A sci-fi/horror novel with mermaids as the main antagonist? Count me in.
The novel, Into the Drowning Deep, follows the main protagonist, Tory, as she searches for answers about the Atargatis ship attack and her sister’s subsequent death. After the Atargatis is found floating above the Mariana Trench with no one left aboard, a video is released to the public that shows the ship being attacked by mermaid-like creatures. While many believe this video to be a hoax, Tory wants to know the truth about what happened to her sister and the rest of the crew. To find answers, she boards the Melusine along with an elite crew of scientists to find out the truth about what attacked the ship. In the process, they find much more than they can handle and a battle for survival ensues.
There is a lot that I really enjoyed about this book, the first aspect being the mermaids themselves. They’re described as vicious and intelligent creatures that live at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Grant uses a very loose interpretation of the mermaids we know and love to create a freakish and horrifying twist on the fairytale creature. I enjoyed the different approach to the description of the mermaid physically, and I also appreciated that Grant had an explanation for the physical attributes she chose. The features weren’t chosen just because she wanted the creatures to look a certain way, but rather because each characteristic served a biological function that was explained as the crew learned more about them.
Another aspect I appreciated was that the mermaids, while quite bloodthirsty, were really intelligent creatures. There was an explanation for their bloodthirstiness (that, once again, came down to biology), and it does give the scientists a little bit of a moral quandary at certain points in the story.
The plot moves along fairly quickly, which I think is perfect for a horror/thriller novel. There is certainly quite a bit of gore, so keep that in mind if you’re someone who’s squeamish. Grant isn’t overzealous with her descriptions, but they’re not tame either. I thought that the overall arc of the story was present throughout, and the character’s individual struggles added some tension and subplots that created more depth. The one thing I may complain about is that the resolution did feel a little bit rushed. I would have liked more information about what happened with the giant pod of mermaids after everything is concluded. Do people hunt them? Do they migrate out of the deep in search for more food? Do they become obsessed with humans and try to follow us on to land? We’ll never know! While I make this complaint, I do think the ending we’re given is at least satisfactory. Don’t let my meager complaint deter you from the killer mermaids.
As usual with Sci-Fi, a large element to be taken into consideration is how believable the science is. While no one expects perfect fictional science (at least, I don’t), it is important that the author considers what we do know scientifically and creates a fiction that’s believable on that basis. I think Grant does a great job with that in her writing, frequently drawing comparisons to species that the reader would likely be familiar with the explain the existence of the mermaids. I can’t speak on the accuracy since I’m not a biologist (or scientist in any capacity), but there wasn’t anything that was so unbelievable as to make me think, “Hmm, could that even be conceptually possible?” For that reason, and the reason of the plethora of examples and allusions to the creatures that do exist on earth, the science here get’s a pass from me.
The writing style also gets a pass from me, though I think there may be some aspects that are difficult for others to overlook. One thing I noticed about Grant’s style is that she really delved into the minds of her characters. The information we learn about them isn’t often imparted through dialogue or general discussion, but rather through a sort of character reflection when we meet them. Essentially, whenever a new character becomes relevant, there’s a third person deep-dive into their past that gives the reader an overview of who they are as a person. This is noticeable from the very beginning of the book, so if you find it off-putting, you’ll at least know right from the start. I would say that it wasn’t really an issue for me, but it also wasn’t something I enjoyed. The POVs of the characters switch pretty consistently throughout the chapter, and for that reason it’s a little bit odd to really get into their thoughts and lives just to jump into someone else’s head in the next moment. Disorienting may be a good word for it, at least at first, but I didn’t think it was too difficult of an adjustment.
However, the writing style did impact the characterization in a way that I found odd. The story is supposed to have Tory as the main protagonist, but because of the way the POVs are constantly switching (and because a large amount of time is spent with other characters), the story really feels like it has an ensemble cast. Sometimes Tory gets lost in the fray, and you’re not sure where she is until her POV pops up again a few pages later. Again, I didn’t find that this really pulled me out of the story, but I could understand how it might do that for someone else.
Overall, I think this is a great Sci-Fi read that discuss the idea of mermaids in a plausible and thought-provoking way. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of humans getting wrecked by an apex species for the majority of the book. I thought it was fun, and I do love a good survival thriller. The images may have me staying away from the water for a little while, though. Safe swimming!
The Lit Wiz