"The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?"Hardinge is at her prime with this kind of world and writing; it's fantasy in the best way. There is a fleshed out world which is dark and intriguing, the premise of the recent history of this world has set up a perfect culture to explore whilst reading - an archipelago called Myriad once terrorised by these gods from the depths of the waters around them, who mysteriously perished after the cataclysm. Since then, an entire economy has been built (in an almost steam punk fashion) around the procuring and utilising of their remains also knows as godware.
This is the world in which we find our characters, a collection of deeply thought out, messed up, and bloody brilliant people who are flung into a rich and luxurious plot which is both fast paced and action packed but demanding to be read with slowness and pleasure.
The narrative revolves around Hark, an orphan from a tough and challenging background, his dangerously troubling best friend, Jelt, who is so close as to be a brother to him. Their relationship may seem strangely bizarre, for Jelt is the most unpleasant of characters, cruel, manipulative and offhand about the dangers he leads Hark into, so intensely manipulative that you wonder why Hark does not boot him out of his life. However, their relationship provides an authentic exploration of the nature of toxic relationships.
Hark is a wonderful character. A born story teller and actor he struggles to identify his true self. He's a good kid at heart but he's terrible at saying no and is completely blind to how toxic his friendship with Jelt is. It really frustrated me because I respected his loyalty but man was it misplaced.
Selphin was an equally fabulous and loveable character. A young deaf girl, called sea kissed, is the youngest daughter of a smuggler queen but has become scared of water after a childhood accident. She is witty, sharp and incredibly strong.
The world building in this story is incredible. It's limited to the Myriad, and while there is talk of 'the continents', they don't feature in this book. This is all about Hark's tiny world and it is full of the most amazing details. It's an interesting blend of science and mythology - I want to say magic but it doesn't feel like the right word here. It's more like ... the science in this world is just really different to the science of our world. These gods were real things and their makeup has provided advanced technology to those who have scavenged parts and experimented with them. It provides a lot to ponder.
The "Gods" where just brilliant. The way they where described was horrifying, I could feel the giant tentacles crawling up my leg as I read, and there was so much to them. There where plenty of plot twists in regard to their nature that I don't want to spoil.
A lot less terrifying is how Hardinge made deaf-culture an essential part of this fantasy world. In the Myriad, losing one's hearing because of diving expeditions is quite common, and people who are "sea-kissed" are highly respected for braving the sea. Therefore, everyone here speaks sign language and is very inclusive; this is the kind of representation I want to see more of! It didnt feel forced and was incredibly realistic for the setting of the story. Really brilliant!
The writing was of the usual excellent Hardinge quality, who is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. Poetic but not over powering, it sucks you in and leaves you occasionally breathless. The characterisation of even the minor side characters was masterful.
Don't be fooled by this book. It is not a light, happy adventure story about a boy and the sea. It is dark and clever and explores some of the more difficult aspects of human nature. Racism,responsibility, ignorance, religion, relationships and the way that's stories shape us all.
Age Rating 13+. Nothing untoward but I can see younger children being unnerved by some of the darker aspects.
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