Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant is an almost-standalone horror book by the author of several other horror books (and many non-horror books). There is a prequel novella, but it's almost impossible to get (only US-region ebooks are currently obtainable, as far as I can tell) and isn't required reading. I suspect Into the Drowning Deep spoils the impact of the novella too, but that's just a guess. (I would still read the novella if I could.)

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.

Having read two Mira Grant series before, I had some idea of what to expect from this book, style-wise. I got the horrifying mermaids I expected, complete with a relatively plausible explanation for their existence, including comparisons with other marine creatures. I'm not a marine biologist by any stretch of the imagination, but Grant's explanations of these sorts of things always come across and quite plausible or just a few steps away from reality, which makes them creepier.

There several interesting point of view characters in this book. Since it's a horror book, I found myself wondering which of them (if any) would survive until the end, which was a significant source of the tension in the book. It's hard to care very much about nameless background characters having their faces eaten off, but a lot more stressful when it's one of the characters you've become attached to. Also, after the initial wave of deaths, Grant found increasingly interesting ways to off people, which kept things interesting more than I would have expected — since they were also an excuse to further develop the world building.

If you've enjoyed other Mira Grant books, you will probably enjoy this one. If you have a phobia of water or the open ocean etc, this will probably be even scarier for you. Proceed with caution. (But as a note, I read the book far from the coast and it didn't really faze me. I might have found it a little more concerning if I had been able to see the sea.) I am keen to read the prequel novella if I can, even though it's contents are made pretty obvious from the content of this book. I will continue keeping an eye out for future books by Mira Grant.

4.5 / 5 stars

First published:
Series: Yes. There is a prequel novella, Rolling in the Deep, which I haven't read because it's basically impossible to get outside of the US.
Format read: ePub
Source: Purchased from Kobo