Tuesday 26 June 2012

Review: The Vicious Deep (The Vicious Deep #1) by Zoraida Córdova

Source: Received an egalley from Raincoast, Sourcebooks and Netgalley for an honest review.
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 384 (Hardcover)

Blurb from Goodreads:
For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave.

He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he’s heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he’s suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea…and now it wants him back.


I'm of The Little Mermaid generation...meaning I watched the movie at least once a month (in some cases a week :P) throughout my childhood, and ever since I have absolutely loved mermaids. The Vicious Deep takes it to a whole new level though, and the male narrator is certainly one of the reasons for that. :)

In most stories about mermaids...or rather merfolk, the mermaid is a girl and she's the narrator, but this one is totally different. I loved that, and I really enjoyed Tristan. He was pretty cocky and a jerk at times, but I actually really liked him. He was straightforward and he knew he could be a prick...which was kind of refreshing. It also helped that he was hilarious, and that most of the other characters were really funny too. :D I'm a sucker for great chemistry between characters, and for lots of jokes and The Vicious Deep had tonnes of both of those! I also really loved Tristan's best friend, Layla. I'm gonna keep mum about my feelings towards Tristan and Layla, but I totally loved the two of them together. Read into that however you like. :P

I also really loved the descriptions, and the way that the different species of creatures: mermaids, fairies, vampires, and an abundance of others were incorporated into our world. When Zoraida Córdova described things, I almost felt like everything was in technicolor and super vibrant. I think that finding theperfect balance with how you describe something is an art, and Córdova is excellent at it! :D There are so many times where you read something and it's so descriptive that you almost get bored with all the adjectives, but not with The Vicious Deep. Instead, you feel as if you've been submerged in the same world as Tristan, and you're just as mesmerized and overwhelmed with it as he is. I also love that Tristan's reactions are realistic. He's so confused, and he acts like a snarky and sarcastic teenager, which I found pretty amusing.

Along with the awesome descriptions, and characters, I loved the whole story in general. It was such an interesting plot, and while the story was very character-driven, it was also full of action. There was always something going on, or something to be figured out, and because of that, The Vicious Deep constantly keeps you on your toes! :D

Overall, I loved this one! So much! It's definitely on the top of my favourite reads this year, and I'm counting down the days until I can read the next book, The Savage Blue! :D I would recommend this to someone who loves mermaids, or even someone who isn't a mermaid fan. This book is so versatile with its male narrator and the action throughout, I think it would appeal to a lot of readers. It would also be great if you're a YA fan and are looking for an awesome story with a male lead. I know I personally like to mix it up and read a story with a male narrator every once in a while and there aren't too many YAs out there with them. :D

Have you read The Vicious Deep yet?
Are you a mermaid fan?
Does this sound like a book that you'd enjoy?

Purchase Links:
Book Depository: UK / US
Amazon: UK / US / Canada
Barnes and Noble

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