored how conflicted and complicated he is. It felt really fresh and unlike a lot of other stories I've read in the fantasy genre. Though beautifully written, I personally found the pacing a bit slow at times and didn't feel like there was much tension compelling me on through the book, which was a bit frustrating as a reader.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book for review.

I'm in two minds about this book. The first half, I liked but didn't love; the second half, I liked more. I'm actually going to give this book 3.5 stars for that reason (because I felt like the two halves of the book had different ratings for me).
The first half of the book felt quite slow. I was interested in it, but I just wasn't quite invested in it. I didn't really like any of the characters and I wasn't quite sure where the plot was going. I'm pretty sure it was at 50% that my enjoyment of the book picked up and I found myself with more of a drive to keep reading. There were more characters I sort of liked (I don't think I 100% liked one character) and events were constantly happening. I really liked the second half of the book.

The characters in this, despite me not always liking them, were a remarkably strong point about the book. I didn't completely like any character in this because I don't think we are meant to. They're all in that shady area of not good and not bad - the ones that seem bad have soft spots and the ones that seem good have a dark history. I couldn't predict what anyone was going to do and I think that is one of Hardinge's many strengths. I also think this is one of the things that made the end so much better because the nuances of each character were beginning to come out and all butt heads.
Another strength of this is in the beauty of the world Hardinge created. Now, I love books set at sea. I think they're beautiful and magical. This wasn't a book at the sea in the same way. It's 'frecht'. "'Frecht' transcended beauty, and carried you into a realm of awe and terror. It demanded your slavish devotion." I'm pretty sure Hardigne's quote is the best way to describe her book.
This book almost has a steampunk kind of vibe. These beautiful, powerful dead Gods aren't celebrated in the same way anymore, but they are sought after and sold for hideous amounts of money. They're celebrated not for their power but for their worth. Hardinge does an incredible job of creating this world that definitely has a lingering awe of sea gods gone.
There was one final thing that was well done in the book and that is the representation of deafness. Being deaf is a common (and celebrated) trait in this story, so those that are deaf are treated much like anyone else. Everyone else learns sign language and this is a huge part of the book, playing a massive part in the storyline. I think it's very well written.

Although I may not have got on with the start of her book, I know that Hardinge's writing is powerful and her world beautifully crafted. She left me questioning the story until the very final page.

I always look forward to a new novel from Frances Hardinge, her rich run of superb YA releases is surely unrivalled and Darklight sits comfortably alongside the outstanding Cuckoo Song, The Lie Tree and A Skinful of Shadows. This author is the absolute master at blending genres and Darklight is no different, effortlessly moving between dark fantasy and horror, with a dash of steampunk thrown in for good measure.

Whereas Hardinge’s last three novels have mixed the supernatural and historical fiction, this latest novel is set on an alternative, fantastical world, on a sprawling archipelago called the Myriad. There are hundreds of tiny islands which trade with each other for survival and the action begins on the Island of Lady’s Crave where two fourteen-year-old street urchins Hark and his best friend Jelt scrap a living. Both boys were brought up in an orphanage and have run with gangs and wheel and deal to survive, often taking hard knocks along the way. The novel is seen from Hark’s point of view, but much of the mischief the boys find themselves in is Jelt’s doing who lives particularly close to the edge and if often the dominant side of the friendship.

You could be forgiven for thinking an adventure story with two orphans sounds slightly familiar, however, it is the setting and the world-building which sets this book apart from the competition. Myriad is a superb creation and if you’re after a location to fire the minds and imaginations of young teenagers then look no further than Deeplight, as the backdrop is something special and brimming with clever ideas. For centuries the islanders lived in awe and dread of the grotesque and terrible gods that lived in the deep seas, they were effectively giant sea-monsters which could attack boats at a moment’s notice. However, thirty years before the novel begins there was a cataclysmic event where all the god-monsters unexpectedly killed each other, and the reason is shrouded in mystery, a part of recent history strangely forgotten. It takes its time getting there, but this background information surrounding the gods eventually becomes critical to the plight of our heroes Hark and Jelt.

The relationship between Hark and Jelt is key to the success of the book. Jelt is the instigator of many of the dodgy schemes which often leave them in trouble, however, Hark feels duty bound to follow him as his sturdier friend protected Jelt in their orphanage days and never lets him forget it. Jelt is not a particularly sympathetic character and the teenage reader will enjoy the backwards and forwards between the two boys. Hark knows Jelt is not good for him but is still not strong enough to break free and readers will pick up on the elements of peer pressure relevant to kids today.

How are poor kids meant to survive once they’re ejected from the orphanages? How can they make any money? The answer is pretty cool…. In the three decades since the monster gods died, people have discovered fragments of the dead creatures whilst out fishing or swimming and they supposedly have exciting and useful properties, so a diving and submersible salvage and scavenger culture has emerged all over the Myriad. Ultimately finding valuable ‘godware’ can make your fortune, but much of it is fake and the two teenagers get sucked into this world when they find a very strange piece of godware, which is most definitely not fake, and although it looks to bring them easy money, it brings even more trouble in a very clever and original story strand.

The perception different characters had of the monster gods was fascinating; Hark dreams of them through romantic eyes, but an old priest who remembers the reality reveals the true story. Other characters search for ancient scripts which would make clear what really occurred thirty years earlier, whilst other fanatical sects plot to see the return of the gods. Deeplight is loaded with clever observations that add to the richness of the world Hardinge has created; the ‘Sea Kissed’ are people who have spent too much type underwater which leads to a loss of hearing and communication in sign, including the teenage girl Selphin who has an entertaining friendship (of sorts) with Hark. The steampunk elements are developed when we meet the scientist Dr Vyne and her ‘Butterly’ submarine. The dead god monsters also have all sorts of creative names, including ‘The Glass Cardinal’ and ‘The Hidden Lady’. Fantast lovers are going to adore this book.

Children novels where youngsters forget their mobile phones and television and escape to faraway places are vitally important. Lands which are drawn so vividly they become very real are truly special and Frances Hardinge has created such a place in Deeplight. As the story develops Hardinge slowly reveals the bigger geographical picture of where the Myriad archipelago is in relation to the wider world and has created a location which is ripe for exploration in future novels. I have said many times in my commentaries on Ginger Nuts of Horror that there are quite simply too many never-ending sequels in teen fiction, but with Frances Hardinge I am happy to make an exception.

I loved Frances Hardinge’s The Lie Tree. I struggled to with this one. I like the Steampunk style of future and old worlds and although this is well written I was not as taken by the characters or theme. If you liked her earlier work this is still a good read.

The concept of this book immediately drew me in right away because of its rather unique premise that something deep and dark lays below the sea. It's never a concept I think I would have ever read before but the description really drew me in and I was excited to start the novel.

I really loved the style of how this was written and it's beautiful crafting of the world you are entered into through each page. It's so vivid and you can feel the texture and depth to it from such beautiful explanations and realties that lay in this world, even after the gods had ravaged them from their past.

Hark was a great character to lead the book through the eyes of a person just trying to survive in life on the streets of this place since the world does not cater very well to orphans. He and his friend Jelt's story really kept the story-driven and well-paced as you travelled through each scene and came closer to more action and when you did, I found myself getting even further lost in the book. I really liked the pace and style, finding myself wanting to carry on through each page to get more of the story and enjoy the creative world it was set in.

I really liked this works unique premise and one that shows how greed and selfishness can destroy us all if we let it consume us. The world in which it was set was a beautifully crafted, unique and exciting one with lots of gritty reality and character development. This was a really nice read and one I think I will read again just to enjoy this place once more.

I loved this story and the way Hardinge brings it alive for the reader. The main character demands your solidarity with him, despite his ofttimes questionable choices. The other characters all bring their own magic to the mix. The world building is spot on, with no awkward or lengthy descriptions to convey the unfamiliar setting. But at the heart of the story is a young man learning through his mistakes how to be himself.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I adored this book, the idea that there is something deep and dark below the sea was so unique, I've never really heard something like that before in a book. I think the MC Hark was so well written, and I loved his journey of finding himself without his best friend Jelt, it really was fun to see him adapt through the whole book.
Most of all I liked the world building, all the questions I had and more were answered and I liked that you got small tidbits as you went along and it wasn't all thrown at you at once.
Definitely one to read.

Firstly, this book is incredibly well written and the setting delightful, with a steampunk vibe to the fantasy, all wrapped in a land once controlled by merciless gods of the Myriad.
I loved the character of Hark, a young boy who has survived on the streets of an island community that offers little sympathy and care for its orphans. The story follows Hark, his tumultuous relationship with his friend Jelt and their daily struggle surviving by being scavengers, trying to find relics from the ocean of the past gods to sell.

Overall, this is a really well constructed and driven book, but it didn’t fascinate me, and I put it down several times ~ don’t let that put you off picking it up; it just wasn’t right for me. It should be praised for its literary crafting, the fantastical world that Hardinge creates and the emotional turmoil of the central characters as they do their utmost to survive the hardships and challenges they have to face.
’Deeplight’ is creative, vibrant and fantastical.

The gods of the Myriad - a collection of islands - are gone. They turned on each other 30 years ago and fought to the death,no-one know why, but the myths still abound and there's a roaring trade in "Godware" - parts of the former gods which can be used to make new, unusual craft.

Hark and Jelt live on Lady's Crave, orphans who eke out a living by small time cons and petty crime. But Jelt wants more, and Hark is dragged along - until he has to save Jelt from the sea and the Jelt who returns isn't quite the same. Forced into indentured labour and working with former priests after one job goes wrong, Hark starts to find out more about what the gods were truly like, and what happened to them.

It's beautifully written, as you'd expect from Frances Hardinge, and a good paced story. The ending felt a little rushed, but that's fairly standard for an adventure story - it has to tie up reasonably neatly at the end! The ideas of how the world would work, and the technology which would be available, are very clever - the Sea-Kissed who have lost their hearing and communicate in sign, the fact that it's sufficiently common that most people can use it, the way it's shown in the text, all help to build the world of the Myriad. It's a world I'd be happy to revisit for other stories perhaps?

Let me preface this review by saying that I think Frances Hardinge is something of a genius storyteller. The standard of her writing is not only highly original but also transcends that “YA category” (where she seems to be shoehorned) into a much broader literary appeal. So when I say I liked, rather than loved, Deeplight as her latest offering, it’s still meant as relatively high praise.

In this book, which takes place on the fictional archipelago of the Myriad, Hardinge’s characters live in a post-cataclysm world following the demise of great and unpredictable sea gods. Feelings about these gods is articulated with reference to the concept of “frecht”, which is a wonderful term. Loosely translated it means a powerful beauty, laced with fear, sadness and awe. It seems to me that all of Hardinge’s books are underpinned in some way by this notion of frecht as a theme. All her characters struggle in some way to come to terms with and manage encounters with beautiful, awful powers. It is this part of the story I liked best- these monstrous gods are intriguing and the descriptive prose about the Undersea in which they dwelled is captivating. Unfortunately, I found the idea of the world before the loss of the gods rather more compelling than the tale Hardinge chose to tell.

The protagonist, young Hark, a wily teenage con artist turned indentured servant was appealing in some ways but I had a very hard time understanding his fervent loyalty to his childhood companion, Jelt. Even before they embark on a disastrous expedition that sets in motion most of the plot, I wondered why anyone in their right mind would want to associate with Jelt. From the minute he is introduced, he’s quite simply a jerk. I get that Hardinge was really framing their relationship as one of coercive control but in this respect it wasn’t especially nuanced. There’s pages and pages of Hark being fully aware of Jelt’s utter awfulness and yet he persists in doing all the dumb things that Jelt tells him to do. This is my biggest problem with the book. We’re told repeatedly about this great bond between the boys and yet it was a stretch for me to believe in it- perhaps because at the point we are introduced to the characters, their good moments are all in the past and it was largely told rather than shown. Ultimately much of the interaction is in service to Hark's important character arc but I would have been more engaged if the toxic friendship had been more less one note.

Hark aside, I felt the characterisation in this novel was weak in places. Quite a few of the characters felt somewhat cartoonish or like caricatures- the grumpy priest, the mad scientist, the baddy gang leader, the troubled-but-feisty girl. The only characters which seemed especially original to me were the actual sea gods, maybe because so much was hinted at rather than explained in detail.

On the whole the book is great fun, with a cracking pace and some amazing and intensely nerve wracking moments. I did find the ending a little rushed and perhaps ever so slightly pat- but it was a satisfying conclusion. I’ve no doubt this will be another huge success for Frances Hardinge and it’s one I would certainly recommend.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and PanMacMillan publishers for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review- I was genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity.

I loved this story, it was compelling, magical and completely un-put-downable. Like her previous novel, The Lie Tree, Hardinge has created a magical alternate world in which giant sea creatures, with evocative names like The glass Cardinal and The Hidden Lady are worshipped as gods by the islanders on which they prey. It's a story about two street boys, their one-sided friendship and how the magic they encounter through the physical remnants of the 'gods' (known as as godware) changes their lives - one for the better and one for the worst through the choices they make. The story unfolds in a priestly Sanctuary where we learn about what really happened in the C ataclysm that wiped all the gods out, the sea shore where we see the awful effects of godware on the friends, the steampunk laboratory of Dr Vyne, and in the magical Undersea where you can breathe the water but also the fear that drains from the islanders that fed the old gods. Hardinge''s narrative is exciting, its language beautiful and poetic and I would highly recommend this.

I wanted to read Deeplight because I’d been so impressed by The Lie Tree. Unfortunately, once I started the book, I realised it was exactly the kind of dystopian fantasy I dislike. Frankly, I hated it.

I won’t write a proper review and I will not post anything about it online.

Oh how I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars! Set in an unfamiliar world where the Gods have, until recently, been a terrifying presence for the inhabitants of a cluster of islands, Deeplight is so utterly enthralling that finishing the book is like being yanked out of your world.
Hark and Jelt have been best friends, almost brothers, forever. Scraping a living through deception, sometimes theft (sometimes worse) they have seen one another less and less over the years but their bond is unbreakable. Whenever Hark sees Jelt recently, his heart is torn between the joy of seeing is oldest friend and the cold certainty that Jelt is bringing trouble to his door. And he isn’t wrong. When the latest ‘favour’ goes horribly wrong it is Hark who pays the price. Serving as an indentured servant to the sharp Dr. Vyne, Hark is starting to settle into the routine despite Vyne’s mysterious agenda, when Jelt turns up with barely contained fury that Hark seems to be building a life without him. Soon Hark is hurtling towards trouble the likes of which has never been seen before.
Deeplight is an explosive adventure full of the detailed characters and fully formed landscapes that Frances Hardinge is so rightly celebrated for. However it is also a hypnotisingly detailed account of coercive control and toxic relationships. This is going to win so many awards Hardinge might have to buy a bigger house to keep them in!

I absolute loved this book. So interesting right from the very start.
The idea of a world of gods under the sea was truly captivating