‘A Letter to the Luminous Deep’ was one of my favourite books of last year and I’ve been eager to find out what happened with E. and Henerey ever since I finished the book - ‘A Letter from the Lonesome Shore’ did not disappoint.

The charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city. When their journey through the Structure in E.'s garden strands them in a peculiar society preoccupied with the pleasures and perils of knowledge, E. and Henerey come to accept--and, more surprisingly still, embrace--the fact that they may never return home.

A year and a half later, Sophy and Vyerin finally discover one of the elusive Entries that will help them seek their siblings. As the group's efforts bring them closer to E. and Henerey, an ancient, cosmic threat also draws near. . .

I’m a huge fan of epistolary novels and the way that Cathrall weaves the narrative of letters and diary entries between E., Henerey, Sophy, Vyerin, and Niea, switching timelines effortlessly and weaves together the yearlong gap that has elapsed since the end of book one. Though it did feel a little slow at times and the book felt a lot longer than it’s 400 pages. It’s very character driven and thoughtful, with minimal action, and that naturally slows down the pace. I was in it though; I was so heavily invested in E and Henerey’s romance.

The world of the ‘Sunken Archive’ is so beautifully crafted. From the future version of Earth after the Dive, the mythology around the Entries, and the world through them. I loved the parallels between them and learning about the ways that they diverged and twisted. I was fully immersed in the way the way that more and more was unravelled while watching E. and Henerey fall further and further in love, all while doubting whether they deserve it. There relationship is the epitome of ‘You remembered!’ ‘Of course I did!’ which is a favourite trope of mine.

‘A Letter from the Lonesome Shore’ is a thoughtful and a romantic magical academia and with how beautiful the ‘Sunken Archive’ has been, I’m so looking forward to seeing what Sylvie Cathrall writes next.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the review copy.

Written by Sophie

Though it has a slow pace, this book has this wonderful quality of pulling you in and making you eat up everything word. I was worried I’d find this slow, that the first one had been a fluke, but it wasn’t at all. I was gripped even with not a lot happening in the story.

I loved the characters, I loved the homonormative world, though the focus was less on the queer relationships this time and more focused on E and Henerey. I didn’t mind too much though because it turns out Henerey is asexual and I love ace representation so much.

Though I think I prefer duologies to trilogies, I’m really sad that this wrapped up in only two books. I would happily read a whole series of these books. It was an interesting ending and nice to see a resolution of all the mysteries, but I want more from this world so so badly.

Eagerly awaiting more work from this author.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Orbit. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review A Letter from the Lonesome Shore.]

Rating: 3.5/5

Last year, I read A Letter to the Luminous Deep and enjoyed it far more than I expected. Epistolary narratives can be hit or miss for me, but the first entry in this duology struck a lovely balance between mystery, romance, and worldbuilding that I found enchanting. Sadly, the second half of the story has lost some of that initial magic. While there were aspects I appreciated, I ultimately found A Letter from the Lonesome Shore to be a little underwhelming.

The book begins on a strong note, diving straight into my favourite element from the first: the evolving relationship between E. and Henerey. They remain the heart of this duology, and I found myself eagerly turning pages whenever they weren’t being mentioned, just to get back to them. They’re both endearing characters and offer thoughtful representations of mental health and neurodivergence, something I really valued, alongside the broader inclusivity present in both books.

I also enjoyed unravelling the mystery at the centre of this second volume. Discovering more about E. and Henerey's disappearance was interesting, and I appreciated how the world expanded as threads from the first book began to weave into a broader narrative.

However, beyond these highlights, the rest of the book felt somewhat flat. After the halfway point, the pacing began to falter. Some developments felt rushed, while others dragged, creating a jarring rhythm. The fantasy elements, too, felt underdeveloped. Looking back over the duology, there’s surprisingly little to ground it firmly within the fantasy genre. While the oceanic setting and occasional fantastical touches are present, they largely fade into the background.

Another issue I encountered was the similarity in character voices. Despite the epistolary format, the letters often felt tonally uniform, which made it harder to distinguish between characters and left the narrative feeling repetitive in places. A bit more variation in voice would have brought greater life and individuality to the letters.

Overall, I did enjoy this duology. It has a unique charm, but it’s definitely a series that requires a certain reading mood. If you’re fond of epistolary storytelling and are in the mood for a quiet, introspective narrative with a touch of mystery and romance, then it’s certainly worth picking up.

I throughly enjoyed the first book in the series so was really keen to carry on with it.

The wonderful characters and setting remain but there was something not quite as magical in this entry as the first one. I admit to feeling a little lost with the plot at times, and was somewhat unsatisfied by the resolution.

That said, it was still enjoyable and I’d consider reading more by the author.

A superb sequel which carries the charm, and enchanting adventure of its predecessor to new heights. An immersive tale that will have you on the edge of your seat.

3.5

I liked it but also I felt some of the aspects of the resolution were a bit convenient and contrived. I LOVED the world and the protagonists— the aquatic ambience and subtle humour. One of the biggest faults of this series,imo, is the lack of variety in voice. This series is epistolary but it felt like only one person is writing all those back and forth letters. Overall, it was an unique reading experience and can't wait to read the author's upcoming books if she decides to write more.

“They classify themselves to ensure that each Scholar’s personal knowledge is catalogued appropriately. Admittedly, I do rather life the sound of that!”

A Letter From The Lonesome Shore was a great conclusion for this duology. I loved to reunite with the whole cast we met in book 1 and know what happens next. However, the rhythm felt a bit slower this time, and as characters are closer in this one the epistolary and journal form felt a bit off.
That being said, I loved the idea of the “other scholars” who observed the newcomers like objects of their studies –like exotic animals– and it added a layer on the academia’s critic book 1 was already building. The world building is just as (sensory) satisfying as it was in the first volume, even though it felt a bit less whimsical now that the Deep House is gone. I loved the characters’ evolution, E. especially, and adored the ACE rep we got here. It felt like the perfect romance for them and I loved to see that on page.
It was a truly nice way to say good-bye to the world, and I can’t wait to know what this author has for us in the future!

Thank you to the author and Orbit for the eARC on NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

I have loved book one, and i have loved book2. This is a brilliantly unique fantasy, beautifully written, full of incredible prose that is just as lush as the world its written about. If you enjoyed book one, like me, expect much of the same, and once again written in the form on letter and journal entries. This is probably the loveliest set of characters I have ever read about and ill be sad not reading about them anymore.

If I'm meant to complain about anything that probably the fact that this concludes this duology. For those of you whom don't enjoy slow paced, lyrical writing i beg you be patient and enjoy it nevertheless, take your time.

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to give A Letter from the Lonesome Shore a fair chance, especially after struggling a bit with the first book. The concept is beautiful, and telling a story entirely through letters while still building such a vivid, intricate world is super impressive. But I think I might be in the minority now, because the letter format just doesn’t work for me the way it used to. I found that it slowed my engagement and didn’t make me want to keep reading (maybe not enough time has passed since I read the first book? Not sure!)

There were definitely moments I enjoyed. I was curious to see how things would unfold, and absolutely adore the connection between E. and Henerey. I really liked following their journey. I also appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of mental health struggles; it added depth and realism to the emotional tone of the book, much like the first one which is always appreciated.

That said, I had a hard time telling the character voices apart, especially when my focus slipped. I often had to flip back and check who was writing what, which broke the flow and often made me want to take a breather. As much as I admire the creativity and care behind this story, I just couldn’t stay fully invested. The pacing felt slow, it sadly didn’t quite hit the spot for me.

This is a world I was sad to leave! E and Henerey are incredibly charming characters, with all of their individual quirks and personality traits. They're so unique and well written as characters, and I enjoyed seeing them finally interacting together instead of through letters. Their relationship is wonderful, full of acceptance and love, shared interests and all the other great things. I have such a soft spot for shy characters, and it made their progress together even more sweet. Beyond them, we are discovering a new world with new characters and it's built so well, with all of the mystery woven in and the distinct personalities of these somewhat mysterious people. Adjacent to this, we see Sophie and Vyerin pursue their mission to rescue their respective siblings - their own friendship continuing throughout. The author still manages to include letter writing, journal entries and scholarly notes within the book and it's a great way to see certain characters interacting from afar.

Overall I'd say this is a very distinct and unusual series, and Sylvie Cathrall has crafted a magical and beguiling world beneath the waves and a whole host of wonderful characters (though E. and Henerey will forever be my favourites!). I've enjoyed exploring it all and look forward to whatever Sylvie writes next.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒊𝒔:📝🐠🪸🐋🏝️📚📑

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕: Book 2 in The Sunken Archives Duology, a science fantasy of manners for fans of Emily Wilde💙

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕:
📝Epistolary Format
🪸Light Academia
📝Mysterious Underwater Society
🪸Unique, whimsical world
📝Exploration of Mental Health

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: This was a great read, continuing on from the first book in the same dreamy almost ethereal way. The style of this is so unique and I love it- I can’t help but be reminded of the quirkiness of A Series of Unfortunate Events. E. is a FMC in the same vein as Emily from the Emily Wilde books and I find myself relating to her just as much. I loved watching E grow & develop in this book, with Henery by her side, & it was wonderful seeing character interactions we didn’t really get in book 1. Overall this felt like a good, fulfilling conclusion, answering the questions and loose threads from ALTTLD.

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC!

Once again told entirely in epistolary form, A Letter From The Lonesome Shore is an interesting conclusion to The Sunken Archive duology. Finally together in person, E. and Henerey are unexpectedly stuck in the new world they transported themselves to with the mysterious Structure at the end of the first book. They start building a life together there, while also striving to learn as much as they can about the new place they're in. On the other side are Sophy and Vyverin, their respective siblings, trying to find them and bring them home with the help of other Scholars.

I found myself divided on this book. I once again admire the author's skill to manage to tell such a detailed story purely through letters and historical records, as well as the incredibly picturesque and magical world she created through the eyes and words of her characters. Thanks to Henerey and E.'s passion for the underwater world and its inhabitants, the readers get a very detailed picture of everything in this new world. I also loved seeing the two of them finally loving each other in person, with their shy love blossoming and their unwavering support of each other warming my heart page after page. The way they complement each other, support each other through their respective mental health struggles and grow their confidence as individuals while also developing their relationship... it was so precious!

On the other hand, I felt the book was too repetitive and not much if substance actually happened. Character repeated lots of times how much they love and miss each other, the language in the letters was unnecessarily detailed or included too many side notes that distracted from the main point. The excessively formal language of every letter made it sound like almost every character had the same voice (except perhaps Sophy? Hers were a little different), so I often had to go back and check who was the "speaker" in certain sections. Moreover, the reveal was quite underwhelming, as it was all just "told" to the MCs within a chapter... and solved within the next. I feel the documents leading to the reveal could have been nicely interpreted throughout the first half of the book, slowly building it up.

I enjoyed the introduction of some new characters, such as the Thirtieth Second Scholar and Lady L, and wish their correspondence had developed more towards the end!

Anyway, I'd recommend this duology if you're looking for a truly unique fantasy, with its singular writing style (fully epistolary, very formal, almost always academic-style) and intriguing world-building.

Actual Rating: 4.5

Last year, once I managed to connect, I fell head over heels for ’A Letter To The Luminous Deep’ so I was desperate to dive into this sequel. The characters, epistolary format and world itself (once I managed to wrap my head around some of its terminology) utterly blew me away. Plus, even within its letter format, it contained an intriguingly fleshed out plot that I longed to unravel within this sequel. Did I see the true answers coming? Definitely not. Are they the type that I’d usually envision working for me? Honestly no; if this had been described to me in advance I’d have been sceptical yet I utterly adored this book, even when it headed in a rather strange feeling direction. Maybe I should take this as a sign that I need to seriously start trying to check more sci-fi offerings out. Whatever the case I’ll definitely be watching out for whatever Sylvie Cathrall pens next.

When I read the first book I think the characters probably struck me as the standout feature. Henerey was simply impossible not to fall for whilst E made me feel seen in a way that I truly did not anticipate. If anyone has ever struggled with OCD or severe social anxiety then E’s narrative is going to truly get beneath your skin. It’s so rare for this kind of mindset to get depicted so honestly and the level of understanding and compassion that Henerey showed towards E floors me to this day. The party/note scene from book one is still vividly set within my mind and this time round there were a few similar moments that truly made me melt a little bit. Admittedly there was the odd instant where Henerey’s complimentary manner felt a little too extreme (and it hurts to say so as I truly do consider myself somewhat of a Henerey fangirl) but overall I’m utterly besotted with this pairing.

Other characters from the first book appear and I loved reading everything that they contributed to the overall novel too. Plus there were several new characters involved that I adored learning about; including one ex courier whose point of view I swiftly found myself falling for. These last segments appear less frequently, as they’re almost like intervals that split the narrative into parts, but I utterly adored these.

So this time around the characters certainly continued to resonate deeply with me. Plus I was truly enchanted by the epistolary style that the novel was penned in. The whole story unfolds throughout a series of letters written between various characters which gives this novel a majorly cosy feel throughout. It’s charming, heartfelt and sure to bring a smile to your face on many an occasion. Although some of the terminology can feel a little complicated to wrap your head around initially. Maybe this wouldn’t have been the case if I’d read the previous novel more recently though.

What truly struck me this time around though was how complicated the plot managed to become. With the previous book I felt similarly, sure, but ’A Letter From The Lonesome Shore’ managed to push this feeling so much further. The stakes were pretty damn exceptional; it introduced a whole new ‘realm’ (I could use more accurate labels but I want to keep things as spoiler free as possible) to discover and the truth about everything blew my mind. As I said above if someone described the realities of everything to me in advanced I’d have been sceptical as someone who considers some tales too ‘odd’ yet this one really resonated with me somehow.

So ultimately I absolutely recommend checking out ’A Letter From The Lonesome Shore’. If you enjoyed the first book within the series then this is sure to be a similarly enchanting tale for you. And if you’re still to try it then I highly recommend picking it up; its a charming sci fi novel with memorable characters and a format that’s hard not to love. Over time it really digs into its sci-fi roots whilst maintaining its charmingly cosy feel throughout. Needless to say I’ll be watching out for more by this author.

4.5 stars
I thoroughly loved book one, and book two did not disappoint in the slightest. I adore Cathrall's writing, and I love that this story is told through the numerous correspondence between our main characters as well as some new ones!

I love E and Henerey so much, and I just love their relationship. Both are fantastical written, and I honestly loved learning even more about them in this book, especially when it came to their growing feelings and the situation they find themselves in. I love how devoted they are to one another, especially how Henerey's world just revolved around E. I also really enjoyed seeing more of Sophy and Vyerin and their own individual relationships and hardships as they set out on their mission. I will say that I quickly grew to love the letters between L and 30!

One thing I absolutely love about this duology is the representation, especially when it comes to mental health. It is so realistic, and despite it's magical elements, I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to these characters and their own fears and struggles. I relate to E on such a personal level, so it was really nice to watch her work through them and just grow as a character.

With amazing world-building and lyrical writing, I absolutely recommend this duology, especially if you like stories told in letters. I can't wait to read whatever Cathrall writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

E & Henerey made it through the sculpture to a new “safe” world. There is a lot more dialogue in this book, as they are together.
I loved Sophy and Vyerin in the first book and they unfortunately don’t make an appearance until later in the book.
Again, I love seeing healthy queer relationships in this book. It’s not often we get queer people to be happy and content in their relationships.
The pair are welcomed and have their own library and apartment but no one will give them answers about where they are. As a really that also gets pretty tedious as the pacing is languid.
I like that they are falling in love, but the way they speak to each other borders on early 20th century speak, with the pace of older books (IE very slow).
I found the first half too slow and vague (which I guess is their experience, and felt like book 1 had better pacing).
As the book goes on, so much is talked around and slow that when something new happens we have at least one other character responding to the same thing, which made the book hard to keep reading.
In the center of this book there is a beautiful, fantastical book, but as it is was too long and convoluted for me to fully appreciate.

Sadly this did not work for me at all.

Like in the first book I really liked the relationship between E and Henery so I enjoyed the first ~40% of the book but then the book, which up to that point felt like a character driven romantasy story with slight mystery elements, completely shifts tonaly into a narrative driven science fantasy story and I just didn't care for any of it.
I think the format of this book, meaning that the book is only letters and textual records, once again held the story back because you are always separated from everything that is happening by it just being a retelling from someone. Again some of the letters feel very inauthentic because noone would write letters that way which broke the immersion for me many times.
I hated the ending. It felt rushed, and sooo anticlimactic and really didn't justify the build up that completely messed up the vibes of the book in my opinion. Also that book 1 + the first 40% of the book are so focused on E and Henery and then they only get a few paragraphs for their ending? I really didn't like it.

This book also adds many new perspectives and the issue many people had with the first book, that the character voices all feel the same, was even worse in this book. I read the audio version for the first one so I didn't have that problem as much but I physically read this one and it's again really breaking the immersion.

I'm sadly left disappointed by this one because I really hoped, that the author would have improved from the first one and that I would love this one but sadly that wasn't the case.

Thank you so much to Little Brown and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!

-

4,5 stars - it’s just a lot of ocean with queer nerds everywhere and I love it here

“Please think of what follows as a letter to my world, then– and perhaps, I fear, the last I shall ever write.”

The book started off with a summary of sorts of some of what happened in the first book, which I absolutely love.
Sequels to favourites are always both very exciting and very scary, and I’m so happy to report that this one delivered what I was hoping! I had so much fun with it, and it left me feeling warm, seen and a little bit unsettled (in a fun way).

“Now that I have satisfied my inescapable urge to document everything properly, I shall return to the main point:”

The vibes are very much reminding me of two of my other favourites, the Emily Wilde series and This Is How You Lose The Time War, but the setting and story also feel fresh and different. The watery setting is exciting and vivid, and the epistolary storytelling style always gets to me. I feel so close to the characters, like I’m leaning over their shoulder reading as they are writing their letters and diaries. The book is funny and charming, if a little slow at times (but I didn’t feel like that took away from my enjoyment - it just meant I got more time to sit with the reveals and the characters bonds to each other).

“Today, I’m afraid I discovered that I am the sort of person who reacts to unprecedented adventure in the same way your average Frangible Jellyfish responds to the most incremental change in water temperature. That is to say– by nearly perishing with all due haste.”

I have a lot of love and excitement and wonder over this story, but I find it hard to put into words exactly why. I just really like the characters and their stories (of friendship and love and discovery and family), the world is intriguing and the story is slow but packs a whimsical punch.
It’s a love story, in so many different ways. There’s a lot of ocean, family both born, found and built, a lot of nerdy scholars infodumping on each other, LGBTQIA+ rep, neurodivergent and OCD rep, and despite some slightly unsettling plot points (in terms of our role in the grander scale of things in the universe) it’s overall a very wholesome story.
I’m eager to see what the author writes next, as I’m sure I’m going to love it as I did this.

“I cannot rebuild what is lost, my darling, but when this is all over, I promise we shall find ourselves the loveliest little house you could ever picture.”

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore is the conclusion to the much beloved Sunken Archives duology by Sylvie Cathrall that began with A Letter to the Luminous Deep and it follows the largely epistolary nature of that book.
E. and Henerey who began their unique courtship through correspondence find themselves transported to an enigmatic underwater city and with no clear pathway to return home they strive to do what any good scholars would and learn more about the city and its society. Meanwhile E.'s sister Sophy and Henerey's brother Vyerin, who had begun a correspondence of their own embark on a quest to save their siblings.
If you enjoyed the first book in this series you will find plenty to enjoy here, from the epistolary style and the charming relationship between E. and Henerey to the elegantly descriptive writing style and the mental health representation. This all worked well for me, what was not quite so much to my taste was how the story wrapped up, it felt somewhat rushed, especially given the gentle pacing of the series as a whole. I also thought that things felt a little muddled in the middle as it took some time to get to grips with the new characters that are introduced here and figure out how they played into the story as a whole and there were some aspects of the setting that did not feel fully defined and some parts of the story that did not seem fully fleshed out in the way that the world of the first book did.
3.5 stars rounded up.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, the format through letter really works for me because it feels more personal. I love the core cast of characters and I’m really happy with how the story developed for all of them. I wasn’t really sure in the structure since I’d have liked to have both timelines in the first half, but it did make sense in the end. I’m not really sure I loved the ending, which is why this is not a five star for me, however I’m really happy with how this story went. E. and Clel have my heart though, all their moments together were super cute and I felt seen just like in book one with their way and difficulty in expressing themselves.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank to Little, Brown book group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book is stunning, absolutely amazing, since reading the first book I have been waiting in anticipation for this book and it did not disappoint. At the beginning of this book we catch up with E. and Henerey immediately after their journey through the structure in E.’s garden at the deep house. They find themselves in a strange world amongst an odd society obsessed with knowledge. At first they are desperate to go home but gradually they build a life together as they accept and embrace that they may not go home. We catch up with Sophy and Vyerin as they begin their quest for the search for E. and Henerey and they finally find of the entries but a predator awaits. Who is this mysterious and feared predator?

This book was my most anticipated read of 2025, after reading A letter to the luminous deep I simply had to read this book. I’m not sure how Sylvie Cathrall has done it but she has surpassed herself with this book and it was just as delightful as the first book perhaps even more so as we finally see E. and Henerey interacting in person, dear E. and Henerey they were just so well suited. I had so many expectations of this book and this book has exceeded all of them, I look forward to reading more from this author. To sum up this book was a welcome, whimsical and magical return to the world of The Sunken Archives. 5+ stars from me.