#Review + #Interview: FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Hello and welcome to my mini blog tour today featuring

FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP by Sarah Glenn Marsh!

I review the book plus interview the author in today's post. You can see all the by scrolling down, but first let's learn more about the book!

FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP

Author: Sarah Glenn Marsh
Source: eARC via Author
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary:
Witch’s apprentice Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its return to the Isle of Man.

Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.


Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was one good. It was a solid story and kept me interested throughout because of the mythology and (some of the) characters. I thought that at certain points it felt like the story was taking a bit of a lull and not focusing on what I thought was the main problem (aka girls being drowned and killed) to focus on trivial things (weddings). I felt like the pacing could have been tightened just a tad to make this one even better.

I thought that the mythology for this one was really interesting. I liked learning about sea creatures and how magic affected the world. I thought that this took the cool parts of mythology and combined them with an awesome setting to really deliver. I felt as though I was a part of this place and this world, which is super important. The setting was an additional character in this one and it was well thought out and described. Honestly the magical aspects were some of the best parts of this one and what kept me reading this one in only one sitting.

The characters were hit or miss depending on who we are talking about. Our main character, Bridey, seemd to be really wishy-washy about her choices and decisions. She wanted to travel and not stay on the island, which was the main reason she didn't want to commit to Lugh, but then she was 100% on board staying when it came to her and Fynn. And I felt like I wasn't okay with her changing her mind for a boy. If she had really shown the development and the eagerness to be a part of the life on the island, it would have been one thing, but she was terrified of the water and would have been better off on the mainland so ??? I think she definitely had other reasons that should have been more prominent for staying (i.e. she could see and believed in the sea monsters and should have taken over for the old witch) but I felt like she changed her mind for a boy rather than all these other options.

Fynn was alright. I guessed his secret from the moment we met him. I wasn't really drawn to him as a character or a love interest. I thought that he was kind of meh as a person. The only good thing he did was teach Bridey how to swim and not be afraid of the water again. I feel as though he could have had more of a role in this one and just didn't. I felt this way about all of the secondary characters to be honest. There was so much potential for the characters and I felt as though they fell a little short. With the exception of Bridey's mother and Magdra. They were both SO interesting and had the interest of the other characters and the island at the centre of their lives. I feel like they are role models for what we could expect to come of Bridey.

The plot was really intriguing. I wanted to know what was plaguing the town and all that but the ending was super underwhelming. It wrapped up way too easily considering how many problems and dilemmas would actually have come out of the situation. I wanted something more action packed and gore-y because we had been given that previously. I feel like I was robbed of the ending I deserved.

Overall I would recommend this one. I loved the mythology and the setting and would actually like to see more from this island and town. I think it had so much to give and we could take and learn so much from it. I did like Bridey, her mother, and Magdra, but I had a problem with the majority of the other characters. This is a quick and easy read and I think it adds a lot to the Historical Fantasy canon.

Describe FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP in 10 words or less.

Sarah Glenn Marsh: Girl faces her greatest fear to save her island community. 

What is the best part about being an author?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: I’d say the best part is the writing community. Through meeting other authors, I’ve learned a lot and found a place where I feel like I fit in, and that’s been incredible. Also, I love the idea that as an author, your stories can move people, or make them think about something in a new way. That’s powerful. Using your words for good is awesome!

What are the hardest scenes for you to write? Are any of these types of scenes in FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: I’d say the hardest scenes to write are action scenes! They have to convey so much tension, and they also have to be really clear in terms of describing every character’s every movement. (I mean, if you don’t know who’s punching who in a fight scene, it’s boring and confusing!). There are definitely some action scenes in FEAR, and I was careful to study tips on how to get those right (one of which is not to be overly descriptive, which is hard for me! Ha!). Hopefully I did all right!

Do you find it difficult to balance being an author with the other aspects in your life?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: I’m fortunate to be a full-time author right now, so I don’t find the balance difficult; the key is setting boundaries. I work from 9-5 at my writing and related things, and after 5pm, it’s time for errands and family and everything else! This schedule has worked really well for me the past few years.

What did you draw on for mythology for FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: The mythology in the story is Manx*, so myths from the Isle of Man itself! I bought a book of Manx fairy tales and had it shipped from the Isle, and also read some Manx books from the 1800s about their mythology and culture. 

*Mostly Manx, I should say—one of the creatures used in the story is actually Norse. I was trying to find a variety of water-related creatures, and there was a Norse one that really appealed to me!

Which character from FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP would you want to be your best friend?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: I’d say Bridey’s older sister, Mally! I feel like she and I would get along really well—I tend to be a little shy, and she’s more outgoing, so I think she’d push me to have fun and try more new things!

What do you hope readers take away from FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: Fear is at its heart—and I’m sure this is no surprise—a novel about facing your greatest fears. I’ve had some experience with this myself, when I was diagnosed at age 20 with an autoimmune disease that required me to give myself injections (I arguably am more terrified of needles than Bridey is of the ocean!). I hope the book at some point, somewhere, reaches a reader who needs a little inspiration when it comes to being brave. We all have our own dark ocean/needles/ghost to face, and I hope Bridey’s story shows that fears can indeed be overcome, or at least cast aside in the moments when we need to be our strongest.

Have you learned anything in the process of writing that you wished you'd known when you first started?

Sarah Glenn Marsh: I’d say one of the most important things I’ve learned is how to take critique; it takes a while to learn how to sort through feedback and only use what works for you, and it really comes down to trusting yourself. Of course, I’m not sure that’s something I could have known when I first started; I think everyone gets there through experience!

Sarah Glenn Marsh writes young adult fantasy novels full of danger, mythology, and kissing. Sometimes she writes children's picture books, too.

She lives, writes, and paints things in Virginia, supported by her husband and four senior greyhounds.

If she could, she'd adopt ALL THE ANIMALS.

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