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The Vanishing Deep

Astrid Scholte (Goodreads Author)

3.68 · Rating details · 1,372 ratings · 452 reviews

Seventeen-year-old Tempe was born into a world of water. When the Great Waves destroyed her planet, its people had to learn to survive living on the water, but the ruins of the cities below still called. Tempe dives daily, scavenging the ruins of a bygone era, searching for anything of value to trade for Notes. It isn't food or clothing that she wants to buy, but her dead ...more

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Hardcover, 432 pages

Published March 3rd 2020 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

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Mar 09, 2020 MischaS_ marked it as to-read

Okay, this is so strange. Four Dead Queens was everywhere months before the book was published. There was so much hype!

And this just somehow sneaked into bookshops without anyone (or was it just me?) noticing. ...more

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Sep 04, 2019 Candace Robinson rated it it was amazing

What a unique and interesting world! I loved the whole world drowned by water concept! It had a tinge of Waterworld but a hundred times better!

These characters! I especially loved Lor. He had so much guilt going on and he just needed some love! Elysea was seriously a wonderful side character! She was sweet, genuine, and unselfish! Tempe, you couldn’t help but feel for her, especially after being alone for the past two years and struggling to survive!

I swear, Scholte has the coolest worlds, best ...more

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Oct 29, 2019 Astrid Scholte added it · (Review from the author)

Update 24th of March:

Thank you for all your support during these trying times. If you're looking for a signed copy of The Vanishing Deep, please try:

- Barnes and Noble Union Square, 5th Avenue and Fullerton.
- Mysterious Galaxy
- Books of Wonder
- Half Price Books
- The Tattered Cover

I hope the book helps take you on a thrilling journey!

Stay safe!

Update 8th of February:
Penguin Teen's preorder campaign is up! If you preorder before the 3/3/20, you can enter your receipt and recieve an exclusive ...more

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Mar 26, 2020 Taylor rated it it was amazing

The Vanishing Deep is a truly awesome book with great characters, and an incredibly action-packed plot with numerous twists and turns that constantly left me feeling genuinely surprised when it came to trying to predict what was going to happen! I definitely recommend reading this book! :)

My rating/score: 5 out of 5 Stars on the Goodreads rating system, and 10 out of 10 on my own personal scoring system.

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Feb 16, 2020 Jessi (Novel Heartbeat) rated it did not like it

Shelves: 1-star

Hooboy *takes deep breath* This is not going to be pretty. Honestly, I should have just DNFed this book. The only reason I didn't is because the world was intriguing and in the beginning I was really interested. But sadly, the farther I read, the worse it got.

I'll start with the positive: The concept was FANTASTIC. In the beginning, I was so onboard! It felt so much like Waterworld, which I love. The idea of a post-apocalyptic world of water is amazing! However, that was where the enjoyment ...more

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Jun 05, 2020 Monica (crazy_4_books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, reviews

"A TALE OF TWO SISTERS IN A WATER-WORLD DYSTOPIAN SET FUTURE"
"The Vanishing Deep" is a fast paced action packed YA dystopian sci-fi thriller. Even though I enjoyed more Scholte's debut novel "Four Dead Queens" which I gave 5 stars, I really enjoyed this one too and would read future books from this author. The difference in rating may be just of personal taste. I felt "The Vanishing Deep" main plot execution was not as intriguing as in "Four Dead Queens" and it had some more common tropes found "A TALE OF TWO SISTERS IN A WATER-WORLD DYSTOPIAN SET FUTURE"
"The Vanishing Deep" is a fast paced action packed YA dystopian sci-fi thriller. Even though I enjoyed more Scholte's debut novel "Four Dead Queens" which I gave 5 stars, I really enjoyed this one too and would read future books from this author. The difference in rating may be just of personal taste. I felt "The Vanishing Deep" main plot execution was not as intriguing as in "Four Dead Queens" and it had some more common tropes found in YA literature that at least for me, did not totally won me over. I'm giving this one 4 stars because I really enjoyed the reading experience but I find myself feeling now that I wouldn't re-read this one BUT I would re-read "For Dead Queens" in the future. These are my feelings at this moment, things change...
In a world widely submerged underwater after a natural disaster called The Great Waves occurred long time ago, 17-year old Tempe spends her days diving, searching for items she could sell in order to gather enough money to pay for the services provided by company located on the island of Palindromena. On that island, there's a private security facility that provides a peculiar service to its clients: resurrect their loved ones for a day (23 hours to be exact), so they have a chance to say their proper goodbyes to their dearly departed and move on with their lives with their minds at ease.
Tempe's sister Elysea drowned tragically two years before and her body has been in a tank in this facility waiting for her next of kin to come pay the price and resurrect her for one day only. Tempe gathers the money she needs and goes to the island. She has questions for her sister, questions about why their parents supposedly fake their deaths and Elysea was keeping that secret from her when she died. In a way, Tempe blames her sister for keeping information that would send her on the path to find their parents. But once Elysea is revived, she quickly realizes she's dead and in Palindromena, has her own agenda for the day that includes finding a map that would lead them to their parents whereabouts but she refuses to pass the information to Tempe. Elysea wants to live her last day on this planet away from Palindromena. The two sisters break out from the facility and embark on their adventure. Not alone though, they are being followed by Lor, the 19-year old warden who was supposed to monitor all day the revival process and the sisters interactions.
The chapters headings show a clock with a countdown since the time of Elysea's revival. They only have less than a day to discover what happened to their parents, try to reunite with them so Elysea can see her parents one last time and then go back to the facility. In theory of course, twists take place and secrets surface in this running out of time story.
The ending dragged a bit long. The love sub-plot (always present in YA literature) was secondary since this book is more about family issues and the consequences of making certain decisions.
I really liked it and would recommend Astrid Scholte as a YA promising new author. ...more

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Mar 26, 2020 Ellie (faerieontheshelf) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: recieved-for-review, stand-alone-novels, ya-lit, sci-fi, thrillers-crime-mystery, lgbtqia

The worldbuilding concept behind this book surely grabs attention: it's not often I see a book based in a sci-fi/futuristic fantasy watery world where sea levels have risen (it doesn't seem far-fetched to say it has real-world parallels) and the heroine is a diver.

I wanted a quick, easily-read standalone and THE VANISHING DEEP delivered. It definitely reads and feels like a YA novel (obviously because it is a YA novel), with tight pacing that keeps the narrative flowing. It's not as developed a ...more

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Feb 24, 2020 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Ellie King

“Twenty-four hours with your loved one didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye, no matter what Palindromena promised. There was no closure. There never would be.”

What would you do if you could spend 24 hours with a lost loved one? The Vanishing Deep by bestselling author, Astrid Scholte, asks that question and then takes the reader on a whirlwind adventure as we explore the possibilities. A standalone novel, it is the story of Tempest Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Ellie King

“Twenty-four hours with your loved one didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye, no matter what Palindromena promised. There was no closure. There never would be.”

What would you do if you could spend 24 hours with a lost loved one? The Vanishing Deep by bestselling author, Astrid Scholte, asks that question and then takes the reader on a whirlwind adventure as we explore the possibilities. A standalone novel, it is the story of Tempest Alerin. Tempest, or Tempe, is a seventeen-year-old girl living alone on a reef known as the Equinox. She spends her days diving the ocean dwelling wrecks of the old world looking for items to sell in an attempt to save enough money to allow her one last chance to speak to her sister Elysea who tragically died two years ago. On the island of Palindromena, there is a research facility that, for a hefty price, will grant you the chance to revive your loved one for 24 hours to allow you to say your final goodbyes. Tempe, however, has something else in mind. She isn’t looking for a family reunion, she wants answers that only Elysea can give her.

The Vanishing Deep is set in a scarily prophetic world where society as we know it has been destroyed and consumed by the Great Waves. This has created a dystopian water world where the remaining population lives on islands or strongly regulated reefs. The population on the reefs are monitored closely as life is now a temperamental balancing act. They have to deal with weight limits, overpopulation, and the related health issues of living with so much salt in the air. Tempe and her sister Elysea grew up on Equinox reef with their parents until their tragic death in a boating accident. With no adult care, the girls were forced to dive the sunken wrecks of the old world in an attempt to find a source of income. After her sister’s death, Tempe is left alone to dive the seas in an attempt to survive, but also to search for the answers she desperately needs as Tempe’s sister died with a terrible secret and she needs to know the answer.

The old world wrecks are the remnants of our current world as we know it and while Scholte doesn’t explain exactly how the Great Waves came to be, there is an overwhelming hint throughout the plot about the importance of sustainability and the need to care for our environment. The worldbuilding in this story is deep and effortless and the detailed description of the ocean, the wrecks and general life transports the reader into this water world. This is an ocean book like none other before it.

After Tempe finds a lucrative treasure, she finally has enough notes to buy her sisters temporary revival. The research facility on the nearby island of Palindromena is one of marvel and mystery. This is a facility with the technology to revive your loved one for 24 hours for a high cost, three thousand notes to be exact. The Vanishing Deep is told from dual point of views, which follows Tempe but are also introduced to Lor, a hermitted “employee” of Palindromena. Lor is an unlikely main character and is drawn into the action somewhat by accident. Lor doesn’t believe in the value of the revival process the facility provides and he knows this because he has experienced it first hand. Filled with grief for the death of his friend and his memory of the revival process, Lor knows how devastating the experience can be. When Tempe arrives on Palindromena ready to interrogate her sister, their paths cross and the adventure begins.

The two main characters are wonderfully crafted and compliment each other. Tempe is confident, fierce, and stubborn. She shares her feelings freely and is passionate about her beliefs. Lor on the other hand is the complete opposite. Shy, quiet, and hiding many secrets, Lor is the yin to Tempe’s yang. The addition of the secondary characters Elysea, Tempe’s sister, and Raylan, Lor’s only friend is used to balance the extreme personality traits of the main characters.

This adventure takes the characters on a fast-paced chase running against the clock. The 24 hour countdown is a thrilling plot point that keeps the story moving and the characters on their toes. Through this race against the clock, we learn some very important things about the characters: their passions, loves, compassion, and moral compass. Each chapter begins with a countdown clock and this makes the book a race for the reader as well. This book is a total page turner. In true Astrid Scholte fashion, this book is also filled with perfectly timed, multi-layered plot twists that are as gut wrenching as they are clever. The only downside of having a countdown clock built into a story’s plot is that there is the pressure that events must end. The Vanishing Deep races to its conclusion and then ends somewhat abruptly and unexpectedly with a moderately happy ending.

The Vanishing Deep is an emotional rollercoaster dealing with death, sacrifice, and love. The theme of love is multifaceted and explored in so many different ways. Scholte’s writing style is beautiful and the story flows easily, taking the reader along for the ride rather than being simply an observer. The environmental theme resonates subtly throughout and the entire premise has left me wondering if I had the opportunity to speak to a lost loved one, would I take it? ...more

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Jul 07, 2020 Angela Staudt rated it it was amazing

Okay, so Goodreads just freaked out, crashed, and deleted half of my review. So here is my review from January:

“Twenty-four hours with your loved one didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye, no mater what Palindromena promised. There was no closure. There never would be.”

The Vanishing Deep has to be one of the most unique worlds I have ever read. Scholte really knows how to have spectacular world building and such an amazing plot. The book takes place literally on the ocean, the “Old World” whi Okay, so Goodreads just freaked out, crashed, and deleted half of my review. So here is my review from January:

“Twenty-four hours with your loved one didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye, no mater what Palindromena promised. There was no closure. There never would be.”

The Vanishing Deep has to be one of the most unique worlds I have ever read. Scholte really knows how to have spectacular world building and such an amazing plot. The book takes place literally on the ocean, the “Old World” which is our world today sank underwater. The entire world went underwater and so now these people survive on reefs and metal buildings that they have built by diving under and collecting the Old-World wreckage. I really love how in depth the descriptions got, I think it made it much more realistic, and I could picture this world and it was really astounding to even think about.

We follow two characters, Tempe and Lor. Tempe lives day by day just trying to get by because her whole family is dead. Her goal is to get enough Notes to have her sister come back to life for 24 hours so she can ask her about what happened the night she died. Palindromena is an island where they have figured out how to raise people from the dead for 24 hours, but it is costly. Lor our other main character lives on this island, but he doesn’t work there. He is struggling with some grief of his own and hides in the basement away from everyone. When Tempe finally gets enough Notes to have her sister come back, she makes her way to Palindromena and that’s when Lor and Tempe’s lives intertwine.

I really love how fast paced this was and how it takes place within 24 hours, not to mention it’s a countdown. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time wondering what was going to happen next. While I completely loved everything about this book, I really didn’t like the ending. A part of the ending was incredible, but I just felt let down. I was blown away with the plot twists that happened at the end, but I finished going, “Wait WHAT that’s it???”. I really did enjoy this book and now I’m really looking forward to reading Four Dead Queens. ...more

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Apr 09, 2020 Robin rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, ya, 2020-releases, 2020

⭐⭐.5

Summary
Tempe has spent the last 2 years diving and saving money to resurrect her sister, Elysea. After her sister's death, Tempe learned that her sister withheld secrets about her role in their parents death. So Tempe is determine to spend their last 24 hours together learning the truth. But when Elysea tells Tempe what she knows, they must escape the facility and start down a dangerous journey to learn the truth and possible save their family.

Overview
➸ POV: 1st Person from Tempe's & Lor's P ...more

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Sep 03, 2019 Jackie ϟ Bookseller rated it really liked it

Shelves: three-stars-alright, read-arcs

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

RTC closer to publication (March 2019)

I liked Four Dead Queens, so I'm pretty excited for this one! ...more

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Jan 18, 2020 Jennifer rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I.... am genuinely at a loss to come up with a constructive review. I would ordinarily couch my criticisms in between some compliments but I can’t do that here, mainly because I just don’t have much to say that is positive.

The concept has potential. The world in which “The Vanishing Deep” takes place is some kind of dystopia created when a giant continent of ice melted and caused the oceans to rise and cover the land. The people now live on loosely joined man-made floating “cities” that are loc I.... am genuinely at a loss to come up with a constructive review. I would ordinarily couch my criticisms in between some compliments but I can’t do that here, mainly because I just don’t have much to say that is positive.

The concept has potential. The world in which “The Vanishing Deep” takes place is some kind of dystopia created when a giant continent of ice melted and caused the oceans to rise and cover the land. The people now live on loosely joined man-made floating “cities” that are located near whatever land still exists. In this world there are few ways to make money, and on the island of Palindromena scientists have discovered a way to bring the dead back to life, but only for 24 hours. It costs an outrageous amount of money, and Tempest spends the two years following her sister’s death saving every note she can just to bring her sister, Elysea, back in the hopes she will learn what happened to their parents years before.

And that’s it. That’s the premise. That’s where my (admittedly very weak) compliments end. Because the characters, aside from Tempest, were one-dimensional and had no real motivations. The book relies on the countdown clock to create tension, but it’s hard to stay engaged in a story with no real antagonist or motivation beyond a simple 24 hour timer. There’s a villain, but they’re not introduced until more than halfway through the 420 page book, and even then they don’t stand up to scrutiny. There’s one moment of “danger” and it passes almost instantly. The book relies on the end to satisfy the reader, but there’s no real conflict. I kept reading because I was hoping there would be a twist, even if it was predictable, and when it finally came, I was bored out of my mind.

I feel terrible writing this review. I want so badly to have something positive to say. I also seem to be the only person who feels this way, so it’s entirely possible I am an outlier and most other people will find this book exciting, or at the very least, entertaining. ...more

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Sep 03, 2019 Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020-reads

*3.5

4/16/20:

The more I think about this book, the more I like it, honestly. I feel like a major part of the ending was messily done, but it was compelling and went out with a bang. It was enjoyable.

I am so excited for Astrid Scholte's third book, too!

This one gets 3.5/5 stars.

original review:

This wasn't bad, it was just okay. I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped to. Also, wow, that ending. That felt kind of like I was cheated. (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 01, 2019 Sarah Glenn Marsh rated it it was amazing

Prepare to be swept away by this thrilling new story from Astrid! This book has it all: a countdown, adventure on the sea, cool creatures, and one of my favorite sister relationships I've ever read. I LOVED it! ...more

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Feb 29, 2020 CallMeAfterCoffee rated it really liked it

I had a really fun time with this one! I chose it to try and read it in one day, and I did it! I had such a good time with it ☺️. Our main characters are great, I love that while there was some angst, it wasn't over the top blown out of proportion drama. The story took some twists and turns and I thought the ending was great! I also loved the commentary on grief, a lot of this book centers around feeling grief and how it can cripple you and keep you from really enjoying life and it was so relate ...more

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Apr 07, 2020 Katie rated it really liked it

"She spun her hands above her head before shifting her shoulders, rolling her limbs as though she were submerged in water. Was it my imagination, or did she appear more fluid than before? Had the ocean become a part of her when it had taken her final breath?"

Summary
Tempest Alerin spends her days diving to earn enough Notes to revive her sister from the dead for 24 hours at the Palindroma research facility. But what she wants isn't a tear-stained happy reunion - she wants answers for why "She spun her hands above her head before shifting her shoulders, rolling her limbs as though she were submerged in water. Was it my imagination, or did she appear more fluid than before? Had the ocean become a part of her when it had taken her final breath?"

Summary
Tempest Alerin spends her days diving to earn enough Notes to revive her sister from the dead for 24 hours at the Palindroma research facility. But what she wants isn't a tear-stained happy reunion - she wants answers for why Elysea would murder their parents. Elysea, alive for only one last day, doesn't want to spend it confined in a research facility being accused of a crime she attests she didn't commit. Elysea convinces Tempe to break her out and they embark on the journey of a life time to get the answers they seek. But Palindroma won't let the secrets of the revival escape.

Review
I really enjoyed how The Vanishing Deep is able to combine both mystery and dystopia in to one heart pounding novel. It is set in a post-apocolyptic world where the melted ice caps have flooded the planet and only scraps of land and make-shift metal islands are left for the human population to cling to. But at its core, it is a thriller novel about the mystery of this research facility and just what happens when a revived corpse escapes. The intertwining of these two genres leads to a novel that is fresh and exciting.

My favorite part is, hands down, the relationship between Tempest and Elysea. Tempe was left all on her own after Elysea's death and harbors a lot of resentment and loneliness towards her when she is revived, being driven on by the fact that she believes Elysea is responsible for their parents deaths. Elysea quickly realizes that she only has 24 hours left to live, and has to deal with the fact that her little sister is now the same age as her, and has been hardened by the world. There is so much that they have to work through in the little time that they have, and their relationship was so heart-breaking at times.

We also follow Lor, who works at the research facility. He is living a life of seclusion after the tragic passing of a childhood friend, but gets involved in Elysea's revival after granting a favor to a Warden. Lor has a lot of his own pain and grief to work through as well, and meeting the Alerin sisters is just what he needs to move forward with his life.

This novel was very fast paced and I never felt like there were any lags or drags. Every chapter begins with a countdown clock of how much time Elysea has left, and it kept me engaged and wanting to know just how the story would end. The Vanishing Deep came to a heart-stopping conclusion, and I walked away from the book a little heart broken but overall content with how it ended. ...more

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Mar 01, 2020 Toya (the reading chemist) rated it liked it

I’ll be honest, when I read the premise for this one and saw the cover, I couldn’t get my hands on this one fast enough. Luckily, I was able to win this one on BookishFirst.

Tempest has spent the last two years diving for anything that she can sell for notes. With enough money, Tempest can go to a research facility called Palindromena, which specializes in resurrecting the dead for 24 hours. Tempest plans to resurrect her sister Elysea in order to finally get her sister to confess to the the deat I’ll be honest, when I read the premise for this one and saw the cover, I couldn’t get my hands on this one fast enough. Luckily, I was able to win this one on BookishFirst.

Tempest has spent the last two years diving for anything that she can sell for notes. With enough money, Tempest can go to a research facility called Palindromena, which specializes in resurrecting the dead for 24 hours. Tempest plans to resurrect her sister Elysea in order to finally get her sister to confess to the the death of their parents.

Everything about the resurrection process is wrong. The warden who resurrects Elysea is not exactly who he says he is. Tempest is supposed to convince Elysea that she’s been in a medically induced coma, but of course, Elysea quickly catches on to her untimely surmise. Elysea knows how to get answers surrounding their parents, but it entails the two of them breaking her out of the facility and embarking on a dangerous mission.

I admired the depths of sisterhood between Tempest and Elysea. Even though so much pain exists between them, neither one is willing to give up on the other. We alternate POVs between Tempest and Lor (the lying Warden), but I would’ve much preferred alternating POVs between Tempest and Elysea. I am also still on the fence with Lor, but I will let you decide that for yourselves.

I am also still very confused about how the whole magic behind the resurrection happens. The research facility developed this technology to resurrect someone for 24 hours without any memory of harm or showing any signs of injury, and their lives are tied to that of the Warden who resurrects them. The big picture behind this sort of makes sense, but the rules behind this magic system are never properly explained or flushed out.

I would also classify this book as a book that definitely feels very YA. Since the crux of this story deals with death and resurrection, I was expecting something much darker akin to blood magic, but I felt that this story just skimmed the surface. The author could’ve taken the opportunity to delve into something much darker and complex, but I felt that she was a bit safe in that regard.

Thank you to BookishFirst and Penguin Teen for my giveaway win. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Apr 23, 2020 Bethany rated it it was ok

Shelves: lgbtq

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

Set in a dystopian future where water has overtaken nearly all land and technology allows the wealthy to bring back their loved ones for 24 hours to say goodbye, The Vanishing Deep is a sci-fi suspense blend with a fascinating premise and a mixed execution. Interestingly, my feelings on this were quite similar to my feelings on this author's debut. I love the concept, world, and setup but felt the middle and end were underdeveloped with some plot holes, and the romance pe Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

Set in a dystopian future where water has overtaken nearly all land and technology allows the wealthy to bring back their loved ones for 24 hours to say goodbye, The Vanishing Deep is a sci-fi suspense blend with a fascinating premise and a mixed execution. Interestingly, my feelings on this were quite similar to my feelings on this author's debut. I love the concept, world, and setup but felt the middle and end were underdeveloped with some plot holes, and the romance perfunctory and ultimately unnecessary. So I kind of liked it, but it was also kind of disappointing. That said, I think some readers will love this and be able to lose themselves in the story enough that these issues won't bother them.

Tempe was born into a world of water and survives by diving and scavenging in ruins. She has been saving for two years to bring her sister back to life for 24 hours so she can demand answers about the death of their parents. But things do not go as planned and there are surprising secrets leading to a race against time.

There's a lot I can't say here without spoiling things, but I will say that the central relationship is the complicated one between these two sisters. That was often interesting, but I wanted more from the development of Elysea because she often felts a little emotionally flat. In theory it's cool that we get asexual representation with her character, but it ended up feeling kind of bland. Perhaps if we had her as a perspective character I might have felt differently.

Without spoiling things, I felt like the final part of the book wrapped up a little too neatly with a lot of very convenient occurrences. The ending didn't feel earned and that was a letdown. There was also an underwater location that somehow didn't have water in it in a way that didn't make much sense, among other little plot and world-building holes. On the other hand, the ideas behind the world, economy, culture, and technology were very cool. Ultimately this had a lot of potential, but the execution could have been better. I think the way this author plays with genre is interesting, but her endings feel messy. Perhaps that will improve with time. I received a copy of this book for review from Penguin Teen. All opinions are my own. ...more

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May 05, 2020 Andy rated it really liked it

Shelves: changed-my-life, 2020-read, rainbow-shelf, own, queer-rep-ace

This book messed with my head.

Tempest was born into a world of water. When the Great Waves destroyed the planet, people had to learn to survive on water. Tempe spends her days diving into the deep in order to scavenge anything worth Notes. She needs as many Notes as possible so she can revive her sister from death. The research facility, Palindromena, has perfected the art of reanimating people from death but only for 24 hours. When Tempe and Elysea finally reunite, Tempe is determined to final ...more

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Apr 22, 2020 Leah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2020, futuristic-techy, listened-on-audio, young-adult, dystopian, action-and-adventure

BOOK TAGS⇣
⇢ 4.25 ✰STARS✰
⤏ DYSTOPIAN/FUTURISTIC TECHY
⤏ WATERWORLD-ESQUE
⤏ LIFE & DEATH DEALERS
⤏ DEALING WITH GRIEF
⤏ AN INTRIGUING SLIGHTLY FANTASTICAL WORLD

MY THOUGHTS⇣

There were a lot of things that could have been done with this incredible world that the author has created...and we only got a glimpse of what it could embody. With a Water World-Esque-ness that is less rapey, and more techy or techier as Grammarly wants me to call it. You know, sometimes Grammarly, I just want to make up my own wo ...more

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Oct 12, 2019 Danielle (always_read_the_end_first) rated it really liked it

Shelves: tbr-2020

"My mother used to say that change happened. For everyone. People changed, people could enact change. But that was bullshit. Change happened to you. Life, and death, they happened to you. And there was nothing you could do about it. You either held on for the ride or got swept away in the storm. " - Astrid Scholte
4.5 STARS
SIDENOTE to the publisher and author: PLEASE give this book a map to match this wonderful world building! sort of like Pangea or Atlantis feel! Four Dead Queens had really grea ...more

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Aug 18, 2019 Elle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

WOW!!! Beautifully written and just simply amazing.

Dear Booklovers: 👇🏼

Add this book to your TBR
Preorder this book.
Purchase this book.

You are WELCOME 😉🧡🌷

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Mar 12, 2020 Diana rated it it was amazing

Vid review will be available 12 march 2020 here https://youtu.be/sIch5k5a02M ...more

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Mar 03, 2020 Taschima rated it really liked it

Shelves: alamw20, arc, stacking-the-shelves

"Was it easier for death to strike you down without warning? Or was it better to know when death would strike, so you could use your last hours, months, years, to be with the people you cared about?"

I'll take death without warning, thank you very much.

One thing I will give Astrid Scholte, she is a really good story teller. The Vanishing Deep reminded me of The Bone Houses; not because of the story itself, but because of how readable it is. You go from page to page without noticing the time passi ...more

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Oct 08, 2019 Celia McMahon rated it liked it

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for a chance to review this book.

First off, kudos to the author for creating a unique setting for THE VANISHING DEEP. I was swept away (pun intended) from the first chapter. It was Astrid's way of giving us these deep, realistic characters that drew me in. She has a way of writing protagonists with such emotion, and I loved that.

The world was incredibly different than anything I've ever read. Tempest lives on one of the few reefs that survived after an ...more

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Feb 23, 2020 Vee marked it as want-to-read-new

This book has gone from being barely on my radar to being on every social media page I visit

Fuck it let's do it ...more

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Nov 15, 2020 Nick rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi

This book was a bit of a disappointment. The idea behind the story was fascinating and oh how I wanted to know more about the world in this novel. I would have accepted the lack of world development if the story itself hadn't seemed psychologically shallow and trite. A shame really as this could have been such a good story. ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 Sabrina Ricci rated it it was amazing

I could not put this book down. Astrid Scholte's writing is so captivating, and I loved the premise of this story, and all its twists (and there are many, many wonderful twists)!

There's more to every character than meets the eye, and Tempest is such a compelling, strong character, who has a deep, complex connection with her sister. Reading this reminded me that I should call my sister more often!

I also really liked reading the story from two different perspectives: Tempest's and Lor's, and seein ...more

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Oct 13, 2019 Chloe rated it really liked it

*Spoiler free*

I enjoyed Four Dead Queens and I've been looking forward to seeing what her other books could hold. And I knew it was going to be an ocean book and despite my dislike of the beach, I always feel drawn to ocean books. Plus, it's a sister book. A sister book where one is trying to revive the other. And breakouts out of facilities while the employees chase them and it's filled with secrets. Trigger warnings: death, vomiting, grief

I really loved this world. I'm finding that ocean world *Spoiler free*

I enjoyed Four Dead Queens and I've been looking forward to seeing what her other books could hold. And I knew it was going to be an ocean book and despite my dislike of the beach, I always feel drawn to ocean books. Plus, it's a sister book. A sister book where one is trying to revive the other. And breakouts out of facilities while the employees chase them and it's filled with secrets. Trigger warnings: death, vomiting, grief

I really loved this world. I'm finding that ocean worlds are kind of hit or miss for me, and I found this one fascinating. I feel like it took a really realistic stance on how this world came to be and it considered the nuances of this world really well. Like weight limits. Only so many people can be apart of the certain floating communities to keep them from sinking. Plus, I loved Tempest diving through the depths and going through the ruins of the old world. And there's so much salt that it crusts people's eyes shut when they sleep and there's a disease called crystal lung because of all the salt in the air. The communities are so are oceany and I loved how they lived in their world.

Though, I felt like some of it could have been explored more. It felt like there were aspects that I were expecting to be darker and I felt like had more potential. The plot twists relating to world aspects didn't really shock me. But, I think this is because there were other things going on. There was a lot of aspects that had a lot to them, so they all didn't have room to fully breath.

I really liked Tempest. She's a fantastic water witch (not really, but that's a nickname haha). She's fierce and she's stubborn and she's dealing with so much. I wasn't expecting to like Elysea so much, but I did. I loved how she and Tempest interacted I loved their relationship. Raylan was more of a minor character, but I still thought he was cool! Lor was interesting. I still don't quite know how I feel about him. I like him, but I'm not sure how I feel about his actions. I feel like his emotional plotline could have been fleshed out more. His feelings were confusing, in a realistic way, but I would have liked to see him try and figure things out more. And it was different where his character went and I would have liked the ending to be longer, but I think I liked it. There was also an aro character!

This book is really emotional. It deals with the loss of loved ones. And being able to to see them again for twenty-four hours. I feel like those feelings could have been focused on more, but that's just me!

I'm usually not a huge fan of books that take place over such a short period of time. But I felt like this one does it really, really well! It's packed full of emotions and worldbuilding and character development. So much happens, but it doesn't feel rushed. It's done really well.

I felt like some of the twists could have been done a bit better. They didn't seem as shocking as I thought and I guess I was expecting something more sometimes. But, the last one was pretty awesome. I definitely wasn't expecting it!

Astrid Scholte is such an amazing writer. The writing was beautiful, the world was so expansive and I was so intrigued with all of it. And I loved Tempested and I enjoyed seeing her navigate everything. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what Scholte writes next! ...more

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Feb 29, 2020 Jenny (Bookbookowl) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: march-2020-releases

Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of The Vanishing Deep in exchange for an honest review!

The Vanishing Deep was such a unique story! Set in a world almost entirely covered by water, where a special institute can revive those who have drowned, for exactly 24 hours, for a price. Usually paid by family members wanting a second chance to say goodbye to their loved ones, Tempe wants to revive her sister – but for a different reason. After being told her sister was respo ...more

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About Astrid Scholte

Astrid Scholte

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Raised on a diet of Spielberg, Lucas and Disney, Astrid Scholte knew she wanted to be surrounded by all things fantastical from a young age and has spent the past fourteen years working in film, animation and VFX production. Career highlights include working on James Cameron’s Avatar, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin and George Miller’s Happy Feet Two.

Despite Astrid's sunny demeanor, sh ...more

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Quotes from The Vanishing Deep

“Palindrome—a word, number, phrase, or sequence of symbols or elements whose meaning can be interpreted the same way both forward and in reverse.

We begin as we end; we end as we begin.

That is life.

It's the middle we must hold on to.” — 2 likes

“Who decides who lives and who dies? Whose life is more important than another’s? We all have family, we all have friends.” — 2 likes

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