Deepest Blue: A Novel by Mindy Tarquini
Published by Sparkpress on September 25, 2018
Pages: 324
Format: ARC
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“Tarquini spins a haunting, lyrical fantasy dealing with love, loss, and political turmoil…Patient readers will be rewarded by the mysteries at the heart of these brothers’ struggles, which slowly unfold until the last page.”– Publishers Weekly
For fans of Paulo Coelho and Neil Gaiman comes a magical story by critically acclaimed author Mindy Tarquini.
In Panduri, an enchanted city seen only at twilight, everyone’s path is mapped, everyone’s destiny decided, their lives charted at birth and steered by an unwavering star. Everyone has his place, and Matteo, second son of Panduri’s duca, is eager to take up his as Legendary Protector—at the border and out from under his father’s domineering thumb. Then Matteo’s older brother pulls rank and heads to the border in his stead, leaving Panduri’s orbit in a spiral and Matteo’s course on a skid. Forced to follow an unexpected path, resentful and raw, Matteo is determined to rise, to pursue the one future Panduri’s star can never chart: a life of his own.
Brigadoon meets Pippin in this quirky tale of grief steeped deep in Italian folklore and shimmering with hope—to remember what helps, forget what hurts, and give what remains permission to soar.
The Booksparks Fall Reading Challenge 2018 (#FRC2018) is here. Summer is coming to a close and BookSparks releasing their next reading challenge. They pick 17 new Fall books, and they take readers on an adventure this season. Today’s book is yet another book in their challenge – Deepest Blue: A Novel by Mindy Tarquini.
I’m actually glad I was able to get a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, since I was familiar with author Mindy Tarquini thanks to the opportunity of reading her 2016 bestseller, Hindsight (see review HERE). I’ll be the first one to admit that this genre is definitely out of the realm of my normal reading preference. Shortly after getting the digital copy, I received a copy of the actual paperback book, which made me very happy 
That being said, when I read the description of the story, I knew it was one I wanted to read.
The story in Deepest Blue is based somewhat on Italian folklore of a magical and enchanted world called Panduri, which can only be seen at twilight. The description of this city is so beautiful – I had great imagery in mind while reading the book. I felt like if I could actually see it, it would be glowing and abundantly filled with plants and trees and beautiful nature.
The group of brothers – Antonio, Matteo and Claudio – are in mythical Panduri and are bound by their star charts, they are to do what is expected of them….. but then they don’t. I loved the family drama woven in this fantasy story. Ms. Tarquini again writes a very engaging and fast-paced story with multiple layers. The writing is incredible and the characters in this story were very interesting. I loved how easy it was to dive into the magical world of Panduri.
Raised by traditional people in a modern world, Mindy Tarquini is a second-generation Italian American who grew up believing dreams are prophecy, the devil steals lost objects, and an awkward glance can invite the evil eye.
She’s served as assistant editor with the Lascaux Review, also Spinetingler Magazine, and is a member of the Perley Station Writers’ Colony. Her work has won recognition from the Philadelphia City Paper, the Maui Writer’s Conference, and the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation.
A native Philadelphian, Ms. Tarquini packed up her pizza stone and westward-ho’d. She now resides in Phoenix, where she divides her time between writing and wrestling with her pasta maker.
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I received a complimentary advanced reader digital copy of this book from NetGalley, and I received a paperback advanced reader copy of this book from BookSparks, but I’m not required to post a positive review. I am, however, posting as part of the BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge 2018 (FRC#2018).
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