I fully expected to love this book. The Monsters We Defy is one of my favorite historical fantasy books. Another book by the same author that blends black history and folklore sounded right up my alley. Not to mention the cover is gorgeous.

The parts of the book that worked for me were the historical parts. I enjoyed learning about Jane and Awenasa. The flooding of black towns was something that I had never heard of before this book. The author’s note shed even more light on this dark part of American history.

The parts that didn’t work for me were the fantasy parts. I’m a high fantasy reader, so in theory this book should have worked for me. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the parts of this book that took place in the submerged world. The historical and fantasy did not blend well for me. I would have preferred a lighter dose of fantasy.

If the synopsis sounds interesting, I would still recommend this book especially if you enjoy historical fantasy.

‘Daughter of the Merciful Deep’ is a beautifully written historical fantasy. This story will break your heart and is not for everyone. I can understand how some people may not want to read about racism or tragedies; if this is you, then I wouldn’t recommend it. But if you are looking for a book that will invoke a lot of thoughts and emotions, then this is for you. It doesn’t disappoint. Just be prepared to feel angry, heartbroken, and happy. In my opinion, that is the perfect recipe for a book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Leslye Penelope, and Redhook Book, for the opportunity to read 'Daughter of the Merciful Deep' I can’t wait to grab it on June 4th.

She’s done it again!!! Shining light on the drowned Black towns of the American South Penelope creates a powerful MC who journeys into a submerged world of gods and myth to save her home.

Daughter of the Merciful Deep was nothing short of amazing for me. I can’t say it topped The Monsters We Defy but it came really close. The way she twisted spirituality, religion, folklore, Black history, diasporic traditions , and myths in this historical fantasy was pure genius. I was probably around Ch. 17 or so when I realized what she was doing and honestly it was quite clever. It was also the character names and the way she put certain things into context that really made it click for me.

Another thing Penelope is really good at is world building. It was so easy to envision everything and what was happening around the town of Awenasa and New Ile. The character development itself was chef’s kiss so many memorable characters and their personalities gave so much life to book.

Watching Jane finally come to terms with her past trauma, having faith in herself, and finding her voice again was everything. The suspense surrounding the town’s mystery man Moses was also well done.

My only cons with this one:
* The middle of the book drags a bit
* Wish it didn’t take so long for something to spark between Jane and Daniel
* I couldn’t understand why others were able to use the nakara besides Jane. I felt like if it was gifted to her it should’ve remained sacred.
* Why wasn’t Daniel punished for the wish he made . . . I needed him to disappear or something. As many wishes as he did grant for the people around town he should’ve had amnesia lol

Overall, I enjoyed this one and highly recommend especially if you’re a fan of her work sis didn’t miss!!! Special thanks to the author & @redhookbooks for my advanced copy.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. I hoped to enjoy the story but as it is more historical than fantasy, it was not the book for me. I'm sure people who enjoy historical fiction will love this book.

I think historical fiction readers will love this book, it just wasn't for me. It's missing the fantasy tone and pacing, but that's because Penelope spends so much time fleshing out the characters within their historical context.

This book was so enjoyable, I really found myself immersed in the world! This book is speculative, thought-evoking, and also incredibly well-written. I'll be recommending this to my book club for a future read! I think that anyone who is looking for a diverse pick that packs a punch should give this one a try.

BIPOC Historical Fantasy about a woman who journeys into a sunken world of gods and myth to save her town from the construction of a dam that will wash her home under.

1/5 stars: Penelope's newest stand-alone Historical Fantasy novel takes place in the 1930's American South and blends history with folklore and diasporic traditions to tell the tale of a woman haunted and silenced by the traumatic events of her past as she journeys into a sunken world of capricious gods and unsung myths to save her town from the construction of a dam that will wash her home under. Penelope's writing and character work is excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Jane's been through so much and yet remains determined to save her home, and the town and the people that have shelter her family. Penelope's world building and fantastical world are unique and complex and I very much appreciate learning about the drowned Black towns of the American South. Penelope's sensitivity and grace in telling this story is apparent but very tough topics are tackled, so take care and check the CWs. Unfortunately, I just lost steam on this; leading me to DNF it at 39%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books, Redhook in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Another historical fantasy from Leslye Penelope. I love her author's notes and the imagined lives of these young women. It's nice to think of them in another story, with a happier ending. I love a historical fantasy and I liked that element of this book a lot. The beginning of the book fleshed out the town and inhabitants of Awenasa, a touch of fantastical mystery was introduced, the stage was set. But once the actual magical elements were introduced, I thought the book struggled. It took most of the middle third of the book to get a rhythm going again. Once it did, I enjoyed the ending and the second world aspects. Jane and Grace were solid characters and I enjoyed their dynamic, the other characters weren't fleshed out enough to carry the slower bits of the story.
Overall, a 3.5 star read.

Intriguing story that brings light to things people tend to overlook about the American south’s past.

This was my 1st time reading a book by this author. Also giving a fantasy book a try. I usually don’t read fantasy but this one was a historical fantasy and I appreciated that aspect. It was well written and draws you in. A bit slow in some areas, but it picks back up. I knew about most of the history presented but I enjoyed that a part of hidden history was pushed to the forefront. I would definitely recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I’ve read several books by this author in the past. I started out with her original world, high fantasy trilogy, and very much liked that. But I have also enjoyed the swerve towards historical fiction that she’s now taken, incorporating fantasy and magical elements alongside stories that very much tackle the cultures and issues of specific points in history. Her last one, “The Monsters We Defy,” was set in the 1920s, and while the story was made up of many elements (including a heist!) the jazz movement and its place in Black history was very central to the story. All of this to say, that I was very excited when I saw that in this book she was going to tackle an even lesser known point in history: that of the drowned towns of the South.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. It manages to fit a lot of excellent historical information into a narrative that is still very character-focused, all told through the eyes of our leading lady. For her part, Jane is a sympathetic character, a young woman who has suffered greatly, but throughout the course of this book, rediscovers her own power and sets a course not only for herself but for her entire community. There’s also a very sweet romance included, something that this author often incorporates in her stories, much to my appreciation!

I will say that the book did struggle a bit with pacing, however. The start to this story is fairly slow, with very little actually happening for much of the first half of the book. For readers of historical fiction, however, this may be less of an issue. The story is definitely following more genre conventions for historical fiction in this half, with its detailed focus on the details of this time and place. Readers who were more intrigued by the fantasy elements, however, have a while to wait for these to truly show up. And then when they did, I feel like a little more could have been done to blend these fantasy elements into the previously established historical setting. The reader is left to take much of them magical stuff at face value and just go with it.

I also appreciated the author’s note that was included at the end. For whatever reason, I’ve gotten into the habit of flipping to the back of books to read the author’s note before I even start, and yet again, I feel like this method has paid off. I had vague knowledge of the sunken towns, already. I grew up in a town next to a large, dammed reservoir; though no towns were destroyed in its making, the concept of drowned towns was always a morbid point of curiosity to a population that went about its day in the shadow of a huge dam like this. But I appreciated the greater detail I received in this author’s note, which went on to further enrich my reading experience as the characters confront this looming danger. Perhaps some of the plotting was a bit predictable, here, but at the same time, the characters were compelling enough that this wasn’t a problem for me. Readers who enjoy historical fiction with a lighter focus on fantasy should definitely give this one a go!

Rating 7: A bit disjointed in its balancing of genre conventions between fantasy and historical fiction, but the strength of the historical topic and the compelling characters still made it a worth while read!

Link will go live June 15 on The Library Ladies

Absolutely perfect. Brilliant and so atmospheric. I loved it so very much and I really am looking forward to more. This was imaginative and unlike anything I had ever read before. Perfection, please pick this up if you enjoy fantastic fantasy. Nothing further to say. Loved. It a whole lot.

Jane Edwards lives in Awenasa, a small and thriving town next to the Noxahatchie River owned by its beloved and Black founder, Old George. Jane has been seeing white men in black Model T Fords going around speaking to residents and she knows something nefarious is afoot. One day she sees a face she could not have possibly seen — and she knows the river has something to do with it. She’ll find herself on an impossible and unfathomable journey to save everything and everyone she loves, with the unlikeliest of helpers along the way.

A historical fiction fantasy that will transport you to small town America in the 1930s. All is on display, from the community’s beauty and vibrancy to the injustice and cruelty of the Jim Crow era, white supremacy and hate. Penelope again brings her knack for realizing true American history in the form of fantastical fiction, this time in a work with gods and a magic that revolves around objects, memories and sacrifice. It will make you cry, love, hurt and remember. If you read stories exploring trauma and forgiveness, enjoy historical fiction or are a fan of Rivers Solomon I’d recommend this to you. I say Solomon for the way they write protagonists you love and root for, while not at all shying away from the brutality of racism and what white supremacy will do because of their hate and to make claims of what they think is theirs.

I received an early ARC and had really high expectations because I absolutely loved The Monsters We Defy. Penelope yet again presents a MC that feels like a real woman who is both ordinary and extraordinary. Jane clearly has secrets and I wanted to know more, and there is a looming threat and lore that are revealed – and I am always a sucker for stories that bring the gods to the page – so I was quite hooked and invested from the beginning. Around 25-30% I began to have some pacing and abrupt transition issues, and felt like I was reading a tome even though it is far from it, and for me it picked up again around the 70% mark. There is also heavier on-page content in this release and I found it harder to compartmentalize so I took some reading breaks. Again you have characters that shine, but really it was Awenasa and the tertiary characters that eclipsed Jane and the secondary characters for me. Jane’s dad and the townspeople felt like real people, yet they danced on page and brought so much life and joy to the story. Which is fantastic because it is a point. Even though the story is a first-person, (mostly) single POV about Jane, her trauma and journey of self-forgiveness, Awenasa and its people are equally as important as a character and all the things that come with a beautiful community: love, compassion, gossip, care, fear, joy, forgiveness, laughter, coming together and so much more. I so badly wanted a happy ending for Jane and Awenasa, and Penelope warmed my heart with such a powerful story where ancestry and familial and communal love radiates to your soul.

I understand that not every fantasy reader enjoys the historical-fantasy mashup, yet I will still say everyone should try at least one Penelope story. In comparing these two I’d say for me the journey through Monsters was smoother than Daughter, but while Monsters is an all time favorite I think Daughter has deeply impacted my being and it is not one I will forget for years to come. Penelope is solidified as an auto-read author for me at this point and I strongly suspect we’ll see a lot more from her. I look forward to exploring more of what she cooks up next AND I need to go back to her releases as L. Penelope.

Handle with care: Hanging – there is on-page of imagery of a man hanging after death and it is a very emotional and difficult scene. Slavery – there is depiction of a slave ship in a storm and lives lost to the sea across 1-2 pages.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Publishing for an opportunity to do an early review of Daughters of the Merciful Deep. These thoughts and ramblings are the product of my nervous system (a.k.a. they are my own).

Jane Edwards stopped truly speaking when she was eleven, after a traumatic experience that saw the source of her greatest secret and guilt, and all the Black residents of her town expelled under the cover of night. Jane and her family find solace in Awenasa, an all-Black town. But 12 years after the incident, and their move the Awenasa, the construction of a dam threatens the safe haven her family, and many others call home.

Jane will do anything to protect her family and community, including following the river to a submerged world of myths and gods not too far from her own.

Penelope brings together the stories of Oscarville, Georgia and Kowaliga, Alabama, two Black towns that were drowned between the 1930s and 1950s by man made reservoirs, to rewrite history with a fantastical twist that draws on Black history, folklore, and African Diasporic traditions and gods. This book was beautifully written as we come to know Jane, her family, and the town and citizens of Awenasa, their stories, the struggles they face(d), and the secrets they keep. I was completely swept up in the beauty of New Ilé, a mythical city built by the gods to give their children the lives and futures they deserved. The details in this book were gorgeous and I really felt connected with Jane and felt the power of the gods as they worked to save Awenasa and solve their own problems. It was a lovely reminder that freedom is not just a physical thing, but mental as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for a digital ARC of Daughter of the Merciful Deep!

Daughter of the Merciful Deep
By Leslye Penelope
A Review by Jamilla (@ LandsAwayBooks)

Penelope writes such painfully relatable stories, that take me back to the past, and to the struggles and victories of my skinfolk. I definitely couldn’t resist getting an arc of this one!

This is a story of Jane Edwards and the beautiful, burgeoning Black town of Awenasa as they face the whims of the Authority, and its capricious decision to build a dam and drown the town.

This is a story about strength and pain passed down through bloodlines, about the gods that saw our chained and battered family fall into the sea and the gifts they gave to ease our grief.

A story that echoes the oft deliberately neglected history and tragedy of America, its stinging cruelty and betrayals that continues to this day.

A story that brings in it a magic created out of necessity and violence, and invites us to remember the gods and goddesses of our past and the myth of their creation.

Throughly enjoyed this story, these characters and the community they made of each other even as it harkens back to the very true history of the many ways (successful) black towns were (and are) destroyed by white supremacist violence and corruption.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book is a truly captivating and powerful read that seamlessly weaves together history, fantasy, and mythology. The author's writing is lyrical and evocative, drawing the reader into the submerged world of gods and mysticism alongside the courageous protagonist, Jane.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique and thought-provoking historical fantasy. It is a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading, leaving you pondering the power of myth, the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of finding your voice in the face of adversity.

After a lot of illness, I managed to start reading again with Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope. I was so impressed with her earlier The Monsters We Defy that I immediately grabbed an e-arc of this new historical fantasy novel. As in The Monsters We Defy, Penelope has created a wonderful character from mention in a court proceeding of a real person. She takes us to the depression-era American South at a time when dams were being built by the federal government throughout the Tennessee Valley. In this story, the Authority sends out dozens of white-shirted, fedora-hatted bureaucrats to buy or seize land from the people of a prosperous black community named Awenasa. But a twenty-three year-old woman named Jane Edwards and many other residents are not about to let their town disappear under water.

Jane narrates most of Daughter of the Merciful Deep, but she has a hard time opening up to anyone about a dark part of her life. She harbors a secret so shameful and damning in her mind that it has deprived her of the power of speech. Since she was a teenager, she has not been able to use her voice and communicates by signing and writing down her side of a conversation. But even worse, she thinks she is unworthy of having a normal life, of accepting positions of responsibility that people keep asking her to take on or admitting to her deep feelings for her friend Daniel. So, as lively and alert to the good in others as she is, Jane has locked up a deep part of her soul that cuts her off from living a full life. As becomes clear soon enough, the trauma she experienced was not of her doing but the psychic damage resulting from coercion at the hands of powerful white people.

Nevertheless, as she puts it, she feels like she barely has control over her body. Not only has she lost the use of her voice, but at times her whole body locks up, and she can’t take a step. A hidden shame makes her feel like she just wants to get lost and then discover someone new that she could be. Daughter of the Merciful Deep, among many other things, is the story of that discovery.

..............
There is a richness to this novel in its exploration of character and the depth of spiritual experience that calls forth the strength of Jane and of the whole community as it faces extinction. There is a testing of belief as the Christians of the town confront the seeming miracles flowing from ancestral faith. In highly charged scenes of the remembered past, the idea of ommo is brought home, that is, the power of memory to recapture the experiences of ancestors going into the ancient past and use that extended world of people to support the transition to a new life. Penelope has crafted a beautiful, funny, exciting and profound story in Daughter of the Merciful Deep, one that remains vividly in mind and pushes me to reread whole sections to relive the adventure of spiritual discovery.

I want to give a big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Redhook Books for this ARC. This may be the best book I've read this year. It just hit. So so so good. I think being an American descent of slavery makes me connect to it even more. It made me cry and made me cheer. The world written inside was immersive and I felt like I was in the pages of this book. This is my first read from Leslye Penelope and I know it will not be the last. Janie and Daniel, and the Moses, Rob and Grace *chefs kiss*. The storyline was perfection and the flashbacks combined with the tradition of the ommo. The inspiration being all of the black town taken away from us and the history included was just an amazing take. This book is top tier historical fiction with African and African American fantasy. A must read imo.

Favorite quote: Every single anoru in the book was amazing

Favorite Scene In 1-3 Words: Daniel helping Janie

Leslye Penelope's newest novel is a testament to her unparalleled storytelling ability. The intricate world of Awenasa that she expertly crafts drew me in, making me feel like a part of its vibrant tapestry and rooting for its salvation. I was emotionally invested in Jane's journey of self-forgiveness and found the themes of culture, strength, and unity to be powerfully woven throughout the narrative. This captivating blend of historical fiction and fantasy kept me engrossed from start to finish, leaving me eagerly anticipating Penelope's future works.

A big thank you to Redhook Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23052867-ladiami

I think that Daughter of the Merciful Deep is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story. Especially when you learn about what inspired the author to write this novel, which is probably my favorite thing about reading books from this author. I really enjoy the way she intertwines historical elements with fantasy.

Leslye Penelope is great at building a world and making you feel like you are actually there. You get to know the town and the other world/the world below quite well.

My only issue with this story was primarily the pacing as some parts felt a bit slow in a way that made certain moments feel more drawn out than others. However, it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.