Soul of the Deep, Natasha Bowen
Soul of the Deep, Natasha Bowen
List: $27.50 | Sale: $19.25
Club: $13.75

Soul of the Deep

Author: Natasha Bowen

Narrator: Yetide Badaki

Unabridged: 11 hr 6 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/27/2022

Synopsis

The stunning sequel to New York Times bestseller Skin of the Sea, in which the world must pay the price for one mermaid’s choice, and a dark force reverberates across realms. Perfect for anyone eagerly anticipating the live-action The Little Mermaid.

One life.
One choice.
One sacrifice.

To save those closest to her, Simi traded away everything: her freedom, her family, and the boy she loves. Now she is sworn to serve a new god, watching over the Land of the Dead at the bottom of the ocean.

But when signs of demons begin to appear, it’s clear there are deeper consequences of Simi’s trade. These demons spell the world’s ruin . . . and because of Simi, they now have a way into the human realm.

With the fate of the world at stake, Simi must break her promise and team up with a scheming trickster of a god. And if they succeed, perhaps Simi can also unbreak her heart along the way, and find herself again.

"Epic and original . . . Simi's story will stay with me for a long time.” —Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing

About The Author

Natasha Bowen is a New York Times bestselling author, a teacher, and a mother of three children. She is of Nigerian and Welsh descent and lives in Cambridge, England, where she grew up. Natasha studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa University before moving to East London, where she taught for nearly ten years. She is obsessed with Japanese and German stationery and spends stupid amounts on notebooks, which she then features on her secret Instagram. When she's not writing, she's reading, watched over carefully by Milk and Honey, her cat and dog. Follow her on Twitter at @skinofthesea.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mallory on November 13, 2022

This is book two in the Skin of the Sea series. I liked the first one a lot more than this one, but this was a nice conclusion to the story. I love the mythology woven between the words of the story. I also love the creative world. I thought the story was rushed and I was confused that a lot of this......more

Goodreads review by Dannii on September 13, 2022

This is the second instalment in the Skin of the Sea series. Simidele was once saved by the sea, but now she is imprisoned in it. She traded her heart and her freedom for the safety of others and now must spend her days on the sea bed, preparing the dead for their next journey. But when old enemies r......more

Goodreads review by Jenn on September 26, 2022

So I really enjoyed the first book and went into this one with fairly high expectations. However, I was rather underwhelmed. One thing that stayed consistent from the first book was the writing. I really like Bowen's way of writing. She knows how to set a scene and allows this amazing visual to come......more

Goodreads review by milliereadsalot on August 11, 2022

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review! 2.5 stars Again, just like with the first book, my main issue is with the characters of this world. The concept of the book is amazing, but it all just fell quite flat for me once again. I just......more

Goodreads review by Priscilla on October 11, 2024

Update: there's a cover and it's so beautiful! ... I might be getting a little ahead of myself here, what with not even a cover and the fact that I'm still halfway through the first book in this series. But I'm already so excited for this sequel!......more

Quotes

PRAISE FOR SOUL OF THE DEEP:

YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults
Bustle Most Anticipated Book – September 2022

★ "A deeply satisfying dive into magic and mystery." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Readers will be pleased that this sequel is just as adventurous as the previous volume, rife with drama and West African mythology, from the epic scale of the setting to the clashes with terrifying beasts to the interference of scheming orisa." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Bowen’s lush fantasy is steeped in West African mythos, and this installment expands upon the worldbuilding with new villains and deeper characterizations . . . Interesting and inventive, this installment is worth purchasing for libraries that own the series opener." —SLJ

PRAISE FOR SKIN OF THE SEA:

Instant New York Times Bestseller
NPR Best Book of the Year
PopSugar Best New Book – November 2021
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Children’s Africana Book Awards – 2022 Honor Book for Older Readers
Top 10 YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults

"Bowen has built an impressive mythology to buttress her fairy tale, and it's a pleasure to discover this world through Simi's eyes." —The New York Times

"An evocative debut." —Entertainment Weekly

"Riveting . . . I'm sure that Simi has many ardent fans to await her further adventures." —NPR

"Remarkable." —Buzzfeed

“Skin of the Sea is one of the most epic and original fantasies I've read. . . . Simi's story will stay with me for a long time to come.” —Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing
 
“The most engrossing, thought-provoking, beautiful novel I’ve read in ages. Skin of the Sea knocks your socks off and leaves you wanting more." —Namina Forna, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Ones
 
“An enchanting, unputdownable fantasy. Bowen’s lush world building and beautiful prose will have you rooting for these characters from page one. A triumph of storytelling.” —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of This Poison Heart

★ “A story bursting with innovative inspiration . . . a divine debut." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Reinvigorating the image of West Africa as not merely a site of human suffering but a historical place of great invention, fellowship, and hope, Bowen relays a story as lushly described as it is cinematic, centering a brave, headstrong protagonist coming into her own power in an age of change." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Any story about literal Black girl magic featuring a Black mermaid is sure to shine, but Bowen’s story swims to sparkling heights.” —Booklist, starred review

"Give this book to everyone, but especially fans of mythological and well-crafted fantasy." —School Library Journal

"Those who have been riveted by the many new West African-inspired novels of the last few years including Children of Blood and Bone and The Gilded Ones will find this a worthy addition to the genre, and readers new to an African fantasy setting have an excellent introduction here." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"An inspired take on Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Little Mermaid' that blends West African religion and history in an immersive adventure. . . . Skin of the Sea painfully entwines love and sacrifice to create a story as powerful and majestic as the sea itself." —BookPage

"Bowen combines a classic quest plot with a rich and still-underrepresented mythology . . . [an] inventive supernatural fantasy." —The Horn Book

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List