Tal’s siblings also get plenty of depth and heart, even the ones that only appear briefly. Eldest brother Garrett feels his duty so much that it’s become part of his personality. But he’s not stodgy or impossibly rigid. He’s young enough to not be jaded but experienced enough to understand how the world works. Youngest child Corrie is a spitfire largely because she’s allowed to be. She holds no positional power (she’s too far down the line of succession to matter politically) or magical power, so she gets to be as energetic and nosy as she wants to be. She is truly the freest of all the royal siblings, and is the only one who gets to be her whole self. Heir to the throne Princess Isa, on the other hand, is a practical sibling who is as sturdy and thoughtful as her youngest sibling is not. She chooses to marry a man she doesn’t love to secure her kingdom’s safety, but she also maintains a position of power within that relationship and chooses a man she knows won’t be abusive or violent. N'Duka, Amanda (December 13, 2019). "Lodric D. Collins To Play Smokey Robinson In Aretha Franklin Biopic 'Respect'; Vincent Pastore Joins 'The Birthday Cake'; Michael Braun In 'Deep Water' ". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 13, 2019.

He stepped onto the plank and grabbed the rope that stretched from their main mast to the derelict’s. As he was about to step across, Shay grabbed his arm and halted him. I love how they just accepted Athlen in. Honestly every person in this book, including the villains, was just perfect. They had character and personality whether it be good or cruel. It just worked. Garrett looked between them, hands on his hips, eyes sparkling with amusement. He pointed a finger at Athlen. “A few minutes of fresh air, then water and food in my quarters, where you will talk.” Death, he discovered, was simple, not the terrifying and daunting fate that had loomed over him during his time on the ship. It was easy to give in, to let his eyes slide half closed, to let his body drift in the rhythm of the sea. His pain dulled - the scorch from his chest and shoulder became distant, as if it weren't happening to him at all. But he still felt regret over the thought of never seeing his family again, of never seeing Athlen again..."

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Sixteen-year-old Prince Taliesin of Harth is fourth in line for the crown, and he also has a closely guarded secret: Like his denounced great-grandfather, he has the rare magical ability to conjure fire. While he and his siblings are on his traditional coming-of-age tour, they come across a burning ship, a mysterious trunk of golden coins, and Athlen, a handsome young man in fetters. Tal is drawn to the enigmatic lad’s company and is swept up in a machination involving his great-grandfather’s legacy, royal marriages and alliances, an assassination plot, and the reality of merfolk. Elements of the story bring to mind “The Little Mermaid.” Tal’s pansexuality is a non-issue, structural misogyny seems to only exist in some kingdoms, and while imperialism and people of different skin tones exist, there don’t seem to be racialized categories attached to power (dark-haired Tal is described as having tanned skin while Athlen is pale). Lukens stays true to the conventions of the royal fantasy genre while avoiding the sexism and heteronormativity often baked into those worlds, with a depiction of romantic and sexual tension reminiscent of fan fiction. The characters are also super disappointing! I know they're young (16) but can't we please get just an ounce of character development? I don't want to go into spoilers but the only development just felt painfully cliché and honestly, badly brought up. Also, not a big fan of the romance. Very insta-lovey (you've known this guy for 2 days and he's the love of your life??), which is something I really hate in fiction. If you're fine with it, you'll probably enjoy the book a lot more than I did, at least. It was still sort of cute at times, I guess. I didn't hate it as much as I hated the romance in The Friend Scheme (idk if that's even possible tbh) so that's something.

How could he prove himself to his family if he couldn’t keep his magic under control in situations where he shouldn’t even be anxious? How could Garrett trust him? The Germans however soon revoked the pledge with U-Boat action resuming against merchant vessels in the North Atlantic. This antagonised America which then entered the war in April 1917.died at the Battle of Jutland in 1915 alone) but many in Britain have been appalled that it was not until Reelgood Data: Disney's 'Turning Red' Most-Streamed Movie Through March 23 – Media Play News". 25 March 2022 . Retrieved 2022-10-05. They’re the last of their kind and the come to terms with it and deal with it together and it’s just so sweet. The breeze ruffled Tal’s hair as they headed toward the southernmost port of their kingdom. The first day of his tour had been unexpectedly eventful. Suddenly he was to oversee the well-being of a strange boy and procure information from him about a chest of gold and a ghost ship. And his magic had flared despite all the training he’d endured over the last several years to keep it a secret. He flexed his fingers and sighed. Note: In WW1 the warring factions agreed not to target mercantile vessels at sea – treating them as civilians in the conflict. Looking at the lists of British trawlers and other merchant vessels sunk at the enemy hands it’s hard to believe this was taken seriously across the German Naval command, but nevertheless the sinking of the Lusitania was viewed as an egregious act of German violence by the Allies, though at the time Germany contended that the ship was carrying military supplies and ammunition being transported to the Western Front, and therefore was a legitimate target. After the sinking the Germans agreed to restrict their U-Boats from targeting merchant ships unless they were obviously armed and especially passenger ships. But as the war of attrition in the trenches escalated this policy loosened and in March 1916 a passenger ferry, SS Sussex, was torpedoed in the Channel and severely damaged. Around 50 people were killed causing America to put pressure on the Germans who gave an agreement known as the Sussex Pledge. This guaranteed passenger ships would not be sunk, merchant ships would not be sunk without confirmation of weaponry aboard, and German provision would be made to rescue the crew of a torpedoed ship.

The boy tapped his foot and crossed his arms over his bare chest. He stood tall and broad shouldered, with reddish-brown hair that flopped over his forehead. Light coming in the broken window cast a kaleidoscope of colors on his pale face, illuminating the honey brown of his eyes and the strange patterned markings that ran the length of his torso. His trousers were too short on his long legs, stopping at his shins. He had thinly boned ankles and pale bare feet with knobby toes. An iron fetter, wrapped snugly around one ankle, was attached to a chain, which was secured to the floor. In Deeper Waters is a pleasant romp through a fun fantasy world. It reminded me a lot of Makiia Lucier’s Tower of Winds series, which I also really adored. There’s darkness, there’s lightness, there’s powerful magic and high seas adventure and sugary sweet romance. Although this is marketed as a standalone, I would happily accept several more books set in this world, especially one starring the runaway polyamorous princess. If you need a book that will make you smile, this is the book for you. Tal opened his mouth, then shut it, unsure of how to respond. He rubbed his hand over his face. “It’s not…” Tal crossed his arms, wrong-footed. “I’m not… there hasn’t been…” Tal straightened his posture, and though Garrett was seven years older, they almost matched in height.The development of both the characters are more on a personal level. They developed on how the felt about themselves and their powers. Tal finally gains confidence and stops beating himself up and honestly? It’s hot for a YA. En In Deeper Waters nos encontramos con la historia de Tal, el príncipe de un reino que está a punto de partir en su gran tour por ya ser mayor. Tal, que prácticamente nunca ha salido del palacio porque debe esconder la magia que tiene en él y que no es común en esa era, está muy emocionado por conocer más de su reino y, en efecto, las aventuras no tardan en aparecer, pues en los primeros días navegando se encuentran con un naufragio y rescatan a Athlen, un chico que estaba allí. A Tal le encargan vigilarlo, pues ahora es su prisionero, y empieza a sentir una conexión impresionante con ese chico rebelde. Sin embargo, Athlen se lanza por la borda en un momento y desaparece, haciéndoles pensar a todos que está muerto. La cosa es que, unos días más tarde, Athlen y Tal se encuentran de nuevo en tierra firme, pero la felicidad les dura poco porque unos piratas secuestran a Tal para que revele sus poderes y puedan empezar una guerra en contra del reino… y la única persona que podrá salvarlo será Athlen. Eugene Damblans’ illustration for the French Petit Journal shows German “barbarity” as U boat sailors shoot the fishermen of a torpedoed sardine trawler out of the rigging (May 1917)