The Wicked Deep – Shea Ernshaw

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis
Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Two centuries ago, in the small, isolated town, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return from the depths, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them down to their watery deaths.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into or the fact that his arrival will change everything…

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

Review:

Im still mulling over the ideas that were presented within this book and it is certainly a book I will pick up again in the future.
Shea Earnshaws writing style flowed well and the mix between past and present had an easy tone to it. It was a very easy book to follow and had lots of mythology and folklore within it’s pages.

The whole book has elements of mythology and the lore/tale of the town. The three sisters that come back each year reminded me a little of sirens, luring men out to see and creating shipwrecks. This is what is hinted at within this book with the mentions of all the shipwrecks and the singing luring girls into the water to take over their bodies.

My first reaction to this was that I had heard a lot of people talk about this and how they wanted to read it. I ended up picking it up due to the biannual bibliothon as it was the group book to read. I wasn’t sure if I would pick it up to begin with, however the uk paperback cover is beautiful!

My initial reactions when reading this book was that the premise was really interesting and the first 50/100 pages was mostly worldbuilding. But after that the mystery hooked me. Not only through the main mystery but also all of the side thoughts and mysteries that took place. Some of them were wrapped up quite abruptly though and could have been fleshed out a little more.

Although, I really did enjoy this book. The mystery element is good throughout even if there is an inkling of it all the way through that was slightly cliche. Also the very end chapter creeped me out just a little, that was one of the only problems for me in this novel.

The only other book I have read that is of a similar sort of nature is the drowning of Arthur Braxton by Caroline Smailes which has the same mystery siren element to it.

However in other aspects that book is completely different to this one. This book felt more of a simple YA as it was a quick fast paced read. I am glad that I read it though.

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