Fourteen year olds Hark and Jelt live in the Myriad – a group of islands that were once held in the grip of fear by terrible sea monsters, believed to be gods by humankind.

For no reason, these monsters suddenly began to fight amongst themselves. These terrible battles were to the death, resulting in The Cataclysm. This took not only all the god’s lives but caused earthquakes and tsunamis, taking many hundreds of human lives too.

Now Godware (anything salvaged from the deep or washed up on beaches deemed to be from a God),is the best currency. Hark and Jelt are always looking for a deal, a scam, or working on a con to increase their fortunes in their poverty stricken, hand to mouth existence.

Unfortunately one of Jelt’s ideas gets Hark caught, tried and indentured to Dr Vine. She is a historian / scientist, keen to learn all she can about the slaughtered gods. Dr Vine is working within The Sanctuary where ageing priests, who used to be the only ones who could communicate with the gods, live out their lives.

Hark has the ‘gift of the gab’ and Dr Vine knows it. His job is to wheedle out information from the elderly priests about the gods, before they take their knowledge to the grave.

He’s fed, clothed and is warm at night, but Hark still feels imprisoned. Jelt doesn’t help, jeering at Hark at every possible opportunity about being a pampered pup. Despite his fear of being caught by Dr Vine and a fate worse than death in one of the local prisons or ships, Hark is soon helping Jelt with a new scheme. This proves to be the worst ever.

Finding a piece of Godware, they believe they’ll finally be wealthy, powerful and happy. Power comes all right, but a most terrible kind – gradually changing Jelt, inside and out.

A tale of street kids, blood thirsty gangs, sea monsters, tall tales and terrible truths, Deeplight is a masterpiece of world building, characterisation and fantasy.

Immerse yourself in the islands of The Myriad and its horrifying history. Meet Hark, Jelt, and the gang ruled by ruthless lady leader Riggs. Darkness is awaiting them all in the Undersea, the place under the ocean where monsters once dwelled.

Fantastic Read!

Author – Frances Hardinge

Age – 12+

If you liked this, you’ll enjoy The Traitor and the Thief. 

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(2019, Macmillan, Sea Monsters, Poverty, Deals, Scams, Lies, Violence, Gangs, Rivalry, History, Priests, Trust, Loyalty, Fear, Action, Gods, Ocean, Freaky, Friendship, Brotherhood, Submarines, Steam Punk, Imagination, Fantasy, Magic, Murder)