Someone, or something, is haunting the ship. Between mysterious disappearances and sudden deaths, the guests of the Titanic have found themselves suspended in an eerie, unsettling twilight zone from the moment they set sail. Several of them, including maid Annie Hebley, guest Mark Fletcher, and millionaires Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, are convinced there’s something sinister—almost otherwordly—afoot. But before they can locate the source of the danger, as the world knows, disaster strikes.
Years later, Annie, having survived that fateful night, has attempted to put her life back together. Working as a nurse on the sixth voyage of the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, newly refitted as a hospital ship, she happens across an unconscious Mark, now a soldier fighting in World War I. At first, Annie is thrilled and relieved to learn that he too survived the sinking, but soon, Mark’s presence awakens deep-buried feelings and secrets, forcing her to reckon with the demons of her past—as they both discover that the terror may not yet be over.
Brilliantly combining the supernatural with the height of historical disaster, The Deep is an exploration of love and destiny, desire and innocence, and, above all, a quest to understand how our choices can lead us inexorably toward our doom.
I was most fascinated with the character Annie, who we follow on more than one time line. When first we meet her, Annie is in an insane asylum, although she is not mad. She had been found unconscious behind a pub some time after her ordeal on the Titanic and brought to the asylum where she remained. It is not clear what else Annie has suffered at this point but it is clear that her father has been searching for her and that Annie has a reason for not wanting to go home. When she leaves the asylum to take a job on a hospital ship with another Titanic survivor she discovers someone else from her time on the Titanic.
As the story goes back and forth between the past on the Titanic and the present time on the hospital ship it begins to weave together a paranormal element that connects both time lines.
While I did enjoy this story as a fan of historical fiction, it was not exactly what I was expecting since it was listed under horror. I would recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction and all who love anything to do with the Titanic since it seems quite well researched, but I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a scare.
4 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy for review.
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About the author
Alma Katsu is the author of The Hunger, The Taker, The Reckoning, and The Descent. She has been a signature reviewer for Publishers Weekly and a contributor to The Huffington Post. She is a graduate of the master’s writing program at the Johns Hopkins University and received her bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University. Prior to the publication of her first novel, Katsu had a long career as a senior intelligence analyst for several U.S. agencies. She lives outside of Washington, D.C., with her husband.
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