The Dutch Republic, 1650: Clara is going to married when she meets Maurits. who is of a lower class then herself. Somehow Clara can't seem to get Maurits out of her mind or heart. After spending some time together Clara and Maurits share a passionate kiss that has her second guessing her upcoming marriage. However Maurits isn't who Clara thinks him to be and when the truth comes out it will break her heart. A Magic Deep and Drowning is a retelling of The Little Mermaid in my eyes and a reversal of roles. Like with all of Hester Fox's books there is folklore, magic, suspense, and romance. I have never been disappointed with any of the books by Hester Fox and A Magic Deep and Drowning will be loved by all. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Graydon House for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Clara looks forward to being married. Not for love, but for escape.

A retelling of *The Little Mermaid* (with a twist), set in the Netherlands in the 1600‘s, full of folklore and allegory, *A Magic Deep and Drowning* was so well written and obviously well researched, it succeeded in pulling me in right away.

I didn’t love the instalove between Clara and Maurits, but I did really like the story.

This was my first time reading the author, and I enjoyed this so much, I can’t wait to read more.

Recommended for those who love fairy tale retellings, Hans Christian Andersen’s *The Little Mermaid* this is also well suited for tween and teen readers.



Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for the DRC

I was intrigued by the idea of a historical fantasy with a gender-swapped Little Mermaid retelling set in 1600s Amsterdam, an unusual setting for this genre. But this just was not my cup of tea.

Clara is a naive, headstrong girl (her naivete par for the course for her sheltered upbringing and the times) raised by abusive parents and a mother who frequently hits her for the slightest transgression. She is looking forward to marriage only as a means of escape, even if it is to a dull, socially awkward whaler. Until she meets a charming but mysterious man below her station named Maurits, who sweeps her off her feet with pretty words and kisses in their few brief encounters.

Clara is then dragged from one gilded cage to another as she is caught up in the political machinations of the bloodthirsty mermaid court, with a heavy dose of climate change and environmental fantasy.

I didn't care for the instalove, didn't emotionally connect to Clara as a character and I could have found their romance charming but it got subsumed by too many other plot points, like the climate change allegory and court politics. I wanted the romance to be front and center and I felt as if poor Clara couldn't catch a breath as everything is taken from her and she had little agency in her own fate. And Maurits lied to her and betrayed her so many times that I couldn't buy him as a worthy romantic hero.

So this just ultimately wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Magic Deep and Drowning is a decent, gender-bent retelling of The Little Mermaid set in 17th century Netherlands that takes a bit to get into and is slightly too long (whether from Fox's writing or simply the ongoing and at times superfluous plot). I enjoyed how solidly Fox leaned into historical fantasy and imbued the story with tense, horror-lite atmospheric undertones, but I still wanted... more.
[SPOILER] E.g., Maurits is a POV-character yet his storyline lacks the emotional backstory given to Clara's chapters, and, although we understand what's happening to the underwater kingdom, Clara doesn't. As a result, her lack of knowledge makes her look even more naive than if the whole book were told from her perspective and we received information at the same time she did. [SPOILER]

I think recreational historical fiction readers will find Fox's prose too purple, even though her knowledge of the period lends itself to an extremely interesting and underused setting, especially for historical fantasy. Recommended for fans of Rachel Reuckert's If the Tide Turns or Hester Fox in general.

DNF. I was excited for this one because it's
a different take on the little mermaid, but I couldn't get into it. There's a lot of sexist housewife "roles" discussed in the beginning, and I realize this is because it takes place in the 17th century. However, as a very progressive woman, it just gave me the ick. Beyond that, I can see how some would enjoy this, it just wasn't for me. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

It’s clear that Hester Fox put a lot of time and effort into researching this book — the historical/cultural nuances and details as well as the folklore. It made for a really seamless sense of setting and time period that helped me get completely immersed in the story. Clara was a wonderful main character; curious, itching for independence, still somewhere between youth and adulthood. Fox always does a fantastic job of balancing reality with magic and it was perfectly done here.

This book totally cast a spell on me—like, one minute I’m reading about 1650s Holland and the next I’m fully obsessed with sea bargains and star-crossed vibes. Clara is such a vibe herself—smart, curious, and so over the whole “perfect daughter” thing. And when she meets a mysterious, dreamy stranger? Ohhh boy. You just know it’s about to go down.

What I loved most is how the story balances that grounded, historical feel with this misty, magical undertow that keeps pulling you deeper. It’s got romance (check), secrets (double check), and that kind of atmospheric storytelling that makes everything feel a little bit enchanted—even the heartbreak.

Honestly, it felt like a fairytale met a gothic novel and then went to live in a windmill by the sea. Loved it. Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 💙

This was a 3.5 for me. I loved the little mermaid retelling. I enjoyed the time period and the twists and turns. I also loved the dynamic between land and sea creatures. What was hard for me was that the focus of the story became blurred. I think that the way the political topics (or issues that have now become political) such as climate change and how we treat our oceans could have been woven in a little more seamlessly. There were times that I was confused to the focus of the story being the love story or about climate change and what I was supposed to walk away with. It was not a bad book by any means. It was well paced and i really enjoyed it for the most part.

Such a good historical fantasy novel with “little mermaid” vibes, magic and romance. The character development and plot for the most part kept me going but some parts did get a little slow. Overall really enjoyed but could see how it could not be a good fit for everyone. I would recommend to a friend if I knew this was their genre.

I don’t think this was a book for me. The pace was too slow and the FMC was just too naive and immature to be a realistic 21 year old girl. I could really figure out what timeframe we were in and a lot of the story just felt bland to me. I’m sure it’s a perfectly good book if someone was more into this type of book but it’s just not my thing and I was bored in general.

Thank you to NetGalley & Graydon House for letting me read and review this book.

I personally don’t think this book was for me. While I enjoyed the world building, the gender switch idea of The Little Mermaid, and the folklore, this book just didn’t hook me in.

The pacing of it was rather slow, especially in the beginning. Some points it picked up, but other points it dragged on. The POV changes and scenery changes mid chapter or scene became confusing at times and didn’t allow for a seamless transition for me to envision what was going on.

Our female mc was naive, to say the least. She and our male MC were the prime example of insta-love. It was hard for me to grasp where their love came from or why it was there.

In spite of this, I don’t think this was a bad story. I think this may have just not been my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for granting me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Twenty year old Clara has lived a lonely, isolated life on her family's estate. When her parents decide it's time for her to marry, Clara sees her opportunity to have the freedom to run her own household and leave behind their strict rule. As she's working in the kitchen, to learn more about running a house, she has a chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Clara is drawn to Maurits, but he is keeping secrets that are a part of Clara's past and her present. Now Clara finds herself torn between the attraction she feels for Maurits, the steady life she could have with a wealthy husband, and being a pawn in a bargain between the rulers of the sea and land.

A Magic Deep and Drowning is a beautiful retelling of the "The Little Mermaid", with a little bit of an Aquaman feel, too. I really enjoyed that the book was set in 1650 Holland, because it gave an added layer to the imagery and geography of the story. There is also a lot of information included about Dutch folklore and creatures, which I loved seeing intertwined with Clara and Maurits' story.

The conflict of the story was well done, and it shows how one generation is affected by the decisions and greed of the previous generation. Fox highlights the destruction that comes from depleting resources and not being good stewards of the earth. I did feel like the "villain" conflict and resolution could have been a bit stronger, but I did like seeing the complicated relationship between Maurits and his family.

I definitely loved this captivating Little Mermaid retelling, and would highly recommend it if you enjoy fascinating folklore, magical creatures, romance, family secrets, and the balance between man and the earth.

This was a great mermaid tale! Clara sees an beached whale, an omen of what's to come, and must decide what to do and who to trust to ensure that her future isn't cut short.

Fox's writing is atmospheric, capturing the mood of both the period and the eerie, magical undertones of the story. The pacing is generally steady, with moments of tension that keep the plot moving forward. Characters are relatable in their grief and desire for control, and their journey of self-discovery is compelling.

However, despite the promising premise, the story falters in places. The plot sometimes feels predictable, and the development of certain relationships could have been more fleshed out to make them feel truly impactful. The magic system, while interesting, isn’t explored in as much depth as I’d hoped, leaving me wanting more clarity about its rules and limits.

3.5 stars because the first half of the book started off so interesting, and then it floundered in the second half.

A Magic Deep and Drowning is a Little Mermaid retelling with a twist.

The story is interesting, but the delivery gets a little confusing, especially in the second half. There were even times the point of view would randomly switch from one character to another, and I would have no idea how we got there. In the end, I really enjoyed mixing folktales in with some social commentary on issues impacting current-day events.

The plot really fell apart in the last part of the book. There were so many times that I thought the story was going to move forward, but then we’re pulled back through an illogical setback. The whole book could have been so much better if it hadn’t been for the constant push and pull of the plot.

That being said, I really did enjoy the fairy tale retelling. This book would be great for fans of historical fiction and fairy tale retellings.

3.5 stars rounding up to 4

I found this book to be a refreshing take on The Little Mermaid. I enjoyed the extended fantastical creatures and the larger overall plot, versus the story revolving around a human falling in love with a merperson. I thought the character development for Clara was great, and although the original fairytale revolved around "instalove," the author really put in additional layers in her and the main MMC's relationship to make it more substantial. Overall a great take on a classic fairytale, with the darker themes really adding to the story.

This was a vastly entertaining and informative story. I did not realize there was a specific Dutch mermaid fairytale genre. The protagonist is very well written to the point where you want to give her a good shake! She has a terrific character growth and ends up showing some surprising depth of character. Very sweet and satisfying story.

This was a historical fiction spin on The Little Mermaid with a slow burn (not spicy) and beautiful writing. It was a little slow for my taste but I enjoyed the story.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House For the ARC of this book!

lovely historical romantasy that definitely felt somewhat akin to the little mermaid but was full of twists. would probably recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.