Thanks Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for review! 

 

“Angels were, and had always been, terrible things.” 

 

An automaton, a private investigator and an angel walk into a monastery… 

Sound like a strange setup? It is! But OUT OF THE DROWNING DEEP was weird in all the best ways. 

 

After the Pope is found dead at a secluded, mostly abandoned monastery called the Bastion, Scribe IV sends out a call for help before the Sisters of the Drowned Deep rise from beneath the sea to dole out punishment. Quin, an independent investigator and recovering drug addict occupying a nearby space station, hears the call and takes the case. But a biblically accurate angel named Angel also hears Scrive IV’s plea and joins the team to offer xer own unique, slightly scary expertise. 

 

OUT OF THE DROWNING DEEP is a strange, masterful work of science-fantasy. It packs a big punch in a short book—a feat that’s not easily accomplished in under 200 pages! The plot was straightforward and interesting—we’re solving a murder mystery—but there’s a ton of otherworldly lore beneath the surface, along with rich character work and commentary on religion, trauma, addiction and humanity. 

 

Scribe IV and Quin, in particular, had interesting back stories and motivations that played a role in the mystery plot. I’m satisfied with the way their stories ended here, but I would love for the world and characters to be expanded on in a full-length novel. 

 

If you’re a fan of Cassandra Khaw’s stories, I think you’d find this novella interesting. The writing was beautiful and uncomplicated, the worldbuilding accessible, and the story engaging.