The Deep

This story covers a number of different themes in such a rich way that it seems impossible it could be as short as it is. I personally really resonated with how the main character, imbued with the memory of their people, runs away from this duty because it is killing her. Much like Atlas bolted when Hercules gave him the chance, Yetu can't take it anymore. When coupled with the environmental and human (mermaid?) rights themes of this book, I couldn't help but think of how many people have burned out of activism while fighting to make the world a better place.

Yetu's struggle with balancing her own well-being and that of her people is really the conflict here, with the fate of the world dependent on one person. The story didn't pull any emotional punches and hit me a lot harder than any typical farmboy with a sword narrative might.

I also really love that the story didn't end in the traditional, singular sacrifice of our hero, but in a more collaborative solution that was better for Yetu and her people. It felt optimistic, but realistic, and was a welcome change to the one person saves the world on their own narrative even if Yetu's own actions are a critical piece of that solution.

Despite the short length, the characters beyond Yetu held their own and felt like real people, not just cardboard cutouts there to advance the plot, which I've sometimes found to be the case in novellas.

I can't recommend this book enough. It deals with some heavy stuff, but makes you feel like anything is possible if you don't try to do it all on your own. It's definitely going on my list of tidalpunk recommendations.

This is a novella inspired by the rap song of the same name by Daveed Diggs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT1ujfuXFVo

The premise is that when the slave ships from Africa threw pregnant female slaves overboard, what if some of the babies could have survived (helped by whales), retaining the ability to breathe water that they have in the womb? And what if enough of them survived to find each other and start a civilization on the sea floor, and live there undetected until the inevitable clash with the "one-legs" from above who now want the sea floor for oil drilling?

It's a very unusual premise and told mainly through the eyes of Yetu, the historian of her people, who is responsible for inheriting and passing along the memories of their ancestors, trying to find the path between embracing their heritage and sparing her people their racial and ancestral trauma. It's a little hard to follow at times, especially if you're not already aware of the song it's based on (I wasn't) and it's definitely too short, but beautifully told and a very unique story that's worth a read.