Book Spotlight: Deeplight
Deeplight
Written by Frances Hardinge
Cover art by Aitch
416 pages
Published by Pan Macmillan and Amulet Books (Abram)
Publication date: 31st October 2019 (UK) ; 14th April 2020 (USA)
Summary (from Goodreads):
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein in Frances Hardinge’s latest fantasy adventure
The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?
Praise for DEEPLIGHT
★ “Equal parts dazzling fantasy, swashbuckling adventure, and tender coming-of-age tale.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “Monsters and mortals collide in this fantasy adventure that explores the hypnotic allure of fear, the adamant grip of the past, and the redeeming power of stories.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Glorious thematic complexity inhabits a wildly inventive world, with the menacing roils of a dangerous sea threatening the archipelago and touches of steampunk rounding out the fantastical elements.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Chilling and provocative, this dark fantasy will appeal to thrill seekers and cerebral tweens.” —Booklist
Frances Hardinge is an auto-buy author for me so I was incredibly excited to finally get my hands on a copy of this beautiful book.
UK cover on the left and US cover on the right – which do you prefer?
I love them both!
I actually featured the UK cover as one of my favourite book covers of all time, a few months ago and it was nominated for an award too so I’m clearly not alone in loving it. I fins the differences in covers between different regions really interesting, especially when they choose to focus on different things. I definitely get much more of a sense of menace from the heart on the US cover when compared to the UK one.
Frances Hardinge is the winner of the Costa Book of the Year for The Lie Tree, one of just two young adult novels to win the major UK literary prize. Known for her beautiful use of language, Hardinge has written many critically acclaimed novels, including Cuckoo Song, Gullstruck Island, Fly by Night, Verdigris Deep, and Fly Trap. She lives in England. Visit the author at franceshardinge.com.
WEBSITE: http://www.franceshardinge.com/
TWITTER: @FrancesHardinge
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/119830.Frances_Hardinge
GIVEAWAY!
That’s what you’re really here for, right?
There are 5 copies of this incredible book up for grabs, thanks to the publisher. The giveaway is open internationally to readers aged over 13 years old. It will close on 15th June.
Click here to enter on Rafflecopter.
Good luck!
Have you read Deeplight?
Do you want to read it now?
Have you read any other books by Frances Hardinge?
Do you prefer the UK or US cover?
While you’re here, why not check out my reviews of Love, Hate and Other Filters, 44 Tiny Secrets, Cannonball Coralie and the Lion, Lancelot, To Kill A Kingdom, All the Things We Never Said, You Only Live Once, Diary of a Confused Feminist or Ayesha at Last?
Check out my mini-reviews themed around the sea.
Find me on Twitter , Goodreads or Instagram
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the opportunity! I’ve read two books by Hardinge so far and loved them both. I definitely prefer the UK cover of this one.
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