What do you think?
Rate this book
The Deep Doesn’t Drown Me: A surreal coming-of-age story for outsiders, dreamers, and survivors
The Deep Doesn’t Drown Me
A surreal coming-of-age story for outsiders, dreamers, and survivors.
Earl is fourteen, misunderstood, and stuck in a world that wants to squeeze him into a box he doesn’t fit. His teachers say he’s distracted. His mother thinks he’s a troublemaker. His therapist calls him gifted—but only when no one else is listening.
All Earl knows is that he’s drowning. In rules, expectations, and the silence between people who are supposed to love you.
Then one night, drawn to a lake during a storm, something changes. Earl comes back different—quietly, strangely transformed. Gills on his neck. A calm he’s never felt. And a growing sense that he no longer belongs on land.
As family, school, and society close in, trying to fix what they don’t understand, Earl must decide whether to return to the world that hurt him—or dive headfirst into the one that sets him free.
Blending poetic realism and surreal fantasy, The Deep Doesn’t Drown Me is a powerful, lyrical story about identity, isolation, and what it means to survive when you’ve been told you’re too much or not enough.
A surreal coming-of-age story for outsiders, dreamers, and survivors.
Earl is fourteen, misunderstood, and stuck in a world that wants to squeeze him into a box he doesn’t fit. His teachers say he’s distracted. His mother thinks he’s a troublemaker. His therapist calls him gifted—but only when no one else is listening.
All Earl knows is that he’s drowning. In rules, expectations, and the silence between people who are supposed to love you.
Then one night, drawn to a lake during a storm, something changes. Earl comes back different—quietly, strangely transformed. Gills on his neck. A calm he’s never felt. And a growing sense that he no longer belongs on land.
As family, school, and society close in, trying to fix what they don’t understand, Earl must decide whether to return to the world that hurt him—or dive headfirst into the one that sets him free.
Blending poetic realism and surreal fantasy, The Deep Doesn’t Drown Me is a powerful, lyrical story about identity, isolation, and what it means to survive when you’ve been told you’re too much or not enough.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2025
1 person want to read
About the author
Rejoice Denhere
10 books18 followersRejoice Denhere is an author, creative entrepreneur, and consultant with a gift for transforming everyday experiences into empowering stories. She writes across genres, from soul-stirring fiction to practical guides, always with the goal of helping others reclaim their voice and live with purpose.
Her personal health journey inspired The Busy Vegan’s Guide to Eating Brilliantly, a down-to-earth cookbook for busy people. Meanwhile, her fiction, like the poetic and powerful The Deep Doesn’t Drown Me, delves into identity, self-acceptance, and the courage it takes to be different in a world that often misunderstands you.
Rejoice runs her own consultancy helping small businesses unlock their potential through strategy, storytelling, and smart systems.
Quote:
“I write for outsiders, dreamers, and those who’ve ever been told they’re too much or not enough. Your story matters. Own it.”
Her personal health journey inspired The Busy Vegan’s Guide to Eating Brilliantly, a down-to-earth cookbook for busy people. Meanwhile, her fiction, like the poetic and powerful The Deep Doesn’t Drown Me, delves into identity, self-acceptance, and the courage it takes to be different in a world that often misunderstands you.
Rejoice runs her own consultancy helping small businesses unlock their potential through strategy, storytelling, and smart systems.
Quote:
“I write for outsiders, dreamers, and those who’ve ever been told they’re too much or not enough. Your story matters. Own it.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.