Genre: YA Fantasy
Published: May 6, 2014 by Disney Hyperion
Series: #1 (Waterfire Saga)
Length: 324 Pages
Source: gifted (thanks dad)
“Serefina, daughter of Isabella, Queen of Miromara, has been raised with the expectation – and burden – that she will someday become ruler of the oldest civilization of the merfolk. On the eve of the Dokimí ceremony, which will determine if she is worthy of the crown, Sera is haunted by a strange dream that foretells the return of an ancient evil. But her nightmare is forgotten the next day as she diligently practices her songspell; eagerly anticipates a reunion with her best friend, Neela; and anxiously worries about Mahdi, the crown prince of Matali, and whether his feelings toward her and their future betrothal have changed. Most of all, she worries about not living up to her mother’s hopes.
The Dokimí proceeds, a dazzling display of majesty and might, until a shocking turn of events interrupts it: an assassin’s arrow wounds Isabella. The realm falls into chaos, and Serafina’s darkest premonitions are confirmed. Now she and Neela must embark on a quest to find the assassin’s master and prevent a war between the mer nations. Their search will lead them to other mermaid heriones scattered across the six seas. Together they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world’s very existence.”
It was really hard to get into Deep Blue at the beginning since there are these mermaid terms, places, etc. that were being explained and it was just hard to remember all of them. For me, the first 25% of the book was just info-dumping which turned me off a bit. I could have read this book much faster if it weren’t for those info being dumped at the beginning. I really like the 2nd half of the book though! The plot was finally going somewhere and there was a mystery aspect in the plot which I always appreciate in books. I love books that keep me guessing!
Unfortunately, the characters did not leave a huge impact on me. I feel like we were just getting to know the characters, but the book suddenly ended. I thought the romance was also okay. The first 25% of the book was heavy on romance since it’s an arranged marriage, but as the story progresses, it is more about friendship and conquest. Overall I honestly don’t have any strong opinions for this book lol. I thought it was okay and could have been better. I liked the cliffhanger at the end though which is why I will still continue on in the series.
