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The Sunken Archive #1
A Letter to the Luminous Deep
A charming fantasy set in an underwater world with magical academia and a heartwarming penpal romance, perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries.
A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.
Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.'s home, and she and Henerey vanish.
A year later, E.'s sister Sophy, and Henerey's brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery, piecing together the letters, sketches and field notes left behind—and learn what their siblings’ disappearance might mean for life as they know it.
Inspired, immersive, and full of heart, this charming epistolary tale is an adventure into the depths of a magical sea and the limits of the imagination from a marvelous debut voice.
A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.
Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.'s home, and she and Henerey vanish.
A year later, E.'s sister Sophy, and Henerey's brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery, piecing together the letters, sketches and field notes left behind—and learn what their siblings’ disappearance might mean for life as they know it.
Inspired, immersive, and full of heart, this charming epistolary tale is an adventure into the depths of a magical sea and the limits of the imagination from a marvelous debut voice.
356 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2024
1007 people are currently reading
51503 people want to read
About the author
Sylvie Cathrall
3 books364 followersSylvie Cathrall writes stories of hope and healing with healthy doses of wonder and whimsy. She holds a graduate degree in odd Victorian art and has handled more than a few nineteenth-century letters (with great care). Sylvie married her former pen pal and lives in the mountains, where she dresses impractically and dreams of the sea.
You can find Sylvie on Instagram @sylviecathrall.
Author's portrait by Inês Dinis: @inestheunicorn.
You can find Sylvie on Instagram @sylviecathrall.
Author's portrait by Inês Dinis: @inestheunicorn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,933 reviews
May 26, 2024
Okay I’m officially hooked on this light academic romance told entirely in letters between two scholars as they uncover a strange mystery in the deep!!
A Letter to the Luminous Deep blends mystery and a light academic romance between two scholars as their correspondence uncovers a secret long buried about their world. Like dense fronds of seaweed unfurling, Sylvie Cathrall untangles a beautiful epistolary academic romance between shy but inquisitive "E" and esteemed scholar Henerey Clel who find a connection deeper than the boundless depths in which they reside. Split between their initial correspondence and the two siblings left behind to unravel the mystery through the letters they penned, A Letter to the Luminous Deep instills a quest for the truth, while providing insight into both the past and the present. Including discussions around mental health, academia, and scientific exploration, this magical underwater adventure leaves plenty to investigate. A wonderfully curious debut that completely enraptured me!
thank you edelweiss for providing the arc!
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A Letter to the Luminous Deep blends mystery and a light academic romance between two scholars as their correspondence uncovers a secret long buried about their world. Like dense fronds of seaweed unfurling, Sylvie Cathrall untangles a beautiful epistolary academic romance between shy but inquisitive "E" and esteemed scholar Henerey Clel who find a connection deeper than the boundless depths in which they reside. Split between their initial correspondence and the two siblings left behind to unravel the mystery through the letters they penned, A Letter to the Luminous Deep instills a quest for the truth, while providing insight into both the past and the present. Including discussions around mental health, academia, and scientific exploration, this magical underwater adventure leaves plenty to investigate. A wonderfully curious debut that completely enraptured me!
thank you edelweiss for providing the arc!
Follow me on Instagram
dnf
April 26, 2024Dear Review Reader,
It pains me on occasion such as this to bring you dire news (well, at least by the time you read the end of this review) that though I was radiantly hopeful and anticipating this new book, this is no longer the case (though maybe I don't need to actually be telling you this, as you can plainly see my rating of DNF already).
This is not a freshwater review, as I am simply filled with too much salt (primarily at the editor who let bypass such a multitude of illogical details in the first chapter alone that I cannot bear not to mention it). I write to tell you this (and I hope you have picked up on my particular style of writing which is not by chance but is in fact an exact parody on every line!) because I regrettably touted this book as the next Emily Wilde when, alas, it is not.
Though the cover is quite beautiful (stunning colors!) and I love a light academia (or a dark academia, or perhaps a greyscale academia that's somewhere in between), it is difficult to read the same voice written across four different characters -a voice written precisely like this, with this frequency of parentheses and all- and I cannot fathom having read a further 400 pages.
May the readers who love this style find this book perfectly made for them. For now I shall swim to other waters.
Yours,
Me, My Shelf, & I
(If it helps, I also go by "GR reviewer")
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All thoughts, opinions, and sassiness are my own.
-----------------------
Original Review
-----------------------
I have been told this is like Emily Wilde but underwater, so now I have no choice but to read it.
It pains me on occasion such as this to bring you dire news (well, at least by the time you read the end of this review) that though I was radiantly hopeful and anticipating this new book, this is no longer the case (though maybe I don't need to actually be telling you this, as you can plainly see my rating of DNF already).
This is not a freshwater review, as I am simply filled with too much salt (primarily at the editor who let bypass such a multitude of illogical details in the first chapter alone that I cannot bear not to mention it). I write to tell you this (and I hope you have picked up on my particular style of writing which is not by chance but is in fact an exact parody on every line!) because I regrettably touted this book as the next Emily Wilde when, alas, it is not.
Though the cover is quite beautiful (stunning colors!) and I love a light academia (or a dark academia, or perhaps a greyscale academia that's somewhere in between), it is difficult to read the same voice written across four different characters -a voice written precisely like this, with this frequency of parentheses and all- and I cannot fathom having read a further 400 pages.
May the readers who love this style find this book perfectly made for them. For now I shall swim to other waters.
Yours,
Me, My Shelf, & I
(If it helps, I also go by "GR reviewer")
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All thoughts, opinions, and sassiness are my own.
-----------------------
Original Review
-----------------------
I have been told this is like Emily Wilde but underwater, so now I have no choice but to read it.
May 2, 2024
A solid debut fantasy and what looks to be an ongoing series with potential. This is an epistolary fantasy set in an underwater world 🧜🏼♀️🪸
"A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other".
This book is for the academia lovers and will satisfy and stimulate your mind if you give it the proper attention it demands.
I probably should have taken the epistolary portion more literally as the majority of this book is the exchange of letters between multiple people and over different timelines. You're slowing putting together a puzzle over the course of this book working out what has happened to E and Henerey. This is a cozy fantasy, however it requires a lot of attention due to the changing POV, timeline and events both on the ground and under-the-sea.
I enjoyed the letters in book, however, I didn't expect the entire book essentially to be letters with minimal action occurring in the current timeline. The pacing is relatively slow and it stays this way for most of the book. It slightly picks up in the last 20% and ends on a cliffhanger.
“Have you ever considered, E., that someone ought to write a Fantasy about you? You experience something unprecedented, you venture to the library in search of new knowledge, you discover a mysterious familial connection to said knowledge, and then you write all about it to a most peculiar man who does not deserve your attention - surely that is the very stuff of stories!”
I loved the romance element of this story and getting to know the characters through their letters was unique experience. It was a fun way to hear about E. and Henry's love story through their siblings eyes. Sophy and Vyerin bond over their grief of not knowing where their sibling are by writing to each other. I loved their friendship and how the grief was measured with their shared love for books. They are both fantasy lovers so I loved listening to them discussing this and the arrangement of their libraries.
"Each time I reread your words, I cannot resist the temptation of wondering what “your” library must look like – surely a place that offers such a sanctuary to you in times of need must be remarkable indeed! Is there a particular carrel that you call home, or do you sit in a new nook every time you visit? Do you keep a stack of books that spills over your table as you write, or do you enjoy only a single tome at a time: savouring the quest of seeking out another each time you’ve finished? (I take the former method myself – I tend to have twelve books in progress at once, and struggle to finish any!"
The writing itself is very beautiful and was reminiscent of Victorian England with a modern twist. I appreciated the mental health representation which was portrayed realistically but the author. There is also queer representation.
The changing timelines did make this confusing at points. This together with the pacing is what prevented me from rating this higher. I think this will appeal to others more than me as I feel like I didn't read this book at the right time (mood reader things). It took too long to get to the point and had a lot of filler.
Despite my criticism, I will continue this series as I'm very interested to see how the author will set this story out after the cliffhanger and whether we see more in-person action, outside of mere letters.
Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
"A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other".
This book is for the academia lovers and will satisfy and stimulate your mind if you give it the proper attention it demands.
I probably should have taken the epistolary portion more literally as the majority of this book is the exchange of letters between multiple people and over different timelines. You're slowing putting together a puzzle over the course of this book working out what has happened to E and Henerey. This is a cozy fantasy, however it requires a lot of attention due to the changing POV, timeline and events both on the ground and under-the-sea.
I enjoyed the letters in book, however, I didn't expect the entire book essentially to be letters with minimal action occurring in the current timeline. The pacing is relatively slow and it stays this way for most of the book. It slightly picks up in the last 20% and ends on a cliffhanger.
“Have you ever considered, E., that someone ought to write a Fantasy about you? You experience something unprecedented, you venture to the library in search of new knowledge, you discover a mysterious familial connection to said knowledge, and then you write all about it to a most peculiar man who does not deserve your attention - surely that is the very stuff of stories!”
I loved the romance element of this story and getting to know the characters through their letters was unique experience. It was a fun way to hear about E. and Henry's love story through their siblings eyes. Sophy and Vyerin bond over their grief of not knowing where their sibling are by writing to each other. I loved their friendship and how the grief was measured with their shared love for books. They are both fantasy lovers so I loved listening to them discussing this and the arrangement of their libraries.
"Each time I reread your words, I cannot resist the temptation of wondering what “your” library must look like – surely a place that offers such a sanctuary to you in times of need must be remarkable indeed! Is there a particular carrel that you call home, or do you sit in a new nook every time you visit? Do you keep a stack of books that spills over your table as you write, or do you enjoy only a single tome at a time: savouring the quest of seeking out another each time you’ve finished? (I take the former method myself – I tend to have twelve books in progress at once, and struggle to finish any!"
The writing itself is very beautiful and was reminiscent of Victorian England with a modern twist. I appreciated the mental health representation which was portrayed realistically but the author. There is also queer representation.
The changing timelines did make this confusing at points. This together with the pacing is what prevented me from rating this higher. I think this will appeal to others more than me as I feel like I didn't read this book at the right time (mood reader things). It took too long to get to the point and had a lot of filler.
Despite my criticism, I will continue this series as I'm very interested to see how the author will set this story out after the cliffhanger and whether we see more in-person action, outside of mere letters.
Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2025
In a Nutshell: An epistolary underwater fantasy with tremendous potential that doesn’t get fulfilled to the fullest. Good characters and world-building. Almost-zero plot and slow pacing. First of a duology; cliffhanger ending. Could have worked much better in a different format and with stricter editing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
The blurb offered a hint of several themes/tropes I enjoy: magical academia, underwater fantasy, and epistolary approach. The possibility of a missing-persons mystery also stoked my interest. Unfortunately, this debut work tanked under its own ambitions. It’s not a total dud, but it is absolutely not what it could have been.
Bookish Yays:
⛲ The concept and the potential: outstanding, all the more for a debut work.
⛲ The main characters. Sophy and Vyerin were a bit more appealing to me than Henerey and E. This could be because the former two have more in-depth discussions and thus we get to know them better. (I guess we’ll see more of the latter duo in the sequel.) But there’s no denying that Henerey and E also were charming. These four characters saved my rating to a great extent.
⛲ The LGBTQ+ representation is amazing, with both Sophy and Vyerin being in same-sex relationships, and this fact being a natural part of the storyline instead of being hammered at us. The way we got insights about their personal lives even when they were writing letters to each other on other topics was nicely done.
⛲ The focus on E’s anxiety disorder. An excellent depiction of how mental health issues affect real-world interactions.
⛲ The cover: Gorgeous enough to be framed. Someone give the artist a raise!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌊 The worldbuilding – fascinating with stunning descriptions of the underwater locations, the Deep House, and the other places. Unfortunately, the descriptions are somewhat restricted thanks to the epistolary approach.
🌊 Some parts of the story work nicely for the academia theme. The focus on nepotism and discrimination is especially praiseworthy. However, this again is limited due to the letters being our only source of information. The story would have worked excellently as a dark academia plot had it focussed more on this theme than on the romance.
🌊 I’m never a fan of romance in non-romance genres, but I admit that the mention of “penpal romance” in the blurb got me intrigued. (Fun Fact: In real life, the author is married to her former pen pal.) The relationship between Henerey and E blossoms realistically, with tentative emotions and hesitant declarations at the start. It gets too cheesy at times, but I suppose on the grand romantic scale, cheesy is still better than insta or steamy. (At least for me.)
Bookish Nays:
💧 The letters, which contain descriptions, revelations, banter, confessions, and digressions. The content isn’t the problem. But the tone is. Each letter, whether professional or personal, sounds exactly the same, with loads of parentheses and exclamation points and editorial revisions. It would have been okay if one character displayed this quirky approach towards letter-writing. But would every single character, including professional journalists, write in this informal enthusiastic-teen tone? Impossible. The distinctness of the individual character voices – so important in the epistolary format – is completely missing.
💧 For a book where the blurb indicates a kind of investigation into the disappearance of two key characters, most of the book is not about figuring out the puzzle but about getting to know said characters. As such, the mystery feels are mostly lacking.
💧 The pacing is terribly slow. For two characters who want to learn what happened to their siblings, Sophy and Vyerin seem to be taking things in too relaxed a manner, with only a few letters and notes being exchanged at a time instead of meeting up immediately and hashing out a plan of action. Their feelings were visible, but not any sense of urgency.
💧 The watered-down plot. This book reveals absolutely nothing that’s key. So all we get for most of the book is the background to the main issue. The key content comes only in the final quarter. Considering this is only a duology, the division of the story between the two books seems very lopsided. My GR friend Sarah wrote in her review that this book could have been a prologue. I couldn’t agree more!
💧 The final quarter suddenly changes the direction of the plot, with an infodump reveal that indicates where the sequel will go. As this is crucial to the plotline, it would have been better had this direction been indicated in hints from the start. The swerve is too abrupt.
💧 Waving a tiny flag of protest at all the weird names. Does fantasy necessarily involve concocting novel names and inserting syllabic extensions? What’s wrong with good old “Henry”? (If you think Sophy is a normal-enough moniker, wait till you discover her actual name. I don’t even want to get started on E, but she has all my sympathies!)
All in all, while I did enjoy the little bits such as the underwater setting, the charming characters and the budding relationships, I was also mostly bored by the absence of a concrete storyline. Having a story through letters is fun only when the letters help progress the plot. If the letters just provide a background sketch of the characters and they don’t even sound distinct enough, then they aren’t serving their purpose.
When I first got this book, I wasn’t even aware that it was the first of a planned duology, forget that it ended on a cliffhanger. It’s only thanks to reviews that I decided to wait it out till the sequel was in my hands. Boy, am I glad I did! The cliffhanger is a major one! That said, had I not already had the second half of this debut duology in hand, I doubt I would even have read it because there’s simply no curiosity in me to discover what happens next. But as I do have the book, I can only hope it reveals the missing pieces of this jigsaw in a speedier and smoother manner
Recommended to readers who enjoy a slow-burn epistolary fantasy with magical and underwater vibes. Not for those who prefer books with a strong plot.
2.5 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing the DRC of “A Letter to the Luminous Deep” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
When introverted E. Cidnosin discovers something new outside the window of her underwater residence, she writes to classification scholar Henerey Ciel for his opinion. Thus begins a virtual connection, with their initial letters being on topics of mutual interest, and slowly moving on to personal emotions and heartfelt confessions.
A year later, another Cidnosin-Ciel correspondence begins, this one between E’s sister Sophy and Henerey’s brother Vyerin. Their aim is to resolve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearance using the letters, notes, and sketches they left behind. As Sophy and Vyerin learn about the budding love story between their siblings, they also discover the presence of something far bigger than they had anticipated.
The story comes to us through various letters and other epistolary content, mostly written by the four characters.
The blurb offered a hint of several themes/tropes I enjoy: magical academia, underwater fantasy, and epistolary approach. The possibility of a missing-persons mystery also stoked my interest. Unfortunately, this debut work tanked under its own ambitions. It’s not a total dud, but it is absolutely not what it could have been.
Bookish Yays:
⛲ The concept and the potential: outstanding, all the more for a debut work.
⛲ The main characters. Sophy and Vyerin were a bit more appealing to me than Henerey and E. This could be because the former two have more in-depth discussions and thus we get to know them better. (I guess we’ll see more of the latter duo in the sequel.) But there’s no denying that Henerey and E also were charming. These four characters saved my rating to a great extent.
⛲ The LGBTQ+ representation is amazing, with both Sophy and Vyerin being in same-sex relationships, and this fact being a natural part of the storyline instead of being hammered at us. The way we got insights about their personal lives even when they were writing letters to each other on other topics was nicely done.
⛲ The focus on E’s anxiety disorder. An excellent depiction of how mental health issues affect real-world interactions.
⛲ The cover: Gorgeous enough to be framed. Someone give the artist a raise!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌊 The worldbuilding – fascinating with stunning descriptions of the underwater locations, the Deep House, and the other places. Unfortunately, the descriptions are somewhat restricted thanks to the epistolary approach.
🌊 Some parts of the story work nicely for the academia theme. The focus on nepotism and discrimination is especially praiseworthy. However, this again is limited due to the letters being our only source of information. The story would have worked excellently as a dark academia plot had it focussed more on this theme than on the romance.
🌊 I’m never a fan of romance in non-romance genres, but I admit that the mention of “penpal romance” in the blurb got me intrigued. (Fun Fact: In real life, the author is married to her former pen pal.) The relationship between Henerey and E blossoms realistically, with tentative emotions and hesitant declarations at the start. It gets too cheesy at times, but I suppose on the grand romantic scale, cheesy is still better than insta or steamy. (At least for me.)
Bookish Nays:
💧 The letters, which contain descriptions, revelations, banter, confessions, and digressions. The content isn’t the problem. But the tone is. Each letter, whether professional or personal, sounds exactly the same, with loads of parentheses and exclamation points and editorial revisions. It would have been okay if one character displayed this quirky approach towards letter-writing. But would every single character, including professional journalists, write in this informal enthusiastic-teen tone? Impossible. The distinctness of the individual character voices – so important in the epistolary format – is completely missing.
💧 For a book where the blurb indicates a kind of investigation into the disappearance of two key characters, most of the book is not about figuring out the puzzle but about getting to know said characters. As such, the mystery feels are mostly lacking.
💧 The pacing is terribly slow. For two characters who want to learn what happened to their siblings, Sophy and Vyerin seem to be taking things in too relaxed a manner, with only a few letters and notes being exchanged at a time instead of meeting up immediately and hashing out a plan of action. Their feelings were visible, but not any sense of urgency.
💧 The watered-down plot. This book reveals absolutely nothing that’s key. So all we get for most of the book is the background to the main issue. The key content comes only in the final quarter. Considering this is only a duology, the division of the story between the two books seems very lopsided. My GR friend Sarah wrote in her review that this book could have been a prologue. I couldn’t agree more!
💧 The final quarter suddenly changes the direction of the plot, with an infodump reveal that indicates where the sequel will go. As this is crucial to the plotline, it would have been better had this direction been indicated in hints from the start. The swerve is too abrupt.
💧 Waving a tiny flag of protest at all the weird names. Does fantasy necessarily involve concocting novel names and inserting syllabic extensions? What’s wrong with good old “Henry”? (If you think Sophy is a normal-enough moniker, wait till you discover her actual name. I don’t even want to get started on E, but she has all my sympathies!)
All in all, while I did enjoy the little bits such as the underwater setting, the charming characters and the budding relationships, I was also mostly bored by the absence of a concrete storyline. Having a story through letters is fun only when the letters help progress the plot. If the letters just provide a background sketch of the characters and they don’t even sound distinct enough, then they aren’t serving their purpose.
When I first got this book, I wasn’t even aware that it was the first of a planned duology, forget that it ended on a cliffhanger. It’s only thanks to reviews that I decided to wait it out till the sequel was in my hands. Boy, am I glad I did! The cliffhanger is a major one! That said, had I not already had the second half of this debut duology in hand, I doubt I would even have read it because there’s simply no curiosity in me to discover what happens next. But as I do have the book, I can only hope it reveals the missing pieces of this jigsaw in a speedier and smoother manner
Recommended to readers who enjoy a slow-burn epistolary fantasy with magical and underwater vibes. Not for those who prefer books with a strong plot.
2.5 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing the DRC of “A Letter to the Luminous Deep” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
April 9, 2024
My dear E.,
I have thought of nothing else but you and your letter over the past day or so, and I do not intend to start thinking of anything else anytime soon.
rating: 4.25
this was a beautifully written story about discovery, family, and the unknown.
agoraphobic and brilliantly curious "e." has suddenly vanished along w her penpal, scholar henerey clel. their siblings begin corresponding first in condolence and mourning, then in earnest exploration as they start to uncover the mysterious disappearance (and what may have preluded it...).
To think that a person’s entire life could be summed up in the jumbled, incomplete assortment of ephemera they leave behind.
personally, while it took a moment for me to adjust to the epistolary style that is first primarily following siblings sophy and vyerin, the more i got to know e and henery the more i became invested - especially as the mystery of the "luminous circumference" developed. sylvia cathrall has created a fantastical world where many of the inhabitants live under or on water. there is lots of creatively playful reimagining of marine life that is reminiscent of the life aquatic with steve zissou.
mental health was a strong theme, with e being agoraphobic and having anxiety & (i think from author's note?) ocd. various characters including henery and his brother vyerin both discuss depression as well as other characters. almost all of the characters are also queer, with much bi/pan representation. science, academia, and exploration are a central theme as well (chancellor rawsel, it's on sight).
if you have thalassophobia or fear of the deep ocean, this might make you feel claustrophobic haha. i think some things to be aware of is that this is only the first book in a series (so sorry, a bit of a cliffhanger!) and the slower-paced writing & challenge for the reader to slowly "uncover" and piece together info along w our new penpals may put some off, but if you have the patience for it you'll be rewarded with many heartfelt moments, charming humor, fun uncoverings, and even romance.
i'm very excited for this to release and even more excited for its follow-up!
If we happen to make a slight detour into that luminescent world – well, then, I will consider myself lucky to do so in your company.
_______________________
current arc read
light academia x epistolary fantasy set underwater? i'm in!
I have thought of nothing else but you and your letter over the past day or so, and I do not intend to start thinking of anything else anytime soon.
rating: 4.25
this was a beautifully written story about discovery, family, and the unknown.
agoraphobic and brilliantly curious "e." has suddenly vanished along w her penpal, scholar henerey clel. their siblings begin corresponding first in condolence and mourning, then in earnest exploration as they start to uncover the mysterious disappearance (and what may have preluded it...).
To think that a person’s entire life could be summed up in the jumbled, incomplete assortment of ephemera they leave behind.
personally, while it took a moment for me to adjust to the epistolary style that is first primarily following siblings sophy and vyerin, the more i got to know e and henery the more i became invested - especially as the mystery of the "luminous circumference" developed. sylvia cathrall has created a fantastical world where many of the inhabitants live under or on water. there is lots of creatively playful reimagining of marine life that is reminiscent of the life aquatic with steve zissou.
mental health was a strong theme, with e being agoraphobic and having anxiety & (i think from author's note?) ocd. various characters including henery and his brother vyerin both discuss depression as well as other characters. almost all of the characters are also queer, with much bi/pan representation. science, academia, and exploration are a central theme as well (chancellor rawsel, it's on sight).
if you have thalassophobia or fear of the deep ocean, this might make you feel claustrophobic haha. i think some things to be aware of is that this is only the first book in a series (so sorry, a bit of a cliffhanger!) and the slower-paced writing & challenge for the reader to slowly "uncover" and piece together info along w our new penpals may put some off, but if you have the patience for it you'll be rewarded with many heartfelt moments, charming humor, fun uncoverings, and even romance.
i'm very excited for this to release and even more excited for its follow-up!
If we happen to make a slight detour into that luminescent world – well, then, I will consider myself lucky to do so in your company.
_______________________
current arc read
light academia x epistolary fantasy set underwater? i'm in!
April 15, 2024
Dear Author,
This could have been a prologue.
Sincerely,
A disappointed reader
P.S. Letting your audience know whether a book will be a standalone or part of a series can affect the reader's enjoyment!
I was raised on a steady diet of Cheerios and The Little Mermaid. I adore any underwater fantasy I can get my hands on. Going into this one, I thought it would be an automatic new favorite. An epistolary novel filled with romance and deep sea exploration? What else could I need in this short stint called life?
A plot. That's what else I would need.
Before raining on this book's water-filled parade, I enjoyed certain aspects.
Building complex characters with only letters is difficult, but the author did a beautiful job! There are two sets of letters: E's and Henry's, and their siblings (respectively), Sophy and Vyerin. All four personalities were built without the correspondence reading: "So-and-so has this specific character trait and this personality type!" I won't delve too much into the letters to avoid spoilers, but know the characters were easy to cherish and adore.
E and Henry's romance made me swoon. The quintessential "talk nerdy to me" couple. Because of how their relationship is built, it is the most authentic love story I've read in ages. Watching E and Henry building a bond of mutual interests into something more was pure and wholesome. E and Henry both feel out of place within their communities. (I was not expecting such excellent OCD and anxiety rep!) Because of their differences, their relationship starts awkward and purely academic, even as they both yearn for more meaningful connections. I could write a thesis on why E and Henry's romance is for the history books, but I digress.
Despite the unique writing styles and lovely characters, not a single thing of importance happens. I am a character-development-over-plot reader, but something has to happen to hold my attention. I read this thinking it was a standalone. I don't know if this is set to be a duology or trilogy, but there has to be at least one more book since none of the action happened til the last 5%. If the book had some aspects of action, it would have been easier to get through, but the author was focused only on introducing a small cast of characters and building the setting. Yeah, the world was neat, but not enough substance to justify a full novel.
Despite my gripes, I will be continuing with the series. This is a debut work, and I already see the immense potential the author has. As long as you go in with the mindset that you'll have to hold out til the sequel for action, you won't be disappointed like me. There truly is a lot to love. Slow and steady wins the race.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This could have been a prologue.
Sincerely,
A disappointed reader
P.S. Letting your audience know whether a book will be a standalone or part of a series can affect the reader's enjoyment!
I was raised on a steady diet of Cheerios and The Little Mermaid. I adore any underwater fantasy I can get my hands on. Going into this one, I thought it would be an automatic new favorite. An epistolary novel filled with romance and deep sea exploration? What else could I need in this short stint called life?
A plot. That's what else I would need.
Before raining on this book's water-filled parade, I enjoyed certain aspects.
Building complex characters with only letters is difficult, but the author did a beautiful job! There are two sets of letters: E's and Henry's, and their siblings (respectively), Sophy and Vyerin. All four personalities were built without the correspondence reading: "So-and-so has this specific character trait and this personality type!" I won't delve too much into the letters to avoid spoilers, but know the characters were easy to cherish and adore.
E and Henry's romance made me swoon. The quintessential "talk nerdy to me" couple. Because of how their relationship is built, it is the most authentic love story I've read in ages. Watching E and Henry building a bond of mutual interests into something more was pure and wholesome. E and Henry both feel out of place within their communities. (I was not expecting such excellent OCD and anxiety rep!) Because of their differences, their relationship starts awkward and purely academic, even as they both yearn for more meaningful connections. I could write a thesis on why E and Henry's romance is for the history books, but I digress.
Despite the unique writing styles and lovely characters, not a single thing of importance happens. I am a character-development-over-plot reader, but something has to happen to hold my attention. I read this thinking it was a standalone. I don't know if this is set to be a duology or trilogy, but there has to be at least one more book since none of the action happened til the last 5%. If the book had some aspects of action, it would have been easier to get through, but the author was focused only on introducing a small cast of characters and building the setting. Yeah, the world was neat, but not enough substance to justify a full novel.
Despite my gripes, I will be continuing with the series. This is a debut work, and I already see the immense potential the author has. As long as you go in with the mindset that you'll have to hold out til the sequel for action, you won't be disappointed like me. There truly is a lot to love. Slow and steady wins the race.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
May 15, 2024
Wow, I f*cking loved this book and cannot believe it's a debut! If you're a fan of Becky Chambers and you like epistolary novels (told entirely in the form of letters and documents) then you will eat this book up.
A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a beautifully written, character-driven piece of science fiction. Set in a world where most people live in or under the water because there are very few dry pieces of land left, it primarily surrounds the exchange of letters between the grieving siblings of a young couple after they were lost in a disaster. Sophy finds letters sent to her sister E, tracing the beginning of her blossoming romance with Henerey and a mystery they uncover. She writes to share them with Henerey's brother Vyerin and they begin this beautiful correspondence, slowly tracing the path that their siblings take and developing a deep platonic friendship. After all, Vyerin is happily married to his husband and Sophy to her wife. But what begins as a way to process their loss, leads to some unexpected discoveries...
This book left my heart warm, but also left me wanting more! More time with these characters, but also to learn more about this world and the mysteries it includes. The concept of what technology you might need to live underwater is a fascinating one and gets explored a bit here. But the character work is just incredible. I also love the fact that E and Henerey are neurodivergent in different ways and find they fit perfectly. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this book! It's a gorgeous piece of quiet sci-fi. I adored it. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a beautifully written, character-driven piece of science fiction. Set in a world where most people live in or under the water because there are very few dry pieces of land left, it primarily surrounds the exchange of letters between the grieving siblings of a young couple after they were lost in a disaster. Sophy finds letters sent to her sister E, tracing the beginning of her blossoming romance with Henerey and a mystery they uncover. She writes to share them with Henerey's brother Vyerin and they begin this beautiful correspondence, slowly tracing the path that their siblings take and developing a deep platonic friendship. After all, Vyerin is happily married to his husband and Sophy to her wife. But what begins as a way to process their loss, leads to some unexpected discoveries...
This book left my heart warm, but also left me wanting more! More time with these characters, but also to learn more about this world and the mysteries it includes. The concept of what technology you might need to live underwater is a fascinating one and gets explored a bit here. But the character work is just incredible. I also love the fact that E and Henerey are neurodivergent in different ways and find they fit perfectly. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this book! It's a gorgeous piece of quiet sci-fi. I adored it. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Read
March 1, 2024DNF at 12%, the writing was so painful to me personally I wanted to cry.
For an epistolary novel to work, each of the letter writers needs to have a distinctive voice, but the four or five characters whose correspondence make up the first 12% of this novel (in a rather confusing timeline, I’d like to add) are pretty much indistinguishable. I would likely have been able to get past this if the writing stye wasn’t completely opposite my taste - extremely overwrought, nearly every sentence ending in an exclamation point, every thought given so much importance that nothing was actually important.
I’d highly recommend reading a sample chapter if you’re considering picking this up, to make sure you can live with the writing.
For an epistolary novel to work, each of the letter writers needs to have a distinctive voice, but the four or five characters whose correspondence make up the first 12% of this novel (in a rather confusing timeline, I’d like to add) are pretty much indistinguishable. I would likely have been able to get past this if the writing stye wasn’t completely opposite my taste - extremely overwrought, nearly every sentence ending in an exclamation point, every thought given so much importance that nothing was actually important.
I’d highly recommend reading a sample chapter if you’re considering picking this up, to make sure you can live with the writing.
Want to read
May 3, 2024An epistolary romance set in an underwater world with magical academia?
This has so many elements that I love to see in literature. Looking forward to diving in!
This has so many elements that I love to see in literature. Looking forward to diving in!
June 25, 2024
An enchanting epistolary story that slowly reveals its secrets. More than just a romantic tale between scholars, this story explores a range of emotional character relationships. The full cast audiobook adds vivid personality to the various characters whose letters make up the book. I really enjoyed this and I am curious to see how the story progresses in the sequel.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
April 5, 2025
LOVED. Perhaps the only book I’ve ever read that gave Atlantis vibes. If you tried this and hated it, I highly highly highly recommend trying the audiobook. The full voice cast is amazing and give the characters so much life and charm.
The epistolary format of this book forces it to be really creative in the way that it gradually rolls out worldbuilding, character relationships, and clues to the mystery. It really rewards paying attention and piecing things together yourself. The web of relationships (romantic, familial and platonic) outside of the central romance was also really wonderful to read about. There were a couple minor things that felt contradictory or inconsistent in the timeline, but altogether this was just very well crafted, creative and unique.
4.5 maybe?
The epistolary format of this book forces it to be really creative in the way that it gradually rolls out worldbuilding, character relationships, and clues to the mystery. It really rewards paying attention and piecing things together yourself. The web of relationships (romantic, familial and platonic) outside of the central romance was also really wonderful to read about. There were a couple minor things that felt contradictory or inconsistent in the timeline, but altogether this was just very well crafted, creative and unique.
4.5 maybe?
December 11, 2023
“Have you ever considered, E., that someone ought to write a Fantasy about you?
You experience something unprecedented, you venture to the library in search of new knowledge, you discover a mysterious familial connection to said knowledge, and then you write all about it to a most peculiar man who does not deserve your attention - surely that is the very stuff of stories!”
In the depths of an underwater world two strangers find one another through the magic of the written word. A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall is a debut filled with heartwarming romance, wholesome characters and a world that wraps readers in curiosity and awe.
After an event known only as the Dive, the world changed beyond recognition and became one of endless seas with only a rare few islands in sight. E. Cidnosin lives in Deep House, the first underwater dwelling of its kind which her late scholarly mother crafted. When E. makes a discovery through her porthole window it urges her to reach out to Scholar Henerey Clel to see if he can offer professional insight into what she observed. Over the course of many correspondences E. and Henerey revel in their mutual mystery as they try to unravel all that they learn and a tender and endearing relationship also begins to emerge from its shell. Yet tragedy befalls in the form of a seaquake which sees both E. and Henerey caught within its grasp and disappear. A year passes and with very little information about what exactly happened, E.’s sister, Scholar Sophy Cidnosin and Henerey’s brother, Navigator Vyerin Clel decide to share their siblings' letters from that time in the hopes that they can finally solve the conundrum which haunts them both.
From the beginning the worldbuilding absolutely mesmerised me as Cathrall presents us with this underwater world in which a society of scholars and intellectuals, with their three factions of campus’—Boundless, Intertidal and Atoll, and with their own distinctive historical feats, have made this uninhabitable place their home. I didn’t think a world could be so fully visualised through the medium of letters but I was happily proven wrong. The descriptions of Deep House in particular were delightful; a fully functional underwater living space, equipped with a kitchen, bedrooms, a studio, and even a library, was absolutely fascinating to picture. Through E.’s perspective we see it as a warm place where she, once with her two siblings and then completely alone, made fond memories. I imagined living surrounded by sea creatures, vibrant coral and having the sea-bed as your garden would be equally beautiful and relaxing as it would utterly terrifying. Cathrall also treats us to exploring more of this world by having included Sophy’s letters to E. during her time in the Ridge Expedition which again was fascinating to read about but diving into the dark abyss also sounded horrifying! I just loved that there were quirky little inclusions such as mail-boats delivering the letters and waterproof stationery which could be bought at a market to add even further richness to the people’s wondrous watery lifestyle. However, the narrative is a real slow burn where events gently unfold with very little amounts of action or moments of dire peril, and yet my interest never wavered. Every aspect kept me turning the pages eager to discover details about these characters’ lives and even the family drama they experienced. Surprisingly for me, this was just the kind of cosy fantasy I adored.
Cathrall’s prose throughout her epistolary novel had a formal yet atmospheric and poetic quality to it that I immediately fell in love with. As we traverse through Sophy’s letters to Vyerin and vice versa their tone is never weighed down by their grief, having had a year to dull the pain somewhat, but you can still sense their loss by the way they talk so fondly of their siblings. In their mutual ‘project’ they both get to know their siblings in refreshing ways, through different eyes, and when coming across new information both express much regret or guilt that they never knew this when their siblings were alive. Through this whole experience a close friendship between Sophy and Vyerin unfolds as they share snippets of their own personal lives, with Sophy detailing how she met her wife and Vyerin expressing how encouraging his husband is, they both express their joys and their shared sorrow, which was warming to see. Similarly E.’s letters to Henerey also conveyed much of their emotions as their first few writings were filled with hesitations, formal politeness and a sense of nervousness. When that begins to fade away into the background their letters not only grow in length but also in familiarity—a sense of comfort that they can confide their innermost personal thoughts with one another and a deep understanding ensues.
“The sight of your handwriting - and your ever-transporting words - brought about a great calm within me. How marvellous that an unexpected letter introduced me to someone who seems to see the world exactly as I do! All I can do is thank you for your kindness and pray that I will not frighten you away with my melancholic thoughts.”
As I have mentioned, at the centre of this tale is essentially a love story between two strangers who fall for each other through the magic of words. It was just beautiful for E., a person who suffers from OCD and severe anxiety, making social gatherings and face to face interactions rather traumatic, to find that the safety words upon a page could allow her to open up to someone like Henerey who also suffers from some mild social anxiety and may just sympathise with her more than she thinks. With each letter I loved reading a sense of trust form between them, a confidence in E. that grows as she goes into detail about her thought-processes and how her Brain fixates on things, the way her mind tries to make her believe every calamity it conjures up. In turn Henerey is beautifully wholesome in his understanding and acceptance and support. We need more of this in the world. Aside from the romance there is also the love between siblings explored, with E. and Sophy having the most close-knit sisterly bond, and their relationship with their eccentric brother Arvist echoed a lot of my own feelings towards my brother, who can also be an insensitive pain! Vyerin and Henerey contrasted each other in many ways but they too shared a closeness despite being tides away from each other for most of their adult lives. Cathrall certainly makes the reader see just how powerful and impactful words can be.
“Should you find
yourself growing anxious, with troubling thoughts blossoming in your mind, I would recommend focusing on the intricate details of the Fan Coral - trace each spiny, skeletal sclerite from the root to the tip - and pretending that each bubble you see outside your depth-craft is a pernicious Thought floating out of your head and into the open ocean.”
A Letter to the Luninous Deep is an epistolary novel that is deeply romantic and achingly beautiful in every way. Cathrall is an author who delves her readers into a fantasy with both warmth and charm whilst tenderly revealing a story of unsettling discoveries and tragic loss. This is truly a superb debut.
ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Book—thank you immensely for the copy. All quotes used are taken from an early ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
A Letter to the Luminous Deep is due out 23rd April 2024 but you can preorder your copy here:
You experience something unprecedented, you venture to the library in search of new knowledge, you discover a mysterious familial connection to said knowledge, and then you write all about it to a most peculiar man who does not deserve your attention - surely that is the very stuff of stories!”
In the depths of an underwater world two strangers find one another through the magic of the written word. A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall is a debut filled with heartwarming romance, wholesome characters and a world that wraps readers in curiosity and awe.
After an event known only as the Dive, the world changed beyond recognition and became one of endless seas with only a rare few islands in sight. E. Cidnosin lives in Deep House, the first underwater dwelling of its kind which her late scholarly mother crafted. When E. makes a discovery through her porthole window it urges her to reach out to Scholar Henerey Clel to see if he can offer professional insight into what she observed. Over the course of many correspondences E. and Henerey revel in their mutual mystery as they try to unravel all that they learn and a tender and endearing relationship also begins to emerge from its shell. Yet tragedy befalls in the form of a seaquake which sees both E. and Henerey caught within its grasp and disappear. A year passes and with very little information about what exactly happened, E.’s sister, Scholar Sophy Cidnosin and Henerey’s brother, Navigator Vyerin Clel decide to share their siblings' letters from that time in the hopes that they can finally solve the conundrum which haunts them both.
From the beginning the worldbuilding absolutely mesmerised me as Cathrall presents us with this underwater world in which a society of scholars and intellectuals, with their three factions of campus’—Boundless, Intertidal and Atoll, and with their own distinctive historical feats, have made this uninhabitable place their home. I didn’t think a world could be so fully visualised through the medium of letters but I was happily proven wrong. The descriptions of Deep House in particular were delightful; a fully functional underwater living space, equipped with a kitchen, bedrooms, a studio, and even a library, was absolutely fascinating to picture. Through E.’s perspective we see it as a warm place where she, once with her two siblings and then completely alone, made fond memories. I imagined living surrounded by sea creatures, vibrant coral and having the sea-bed as your garden would be equally beautiful and relaxing as it would utterly terrifying. Cathrall also treats us to exploring more of this world by having included Sophy’s letters to E. during her time in the Ridge Expedition which again was fascinating to read about but diving into the dark abyss also sounded horrifying! I just loved that there were quirky little inclusions such as mail-boats delivering the letters and waterproof stationery which could be bought at a market to add even further richness to the people’s wondrous watery lifestyle. However, the narrative is a real slow burn where events gently unfold with very little amounts of action or moments of dire peril, and yet my interest never wavered. Every aspect kept me turning the pages eager to discover details about these characters’ lives and even the family drama they experienced. Surprisingly for me, this was just the kind of cosy fantasy I adored.
Cathrall’s prose throughout her epistolary novel had a formal yet atmospheric and poetic quality to it that I immediately fell in love with. As we traverse through Sophy’s letters to Vyerin and vice versa their tone is never weighed down by their grief, having had a year to dull the pain somewhat, but you can still sense their loss by the way they talk so fondly of their siblings. In their mutual ‘project’ they both get to know their siblings in refreshing ways, through different eyes, and when coming across new information both express much regret or guilt that they never knew this when their siblings were alive. Through this whole experience a close friendship between Sophy and Vyerin unfolds as they share snippets of their own personal lives, with Sophy detailing how she met her wife and Vyerin expressing how encouraging his husband is, they both express their joys and their shared sorrow, which was warming to see. Similarly E.’s letters to Henerey also conveyed much of their emotions as their first few writings were filled with hesitations, formal politeness and a sense of nervousness. When that begins to fade away into the background their letters not only grow in length but also in familiarity—a sense of comfort that they can confide their innermost personal thoughts with one another and a deep understanding ensues.
“The sight of your handwriting - and your ever-transporting words - brought about a great calm within me. How marvellous that an unexpected letter introduced me to someone who seems to see the world exactly as I do! All I can do is thank you for your kindness and pray that I will not frighten you away with my melancholic thoughts.”
As I have mentioned, at the centre of this tale is essentially a love story between two strangers who fall for each other through the magic of words. It was just beautiful for E., a person who suffers from OCD and severe anxiety, making social gatherings and face to face interactions rather traumatic, to find that the safety words upon a page could allow her to open up to someone like Henerey who also suffers from some mild social anxiety and may just sympathise with her more than she thinks. With each letter I loved reading a sense of trust form between them, a confidence in E. that grows as she goes into detail about her thought-processes and how her Brain fixates on things, the way her mind tries to make her believe every calamity it conjures up. In turn Henerey is beautifully wholesome in his understanding and acceptance and support. We need more of this in the world. Aside from the romance there is also the love between siblings explored, with E. and Sophy having the most close-knit sisterly bond, and their relationship with their eccentric brother Arvist echoed a lot of my own feelings towards my brother, who can also be an insensitive pain! Vyerin and Henerey contrasted each other in many ways but they too shared a closeness despite being tides away from each other for most of their adult lives. Cathrall certainly makes the reader see just how powerful and impactful words can be.
“Should you find
yourself growing anxious, with troubling thoughts blossoming in your mind, I would recommend focusing on the intricate details of the Fan Coral - trace each spiny, skeletal sclerite from the root to the tip - and pretending that each bubble you see outside your depth-craft is a pernicious Thought floating out of your head and into the open ocean.”
A Letter to the Luninous Deep is an epistolary novel that is deeply romantic and achingly beautiful in every way. Cathrall is an author who delves her readers into a fantasy with both warmth and charm whilst tenderly revealing a story of unsettling discoveries and tragic loss. This is truly a superb debut.
ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Book—thank you immensely for the copy. All quotes used are taken from an early ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
A Letter to the Luminous Deep is due out 23rd April 2024 but you can preorder your copy here:
May 3, 2024
I wanted very much to like this -- the description is enticing, as is Freya Marske's praise for the book -- but the archness of the language, which did charm me at first, started grating after a while. "Look at me!" it seemed to say: that is, the prose was in love with its own mannered quality, so that it got in the way of engaging with the characters and the story. When I find myself reluctant to keep reading a book whose premise is as perfectly tailored to my tastes as this, something's not working as it should.
I'm sorry I can't say anything more positive. Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC.
I'm sorry I can't say anything more positive. Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC.
February 8, 2025
3.75 Stars.
From the minute I saw this book - I believe it was a bit before its release - I became curious of it, and I'm seeing so many positive reviews regarding it. So naturally I'm looking forward to reading this.
From the minute I saw this book - I believe it was a bit before its release - I became curious of it, and I'm seeing so many positive reviews regarding it. So naturally I'm looking forward to reading this.
Read
June 20, 2024DNF @ 14%
I’d usually read much more further on than this to determine a DNF but the incredibly formal epistolary writing between four characters with no distinct voices and with no education to the readers of the world is making me lose the will to live. I’m a fast reader and it took me about 2 solid hours to even get this far in, maybe more.
I checked out some of the other reviews to see if it was worth me persisting but after reading many others say that it doesn’t come together until the 75% mark and then ends on a cliffhanger, I’m happy to give up on this book.
What an absolute shame because the cover is intricately beautiful and the premise itself sounds wonderful. I don’t think the writing is bad at all, I think that this book needs to undergo some serious editing to either simply make sense to readers or to encourage a reader to keep going with a better storyline hook.
I’d usually read much more further on than this to determine a DNF but the incredibly formal epistolary writing between four characters with no distinct voices and with no education to the readers of the world is making me lose the will to live. I’m a fast reader and it took me about 2 solid hours to even get this far in, maybe more.
I checked out some of the other reviews to see if it was worth me persisting but after reading many others say that it doesn’t come together until the 75% mark and then ends on a cliffhanger, I’m happy to give up on this book.
What an absolute shame because the cover is intricately beautiful and the premise itself sounds wonderful. I don’t think the writing is bad at all, I think that this book needs to undergo some serious editing to either simply make sense to readers or to encourage a reader to keep going with a better storyline hook.
February 15, 2024
3.4 ⭐️
Imaginative, futuristically Victorian, and exploratively poetic
📝 This book is 100% epistolary (writings and letter correspondence), written in a very formal historical and intellectual language. Though not my preferred style of language, it makes total sense for the era and the book.
🧑🏻🏫 Two “scholars” that share a fondness of marine life, bond over solving an under sea mystery through subtly flirtatious letters written between them in the year 1002, while living in separate pressurized spheres under the ocean.
🧩 A year later, their siblings, Sophy and Vyerin, join forces to piece together the evidence of correspondence between them that was left behind before their mysterious disappearance.
🫧 The letters paint a visual of living life deep under the dark waters of the sea and the anxieties of the world above, creating a sense of both intrigue and loneliness lived through glass walls at such depths. While reading I felt their longing for connections submerged with the weight of isolated waters, evoking a depressive but hopeful feeling.
🐢 This is what I’d consider a long cozy read. Extremely slow build up, lacking the exciting “oomph” of a page-turner for most of the book, a lot of it felt like trivial mundane fluff until it’s brought together around the 75% mark (which is when I finally started enjoying), and the overall formal writing style maintained a melancholy vibe for much of the book. I was really into the last 25% of the book, very creative!
🚨Slight Spoiler🚨
It leaves you hanging in the end, the rest to be revealed in Book 2. I’m not a fan of that when the book was finally getting exciting!
Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Sylvie Cathrall for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!
Imaginative, futuristically Victorian, and exploratively poetic
📝 This book is 100% epistolary (writings and letter correspondence), written in a very formal historical and intellectual language. Though not my preferred style of language, it makes total sense for the era and the book.
🧑🏻🏫 Two “scholars” that share a fondness of marine life, bond over solving an under sea mystery through subtly flirtatious letters written between them in the year 1002, while living in separate pressurized spheres under the ocean.
🧩 A year later, their siblings, Sophy and Vyerin, join forces to piece together the evidence of correspondence between them that was left behind before their mysterious disappearance.
🫧 The letters paint a visual of living life deep under the dark waters of the sea and the anxieties of the world above, creating a sense of both intrigue and loneliness lived through glass walls at such depths. While reading I felt their longing for connections submerged with the weight of isolated waters, evoking a depressive but hopeful feeling.
🐢 This is what I’d consider a long cozy read. Extremely slow build up, lacking the exciting “oomph” of a page-turner for most of the book, a lot of it felt like trivial mundane fluff until it’s brought together around the 75% mark (which is when I finally started enjoying), and the overall formal writing style maintained a melancholy vibe for much of the book. I was really into the last 25% of the book, very creative!
🚨Slight Spoiler🚨
It leaves you hanging in the end, the rest to be revealed in Book 2. I’m not a fan of that when the book was finally getting exciting!
Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Sylvie Cathrall for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2025
I’m way behind the curve on this one, I know. As much as I love the underwater world and books that revolve around it, I often don’t enjoy epistolary stories. I can see why they appeal to others, but they don’t really scratch my itch, if you know what I mean.
So imagine my surprise to find I was utterly charmed by this book. It’s an absolute treasure of a story, sweetly mysterious, full of earnest scholars falling in love.
The story takes place in two timelines – a favorite narrative style of mine – weaving back and forth between the letters of Henerey and E. as they write and fall in love, and a year later after they’ve both vanished, as their siblings correspond in an attempt to solve their disappearance.
It’s beautiful and whimsical and I felt so invested in each and every character and relationship. The friendship between Sophy and Vyerin might have even been a stronger draw to me than the romance between E. and Henerey, but I was never bored with any of them.
It’s very cozy, medium stakes, and there’s a great little cliffhanger at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the sequel later this year. I don’t think I had “cozy academic romance” on my radar as a thing I needed, but here’s Sylvie Cathrall, delivering in spades. 4 delighted stars.
So imagine my surprise to find I was utterly charmed by this book. It’s an absolute treasure of a story, sweetly mysterious, full of earnest scholars falling in love.
The story takes place in two timelines – a favorite narrative style of mine – weaving back and forth between the letters of Henerey and E. as they write and fall in love, and a year later after they’ve both vanished, as their siblings correspond in an attempt to solve their disappearance.
It’s beautiful and whimsical and I felt so invested in each and every character and relationship. The friendship between Sophy and Vyerin might have even been a stronger draw to me than the romance between E. and Henerey, but I was never bored with any of them.
It’s very cozy, medium stakes, and there’s a great little cliffhanger at the end that has me eagerly awaiting the sequel later this year. I don’t think I had “cozy academic romance” on my radar as a thing I needed, but here’s Sylvie Cathrall, delivering in spades. 4 delighted stars.
March 30, 2024
★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.25/5
Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Epistolary Novel
Multi POV
➳ 📓 Academia
➳ 🪸 Underwater World
➳ 💌 Pen Pals / Epistolary Romance
➳ 🫶 Mental Health Rep
➳ 👯♀️ Sibling/Sisterly Bonds
➳ ❤️🩹 Grief & Loss
➳ 🕯️Cosy Fantasy
➳ 🔎 Hidden Discoveries
✨ “Is not everything we accomplish but one small step in the Greatest Project of our lives – that which we do not complete until we pass from this world?“ ✨
My first foray into *fully* epistolary novels, such a deeply gratifying journey. This story truly grew on me, the intricate and extensive worldbuilding is what captured my attention and kept me reading in the beginning. If you’re used to binge reading, you may feel that the pacing of this book takes some adjustment. While i loved the platonic letters between characters, I found that the letters that drew me in most were between E and Henery. Watching their relationship blossom, was a gift and I truly felt the nervous tension between them as if it were my own. I found myself giddy when E would write to her sister Sophy about Henery as well. It felt a bit as if I were Sophy and E’s unnoficial sister, being filled in on their secrets.
Around 40% in, the correspondence between E & Henery really tugged at my heart and had me fully invested. By the end I was positively ready to pack my bags and join the characters down in the Luminous Deep. I look forward to the quest to come in the second novel.
This book is meant to be savoured, letter by letter. I think for my reread i will break down which letters to read each day to better capture the mood of this novel. I will post my updated letter reading schedule in the future.
📚📚📚
Find me on: insta | tiktok
❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧
**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 4/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Thank you to the Sylvie Cathrall, Orbit and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.25/5
Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Epistolary Novel
Multi POV
➳ 📓 Academia
➳ 🪸 Underwater World
➳ 💌 Pen Pals / Epistolary Romance
➳ 🫶 Mental Health Rep
➳ 👯♀️ Sibling/Sisterly Bonds
➳ ❤️🩹 Grief & Loss
➳ 🕯️Cosy Fantasy
➳ 🔎 Hidden Discoveries
✨ “Is not everything we accomplish but one small step in the Greatest Project of our lives – that which we do not complete until we pass from this world?“ ✨
My first foray into *fully* epistolary novels, such a deeply gratifying journey. This story truly grew on me, the intricate and extensive worldbuilding is what captured my attention and kept me reading in the beginning. If you’re used to binge reading, you may feel that the pacing of this book takes some adjustment. While i loved the platonic letters between characters, I found that the letters that drew me in most were between E and Henery. Watching their relationship blossom, was a gift and I truly felt the nervous tension between them as if it were my own. I found myself giddy when E would write to her sister Sophy about Henery as well. It felt a bit as if I were Sophy and E’s unnoficial sister, being filled in on their secrets.
Around 40% in, the correspondence between E & Henery really tugged at my heart and had me fully invested. By the end I was positively ready to pack my bags and join the characters down in the Luminous Deep. I look forward to the quest to come in the second novel.
This book is meant to be savoured, letter by letter. I think for my reread i will break down which letters to read each day to better capture the mood of this novel. I will post my updated letter reading schedule in the future.
📚📚📚
Find me on: insta | tiktok
❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧
**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 4/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Thank you to the Sylvie Cathrall, Orbit and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.
June 27, 2024
4.5 stars
Blending underwater sci-fi, mystical mystery, and the most wholesome romance, A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a positively enchanting and so-fish-ticated epistolary adventure that will conquer your heart one letter at a time.
When I first heard the premise of A Letter to the Luminous Deep, I was not entirely sure if it would be the book for me. As a primarly character-driven reader who thrives on seeing the development of emotionally charged interpersonal relationships, the whole idea of the epistolary format combined with the Austen-esque writing style just had me a bit nervous. However, I could not have been more wrong in assuming that this book would leave me wanting in any sort of way.
From the very first letter, I was just utterly and completely enamoured. Through the letters between Vy and Sophy in the present and the letters between Henerey and E. in the past, we get to witness two incredibly beautiful relationships develop; one purely platonic, and one heartwarmingly romantic. Their interactions truly change the tides in their lives, and I loved being swept up in all their overwhelming emotions.
The themes of family, friendship and mental health lie at the heart of this narrative, and I was also pleasantly surprised by how delightfully diverse this story turned out to be. Both Vy and Sophy are in happy queer marriages, and through Hen and E.'s perspectives we get such a beautiful representation of neurodivergence and anxiety.
Though, as quaint, quiet and wholesome as the narrative is, there's also an air of riveting suspense and tragic melancholy woven into the undercurrents of this story. The entire mystery behind Hen and E.'s inexplicable disappearance kept me on the edge of my seat, and I really loved following the entire investigation through all the exchanged letters, excerpts, and other relevant pieces of recorded evidence.
Moreover, there's a truly impressive amount of world building and lore packed into this epistolary sci-fi story, which only added to the already all-consuming immersion. I do have to admit that I was personally a bit more invested in the characters and their beautifully complex interpersonal relationships than in the sci-fi mystery elements of the story, but ultimately these two aspects balance each other out wonderfully and come together beautifully in this absolute tidalwave of a shell-shocking ending.
This first instalment in The Sunken Archive has definitely left me with more questions than answers, and I already can't wait to return to this wonderfully messy found family as they continue their search for their loved ones. If you want a story that is equal parts cozy, whimsical, suspenseful, and poignant, then highly recommend you take put on your rose-coloured goggles and dive headfirst into A Letter to the Luminous Deep!
Blending underwater sci-fi, mystical mystery, and the most wholesome romance, A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a positively enchanting and so-fish-ticated epistolary adventure that will conquer your heart one letter at a time.
When I first heard the premise of A Letter to the Luminous Deep, I was not entirely sure if it would be the book for me. As a primarly character-driven reader who thrives on seeing the development of emotionally charged interpersonal relationships, the whole idea of the epistolary format combined with the Austen-esque writing style just had me a bit nervous. However, I could not have been more wrong in assuming that this book would leave me wanting in any sort of way.
From the very first letter, I was just utterly and completely enamoured. Through the letters between Vy and Sophy in the present and the letters between Henerey and E. in the past, we get to witness two incredibly beautiful relationships develop; one purely platonic, and one heartwarmingly romantic. Their interactions truly change the tides in their lives, and I loved being swept up in all their overwhelming emotions.
The themes of family, friendship and mental health lie at the heart of this narrative, and I was also pleasantly surprised by how delightfully diverse this story turned out to be. Both Vy and Sophy are in happy queer marriages, and through Hen and E.'s perspectives we get such a beautiful representation of neurodivergence and anxiety.
Though, as quaint, quiet and wholesome as the narrative is, there's also an air of riveting suspense and tragic melancholy woven into the undercurrents of this story. The entire mystery behind Hen and E.'s inexplicable disappearance kept me on the edge of my seat, and I really loved following the entire investigation through all the exchanged letters, excerpts, and other relevant pieces of recorded evidence.
Moreover, there's a truly impressive amount of world building and lore packed into this epistolary sci-fi story, which only added to the already all-consuming immersion. I do have to admit that I was personally a bit more invested in the characters and their beautifully complex interpersonal relationships than in the sci-fi mystery elements of the story, but ultimately these two aspects balance each other out wonderfully and come together beautifully in this absolute tidalwave of a shell-shocking ending.
This first instalment in The Sunken Archive has definitely left me with more questions than answers, and I already can't wait to return to this wonderfully messy found family as they continue their search for their loved ones. If you want a story that is equal parts cozy, whimsical, suspenseful, and poignant, then highly recommend you take put on your rose-coloured goggles and dive headfirst into A Letter to the Luminous Deep!
Read
March 3, 2025Dear friends and Goodreads readers,
I am writing to draw your attention to the lovely cover of the debut novel by Sylvie Cathrall, "A Letter to the Luminous Deep," which is the first book in The Sunken Archive series. I also want to sincerely apologize for not give a damn what will happen to the letters, I mean this book—letters from a few characters that I am not even sure if they are people or perhaps mermaids.
I’ve started to think that I don’t have any idea what’s going on. The cozy romance, academia, and love of letters didn’t pique my interest. I wish the author the best of luck; I’m sure this is just me, and others will find it more interesting and unique in their own way.
Sincerely,
Shirin
P.S. I want to express my thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for DRC. I didn’t rate it here on Goodreads because I didn’t finish the book, but I was needed to give star rating for feedback.
I am writing to draw your attention to the lovely cover of the debut novel by Sylvie Cathrall, "A Letter to the Luminous Deep," which is the first book in The Sunken Archive series. I also want to sincerely apologize for not give a damn what will happen to the letters, I mean this book—letters from a few characters that I am not even sure if they are people or perhaps mermaids.
I’ve started to think that I don’t have any idea what’s going on. The cozy romance, academia, and love of letters didn’t pique my interest. I wish the author the best of luck; I’m sure this is just me, and others will find it more interesting and unique in their own way.
Sincerely,
Shirin
P.S. I want to express my thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for DRC. I didn’t rate it here on Goodreads because I didn’t finish the book, but I was needed to give star rating for feedback.
April 19, 2024
This book was supposed to be like “Emily Wilde under water”. Emily Wilde was an absolute highlight. I loved it. It was cozy, fantastical, exciting and romantic. Being compared to it is a big compliment in my opinion and will raise my expectations quite high. Aside from that, I’m always down for books with anything water world, doesn't matter if it's about pirates, mermaids, other sea creatures, or whatever. So this book was a must.
And let’s be honest – the cover is stunning. It definitely played a huge part in me wanting to read this. Look at it. I’m in love with it.
Unfortunately, this book became one of the biggest disappointments of this year so far (at least when I read it, we were only two months in, so it could’ve been worse, but still. Huge disappointment.) It was neither cozy, nor fantastical, exciting or romantic or anything that I enjoyed about Emily Wilde.
Disclaimer – this review might be slightly strong worded. Don’t take it personally. I’ve got nothing against the author. If you did enjoy this book and get insulted by people having different opinions from your own, you might want to skip this review.
First things first – the plot. When E witnesses two strange sea creatures she doesn’t recognise, she contacts her idol, Scholar Henery, and they strike up a conversation.
Later, her sister Sophy takes up correspondence with his brother Vyerin, exchanging their siblings’ old letters to reconstruct their story – as both of them have gone missing.
What I expected: E and Henery exchange letters, theorising and researching about the strange fish, while talking about gorgeous underwater worlds and their passion for marine life, while Sophy and Vyerin piece together the letters and slowly figure out what happened to them (and maybe go on some kind of rescue mission). I did not expect a full-on thriller or anything like that – if it’s supposed to be like Emily Wilde, it’s gotta be cozy fantasy.
What I got was nothing like that. It does start with E and Henery exchanging letters – but after the first letter, they barely mention the sea creatures. Or other topics concerning the ocean. They talk about their siblings and what those are doing. They talk about their families. Their lives. Their history. Don’t get me wrong – all of that could be interesting. But it really really wasn’t. I couldn’t have cared less.
The same for Sophy’s and V’s letters. You’d think they’d look for anything interesting or strange inside those letters. But no. They talk about how adorable their siblings are. And what they did during that time. And what they are doing now. And none. Of. That. Is. Interesting.
Honestly – for basically 80 % of this book, nothing happens at all.
There are also letters from other people, some articles and other sources, but I honestly didn’t see the need for including any of those.
And the last couple of chapters didn’t make any sense to me. They were very rushed and kind of seemed as if the author had realised that she still needed a plot. At this point, I wasn’t sure whether this was supposed to be sci-fi, post-apocalyptic or fantasy, and the ending didn’t exactly clear that up. Nothing fit together.
I don’t even know how the second book is supposed to play out. The ending does set up a second book, but if it’s gonna be written in the same style as the first one – oh dear. Either Sylvie Cathrall speeds up everything fast, or she’s going to need ten books until anything happens.
Now if the book was full of beautiful descriptions of underwater worlds, I might not have cared about the lack of a plot. But I barely have any idea what this world is supposed to look like. The world building was honestly bad. Very vague. As I said, I don’t even know what kind of genre this is supposed to be. And considering that the whole thing started with the witnessing of strange, never-seen-before-creatures, I would’ve expected to actually read more about those creatures and just the underwater-world in general. Look at the cover! Doesn’t it promise gorgeous reefs, colourful fishes, and hidden secrets? But no.
Of course, the characters are mainly scholars, or at least very interested in the sciences, so you might not get any flowery descriptions.
Well, actually, all of them used extremely flowery language. Especially for scholars. It does get mentioned that Henery has an interesting style of writing his papers, but it simply didn’t fit. If he honestly writes his papers the same way as his letters, I really don’t understand how anyone takes him or his research seriously. He’s a scientist. He’s supposed to talk about science. Not about his emotions and dreams. And while he puts very flowery language in every single piece of writing, he still doesn’t manage to describe the setting! All of it seemed to exist simply for the purpose of making this book longer. The whole story could’ve easily been cut down by two thirds if the characters had decided to talk like human beings.
The way they spoke in their letters was simply extremely unnatural. No one talks like that. I would expect a certain number of scientific phrases, perhaps some eccentricities. But this was extreme. Both E and Henery wrote, as if they had never talked to another human being before. Every single one of their letters sounded like “Hello, fellow friend of water creatures. I have thoughts! I am smart and scholarly, look at me using smart and scholarly words while describing my thoughts! But oh, I’m also human, so here is something deeply personal about me. I apologize for oversharing, considering we've never met each other.”
Yes, it’s okay to have characters that are socially awkward, perhaps neurodivergent. But this was way over the top. It honestly read like robots trying to appear human. And they babbled so much. And then they apologised for babbling. And then they babbled some more. Also, for someone apparently so excited by this new scientific discovery, Henery changes the topic way too quickly. From the first letter on, it did not seem as if he was a scientist.
Are they at least interesting on their own? Not in the slightest. All the characters are exactly the same. They don’t seem to have any kind of personality at all. It went so far, that I honestly couldn’t keep them apart. The letters always said who was writing to whom, but once a letter went on for more than two pages, I honestly didn’t know anymore who was talking. Only when another character got mentioned, I managed to figure out what was going on. There were no differences in the tone or writing style at all.
This book is an epistolary novel. Of course there are certain difficulties with writing a book like this. But that is not an excuse. I’ve read multiple epistolary novels that were truly fantastic. If you encounter problems you cannot solve, either change the plot, or change the format. Not everyone can write a novel like this and that’s fine! But it would be better to write a good normal novel than a terrible novel that’s supposed to stand out by formatting. It’s gonna stand out in an entirely different way.
There was so much info dumping, which of course leads to me forgetting every single thing they said. Also – why do they explain the history of their world to each other? Apparently, everyone knows it, so why talk about it? Well, of course so that the stupid reader also knows it. But I hate things like that! Give me reality! I don’t randomly start spouting history facts when talking about my home or weird animals I saw. And there was way too much way too early.
The romance was weak and weird. Both Henery and E were very awkward, while being instantaneously infatuated with each other. There was no chemistry. They barely even seemed in love, it looked more like obsession to me. I didn’t get them at all.
Overall – the plot was boring. The world was barely described at all. The characters did not appear like human beings. The writing annoyed me very much.
Honestly, the best thing about this book was the cover.
Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And let’s be honest – the cover is stunning. It definitely played a huge part in me wanting to read this. Look at it. I’m in love with it.
Unfortunately, this book became one of the biggest disappointments of this year so far (at least when I read it, we were only two months in, so it could’ve been worse, but still. Huge disappointment.) It was neither cozy, nor fantastical, exciting or romantic or anything that I enjoyed about Emily Wilde.
Disclaimer – this review might be slightly strong worded. Don’t take it personally. I’ve got nothing against the author. If you did enjoy this book and get insulted by people having different opinions from your own, you might want to skip this review.
First things first – the plot. When E witnesses two strange sea creatures she doesn’t recognise, she contacts her idol, Scholar Henery, and they strike up a conversation.
Later, her sister Sophy takes up correspondence with his brother Vyerin, exchanging their siblings’ old letters to reconstruct their story – as both of them have gone missing.
What I expected: E and Henery exchange letters, theorising and researching about the strange fish, while talking about gorgeous underwater worlds and their passion for marine life, while Sophy and Vyerin piece together the letters and slowly figure out what happened to them (and maybe go on some kind of rescue mission). I did not expect a full-on thriller or anything like that – if it’s supposed to be like Emily Wilde, it’s gotta be cozy fantasy.
What I got was nothing like that. It does start with E and Henery exchanging letters – but after the first letter, they barely mention the sea creatures. Or other topics concerning the ocean. They talk about their siblings and what those are doing. They talk about their families. Their lives. Their history. Don’t get me wrong – all of that could be interesting. But it really really wasn’t. I couldn’t have cared less.
The same for Sophy’s and V’s letters. You’d think they’d look for anything interesting or strange inside those letters. But no. They talk about how adorable their siblings are. And what they did during that time. And what they are doing now. And none. Of. That. Is. Interesting.
Honestly – for basically 80 % of this book, nothing happens at all.
There are also letters from other people, some articles and other sources, but I honestly didn’t see the need for including any of those.
And the last couple of chapters didn’t make any sense to me. They were very rushed and kind of seemed as if the author had realised that she still needed a plot. At this point, I wasn’t sure whether this was supposed to be sci-fi, post-apocalyptic or fantasy, and the ending didn’t exactly clear that up. Nothing fit together.
I don’t even know how the second book is supposed to play out. The ending does set up a second book, but if it’s gonna be written in the same style as the first one – oh dear. Either Sylvie Cathrall speeds up everything fast, or she’s going to need ten books until anything happens.
Now if the book was full of beautiful descriptions of underwater worlds, I might not have cared about the lack of a plot. But I barely have any idea what this world is supposed to look like. The world building was honestly bad. Very vague. As I said, I don’t even know what kind of genre this is supposed to be. And considering that the whole thing started with the witnessing of strange, never-seen-before-creatures, I would’ve expected to actually read more about those creatures and just the underwater-world in general. Look at the cover! Doesn’t it promise gorgeous reefs, colourful fishes, and hidden secrets? But no.
Of course, the characters are mainly scholars, or at least very interested in the sciences, so you might not get any flowery descriptions.
Well, actually, all of them used extremely flowery language. Especially for scholars. It does get mentioned that Henery has an interesting style of writing his papers, but it simply didn’t fit. If he honestly writes his papers the same way as his letters, I really don’t understand how anyone takes him or his research seriously. He’s a scientist. He’s supposed to talk about science. Not about his emotions and dreams. And while he puts very flowery language in every single piece of writing, he still doesn’t manage to describe the setting! All of it seemed to exist simply for the purpose of making this book longer. The whole story could’ve easily been cut down by two thirds if the characters had decided to talk like human beings.
The way they spoke in their letters was simply extremely unnatural. No one talks like that. I would expect a certain number of scientific phrases, perhaps some eccentricities. But this was extreme. Both E and Henery wrote, as if they had never talked to another human being before. Every single one of their letters sounded like “Hello, fellow friend of water creatures. I have thoughts! I am smart and scholarly, look at me using smart and scholarly words while describing my thoughts! But oh, I’m also human, so here is something deeply personal about me. I apologize for oversharing, considering we've never met each other.”
Yes, it’s okay to have characters that are socially awkward, perhaps neurodivergent. But this was way over the top. It honestly read like robots trying to appear human. And they babbled so much. And then they apologised for babbling. And then they babbled some more. Also, for someone apparently so excited by this new scientific discovery, Henery changes the topic way too quickly. From the first letter on, it did not seem as if he was a scientist.
Are they at least interesting on their own? Not in the slightest. All the characters are exactly the same. They don’t seem to have any kind of personality at all. It went so far, that I honestly couldn’t keep them apart. The letters always said who was writing to whom, but once a letter went on for more than two pages, I honestly didn’t know anymore who was talking. Only when another character got mentioned, I managed to figure out what was going on. There were no differences in the tone or writing style at all.
This book is an epistolary novel. Of course there are certain difficulties with writing a book like this. But that is not an excuse. I’ve read multiple epistolary novels that were truly fantastic. If you encounter problems you cannot solve, either change the plot, or change the format. Not everyone can write a novel like this and that’s fine! But it would be better to write a good normal novel than a terrible novel that’s supposed to stand out by formatting. It’s gonna stand out in an entirely different way.
There was so much info dumping, which of course leads to me forgetting every single thing they said. Also – why do they explain the history of their world to each other? Apparently, everyone knows it, so why talk about it? Well, of course so that the stupid reader also knows it. But I hate things like that! Give me reality! I don’t randomly start spouting history facts when talking about my home or weird animals I saw. And there was way too much way too early.
The romance was weak and weird. Both Henery and E were very awkward, while being instantaneously infatuated with each other. There was no chemistry. They barely even seemed in love, it looked more like obsession to me. I didn’t get them at all.
Overall – the plot was boring. The world was barely described at all. The characters did not appear like human beings. The writing annoyed me very much.
Honestly, the best thing about this book was the cover.
Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2024
DNF 72%
Dearest reader,
I must confess I cannot continue on this journey.
This book’s plot and/or purpose is entirely lost in a sea of prose. It’s told in the format of exchanged messages, both automated missives (I’m assuming this is meant to emulate telegrams) and good old-fashion letters.
There are four main POVs. But I will say if you take away their names at the start of each recorded exchange, I would not be able to tell the difference. Their voices are not distinct enough. And while I did enjoy Henerey and E’s budding relationship, they did not make up the bulk of this book's content. I found myself skimming so much to get letters from them. I cared for no one else.
Perhaps something happens in the latter 30% that completely rescues the book. But frankly, I don’t have the patience to keep wading through this.
I saw some tout this as Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia Meets the Sea or something of the like, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Emily Wilde’s has a far less confusing structure and is but for one exception, told in a singular voice.
I’m generally a fast reader but this took me over a month of steady attempts to read and I couldn’t even finish it.
Do I think there are those out there who will love this? Yes, I can imagine it holding some charm for some people. I am not one of those people. Thus, I am not charmed.
May this book find its target audience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Dearest reader,
I must confess I cannot continue on this journey.
This book’s plot and/or purpose is entirely lost in a sea of prose. It’s told in the format of exchanged messages, both automated missives (I’m assuming this is meant to emulate telegrams) and good old-fashion letters.
There are four main POVs. But I will say if you take away their names at the start of each recorded exchange, I would not be able to tell the difference. Their voices are not distinct enough. And while I did enjoy Henerey and E’s budding relationship, they did not make up the bulk of this book's content. I found myself skimming so much to get letters from them. I cared for no one else.
Perhaps something happens in the latter 30% that completely rescues the book. But frankly, I don’t have the patience to keep wading through this.
I saw some tout this as Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia Meets the Sea or something of the like, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Emily Wilde’s has a far less confusing structure and is but for one exception, told in a singular voice.
I’m generally a fast reader but this took me over a month of steady attempts to read and I couldn’t even finish it.
Do I think there are those out there who will love this? Yes, I can imagine it holding some charm for some people. I am not one of those people. Thus, I am not charmed.
May this book find its target audience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 27, 2024
This author has the audacity to proclaim that this book is the FIRST of a SERIES?! I have several complaints about it. Without spoilers (but seriously, don't waste your time), the writing style was extremely annoying and came off as rather pretentious. Honestly, the book could have been summed up to maybe a quarter of its length by eliminating all of the pointless dialogue. I may have had less of an issue with it if the author condensed this book into a couple of chapters and continued on with the dreaded second book. None of the characters were particularly likeable, and they all spoke as if they kept a thesaurus in their back pocket. On top of all that, there were a noticeable amount of errors when referring to individuals or stating the year in which the letters were sent (you would think that if you were going to set the book during a very specific timeframe, you would ensure that your dates are correct throughout). I was really hoping that the book would get more enjoyable by the end but was unfortunately disappointed. Finishing it was a chore. I'm glad it's over.
October 22, 2023
I was lucky enough to be asked to read this as an ARC. With its gorgeous underwater setting and whimsical academic sensibility, this novel is a strange, epistolary wonder. The voices of the letter-writers are so charming and intimate (and so delicately rendered, such perfect windows into the vulnerabilities of the characters’ psyches) that you love each character instantly.
If you ever wished A.S. Byatt's Possession had magic, if you love the breathless quality of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, if you find the heartbreaking reserve of characters in nineteenth century novels endearing, if you love curiosities and romance and mysteries and magic, this book is for you!
If you ever wished A.S. Byatt's Possession had magic, if you love the breathless quality of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, if you find the heartbreaking reserve of characters in nineteenth century novels endearing, if you love curiosities and romance and mysteries and magic, this book is for you!
April 10, 2024
3.5. An epistolary novel set in a fantasy world almost entirely covered in water. Two scholars—one below the ocean, one above—investigate a mysterious phenomenon, fall in love … and disappear. And that’s not a spoiler, because from the start, we follow the family members they’ve left behind, who are trying to figure out what happened to their loved ones.
At times, A Letter to the Luminous Deep runs long. It gets bogged down in justifications for why everybody’s writing letters to each other all the time. But overall, the epistolary puzzle is engaging, the romances are believable (and I’m a curmudgeon, so that’s a feat!), and the mysteries keep you guessing. For me, this book scratched an itch that nothing has scratched since Shriek: An Afterward. I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel in 2025.
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC!
At times, A Letter to the Luminous Deep runs long. It gets bogged down in justifications for why everybody’s writing letters to each other all the time. But overall, the epistolary puzzle is engaging, the romances are believable (and I’m a curmudgeon, so that’s a feat!), and the mysteries keep you guessing. For me, this book scratched an itch that nothing has scratched since Shriek: An Afterward. I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel in 2025.
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC!
February 4, 2024
The reclusive E. and her penal, Scholar Henery Clel, do fall in love through their letters filled with passion. Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E’s home, and she and Henerey vanish. We’re reading those letters now over the shoulders of both E.’s sister and Henry’s brother, both of whom are frantically trying to work out what actually happened between their siblings, how the couple’s mysterious disappearance came about - and also how it might tie into the research that E.’s sister was doing in the very depths of an oceanic abyss in a radical expedition that ended with chaos and unnerving secrets.
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First thing I loved about this novel is the format, an epistolary novel full of sweet, romantic, intimate, charming and heartwarming letters!
Not only do we get letters between the 2 main characters, but they have collected letters from their siblings whose lives came to a sudden and mysterious end, and we get to read through interactions between multiple different characters through this format.
This type of format is really smooth and dynamic! If you loved Emily Wilde you will love this style too!!
Another thing that was so unique was the setting, a fantastical world that basically lives on the water.
This world used to be a floating island in the sky, and something happened years before this novel takes place, but the sky civilization came crashing down, and now there are 3 different areas each with its own unique standards of living. Magical, vivid, intriguing but also a little scary !!
I also really liked the romance plot! The letters between the characters were so sweet and the Slow Burn + Academic Romance is one of my favourite tropes!! The mystery part was also very interesting and well made.
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Thanks to Netgalley Orbitbooks UK and Sylvie Cathrall for providing me with this ARC!
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First thing I loved about this novel is the format, an epistolary novel full of sweet, romantic, intimate, charming and heartwarming letters!
Not only do we get letters between the 2 main characters, but they have collected letters from their siblings whose lives came to a sudden and mysterious end, and we get to read through interactions between multiple different characters through this format.
This type of format is really smooth and dynamic! If you loved Emily Wilde you will love this style too!!
Another thing that was so unique was the setting, a fantastical world that basically lives on the water.
This world used to be a floating island in the sky, and something happened years before this novel takes place, but the sky civilization came crashing down, and now there are 3 different areas each with its own unique standards of living. Magical, vivid, intriguing but also a little scary !!
I also really liked the romance plot! The letters between the characters were so sweet and the Slow Burn + Academic Romance is one of my favourite tropes!! The mystery part was also very interesting and well made.
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Thanks to Netgalley Orbitbooks UK and Sylvie Cathrall for providing me with this ARC!
May 19, 2024
4.5 stars, I think I read the majority of this book with a smile on my face. Adored this.
This wonderful epistolary story takes you on a fun adventure underwater and is filled with mystery, adorable moments, witty banter, and some heartwrenching bits.
So immersive and transportive, the vivid descriptions of the world truly make you feel like you are right there with the characters. The story flashes back and forth through the present and past, but it was never in a confusing way and I didn't find it to disrupt the flow or be confusing at all. We follow exchanges between E. and Henerey Clel who at the start of the book are missing. Their siblings begin to exchange letters to try to figure out what happened, and as the story unfolds, it seems there is more to the disappearance that initially met the eye. The characters were all charming, likable, and compelling! They all had depth and while at times their writing styles seemed a little too similar to make them distinguishable, they each had enough distinct quirks and personalities.
Really excited for book 2!! Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC!
This wonderful epistolary story takes you on a fun adventure underwater and is filled with mystery, adorable moments, witty banter, and some heartwrenching bits.
So immersive and transportive, the vivid descriptions of the world truly make you feel like you are right there with the characters. The story flashes back and forth through the present and past, but it was never in a confusing way and I didn't find it to disrupt the flow or be confusing at all. We follow exchanges between E. and Henerey Clel who at the start of the book are missing. Their siblings begin to exchange letters to try to figure out what happened, and as the story unfolds, it seems there is more to the disappearance that initially met the eye. The characters were all charming, likable, and compelling! They all had depth and while at times their writing styles seemed a little too similar to make them distinguishable, they each had enough distinct quirks and personalities.
Really excited for book 2!! Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC!
April 22, 2024
This book creates a beautiful world under the sea. I really enjoyed how the book is written through letters. It is unique and kept me interested in the story. However, I felt like the formal writing of all the letters didn't make the characters stand out. I wished that there was something from each characters letter to give them something to distinguish them.
Thank you to NetGalley and orbit for the gifted e-arc.
Thank you to NetGalley and orbit for the gifted e-arc.
April 25, 2024
As soon as I started A Letter to the Luminous Deep, I knew I was going to enjoy it. It’s an epistolary fantasy romance set under the sea, with a whole host of loveable characters and a mystery that unfolds as slowly and carefully as the relationship between E. and Henerey.
This story is told predominantly through letters between Sophy and Vyerin, E. and Henerey’s siblings who are piecing together their correspondence after their suspected deaths. It’s a fantastic way for this story to unfold, and the format and writing reminds me of both Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Divine Rivals. Sylvie Cathrall’s style and prose is addictive, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
This book is slowly paced but never boring. It pieces together a mystery bit by bit, and the reader ends up learning what’s going on right alongside Sophy and Vyerin. I found myself absolutely enthralled towards the end, and I’m so excited to see what happens next.
It’s quite difficult to write a review of this book without giving too much away, so I’ll just say that A Letter to the Luminous Deep is unusual, mysterious, and best read without knowing anything at all. The worldbuilding is interesting, the characters are memorable (I haven’t stopped thinking about them yet), and the writing style is so very clever. I really hope it finds a large audience among fantasy readers, because it deserves to!
This story is told predominantly through letters between Sophy and Vyerin, E. and Henerey’s siblings who are piecing together their correspondence after their suspected deaths. It’s a fantastic way for this story to unfold, and the format and writing reminds me of both Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Divine Rivals. Sylvie Cathrall’s style and prose is addictive, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
This book is slowly paced but never boring. It pieces together a mystery bit by bit, and the reader ends up learning what’s going on right alongside Sophy and Vyerin. I found myself absolutely enthralled towards the end, and I’m so excited to see what happens next.
It’s quite difficult to write a review of this book without giving too much away, so I’ll just say that A Letter to the Luminous Deep is unusual, mysterious, and best read without knowing anything at all. The worldbuilding is interesting, the characters are memorable (I haven’t stopped thinking about them yet), and the writing style is so very clever. I really hope it finds a large audience among fantasy readers, because it deserves to!
March 15, 2024
Ugh I wanted SO MUCH to love this book! There were parts of this book done so well but parts that made it so hard for me to get into.
The premise of this book had me so interested. And I do love the epistolary style. However, the language used throughout this novel was SO formal, it was just hard for me to get in board with. I also agree with other reviews I’ve read stating that the characters’ “voices” weren’t very distinct. There wasn’t really anything special to tell them apart.
I do think the world building was done well however. The imagery I have in my head from the descriptions in the story seems magical. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into the story and characters as much as I wanted to.
Thanks so much NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
The premise of this book had me so interested. And I do love the epistolary style. However, the language used throughout this novel was SO formal, it was just hard for me to get in board with. I also agree with other reviews I’ve read stating that the characters’ “voices” weren’t very distinct. There wasn’t really anything special to tell them apart.
I do think the world building was done well however. The imagery I have in my head from the descriptions in the story seems magical. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into the story and characters as much as I wanted to.
Thanks so much NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
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