I tried and tried to get on with this novel, even to the length of restarting it several times from scratch but it bored me to to tears. I really couldn't get it to sink in, i couldn't feel any emotion for the characters and it seemed to take an age to make it through. I'm sure there are many who will disagree with what i have said but this book just wasn't for me i'm afraid. It is well written and the history was nice to read about and seems well researched too.

Hopefully you will enjoy it a lot more than I did.

This is very similar in style to Alma Katsu's amazing horror novel, The Hunger, in that it takes a mixture of real people and events from history, and gives them a supernatural tweak. I think its quite risky using such a well-known setting as the Titanic for such a novel, but overall, I think it works. If you're looking for a pure historical retelling of the Titanic and Brittanic disasters then this isn't what you are looking for, but judged as a supernatural horror novel then this is excellent, and well worth reading.

At the start to the book Annie Hebbley is a patient in an institution for the insane. There is no explanation of why or how she got there but her arrival seems to follow the sinking of the Titanic on which she was a stewardess. A former colleague writes begging her to come and take a post on Brittania (the Titanic's sister ship) as a nurse retrieving the injured from the first world war.

The narrative thereafter flits between the titanic and the Brtiannia watching Annie and those to whom she comes into contact. There are a plethora of story lines and at times it is difficult to sprt the wheat from the chaff. The author has thrown her all at at - secrets of the rich and famous , conmanship, LGBT features as a theme and to top it all spiritualism and ghosts.

For me she might as well have forgotten about the Brittania it was like an also ran alongside the rest of the narrative which was, in itself, too complex

I felt like nothing was given the attention it was deserved as more and more plot twists were introduced.

*3.5

Told in a duel timeline we follow the experiences of Annie Hebbley, a chamber maid on the Titanic’s during its maiden voyage in 1912, looking after the first-class passengers. She was also one of the few survivors on the fateful night when the ship went down. It is now 1916 and we re-join Annie who is now a nurse upon the HMS Britannic, Titanic’s sister ship, helping those wounded in war. We follow the story as she recalls the events in the run up to the sinking of the ship. Here we learn someone died whilst onboard and numerous dark sprits seemed to plague the guests and events that took place. In 1916 Annie is left questioning if those sprits really did exist and if so, are they haunting the Britannic in the same way.

This was an extremely interesting story! It’s the sort of book I cannot say I adored but, it was so different to anything I have read before and that made it quite special. I think it’s a book that will stand out at the end of the year and I will be able to remember lots of details from it as its so unique. The story switches between the two different years until you discover how the two timelines interlink. I really enjoyed the parts of this book set in 1912. I have always been fascinated by the Titanic disaster particularly the events that happened on board the night it sank. It may be a little morbid, but I find it so interesting learning how different people react in such disastrous situations and the lives and stories behind those people onboard, even those that are fictional accounts.
I really enjoyed following Annie’s story as well as those of the other passengers on the ship. There were certainly some complex characters and relationships going on. It was great getting to know what I think were some really unlikable characters. I loved following their stories of love and deception, I particularly liked d the relationship between Les and Da. I could definitely see the parallels from the film version of the Titanic which were a tad cheesy, but I love a bit of cheese, so I didn’t mind that there were some similarities. I just really enjoyed going along for the ride and watching the drama play out amount the passengers. It was probably my favourite part of the book.

I thought this book would be split equally between the two-time periods but, we definitely saw a more detailed account from the events on the Titanic. Whilst 1916 pulls the events together, we see more from 1912. However, I really enjoyed what we did see of 1916. I always have liked stories set in wartime and really enjoy reading from the perspective of doctors and nurses so I could have happily enjoyed more of that.

It is at this point that things slipped a little for me. I think I could have enjoyed reading this book much more if it were just historical fiction, but it does tip into the realms of supernatural. I knew this before reading it so was quite intrigued to see how this would be woven into the story. Whilst following the events from 1912 there are some spooky happenings with talk of possession and sprits on the ship. There is a death and various people have some odd experiences and encounters that leave your questioning if there is a supernatural afoot causing them. In the 1916 part of this story and the area of the supernatural is further explored along with that of folk law. I found this part of the story confusing If I am honest, I’m not sure if it was just me but I felt I lost some stiches along the way. By the end I understood the logic and story behind the outcome, but I didn’t necessarily like it. I would say this book is worth checking out if you want something historical for the stories of the passengers alone. However, it you are not a fan of speculative fiction and prefer explanation’s to stories grounded in science you may not enjoy some aspects of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

The deep is not just another Titanic book, it is so much more and the way that Alma Katsu writes makes you feel as though you are part of the story. The historical references are very good and the use of actual characters that were on the fateful ship makes it seem more true to life. The main character is Annie who is working on the Titanic when it went down and the tale she tells of supernatural occurrences aboard the ship are fascinating and horrific and then to find herself on the sister ship Brittanic some years later seems so unfortunate as this ship also sinks. Annie is the mainstay of interlocking stories and the supernatural happenings that seem to follow her around this is a great read and I give it 5 stars but would give it more if I could.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my copy of the book.

i love all things Titanic related and this one was certainly different. I enjoyed it. Very atmospheric and well-written.

From Goodreads:
Really enjoyed The Hunger and was hoping for more of the same.
Everyone loves a Titanic story and this did not disappoint in reflecting the feel of the voyage - beautifully written.
Add in a bit of the paranormal and we're on to a winner.
However, I didn't really get the build up of tension and impending horror that I needed to hold my interest - that aspect sort of fizzled out.
As a piece of historical fiction, definitely worth a read.

When Annie is found unconscious and without ID authorities consider it is in her best interests to place her in an asylum. During her treatment she recalls working as a stewardess on the Titanic. After her release she obtains employment as a nurse on a hospital ship named Brittanic. This seems the perfect opportunity for someone already experienced in working on a large ship.
Initially this seemed more of a historical novel which isn’t at the top of my referred reading list. I changed my thinking when strange things started to happen to the passengers. Throwing a malevolent spirit in with a great mix of characters really worked well for me.
There is a lot going on in this storyline. Although I stayed interested at times I felt I had to concentrate as it switched between the past and the present.
I loved the author’s use of words for to paint a picture and/or create atmosphere eg these women cannot abide the sight of a man, will break out in tremors, try to tear off their clothes, will chew through their own tongues and fall down convulsing. My favourite quote from the book was ‘the living are often anchors for the dead’ Loc 4447.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was glad to be able to get to read this book after enjoying [book:The Hunger|30285766]. The Deep appears to follow a similar storyline to The Hunger by adding the paranormal to the most famous ship sinkings in history, The Titanic in 1912 and The Brittanic, a hospital ship during WWII. The novel follows Annie Hebbley, who finds herself aboard both boats.

I became intrigued in Annie's character and how she managed to cope after both tragedies, as it resulted in being institutionalised. The author's writing was just as brilliant as ever. I was hooked from the first chapter. The paranormal made the whole novel a lot more interesting for me. I look forward to reading more from Alma Katsu.

*Many thanks to Alma Katsu, Random House UK and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
The stories of two legendary ships, The Titanic and The Britannic, provide the background for the plot of this interesting novel. The imaginary characters together with the real ones and real events seem to blend nicely and make this read intriguing. The mysteries behind the main protagonist, paranormal, unexplained events are the strongest aspects of this novel. I enjoyed reading it as I find the blend of historical events and fiction fascinating.

After absolutely loving Katsu's previous novel The Hunger I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one, but unfortunately this one just didn't live up to my high expectations.

This novel is told through alternating timelines and perspectives. We follow a group of people who are travelling on the Titanic but it seems as though there may be something evil on there with them. Then years later, Annie, who worked as a maid on the Titanic is going to sea again, this time on the Britannica but will this journey have a better fate than that of the previous ship..

Katsu is a fantastic writer and her characters are well-developed and explored, however, this book was just far too slow for me. In The Hunger there is a slow pace but it's countered by a constant sense of building dread so I kept waiting for the horror elements to build up in this one but unfortunately it never amounts to anything. There is a paranormal aspect here but despite the constant mentions of spirits, demons, silkies, etc they never really show up in full force so there isn't that unsettling, shiver-inducing element that I would expect in a horror.

Overall, a disappointing release for me but if you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of a supernatural element then this one may appeal to you.

Being a fan of all things Titanic, this book immediately piqued my interest so, coupled with my love of horror, I couldn't possibly let this one pass.

Author Alma Katsu's writing is wonderfully atmospheric and a pleasure to read. History blends seamlessly with fiction in this haunting tale set upon the ill-fated Titanic. Told through dual timelines, the reader is introduced to an eclectic mix of passengers; from the cream of high society to immigrants setting sail for a new life in America.

Whilst I enjoyed the combination of fact and fiction, I found the plot just a little too slow. I was expecting more horror and felt slightly let down when the book didn't deliver. However, the beautiful writing and authentic glimpse into one of the world's most widely known tragedies made it a solid 3 star read.

Highly enjoyed this very well written book and look forward to reading more from this writer in the future !!

This novel has ships, a doomed queer romance, and creepy sea myths – all my favourite things! It didn't go as far or get as horror-ish as I would have liked; it's mildly spooky rather than outright scary. Also the paranormal element felt a little clunky and unconvincing. But overall the novel is atmospheric and beautifully-written with some interesting characters. I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to Alma Katsu's next book.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and Netgalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for a unbiased review of these works.

Amzing premice, the legendary ship The Titanic, add a complex and haunting story and this book had me won over before the end of the 1st chapter! Amazing writting, the research that has gone it to this book is on another level! Dark, twisty and chilling altogther faboulous read.

I haven’t read any earlier #almakatsu books so I was new going into her writing. The first thing that grabbed me was the incredible detail and painstaking research that must have gone into creating this book. Katsu conjures to life not just the rich opulence of Titanic and it’s inhabitants with minute detail but also her sister ship, The Britannic hospital ship which is in stark contrast and acts as a perfect narrative balance to separate the two stories, which take place across two time periods 1912 and 1916.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The book is a slow burner, more ghost story than horror. Almost all the characters harbour dark secrets which all intricately unravel into the ghostly plot. The creepy atmosphere and feeling of unease that Katsu creates is palpable. Is something haunting the Titanic? Is there more to this tragedy? No spoilers you will have to read it yourself to find out.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Intense, creepy ghost story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

First thing first, I have to say I did not enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed The Hunger. Not because the writing wasn’t good, or the story wasn’t good, but I expected something way more creepy and chilling. The author’s previous book was proper tense while this one felt like a standard historical fiction in quite a few chapters.

Maybe the topic itself added to my lack of interest as well. I mean, I didn’t know all that much about the Donner Party before I started The Hunger, but the incident with the Titanic has been talked to death by now. Mind you if you are a fan of it, you will most certainly enjoy this book because it’s very well researched as far as I can tell. I mean, don’t take my word for it, but to me it seemed spot on! The fictional characters blended really well with the people that actually existed and experienced the tragedy.

The case of the HMHS Britannic is another unfortunate event that is probably quite well known. The author alternated the chapters between Titanic & Britannic times rather seamlessly, and I was never in any doubt in which timeline we are. Something that can occasionally happen with dual timeline stories.

I wasn’t particularly fond of Annie in either timeline but there were other interesting people put in the spotlight, however even they couldn’t make up for the lack of sinister vibes I craved so much. I mean, it’s a horror story but nothing really creepy happened up until halfway through the book and even then it was barely mentioned. Kind of like an afterthought?

I can certainly recommend this for historical fiction fans, but hardcore horror lovers may feel a bit disappointed.

I like the atmosphere and premise a lot. However, I think it dragged on in the middle part and I almost put it down. The ending saved it for me though.

A wonderful sinister and eerie novel that kept me turning the pages until the very end. Didn't know what was real or what wasn't, the line between reality and past lives was very blurred.
NetGalley very kindly gave me a copy of this book to read in exchange for an impartial review #NetGalley #TheDeep

This story cover the 1912 maiden voyage of the Titanic and the last voyage in 1916 of the Titanic's sister ship, the Britanic. Anna Hebbley is a young Irish woman who is running away from her past. A nice worked as a maid on the Titanic and a nurse on the Britanic.

I liked the authors writing style. The main character is based on someone who survived both the Titanic and Britanic. It's a haunting ghost story that is full of history. ThenBritanic operated as a hospital during WWI. We don't usually hear much about the Britanic so it made a ice change. This story flips back and forward between the time on the Titanic and Britanic. The story is more historical than supernatural.

I would like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and the author Alma Katsu for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.