I love an epistolary novel so that was what first attracted me to this book. Upon reading, I was quickly intrigued by the world building and came to love the characters, whom we get to know through various letters.

The book follows correspondence between Sophy and Vyerin as they try to piece together what happened to their sister and brother respectively and grow to know each other over the course of their investigation. They themselves are witness to the developing relationship that took place in correspondence between Sophy's sister E and Vyerin's brother Henerey. The setting is almost Waterworld-esque but with a magical twist instead of that apocalyptic tint and its wonderful.

I didn't know at the outset that there would be more books but am desperate to read the next one. I'd recommend for cosy fantasy and romance readers.

I was so excited for this, but unfortunately it just fell flat for me. Epistolary novels can work really well, but in this case, not so much. We have, I suppose, 4 main characters in here, but without the information preceding each letter, I would not have been able to distinguish between any of them. For a fairly short book, this took me a long time to read, and I think it was because I just didn't care about what was going on. We know Henery and E. are missing in present day, but I'm not sure we ever understand what happened, what led up to that day - there was just no emotional investment into the story. It's very beautifully and poetically written, but I can't say I'll be continuing with the series.

So it's official, cozy fantasy isn't my thing AT ALL. I need larger stakes, action and possible character deaths. Now this book had beautiful writing, some of those quotes were *chef's kiss*. The romance was also well written and I rooted for the characters, plus my brain was stimulated by the switch in POVs so I didn't mind. It's just that I got a little bored because of the lack of stakes.

I really loved A Letter to the Luminous Deep, which I believe is Sylvie Cathrall’s debut. When I came up for air after finishing it, I was really startled by the number of DNFs, ambivalent reviews, and people who downright hated it. I can understand why, though: it’s written in an entirely epistolary format, which mostly works, and the letters are written with a sort of Regency-level formality and style. That means the execution of the plot takes some serious time, since the letters need to build characters and relationship in order to make the plot feel satisfying.

The frame story behind why these letters have been collected is equally important, in the end, to the story revealed in the letters themselves. There’s basically three threads:

1. Henery and E. form a friendship, discover something mysterious, and investigate it, ultimately leading to their disappearance;
2. E.’s sister Sophy is part of an expedition deep underwater to study wildlife, which encounters something strange as well;
3. Sophy and Vyerin (Henery’s brother) try to piece together their siblings’ archive of letters to understand how their connection formed and what happened to them.

The third thread is fraught with grief and fondness, as Sophy and Vyerin try to figure out what their lives look like without their siblings, try to give comfort to one another, and work through the loss to remember who their siblings were and share something of that. The first and second threads take time to reveal their secrets, and we discover what happened at the same pace as Sophy and Vyerin come to understand it themselves.

It’s a story that rewards some patience, and which may depend on how well the letters hit for you. I had no trouble telling who was writing what letter, though I know other readers did, and I loved E. and her bravery in vulnerability, discussing what is clearly obsessive-compulsive disorder, and possibly also social anxiety or maybe generalised anxiety disorder. I thought that portrayal was well done, as someone who has OCD/GAD, and I wasn’t surprised to learn that Cathrall has OCD. (I didn’t find it triggering, for what it’s worth, though the things that get to me are a little different from E.’s triggers.)

I’ve seen people describe this one as cosy, and I think it both is and isn’t. There’s a deep sadness here in knowing from the start that E. and Henery are gone, and in following Vyerin and Sophy’s path to understand why they died.

There are a few points that felt overly awkward to me in the epistolary format, and the one that jumped out was Henery and E.’s first meeting, where we know what happened because they wrote notes to each other on a programme because E.’s brother is putting on some kind of performance that’s too loud for them to hear each other. It’s a reasonably neat way of getting them into the same place but preserving a text record, but what they’ve supposedly written to each other (in full sentences, with punctuation) doesn’t ring true — even lampshaded by the commentary of Sophy, who says her sister would’ve used full sentences to calm herself down.

Still, for the most part it worked well for me, and I felt enchanted. I’m eager to read the next book, and wondering how on earth it can be achieved through the medium of letters.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep has an original structure of a collection of letters between various characters. They are written in a beautiful and flowery language, as most writers are academics. Unfortunately, that also means they are filled with details and anecdotes that do not move the story forward. In this book, the letters are mixed without any order, including those written in the past by E. and Henerey and those by their siblings. I constantly checked the letter’s date to place it in the storyline and cross-reference it with previous correspondence to understand what the author was writing about. This was too much effort. Also, the pacing is incredibly slow, especially at the beginning.

To sum up, this novel is beautifully written but does not follow a linear plot. I didn’t enjoy reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for this review.

Apologies for my delay, I’ve had a very hectic few months.

But this book wasn’t really for me unfortunately. Wasn’t a fan of the epistolary format, which is fully on me.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.

Man, I was so excited for this one, but sadly, not a lot about this worked for me and ultimately, I really had to force myself to keep reading every time I picked it back up.

Starting with the positives: I thought the setting was very unique and you could really tell how much thought and care went into building this world and its history. That's really the biggest part that kept me reading: I wanted to know more about this society built on a planet that's largely water, and especially about the skyborne society they apparently originated from. Super cool concept, and I have to admit, as the story picked up a bit towards the last fifth or so, I for sure had much more fun with it!
I also really appreciate the OCD representation in this. I know that the author drew from her own experiences and again, I think the thought and care translates very well. It's apparent how dear this was to the author's heart.

The not so great: This was completely overwritten, in my opinion. Now, I'm a person that adores purple prose and flowery writing. But given that this entire book is written (mostly) in letters, the meandering was simply much too much for my tastes. On top of that, I just didn't think that the letter writing styles of the various characters were distinct enough to truly differentiate between them and grant each one their own voice. Yes, some of them had slight variations, but the general tone was much too similar, which isn't great when the general tone isn't working for you, obviously.

That being said, I believe that the best way to approach this book is to read the first couple of pages or chapters and see how the writing style resonates with you. If it's not your cup of tea? Put it down, it's not gonna change much. If you're enchanted by it? By all means, do continue, you will probably really enjoy the book!

I really struggled with this book, and I think that it was mostly due to the epistolary format. I love letters in books, but the characters “voices” all sounded very similar and I found myself forgetting who was writing to whom. I kept needing to go back a few pages to check, which really pulled me out of the story. I also found myself getting annoyed with the overuse of exclamation marks.

I also felt that the format didn’t allow for much world building, and I didn’t feel like I knew the characters very well at all. I love books that include the ocean, so I was really disappointed that more emphasis wasn’t given to the setting.

I found the pacing to be slow and the plot didn’t grip me at all, which, coupled with the writing style, meant this book was just not for me. I do think if you enjoy a slower plot and an epistolary format, you may really enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an eARC.

In the depths of an underwater world two strangers find one another through the magic of the written word. A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall is a debut filled with heartwarming romance, wholesome characters and a world that wraps readers in curiosity and awe.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of a letter to the luminous deep. I give this book 4.5 out of five stars.

I don't know where to start with this review as in the first five percent I thought it would be a do not finish for me. I found the writing quite formal and hard to get into, however as I learnt more about the characters their neurodivergence, and the positive way this isfepicred, I found that I was falling a little bit in love with them. The wid4 characters in their sdventures and Sophie's marvelous explorations were also phenomenal to read about
There was also such a natural nod to LGBTQ relationships being healthy and happy and just the norm. I was thoroughly drawn into this massive adventure that started off as a romance through pen pals but then drifted into a mystery that I was keen to understand and uncover. The book itself ended on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for book two!

A surprise hit for me and a stunning cover too! I also bought the Fairyloot special edition - just beautiful.

Such an unique format - l loved reading it
It’s an ocean cosy fantasy - a collection of letters between characters E & Henerey - a heartwarming penpal romance
E & Henerey were such lovable characters and so glad they found each other
It takes a long time to get into the book - you’re thrown in at the deep end at first, but keep with it
Such a creative, beautiful way to write a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading
Thanks @sylviecathrall @littlebrownbookgroupuk & @netgalley for the unique read

When 2 people go missing their siblings discover their letters and send them to each other in the hops of getting a full picture of what became of them. This novel is told entirely through letters.

I love a book with a different format for example Sleeping Giants, The Appel are 2 of my favorite books, unfortunately I found the letters to become quite tedious after about 20%. Mostly because I didn't find the way the letters were written natural. Also due to this format I never connected to the characters.

Unfortunately not for me.

I loved this, slow-paced unfurling of a mystery and connections between two people who vanished and the family trying to piece together what happened.

Maybe it's the archivist in me,but the idea of close relations only really learning to understand their family, their thoughts and feelings, through what they left behind, the letters really spoke to me. I experienced this story both through an e-arc, and an audio arc, listening to the audio first before switching to the written version, and I hadn't read any spoilers about the book before, so didn't actually expect the epistolary format and kept waiting for the straight narrative to kick in, by the time I realised the plot and characters were going to reveal themselves entirely through letters, I was already in love. The narrators did such a good job (though my least favourite was the narrator for Henerey, he seemed to be playing it for the stage, a bit over the top and too many instances of placing emphasis on odd words in a sentence for me, like he was reading the words without having the full context of the sentence), Sophy was vibrant and clever and a great foil for her sister, the introverted E, and

The theme of discovery and exploration was really well done, and not just the exploration of The Deep, or the discoveries made there, but how the characters were explored and discovered through their correspondence, and how E and Henerey discovered each other and aspects about themselves that they didn't realise were there through their connection to each other.

Again, for those of you preferring quick romance, resolutions, or plot, this isn't it, it is a slow unfurling imagine gradually emerging sea creatures from a dark abyss, for a long while it doesn't look like there's anything to see, and then things start to happen, until the end when suddenly a lot is shown to us all at once. That is my one drawback, the reveals at the end came very quickly and conveniently, or maybe I should say inconveniently, because certain characters had inconveniently kept the answers to themselves this whole time, and annoyingly with the 'because you had to discover it for yourselves' excuse. (Oh and the fact that the e-arc at least had some mistakes in the dating of the letters, which didn't really help when the timeline jumped between two main time periods). But the style and the two mysterious main characters, E and Henerey, were so suited to my reading personality then, that I didn't really care.

This ultimately intriguing story starts quite slowly. But what really had me breaking off several times while reading, is the grief both Sophy and Henerey express for their siblings. I found this quite difficult to read, given that I lost my own much-loved sister only four months ago.

That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this epistolary tale where the story unfolds through letters and journal entries. The correspondence between the two sets of siblings, both before and after the major accident gives a very clear indication of the different characters. E, in particular, is extremely well depicted. She clearly struggles with acute anxiety, which is discussed by herself and her sister and we get a clear insight into how it impacts on her life. I found these passages poignant and absolutely believable.

The language in the letters is more than a nod to 19th century prose, with the formality and use of longer words. I was very comfortable with the style and thought it fitted well with the post-apocalyptic world, in which civilisation had to pick itself up when the highly technical flying habitats for some reason all failed together and ended up crashing into the sea. This planet is largely covered by sea, so people now mostly live in cramped accommodation tethered to atolls or small islands. Though E. lives beneath the waves in Deep House, where she and her brother and sister were brought up in the dwelling designed by their brilliantly clever mother.

The descriptions of the sea life, both flora and fauna, is vivid. I like that we are treated to E.’s lovely poetic evocation of life beneath the waves and also Sophy’s more scholarly view of the lifeforms. And in amongst Sophy and Henerey’s sadness, is a drive to try to work out exactly what happened to their lost siblings, hence their mission to sort through their papers and correspondence to discover what they were thinking and feeling right up to the time they disappeared. However, other events intrude on this investigation – Sophy finds herself undertaking a dangerous and ground-breaking exploration of a particularly deep part of the ocean. And bit by bit, we start to learn that something else has been going on – something that goes back to Sophy and E’s mother.

I found myself reading far later than I should as the pace steadily picks up in the final quarter of the book, as many of my previous conclusions about what is going on are suddenly upended. It’s cleverly done and a warning – this book ends on a doozy of the cliff-hanger. I’ll definitely be wanting to read the next one. This deceptively gentle-seeming story has hooks that have left me thinking a lot about this one since I put it down. Very highly recommended if you’re looking for an otherworldly fantasy story with a difference. While I obtained an arc of A Letter to the Luminous Deep from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:3.75/5
There is something about epistolary love stories that just fills my heart with joy. A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a pretty great debut - a gorgeous underwater cozy fantasy told entirely through letters. I must admit that I was initially sceptical whether a fantasy novel could be presented completely through letters, worldbuilding and all. It took me some time to get adjusted to the writing style which felt distinctly academic, but once I did, I got fully invested.

I adored the slice of life feel that the first half gave. I often love reading no plot, all vibes kind of books just to relax and this gave me just that. I really resonated with E. 's character. As someone who experiences anxiety quite frequently, I appreciate the anxiety and OCD rep that the book has. Watching E. and Henerey's friendship (and eventually, something more) blossom was a pleasure to read. Sophy and Vyerin were great characters too. ALTTLD is a really sweet, wholesome and heartwarming book.

My complaint with this is a weird one. This book has been compared to Emily Wilde and I loved and disliked parts of both boos for the same reason. Similar to Emily Wilde entering the faerie realm, the climax of this book was a tonal shift that didn't match the cozy vibe the rest of it had. I was also not aware that there would be a sequel and I'm not very intrigued by the direction in which this is going.

Besides the minor disappointment, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the next one.

An epistolary novel, compelling and well done. I loved the atmosphere, the tone of the letters and the well plotted novel and characters.
The author is an excellent storyteller and I can't wait to read another novel by this author
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A lovely concept and I felt it worked really well for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and felt connected to the characters as if they were writing to me.

A solid debut fantasy and what looks to be an ongoing series with potential. This is an epistolary fantasy set in an underwater world.

"A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other".

This book is for the academia lovers and will satisfy and stimulate your mind if you give it the proper attention it demands.

I probably should have taken the epistolary portion more literally as the majority of this book is the exchange of letters between multiple people and over different timelines. You're slowing putting together a puzzle over the course of this book working out what has happened to E and Henerey. This is a cozy fantasy, however it requires a lot of attention due to the changing POV, timeline and events both on the ground and under-the-sea. I enjoyed the letters in book, however, I didn't expect the entire book essentially to be letters with minimal action occurring in the current timeline. The pacing is relatively slow and it stays this way for most of the book. It slightly picks up in the last 20% and ends on a cliffhanger.

I loved the romance element of this story and getting to know the characters through their letters was unique experience. It was a fun way to hear about E. and Henry's love story through their siblings eyes. Sophy and Vyerin bond over their grief of not knowing where their sibling are by writing to each other. I loved their friendship and how the grief was measured with their shared love for books. They are both fantasy lovers so I loved listening to them discussing this and the arrangement of their libraries.

The writing itself is very beautiful and was reminiscent of Victorian England with a modern twist. I appreciated the mental health representation which was portrayed realistically but the author. There is also queer representation.

The changing timelines did make this confusing at points. This together with the pacing is what prevented me from rating this higher. I think this will appeal to others more than me as I feel like I didn't read this book at the right time. For me, It took too long to get to the point and had a lot of filler.

Despite my criticism, I will continue this series as I'm very interested to see how the author will set this story out after the cliffhanger and whether we will see more in-person action, outside of mere letters.

Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored reading the letters between E. and Henerey throughout this book, showing their tentative first contact, their blossoming friendship and their romance through their words to each other. E.’s sister, Sophy, and Henerey’s brother, Vyerin, are piecing together their story and looking for clues as to the disappearance of their siblings. I definitely preferred E. and Henerey’s story to Sophy’s accounts from the Ridge expedition, and felt the romance between the two was perhaps better written than that between Sophy and her expedition colleague. Though I didn’t enjoy the parts of the story about the Ridge as much, I did enjoy the friendship between Sophy and Vy and their easy rapport as time progressed. The mystery element of the story also brought some surprises with it and I’m intrigued by the direction the author took this, and look forward to finding out what happens next for these intrepid explorers and sea captains.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A rewarding slow burn
A lengthy novel unusually consisting almost entirely of letters between the Scholars, E and her sister Sophy exchanged with brothers Vyerin and Hennerey and a few extra letters from other members of the family and some excerpts from various diaries, journals and documents involving strange things which were found and seen to happen in the eponymous Deep, the ocean world where all the characters live.
If I’d realised that this was entirely composed of letters and excerpts I most probably wouldn’t have wanted to read it but I’m glad I didn’t realise as it was a very good read, gradually drawing me in both in spite of and because of the letters and the slightly archaic writing style.
I found myself charmed by the writers and their growing relationships, by the absolute lack of judgement or even inquisitiveness about the genders involved in those relationships and by the marvellous imagery of the great deep oceans in and on which they live. I found the world building convincing. There are references to a terrible event in the past which suggested to me either a civilisation collapsing (perhaps from climate change?) or colonists or travellers from another world crashing on this one.
At first, the novel seemed to me to move very slowly but the plot became quietly gripping and the power and immensity of the seas became ever increasingly present and scary. Along with Sophy and Vyerin, I really wanted to know what happened to E and Hennery.
The ending was maybe a little abrupt? But in the end I enjoyed the book so much that I just hope this means there will be a follow up. If there is I will read it with interest.