Into the Drowning Deep – Mira Grant

Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Publisher: Orbit

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

Into the Drowning Deep is a wicked smart science fiction horror story about the discovery of mermaids. Grant takes a scientific approach to this story, thus creating a unique novel that is sure to haunt your dreams.

Into the Drowning Deep is written from multiple perspectives, including the mermaids themselves! Each of the characters are introduced slowly with enough background information to make them unforgettable. I enjoyed every single character despite being disappointed when the first perspective shift occurred. I wanted to only follow Victoria and her research as she avenges her sister only to realize the story was much better than her. This shifting in viewpoints allows the reader to experience the story from different personalities and academic backgrounds.

I went into this novel expecting a straightforward science fiction horror novels about mermaids. Instead, I received an expertly crafted novel that takes a scientific approach to the discovery and includes all the speculation about evolution you didn’t think you needed.

There are a lot of themes running under the surface of the novel that are all tied to some aspect of the plot. Themes of scientific process and the lengths people are willing to go to achieve it, animal cruelty, and disability. All of this coupled with diverse characters makes Into the Drowning Deep a must read.