A Letter to the Luminous Deep (The Sunken Archive #1)[July 1, 2024]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall starting on July 1, 2024.


Happy Reading!

[Nirkatze]

Looking forward to it!

[Nirkatze]

So, I blasted through this yesterday but wasn't really in the mood for it, sadly. I felt guilty about the line of library-folk waiting though, so I pushed through...

Keeping track of who-was-who in epistolary story with multiple people... correspondents wrapped in correspondents talking about other correspondents... not easy. I think this might be better on eye-read, especially with the descriptions of drawings that accompanied the story. Though the audio did have my favorite type of direction--multiple narrators who do their own lines in each others' parts. Very nicely done.

The book overall had very cozy feels, (view spoiler)[though the 3/4ths of the way turn into weird cult and fantasy stuff in addition to the cool undersea exploration felt jarring. At that point the letter format started feeling confining instead of cozy... that and knowing from the start that the nested MCs are both dead and never ended up together made the romance more unexciting than even bittersweet. (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Finally picked this one up! I usually love epistolary books so I'm excited for it

[Erin]

Through the first 7 chapters and I'm loving this so far! It's scratching the same itch that the Lady Trent series does and the Emily Wilde books does. And I had heard this one comped to those before which was what had prompted me to preorder

It definitely does not read like one that would translate well to audio though. I think I'd be lost if I had listened to it

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, it definitely lost some of its glamor in the translation to audio. Fortunately, the shifting narrators helped.

[Erin]

Just finished this one and I absolutely adored this book! I loved following the romance developing through the letters, but I also loved the platonic friendships that developed. I wasn't really sure where the plot was going for a while but I was down for the ride until it started to come together more and I'm excited to see what happens in book 2!

[Nirkatze]

Glad you enjoyed! I think I'll have to try your method and go eye-read for the next one. Maybe it'll jive better with me that way.

[Paula]

So i caved in and started reading it since i was in the mood. And i am glad i did after the more okay books i have read lately and especially the frustratingly awful new book of Leigh Bardugo.

until chapter 11 (view spoiler)[ i wasnt quite sold on the book being told through letters but i am loving it more and more. The romance between E and Henery is very lovely and i was almost disappointed that their meeting would not be told but i am glad sophy has got it somehow, i cant wait to read the next chapter. I had to stop here to comment since this book has been giving me a 'one more chapter please' syndrome.

Sophy and Vy have a grear frindship too.

I am also inrigued by the structure and the deep voyage that sophie did, somehow they are related. And i like how the world is like florating islands or ships, a nice read for summer.

I need to mention how infuriating E's brother is. I want to throw him out of the house withought proper gear. (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Erin wrote: "Through the first 7 chapters and I'm loving this so far! It's scratching the same itch that the Lady Trent series does and the Emily Wilde books does. And I had heard this one comped to those befor..."

Me too! I wanted to read it because of those comparisons and its definetly holding up.

Yeah, audio would be rough.

A minor complaint i have is that sometimes their letters appear to be written almost the same, lots of exclamations and digressions

[Paula]

Nirkatze wrote: "So, I blasted through this yesterday but wasn't really in the mood for it, sadly. I felt guilty about the line of library-folk waiting though, so I pushed through...

Keeping track of who-was-who i..."

(view spoiler)[ I agree, the mysterious structure was a little difficult to visualize at first and it helped to see the drawing (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Finished! Loved it (view spoiler)[ I really loved this and I like how the structure was like a narnia portal to this perfect world. I wonder what are the things that are dangerous to the world.

I wonder if next book will also have the same format. I doubt E and Henery will write letter but maybe a diary (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Nirkatze (view spoiler)[ yeah, at the end the letter format was a bit weird since everyone was in the same house. The romance bit I was okay with it since I was sure they were alive (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Glad you enjoyed it Paula! Also curious to see how the next book works out--if it stays epistolary, who?