Call number
Genres
Publication
New York : Del Rey/Ballantine Books, 2009.
Pages
401
Description
During a time of great upheaval, the citizens of Venice make a pact that will change the world. The landsmen of the city broker a treaty with a water-dwelling tribe of deepsmen, cementing the alliance through marriage. The mingling of the two races produces a fresh, peerless strain of royal blood. To protect their shores, other nations make their own partnerships with this new breed–and then, jealous of their power, ban any further unions between the two peoples. Dalliance with a deepswoman becomes punishable by death. Any “bastard” child must be destroyed. This is an Earth where the legends of the deep are true–where the people of the ocean are as real and as dangerous as the people of the land. This is the world of intrigue and betrayal that Kit Whitfield brings to life in an unforgettable alternate history: the tale of Anne, the youngest princess of a faltering England, struggling to survive in a troubled court, and Henry, a bastard abandoned on the shore to face his bewildering destiny, finding himself a pawn in a game he does not understand. Yet even a pawn may checkmate a king.… (more)
Awards
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2010)
Locus Recommended Reading (2009)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2009
Physical description
401 p.; 8.3 inches
ISBN
9780345491657
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member wildlinedesign
An excellent intelligent read - gripping characterisation and setting. Couldn't put this one down.
LibraryThing member justabookreader
In an alternative, middle ages world where people are ruled by Deepsmen, mermaid type men and women that can walk on land, the royal family is in danger of breeding itself out of existence. Few choices are left for members of the royal family, and while they hang onto the throne precariously, even
I was very excited to read this book. I liked the idea of an alternative world ruled by Deepsmen --- the possibilities seemed endless to me and I enjoyed several aspects of the story. The history of how the Deepsmen rose out of the waters to rule was particularly good and the politics of the court were exciting, but there was one thing that held me back, and that was Henry. He's unlikable and he's supposed to be. He's a child a mother didn't want, he fights all his life to survive in the water only to be thrown onto land, taken in, hidden, and taught about a world he doesn't care about and doesn't want to be a part of. He's bitter, angry, and brutal but you don't blame him. He should be that way but it made him infinitely unlikable for me. It threw the story into havoc and I had trouble recovering.
Whitfield does give you people to like. Anne for example. She's the youngest daughter of the current king and queen who does her best to hide herself. She's clumsy and has odd Deepsmen qualities, but is smart which becomes her only salvation. Unfortunately, when her story collides with Henry's, I still couldn't find sympathy for these characters.
I realize that my review has become more about the characters than the story itself. The story in this book is very imaginative and has some great fantasy elements that do make it worth the read. For me, unfortunately, I also need characters to join on the ride and here I had trouble becoming attached which stopped me from getting fully immersed in the story. Whitfield does a great job of bringing the court to life and the way she tells the story of how the first Deepsmen queen rose out of the waters in Venice is, dare I say it, believable. The politics of the world are complicated and add a lot to the story but it wasn't enough.
Here's the thing about it though --- there was some very strong draw that kept me reading and wanting to know how this was all going to turn out. Would war break out, would Henry be accepted by the people, would Anne find it in herself to step up and rule? If you're looking for something different, this might be a book for you. I liked the plot, setting, and the writing but had trouble with one character that made my loving this book a little hard. However, I plan to give Whitfield another shot and have her other book, Benighted, on hold at the library. There's something about her writing that made me want to read more even if this book wasn't a great fit.
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they begin to wonder what is left. That is until Henry, a bastard child found abandoned on the shore and kept hidden by those that would like to see him in power, is not only able, but willing, to fight to rule.I was very excited to read this book. I liked the idea of an alternative world ruled by Deepsmen --- the possibilities seemed endless to me and I enjoyed several aspects of the story. The history of how the Deepsmen rose out of the waters to rule was particularly good and the politics of the court were exciting, but there was one thing that held me back, and that was Henry. He's unlikable and he's supposed to be. He's a child a mother didn't want, he fights all his life to survive in the water only to be thrown onto land, taken in, hidden, and taught about a world he doesn't care about and doesn't want to be a part of. He's bitter, angry, and brutal but you don't blame him. He should be that way but it made him infinitely unlikable for me. It threw the story into havoc and I had trouble recovering.
Whitfield does give you people to like. Anne for example. She's the youngest daughter of the current king and queen who does her best to hide herself. She's clumsy and has odd Deepsmen qualities, but is smart which becomes her only salvation. Unfortunately, when her story collides with Henry's, I still couldn't find sympathy for these characters.
I realize that my review has become more about the characters than the story itself. The story in this book is very imaginative and has some great fantasy elements that do make it worth the read. For me, unfortunately, I also need characters to join on the ride and here I had trouble becoming attached which stopped me from getting fully immersed in the story. Whitfield does a great job of bringing the court to life and the way she tells the story of how the first Deepsmen queen rose out of the waters in Venice is, dare I say it, believable. The politics of the world are complicated and add a lot to the story but it wasn't enough.
Here's the thing about it though --- there was some very strong draw that kept me reading and wanting to know how this was all going to turn out. Would war break out, would Henry be accepted by the people, would Anne find it in herself to step up and rule? If you're looking for something different, this might be a book for you. I liked the plot, setting, and the writing but had trouble with one character that made my loving this book a little hard. However, I plan to give Whitfield another shot and have her other book, Benighted, on hold at the library. There's something about her writing that made me want to read more even if this book wasn't a great fit.
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LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
This was an absolutely exquisite novel, engrossing and so entirely believable I am now a little disappointed at the lack of deepsmen in the real world. The points of divergence from our own history are perfectly orchestrated, and the consequences thoroughly worked out. This is the kind of book that
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doesn't need a sequel, but I do desperately want to know what happens in later history. Show Less
LibraryThing member devilwrites
The premise: ganked from BN.com: During a time of great upheaval, the citizens of Venice make a pact that will change the world. The landsmen of the city broker a treaty with a water-dwelling tribe of deepsmen, cementing the alliance through marriage. The mingling of the two races produces a fresh,
This is an Earth where the legends of the deep are true–where the people of the ocean are as real and as dangerous as the people of the land. This is the world of intrigue and betrayal that Kit Whitfield brings to life in an unforgettable alternate history: the tale of Anne, the youngest princess of a faltering England, struggling to survive in a troubled court, and Henry, a bastard abandoned on the shore to face his bewildering destiny, finding himself a pawn in a game he does not understand.
Yet even a pawn may checkmate a king.
My Rating: Good Read
There's a lot to admire and recommend about this book: like Benighted, it's more of an experience than a journey, one to absorb rather than gobble up. Whitfield is utterly committed to her world-building, in ensuring that her readers are as embedded in the world as the characters, so that when the story starts to wrap up, when characters have to make tough decisions, the reader completely gets where they're coming from. This is definitely one of the more unique premises I've read, an alternate history with England's monarchs being merpeople (so to speak, the book's term is deepsmen) and all that entails (pun not intended). Knowing it's an alternate history packs all kinds of meaning when you connect that to the main characters' names (Henry and Anne) and start examining the political and social situation the characters find themselves in. Mind you, I'm no history guru, but I kept doing quick bursts of research while reading this, and Whitfield definitely runs in her own direction. After all, deepsmen filling the monarchy would naturally change the course of history, wouldn't it? But that's one of the successful things about alternate history, is knowing the real story and wondering just where the alternate is going to go. I loved the world-building. I loved the way Anne transforms and starts to take responsibility for herself and her country. I'm relieved that by time the book ends, Henry's starting to become a likable character (that he's hard to like from the start isn't a bad thing).
The biggest requirement for reading this book, however, is patience. It's a slow burn of a start, but once it finally takes off, it's utterly hard to put down. The book rewards the patient reader, but between this one and Whitfield's debut, I will say I think I prefer Whitfield's debut. But regardless of preference, I'm still on board with whatever Whitfield writes, and I hope to see another book from her soon.
Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay, as this is a book club selection. The full review, with said spoilers, may be found in my blog, which is linked below. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome!
REVIEW: Kit Whitfield's IN GREAT WATERS
Happy Reading!
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peerless strain of royal blood. To protect their shores, other nations make their own partnerships with this new breed–and then, jealous of their power, ban any further unions between the two peoples. Dalliance with a deepswoman becomes punishable by death. Any “bastard” child must be destroyed.This is an Earth where the legends of the deep are true–where the people of the ocean are as real and as dangerous as the people of the land. This is the world of intrigue and betrayal that Kit Whitfield brings to life in an unforgettable alternate history: the tale of Anne, the youngest princess of a faltering England, struggling to survive in a troubled court, and Henry, a bastard abandoned on the shore to face his bewildering destiny, finding himself a pawn in a game he does not understand.
Yet even a pawn may checkmate a king.
My Rating: Good Read
There's a lot to admire and recommend about this book: like Benighted, it's more of an experience than a journey, one to absorb rather than gobble up. Whitfield is utterly committed to her world-building, in ensuring that her readers are as embedded in the world as the characters, so that when the story starts to wrap up, when characters have to make tough decisions, the reader completely gets where they're coming from. This is definitely one of the more unique premises I've read, an alternate history with England's monarchs being merpeople (so to speak, the book's term is deepsmen) and all that entails (pun not intended). Knowing it's an alternate history packs all kinds of meaning when you connect that to the main characters' names (Henry and Anne) and start examining the political and social situation the characters find themselves in. Mind you, I'm no history guru, but I kept doing quick bursts of research while reading this, and Whitfield definitely runs in her own direction. After all, deepsmen filling the monarchy would naturally change the course of history, wouldn't it? But that's one of the successful things about alternate history, is knowing the real story and wondering just where the alternate is going to go. I loved the world-building. I loved the way Anne transforms and starts to take responsibility for herself and her country. I'm relieved that by time the book ends, Henry's starting to become a likable character (that he's hard to like from the start isn't a bad thing).
The biggest requirement for reading this book, however, is patience. It's a slow burn of a start, but once it finally takes off, it's utterly hard to put down. The book rewards the patient reader, but between this one and Whitfield's debut, I will say I think I prefer Whitfield's debut. But regardless of preference, I'm still on board with whatever Whitfield writes, and I hope to see another book from her soon.
Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay, as this is a book club selection. The full review, with said spoilers, may be found in my blog, which is linked below. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome!
REVIEW: Kit Whitfield's IN GREAT WATERS
Happy Reading!
Show Less
LibraryThing member kslade
OK story of landsmen and mer-people and a half-breed who could connect them both. It kept me reading.