A worthy sequel to skin of the sea, the previous novel in this series. Love and loss feature heavily although this still has moments of hope to lift the story. Well worth reading.

Ok, so to be totally up front, I didn’t realise this was a sequel. The blurb and comparisons hooked me, it seemed totally up my street, but unfortunately it really didn’t work for me as a stand alone novel. The part which was a real shame for me though, was that whilst the writing was good, I didn’t feel compelled to go and find the first book and read that. I’ve often picked up books out of sequence and it’s made me go and read the others, but for whatever reason this didn’t quite work for me.

I absolutely adored Skin of the Sea, so I couldn’t wait to read the sequel

I wasn’t disappointed. A beautifully written story, the world building that was perfectly built up in the first book continues in Soul of the Deep.
Bowen has built a story around mythology and African folklore and it is just a stunning book that draws you in and keeps you hooked right throughout.

A fitting continuation of Skin of the Sea, perfect for fantasy fans and anyone who loves folklore and retellings.

I really enjoyed Skin of the Sea so I was incredibly excited to get back to Simidele in Soul of the Deep and it did not disappoint one bit. Everything I loved about the first book was there, and then some.

I loved Simi in the first book, I loved her impulsiveness and her commitment to trying to do good even when it went against the rules, I loved her strength and the start of her journey towards knowing and accepting herself. There was a lot more of this in Soul of the Deep, more conflict both external and internal and I enjoyed going on the journey with all of the characters. There was joy and sorrow and pain and I felt it all.

One of the things I most enjoyed about these books is the way they are infused with a deep love and respect for West African folklore. It gives the story a real sense of power and place, and underlying all of it is rage against the genuine horror of colonisers and slavery. The conflict is stoked and driven by the colonisers, stirring up unrest to make it easier for them to take people away. There is so much rage and pain here, and it is so very real. Its impressive that the author was able to convey all this, with such power, while also maintaining a sense that the book is a celebration of West African spirituality, traditions and legends. I absolutely loved the book, a perfect conclusion to this duology.

So this might be an odd review, but I wanted to leave one even though I didn't manage to finish this book.
I loved the first book, skin of the sea, which I also read through netgalley. So was excited to read the follow up book. However, I found myself completely lost on starting this one.
I think, had I just finished skin of the sea, I would have found this much easier to read. But given there are so many names of creatures, gods, people's etc used that I couldn't remember, I was struggling to remember anything from the first book. I hoped that once I'd read for a while, it would trigger some memory and I'd pick it up, as often happens when I read sequels, but basically nothing was coming back to me.
I think I got to about halfway before I decided I wasn't doing this book justice in my reading of it. So I'm planning on rereading skin of the sea at some point, then going straight into this book, in hope that I have a better experience.
So since I feel this is more of a me issue and not an issue with the book, I've given it 4 stars on the basis that I enjoyed the first so much and I will likely enjoy this too at some.point.
My only feedback would be that maybe a glossary of terms at the start of the book would have been really useful. I love that the books are coming from.african folklore, such an untapped field when it comes to fiction, and I would love to see.more.of it. But because it's not well known to many, it makes it difficult at times to keep track of characters, gods etc. So I'd love the glossary just so I can jump to it to check on things until the names are more set in my mind.
So apologies for not finishing this book, as I say, I hope to one day.

Nice return to the world of Orishas, Yoruba mythology and black mermaids! What I liked about the first book continues here - the author blends in a lot of Yoruba traditions and mythology with other African tales and mythical creatures (such as the Mokele-mbembe - otherwise known as Congo’s lochness monster).

The story picks up where book 1 left off with Simi serving Olokun in return for his binding Esu. However as with all things done in the dark, certain issues come to light requiring her to join forces with the crew and go on another adventure. This time around I feel the characters are more tempered from their experiences and losses. Simi is still a little prone to wanting to do everything by herself and willing to throw herself headlong into every danger, but she now has the team and Kola (who has grown in every sense - and who has the patience of a saint) being able to check her impulses and save the day.

I quite liked the plot of this story - it was slightly less obvious and there was a lot less of the wide-eyed world building side stories we had in Book 1. This felt more cohesive and focused on the story and character development. Book 1 ended on a cliffhanger so I knew there’d be a second book. This doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but I feel like there are a lot of loose threads (Olokun?) that hint at a continuation of the series and I will definitely be down for that. Solid 4 stars.

I loved this book much like the first, the cliffhanger at the end of the first left worried me about what would happen with the characters. I think the author writes about these very hard hitting topics in a way that shows the importance and impact of them while keeping the magical elements from affecting that. The gods and anti gods are so interesting and such a force, especially Esu, even being a trickster, is a very good character. It's a book full of emotions, loss and love, betrayal and sacrifice, I love all the connections between the characters it's very well written. Simi always wants to do what's right and sacrifice herself even when sometimes it doesn't go quite right.

A stunning exploration of love, friendship and loss

I enjoyed this continuation of Simi's story, brought to an abrupt end on a cliffhanger at the end of Skin of the Sea.

What I enjoyed most: The worldbuilding that was introduced in the first book was wonderfully realised here, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the orisas, the anti-gods and their different roles, as well as getting to know the duality of Esu, who played the role of villain in the first book, but whose position shifts drastically in this sequel. I was also glad to see that some of the characters whom we presumed had died turned out to have survived, gaining their own strengths in the meantime. Some of the best moments in the book were definitely when the whole group of friends were together, simply indulging in each other's company.

The parts I didn't enjoy as much: Simi's need for self-sacrifice and desire to take on every problem by herself, which she thinks of as trying to be selfless for the greater good, but actually hurts the ones around her, and can be perceived as selfish because she actually just wants to do penance to ease her guilt.

That said, I understand that Simi is very much a lawful good character (and I am usually most partial to morally grey characters) so what she does is very much in line with who she is and I do understand the motivations behind her actions.

More importantly, I was happy to see at the end that she grows out of this mindset and chooses not only romance, but herself, subverting the little mermaid story in the best way possible! So glad to see her growth and to see her finally embrace her full potential and live the life she was meant to have.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.25

I think this book was summarised well by the Author’s note:
<blockquote>‘Skin of the Sea was a book born of yearning to see magical beings with African origins, and it was an honor to return to that world with Soul of the Deep. This story continues to build on my passion for Black mermaids, traditional spiritual beliefs, gods, goddesses, legendary creatures, and the excellence of fifteenth-century West Africa.’</blockquote>

This book combines mermaids with African injustice and myths and raises many important questions and themes.

<blockquote> ‘Each one trying to maintain their way of life, loyal to their leader, putting their trust in the elders and council of their kingdom. Even though they chose violence, was this really their free will?’ </blockquote>

This felt like a very surface level book where there seemed to be a coherent and fast-paced plot filled with a cast of mythological beings and lore, but lacked the depth of character development and bonding I have grown accustomed to in fantasy. Perhaps it is because I have read this straight after reading an adult fantasy trilogy of a much greater scope.

Romance seemed like a big point of the book, with yearning and forbidden love. However, I didn’t feel too invested in this, perhaps because of the lacking character development and my investment in them.

Overall, the inclusion of African culture, lore and diversity was creatively executed into a fantasy books which clearly demonstrated a love for the sea and African tradition and land. However, I wish the book delved into each plot point, character, and issue more carefully to have achieved a more fleshed-out book. Perhaps I had such high expectations because of the amount of points that could have been made through this book but realistically couldn’t have been fit in.

Natasha Bowen has, somehow, written a sequel that is even more magical, mythical and perfect than Soul of the Sea. Her prose is stunning and fascinating, easily weaving together gorgeous, fable-like world building and incredibly compelling characters who you can't help but root for. While Bowen address heavy topics like slavery and death, she also incorporates unapologetic joy into her stories and basks in the fantasy world she has created. I absolutely love these books and this author and cannot wait to see what else she creates.

The spellbinding sequel to Skin of the Sea has arrived and it doesn't disappoint. Simi has traded her life and desires for those she loves, but her freedom has been sacrificed in vain. She is captive and forced to oversee the Land of the Dead. However, her actions have not led to the safety of those she cares about; demons have been unleashed that threaten both her world, and the human realm. Simi's love for Kola remains strong and it is clear by the end of the book that their story is not over. Bowen has produced a other beautiful tale steeped in Mythology and African folklore. Perfect for fantasy fans, especially those who love a strong, female protagonist. Similar in style to Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone trilogy or Forna's The Gilded Ones duology. #soulofthedeep #natashabowen #netgalley #fantasy

A much anticipated read, I was very glad to be back in this world. Once again, I loved the mythology. So many magical creatures, and a fascinating magic system. Bowen's writing is stunning and this booked flowed seamlessly with the first, full of such beautiful visuals. There was a bittersweet element to this story for me,with Simi giving up everything sbe previously had, but I love her character.
One thing I will note is I was a bit overwhelmed/confused at times with all of the different characters to keep up with.
This was a really satisfying ending, but I am still hoping for another instalment...
Whilst I did prefer the first book, this was an absolutely stunning sequel, I was sad for it to end. Like Little Mermaid meets Children of Blood and Bone.
PS. How stunning is the cover?!

It was good but I didn't enjoy it as much as book one.

Not to say that there wasn't so much action, fast pacing, short chapters and a great main character. Something was just missing for me. And I was not as hooked as I originally was with book 1

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the arc of this book. I loved the plot and storytelling of this book and actually preferred it to the first one. The mythology aspects are interesting and engaging and I love the nautical/ocean themes and settings. However, I did find the characters a bit flat and the romance between Kola and Simi felt a bit forced.

Natasha Bowen works wonders with her writing. Soul of the Deep is the spectacular sequel to Skin Of The Sea, providing an important message in the heart of a fantasy setting. We encounter many important topics, see the importance of found family and ultimately, learn that love and loyalty are extremely important motivators.
This book is gut wrenching, enticing and absolutely edge-of-your-seat captivating from the very first page and you need to read it!

I absolutely adored Skin of the Sea. It was the dark little mermaid tale I didn’t know that I wanted. I listened to it in audiobook so that I could get the cadence of the names and the narrator did such an awesome job that the whole story stayed with me for weeks afterwards.
Soul of the Deep is the sequel and takes place six months after the events of the last book. Even though it is the second in the series, the exposition is done so well that you could even read it as a standalone without having read the first- although I HIGHLY recommend you do.
This time Simi, our mermaid or Mami Wata, is bound to the dark one under the sea- Olokun- as payment for his help in capturing Esu. But she has been deceived and Esu is needed to stop the Ajogun (anti-god demons) from coming into the world of man and wreaking havoc. Simi must deal with Esu, The Ajogun and her feelings for Kola if she wants to save the Mami Wata, mankind and return to Yemoja.
Although I think I preferred the first book, Soul of the Deep comes out swinging.
We learn so much more about our favourite characters and the will they/ won’t they between her and Kola is heart-wrenchingly poignant. The mythology and history are interwoven beautifully and the world that Bowen has constructed is one that you can sink into and luxuriate- like a warm bath.
Simi is a strong female lead without jumping into cliché territory and her relationships with the other Mami Wata not only pass the Bechdel test but blow it out of the water (pun intended).
Love this series and can’t wait for the continuation.
With thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for the Arc.

Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen - 4 stars!

I absolutely loved Skin of the Sea (and highly recommend you pick it up if you've not already!), and Soul of the Deep gives us a stunning continuation of Simidele's journey. Full of startling monsters, scheming gods and lovingly-sculpted characters, this quest-style sequel has a fast pace and plenty of twists!

I'm still in love with the Mami-Wata and their stories, and in this book we get to see their strong bonds and their dedication to their calling. The mythology is rich and exciting, and the author's writing style is as beautiful as ever.

My only small points would be that I did see most of the twists coming, especially the main one (but it was still enjoyable to go on that journey!), and the events and relationships in this book seemed to overwrite some of the strong elements of the first, which felt like a shame.

However, I'm still fully invested and really hope the next book (it seemed like a purposefully open ending!) will continue Simi's personal journey of growth and rediscovery!

Thanks to Penguin Random House Childrens and to Natasha Bowen for the wonderful opportunity to read this ARC through Netgalley

I was sent this book on Netgalley in return for an honest review

Soul of the Deep is the second installment of the Skin of the Sea series so I won't go into things that happened in the plot as I don't want to spoil the first book.

I really enjoyed the first book so I went into this one with high expectations. I really like Bowen's way of writing and it's one thing that stayed consistent from the first book.
The mythology and culture of West Africa is woven so well throughout this story and I loved the different characters and creatures we come across.

4 Star ⭐️

A beautiful sequel to this exciting fantasy series. Soul of Deep continues with the story of Simi, a mermaid who has made sacrifices in exchange to keep her family and friends safe and who now is chained to a new god at the bottom of the sea.

As with the first book, the world building is fantastic and the story is well written. The plot pulled me straight back into the story.
I really enjoyed all the west African mythology and especially the mermaids. The cover of the book is absolutely beautiful as well.

If you enjoyed the first book Skin of the Deep then you will definitely enjoy the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley ,Natasha Bowen and the publisher Penguin Random House for an eARC copy in exchange for an Honest review.

This is a stunning series, a well plotted and gripping fantasy series and the West African setting and mythology is great.
I was sure I read the first book but I was wrong and, even if it's better to read the books in order, I had no issue and enjoyed the fabolous world building and the well plotted characters.
The author is a talented storyteller and the story kept me turning pages.
I found the conclusion satisfying but there's some open points, ihmo, and I hope there's will be a new instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine