Finally finished it! This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and after seeing others DNF or rate it very low, I adjusted my expectations. In return, I really enjoyed it though I do agree with those who stayed it's more of a historical fiction with supernatural elements (very heavy near the end) than a horror novel. Didn't think it was going to have any REAL supernatural or paranormal elements, just hints - shit eventually gets real though. Just be aware that the first 30-50% is very much character and plot build-up, in the style of a detailed historical fiction book. Though it is VERY atmospheric and incorporates the early 1900s spiritualism that was a popular fad at the time, with some of the passengers having a seance and many of them treating possession as an actual possibility (though they are viewing from a overwhelmingly religious societal standpoint as well - to me, someone who hasn't really been in a church in about 10 years other than weddings, it's an interesting look at historical groupthink). As someone who made a point to visit the Titanic museum in Pigeon Forge, TN on my vacation last April I'm definitely not complaining. The author did her research and it shows, I enjoyed that personally and others might not. I guess know your personal taste. The last half flew past in pretty much one sitting though and if it sounds appealing, I'd recommend it. Just beware of the hype.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC. All opinions are my own, this book is already available for purchase.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I’m obsessed with all things titanic so I was excited for this one. The book was fine but I had to really talk myself up to read this one once I got into it because I got bored fast.

I was very interested in this one because I devoured Katsu's The Hunger, but I just had a much harder time getting into this one. I would definitely recommend this to fans of spooky tales and unlucky ships!

Alma is a master of historical horror fiction, and this is no exception! A great look at the titanic, and the stratification of the people on board, and the personal tribulations of some specific riders.

This author knows how to write an exquisitely dark and creepy story, in this book, the latest addition to her writing, is an example of how she can do that perfectly. This book is creepy and atmospheric and dark and honestly one of the best scary books I’ve read in a while. The setting is perfect for this book and it gives such an eerie feel. If you’re into scary or creepy stories this would be perfect for you.

I have always been I to the history of the Titanic so I was drawn to read this book.

I found it killed in places and was at some times confusing, but in all I did enjoy the book and how the ending really helped to wrap things up.

I would recommend reading this if your I to the history of the titanic, like a plot twist and enjoy a gothic horror vibe.

2.5 stars.

I liked the atmosphere of this book, but this isn't a horror, and I think that the low rating on goodreads is indicative that this book was mismarketed. It's a historical fiction that has a whisper of paranormal aspects. I love the Titanic. i love that time period. But this was just another book about that historical event. There was nothing really different or unique about it. There was an unnecessary romance that killed any tension that the author tried to build.

“The Deep” by Alma Katsu, which follows two different timelines - that of the Titanic and the Britannic - was haunting, dark, atmospheric, and so, so interesting. Definitely recommend!

Annie Hebbley worked as a stewardess on the Titanic during its fateful voyage. She survived the sinking, and is now working as a new nurse on its sister ship, the Britannic. As the story moves back and forth from 1912 to 1916, it becomes apparent that both ships might’ve been haunted in the days leading up to their horrific endings.
This book starts out slow .and with a large cast of characters that made it difficult to follow at first. Be warned that anyone wanting more of an account of the actual sinking of the ship will be disappointed .I would say that the book suffered from having too much packed into the one story. Two timelines from Annie’s POV, several POVs from various passengers on the Titanic, and a final rather fantastical supernatural element towards the end that felt forced

The Deep by Alma Katsu is a supernatural historic horror novel. The story inside is a twist on the real life events of the sinking of the Titanic and the Britannic ships. This is a book that tells the story in different timelines on the different ships and changing the point of view between various characters.

At the time of the Titanic sailing there are passengers that believe there is something sinister going on onboard the massive ship, Madeline Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, Mark Fletcher and Annie Hebbley. After the Titanic sinks Annie who had survived hears from an old friend about an opportunity aboard a new ship, the Britannic. The Britannic will be a hospital ship and Annie decides to board the ship and take on this new job.

The Deep was much like Alma Katsu’s previous novel that I had read in which it uses the real characters and events from that time to give the story that realistic feel while also adding in it’s own elements to make a whole new version of events. Being somewhat Titanic obsessed I was quite interested in the story as I read but felt it had a slow pace in building the supernatural plotline. When finished with The Deep I would rate this one at three and a half stars having gained my interest in the events but feeling I’d wanted more to happen at a quicker pace.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was a super interesting and haunting story. It has historical fiction elements mixed with the paranormal and had an ending that I was not expecting.
I definitely recommend if you're looking for a slow burn suspense story.

Also posted on my Goodreads page. I have always been interested in the Titanic disaster. Last year, I'd read Katsu's "The Hunger" which is a take on the Donner Party. I love this new mix of horror coming out that blends history and horror...historical horror (a favorite of mine in this genre is Andrew Pyper's "The Residence"). The Deep brought in the story of the Titanic and included some real historical individuals. Annie survived the sinking of the Titanic and is now working on her sister ship, the Brittanic. I feel like the story is interesting and engaging, however, I didn't enjoy this one as much as Katsu's "The Hunger." I will, however, be picking up her next book as she has a way with words and writing and can truly capture a place and time.

Having heard rave reviews for Alma Katsu's previous book, The Hunger, and never ceasing to be fascinated by anything related to the Titanic, I was anxious to see the twisted reimagining this author could conjure up for the infamous sinking of the "unsinkable". This dark, atmospheric tale imagines a more sinister story behind the sinking of the Titanic and while not specifically mentioned in the blurb, also the sinking of the Britannic, a sister ship of the Titanic. The story primarily follows Annie Hebbley, a young stewardess for the first class voyagers on the Titanic, and then, a young nurse during World War I on the hospital ship Britannic. No spoilers here, as the blurb for this book already mentions, Annie survives the Titanic to continue sailing the seas on the sister ship. While Annie is the main perspective of this story, it meanders in large, rotating turns to various other passengers on the Titanic as well. Not really as much for the Britannic, but you will definitely be hearing from the perspective of quite a few Titanic passengers other than Annie. Just to name a few: Madeleine Astor, the young second wife of millionaire John Jacob Astor, famous and controversial newspaper editor W.T. Stead, and fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon. The wealthy Caroline Fletcher and her new barrister husband, Mark Fletcher, play into the mystery of the plot intertwining with Annie Hebbley. Two boxers on the voyage together also give a peek at the life of the lower class passengers traveling in the cramped bowels of the ship. I didn't find myself overwhelmingly attached to any particular character in this book, but I would have liked to had more of a closure on what happened to some of the side characters at the penultimate event of this book. They had given enough of their voice to the story that I felt the need to know how they fared in the end. So, I guess that means I was a little more attached to them than I realized.

In terms of plot, it chronicles the entire doomed voyage of the Titanic and reels you along in the reimagining of what could have happened had elements beyond our preconceived notions turned the wheel of fate. As the journey progresses, Annie and many of the aforementioned cast of characters slowly start to question the happenings aboard the ship and the motive behind the actions of their fellow passengers. Sometimes I felt that this progress was too slow. It seemed like some of the characters kept questioning the same things that we had already established they were definitely already confused about. I felt the plot could have been pushed forward a little more as it felt a little like treading water (no pun intended) at times.

As for the writing of the book, eerily atmospheric and fine tuned for the already emotional foreboding that comes with the telling of this historical event. Adding the extra element of suspense and mystery gave it even more of an unsettling aura. As for the answer to what's behind the cause of the fated journey in this story, is it supernatural, is it mythical, or criminal, or all or none of the above? You'll have to read to find out. The results didn't send me tumbling out of my chair in shock or leave me yawning in a bored haze either. Kind of underwhelming, but the writing and atmosphere of this book elevate the plot beyond that feeling.

Three out of five stars. Atmospheric, fictional reimagining of the sinking of the Titanic with a supernatural mist. As a side note, many of the characters mentioned in the perspectives are real passengers that were on the fated ship when it sank. So, an excellent book to research deeper (again, no pun intended) in regards to these characters and who they were in history. Check it out if you're a Titanic fan, an alternate history fan, or just want to read something that floats toward an unearthly plain without completely losing touch with solid ground.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

"The Deep" fell into the same category for me as "The Hunger." Great premise and mostly good (historical plus a little creepy and atmospheric) but when the drama really starts to speed up it gets chaotic and confusing. That may have been planned since this was clearly an examination of how different people deal with trauma and stress and anxiety and mental deterioration in rough situations but it all rang a little false with me.

Nope. This book just wasn't for me and I've read my fair share of books about the Titanic. I didn't like the spin that Katsu tried to put on the sinking of The Titanic. It was tragic enough. There didn't also need to be sinister happenings. This just didn't fulfill my groove as a reader. While I finished it, I didn't like it very much. I'll put rating this as two stars.

This book was creepy, hypnotic, full of twists and surprises all around! I enjoyed that Katsu wrote from various character's perspectives, from all walks of life. Annie was...well, I won't spoil the book but she set me on edge the entire novel. I just couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to go stark raving mad at some point or that she was unhinged the entire novel. The relationship between Mark and his wife, and Mark (and Annie?) was of total fascination for me. Madeline Astor in this light was a new one and Guggenheim was a very intriguing character. I loved the back-and-forth story telling from the Titanic to WWI on the Britannic. As the story begins to swell and crest, the plot twist(s) honestly had me totally surprised. I was hooked onto this book and am looking forward to exploring additional works by Katsu.

I really wanted to love this book. I've always been interested in the Titanic and this sounded right up my alley. But the back and forth between the times and the chapters was too much. I would have enjoyed it more if there was the whole Titanic portion in the beginning and then a 'years later' half.

Interesting take on the circumstances around the Titanic; Historical Fiction/thriller lovers will dig this book! Katsu's writing is intoxicating and spins an exciting revisionist historical yarn.

I am a junkie for historical novels in any subgenre, but couple it with one of my favorite genres, horror, and you have me excited. The Deep was very well-researched and gave real life to some of the real people who were on the Titanic as well as a captivating story with sympathetic characters. Including the story of one of the Titanic's sister ships, the Britanic, was a stroke of genius.

My only two issues were that the "twist" took too long to unfurl pacing-wise, and that more time should have been spent on the main characters than on some side characters whose story had little to do with the main story. Other than that, it was an enjoyable lead.

The Deep by Alma Katsu is a fictionalized account of the final days of the ill-fated ships, the Titanic and her sister ship, the Brittanic. The protagonist is young Annie Hebbley, a Irish lass fleeing an overbearing father and a forbidden love affair with the village priest.

The story begins in 1916 when Annie, recovering from a head injury, is a patient at an asylum. She is contacted by an old friend, Violet, who encourages her to apply for a nurse’s position on the Brittanic which has now been outfitted as a floating hospital for servicemen injured in WWI.
We learn, at this time, that Annie has worked on a ship before – The Titanic.

The novel then jumps back to 1912 when Annie, a stewardess in first class, greets passengers boarding the Titanic for its maiden voyage to New York. Amongst them are the Fletchers (Mark, Caroline, and baby Ondine) and Annie finds herself strangely attracted to Mark and the baby.

We also meet several of the other passengers – millionaires, Jack and Maddie Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, journalist, W.T. Stead, and boxers, Dai Bowen and Les Williams. Their stories are interwoven with that of Annie and the Fletchers. The horror in this novel is implied and, sometimes, seems out of reach. The passengers develop an obsession with the occult and there are suspicions by some that there is evil on board and someone, possibly Annie, may be possessed.

This is a sprawling story that switches back and forth from 1912 to 1916. I found some of the plotlines riveting, but others much less so. Annie’s story was at times confusing and I found that Ms. Katsu, while throwing out a lot of storyline threads, didn’t tie them up neatly at the end. The story rambles about, going from one passenger to another and, in some cases, never reaches a satisfying conclusion. On the plus side, the writing is quite good and the story gives the reader a sort of ‘slice of life’ of what it was like to sail on both ships.

If you like historical fiction, then this book might be right up your alley. I, however, would have preferred a little bit more emphasis on the spooky side of things and a bit more clarity as to the plot.