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One Would Think the Deep
It’s 1997 and seventeen-year-old Sam is mourning the sudden loss of his mum …
Sam has always had things going on in his head that no one else understands, even his mum. And now she’s dead, it’s worse than ever.
With nothing but his skateboard and a few belongings in a garbage bag, Sam goes to live with the strangers his mum cut ties with seven years ago: Aunty Lorraine and his cousins Shane and Minty.
Despite the suspicion and hostility emanating from their fibro shack, Sam reverts to his childhood habit of following Minty around and is soon surfing with Minty to cut through the static fuzz in his head. But as the days slowly meld into one another, and ghosts from the past reappear, Sam has to make the ultimate decision … will he sink or will he swim.
Sam has always had things going on in his head that no one else understands, even his mum. And now she’s dead, it’s worse than ever.
With nothing but his skateboard and a few belongings in a garbage bag, Sam goes to live with the strangers his mum cut ties with seven years ago: Aunty Lorraine and his cousins Shane and Minty.
Despite the suspicion and hostility emanating from their fibro shack, Sam reverts to his childhood habit of following Minty around and is soon surfing with Minty to cut through the static fuzz in his head. But as the days slowly meld into one another, and ghosts from the past reappear, Sam has to make the ultimate decision … will he sink or will he swim.
305 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2016
24 people are currently reading
1204 people want to read
About the author
Claire Zorn
8 books175 followersClaire Zorn grew up in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. She studied Fine Arts at UWS and Writing at UTS. She currently lives on the South Coast of NSW with her husband and two small children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
July 1, 2016
This review appears on Happy Indulgence! Check it out for more reviews.
I’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy One Would Think The Deep. I have given 5 stars to Claire Zorn’s other novels, but this one just felt so different to her other novels.
Set in a small surfing town, the characters talk like “ridin’ waves brah” or “epic ay!”. It was difficult to get into because of the language and subject matter, as it really delves deep into hitting the waves and the music culture of the 90s.
I didn’t realise until halfway through (funnily enough, when they mentioned playing Goldeneye on the N64 which gives me childhood nostalgia) that it was set in the 90s – mostly due to my own ignorance of not reading the blurb. When talk of Spice Girls and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers arose, you can tell the author is really trying to capture a heyday gone past.
As The Protected dealt so realistically with the sense of grief after losing a loved one, One Would Think the Deep brushed upon Sam struggling to fit into this new town after losing his mother. While he had to find his place in the novel, sadly I found the surfing talk and the music culture really distracting and I struggled to connect to him as a character. I didn’t really feel much for him per se, which is unfortunate for a book that I picked up due it’s moving subject matter.
The book focuses on the relationships that Sam has with his cousin Minty, his extended family and a brief romance with Gretchen. It was great to see the brotherly relationship that the boys developed, and how there were some deep topics touched upon (in amongst all of the surfing lingo) like being true to yourself. I’m not sure why he pursued the relationship with Gretchen though, being in incredible self doubt at the start and also not being sure that he could end up with a girl like her. He definitely wasn’t being fair to her, and I thought it was important for him to be honest about his feelings and coping with grief. He does come around, in the end though.
While Sam clearly deals with some darker feelings, he doesn’t show it outwardly. He’s quite reserved and reluctant to build new relationships, and there’s a lot to forgive his family for. Unfortunately, his development is limited over the course of the novel which left me quite disappointed at the end.
The character I was invested in however was Ruby, who is adopted and suspected to be from an Aboriginal family. She’s incredibly talented and it’s obvious that Minty has feelings for her, and it was interesting seeing their best friend dynamic.
As someone who isn’t interested in surfing culture or reliving the music of the 90’s, I struggled to get into One Would Think the Deep. It all feels very dudebro, if you will, and I didn’t know who the novel was targeted towards – adults who wanted to relive the 90s, surfing fans or males with all talk of balls and bums. None which fit my demographic.
Sadly, it’s the first Claire Zorn book I haven’t enjoyed, so if you’re looking at hard hitting Aussie YA novels, I recommend Sky So Heavy or The Protected.
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy One Would Think The Deep. I have given 5 stars to Claire Zorn’s other novels, but this one just felt so different to her other novels.
Set in a small surfing town, the characters talk like “ridin’ waves brah” or “epic ay!”. It was difficult to get into because of the language and subject matter, as it really delves deep into hitting the waves and the music culture of the 90s.
I didn’t realise until halfway through (funnily enough, when they mentioned playing Goldeneye on the N64 which gives me childhood nostalgia) that it was set in the 90s – mostly due to my own ignorance of not reading the blurb. When talk of Spice Girls and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers arose, you can tell the author is really trying to capture a heyday gone past.
As The Protected dealt so realistically with the sense of grief after losing a loved one, One Would Think the Deep brushed upon Sam struggling to fit into this new town after losing his mother. While he had to find his place in the novel, sadly I found the surfing talk and the music culture really distracting and I struggled to connect to him as a character. I didn’t really feel much for him per se, which is unfortunate for a book that I picked up due it’s moving subject matter.
The book focuses on the relationships that Sam has with his cousin Minty, his extended family and a brief romance with Gretchen. It was great to see the brotherly relationship that the boys developed, and how there were some deep topics touched upon (in amongst all of the surfing lingo) like being true to yourself. I’m not sure why he pursued the relationship with Gretchen though, being in incredible self doubt at the start and also not being sure that he could end up with a girl like her. He definitely wasn’t being fair to her, and I thought it was important for him to be honest about his feelings and coping with grief. He does come around, in the end though.
While Sam clearly deals with some darker feelings, he doesn’t show it outwardly. He’s quite reserved and reluctant to build new relationships, and there’s a lot to forgive his family for. Unfortunately, his development is limited over the course of the novel which left me quite disappointed at the end.
The character I was invested in however was Ruby, who is adopted and suspected to be from an Aboriginal family. She’s incredibly talented and it’s obvious that Minty has feelings for her, and it was interesting seeing their best friend dynamic.
As someone who isn’t interested in surfing culture or reliving the music of the 90’s, I struggled to get into One Would Think the Deep. It all feels very dudebro, if you will, and I didn’t know who the novel was targeted towards – adults who wanted to relive the 90s, surfing fans or males with all talk of balls and bums. None which fit my demographic.
Sadly, it’s the first Claire Zorn book I haven’t enjoyed, so if you’re looking at hard hitting Aussie YA novels, I recommend Sky So Heavy or The Protected.
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2016
One Would Think The Deep is an honest and unflinching account of Australia and it's often backwater culture. Sam is an intelligent young man whose passion for music is only surpassed by his love of meteorology. Until his mother dies suddenly and leaves Sam stranded with his estranged aunt. Sam is a multilayered and complex young man, he feels the loss of his mother so deeply but rather than grieve, he uses the water as an escape. My heart ached for Sam. Losing his only parent and now having moved into a testosterone filled home with virtual strangers. Sam is from an era where boys are seen as effeminate and their sexualty challenged when showing emotional weakness, it's the harden up mentality that is still instilled in young men around the country today.
As children, Sam and Minty were inseparable and although seven years has passed, their friendship remains effortless and steadfast. Minty is a character that on the surface, is jovial and carefree but feels the pressure of entering the professional surfing circuit and the expectations placed upon him by older brother Shane. Minty spends his days looking for the next big wave, while spending his nights in the company of local girls often at the expensive of best friend Ruby's feelings. As much as I enjoyed Minty's character, he and Shane's attitude towards females was often deplorable.
'That her? Shit. Let me know when you're finished,'
The guys talked about every girl that walked past. Whether they'd do her with the lights on or off, that kind of thing. Minty wouldn't join in exactly, but he'd laugh. He'd call Shane a dirty bastard as if it were endearing to reduce girls you'd been with to bits of meat.
Sadly the male pack mentality also extended to Sam, who may not have engaged in crude comments but enabled those around him by staying silent. Sadly it reminded me of my own experiences as a teen, where casual sexism and misogyny were applauded by teens males.
I adored Ruby's character. Adopted by a local family, she's Minty's best friend who pines for more but refuses to become just another sexual devotee. Ruby is also struggling with her sense of self, feeling as she doesn't quite belong. She's a strong and determined young woman who wants to make something of her life beyond the sleepy coastal town.
Sam's love interest Gretchen was lovely. It's clear that she and Sam are attracted to one another, but Sam is struggling with his grief and is heading down the path of self destruction, refusing to hurt Gretchen in the process. He begins to find fulfillment in violence, the one condition that his aunt Lorraine will not stand for and has places boundaries upon his stay.
Not being a fan of the surf culture, I could still relate to Sam's struggle and how he depended on the water as a means of escape. I loved the musical references, especially being a long time fan of the late Jeff Buckley and remembering his death during the nineties when One Would Think The Deep takes place. His crooning often soothed the restless souls of teens all over the world with his poignant lyrics, myself included. I could vividly imagine Sam laying on his camp bed in Lorraine's spare room. Through music, it allowed me to connect with Sam's character on a deeper level.
Claire Zorn is an incredible author who isn't afraid delve into the Australian cultural landscape, creating realistic and remarkable characters. One Would Think The Deep will provide readers with a sense of nostalgia of a nonchalant era that was often brutal and politically incorrect. Sam's story is heartbreaking and incredibly poignant, ensuring a beautiful and introspective read.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2016/06/o...
As children, Sam and Minty were inseparable and although seven years has passed, their friendship remains effortless and steadfast. Minty is a character that on the surface, is jovial and carefree but feels the pressure of entering the professional surfing circuit and the expectations placed upon him by older brother Shane. Minty spends his days looking for the next big wave, while spending his nights in the company of local girls often at the expensive of best friend Ruby's feelings. As much as I enjoyed Minty's character, he and Shane's attitude towards females was often deplorable.
'That her? Shit. Let me know when you're finished,'
The guys talked about every girl that walked past. Whether they'd do her with the lights on or off, that kind of thing. Minty wouldn't join in exactly, but he'd laugh. He'd call Shane a dirty bastard as if it were endearing to reduce girls you'd been with to bits of meat.
Sadly the male pack mentality also extended to Sam, who may not have engaged in crude comments but enabled those around him by staying silent. Sadly it reminded me of my own experiences as a teen, where casual sexism and misogyny were applauded by teens males.
I adored Ruby's character. Adopted by a local family, she's Minty's best friend who pines for more but refuses to become just another sexual devotee. Ruby is also struggling with her sense of self, feeling as she doesn't quite belong. She's a strong and determined young woman who wants to make something of her life beyond the sleepy coastal town.
Sam's love interest Gretchen was lovely. It's clear that she and Sam are attracted to one another, but Sam is struggling with his grief and is heading down the path of self destruction, refusing to hurt Gretchen in the process. He begins to find fulfillment in violence, the one condition that his aunt Lorraine will not stand for and has places boundaries upon his stay.
Not being a fan of the surf culture, I could still relate to Sam's struggle and how he depended on the water as a means of escape. I loved the musical references, especially being a long time fan of the late Jeff Buckley and remembering his death during the nineties when One Would Think The Deep takes place. His crooning often soothed the restless souls of teens all over the world with his poignant lyrics, myself included. I could vividly imagine Sam laying on his camp bed in Lorraine's spare room. Through music, it allowed me to connect with Sam's character on a deeper level.
Claire Zorn is an incredible author who isn't afraid delve into the Australian cultural landscape, creating realistic and remarkable characters. One Would Think The Deep will provide readers with a sense of nostalgia of a nonchalant era that was often brutal and politically incorrect. Sam's story is heartbreaking and incredibly poignant, ensuring a beautiful and introspective read.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2016/06/o...
August 19, 2016
Claire Zorn has done it again. One Would Think the Deep is set in a NSW coastal town in the surfing scene. Sam loses his mum, doesn't know his father and has to live with his estranged aunt and cousins. None of it is easy for Sam: the grief, the relationships or the direction of his life. My heart broke for him. I wished I was there, but he wouldn't have wanted my help. What could I have said? Better to just love him. These characters are so real. You'd think Sam's blond surfing cousin would be a stereotype, but there are no stereotypes in this novel, just real hurting people trying to get it together. It reminded me of Tim Winton-- there's heart stopping tension and I didn't know how it would go for Sam. Like Winton and Flannery O'Connor, Zorn shows human nature with all its spits and blots of reality, but there is hope too. Grief is a self-absorbed time where life is distorted and crap. One Would Think the Deep bravely plunged into it all, dumping the reader with Sam's death waves.
June 13, 2016
Accomplished and artful. Brimming with emotion in every shade. Beautifully rendered, this moved me from all angles. Look out for my full review on Boomerang Books Blog, here: http://blog.boomerangbooks.com.au/rev...
May 30, 2016
So much goodness here.
Update: This book comes out today. I whipped up a longer review for Megan's blog and it's now posted . Megan made my words pretty with some surfing pictures.
Update: This book comes out today. I whipped up a longer review for Megan's blog and it's now posted . Megan made my words pretty with some surfing pictures.
February 7, 2017
Although I did struggle with Zorn’s debut, The Sky So Heavy, earlier this year and the mixed reviews were a little bit intimidating, I knew that I would have to give this story a chance… and I’m so glad I did! One Would Think the Deep was such an unexpectedly complex and gritty story which reduced me to a sobbing wreck. Narrated by the blessed little tragic cinnamon roll that is Sam, I loved how Zorn explored so many important themes within in such an engaging storyline. There is no doubt in my heart that this book is going to worm its way into Australian classic literature in the future.
What really made me adore this story was Zorn’s writing style. It was just so goddamn beautiful! I don’t know how she managed to weave her gorgeous prose into a story with such a bogan setting but somehow, the contrast just worked. I loved how her descriptives brought the town to life and also managed to capture the characters perfectly. It was so rich and emotive, bringing the grief and sadness of Sam’s story to the forefront of the reader’s minds without making the overarching plot seem bleak. I cannot believe this is the same author who penned The Sky So Heavy!
I also adored how Zorn made this story so goddamn Aussie. For non-Australians readers, I have a feeling the language - particularly Minty’s dialogue - is going to to be a bit challenging. It holds literally nothing back and references so many Australians things. It was just fantastic. I guess it has gotten to the point where I am so used to not knowing what American (or occasionally British) words mean - and having to Google them - that it was nice to sit back and revel in the extreme Aussie-ness of the story. Minty honestly made me laugh so many times because I know a couple of mates that talk just like that and I couldn’t help but think of them the whole time. I just really appreciate how authentic it was.
The characterisation was also on point. I adored Sam from the very depths of my soul. He was troubled and chaotic but also strangely relatable? You could tell that he had was just a genuinely good person going through a rough patch and I just wanted to reach into the pages and give him a big bear hug… or slap a little of sense into him so he’d stop underestimating himself and realise that he was brilliant and kind-hearted. His grief was so accurate and touching that I honestly lost wept a few times. The way Zorn created a flawed but redeemable protagonist and allowed us to delve into his development across the story was simply brilliant. I could have asked for a more well-written character!
However, Sam was not the only well-written character. All of the secondary characters were complex and gritty with the perfect amount of attention spent on developing them as well. Ruby was probably my favourite character. She was so feisty and spirited! I loved that she held back no punches and didn’t let anyone else tell her what do or how to act. The fact that Minty and Shane, Aunt Lorraine, and Nana were all simultaneously unlikable, realistic and redeemable made me so happy. I love that Zorn made sure her supposed ‘antagonists’ - even Shane - had complex motivations and backstories so we were able to understand and even empathise with their situation. Getting to see the characters’ relationships with Sam foster really made the story shine.
Something else that will please a lot of readers is that the minor romance which takes place is barely even a romance. It was more of an exploration of Sam’s growing relationship with Gretchen if that makes sense. I loved, loved, loved that it was not in the slightest bit sappy or over-the-top. It was more about how these two characters formed this supportive friendship and let it help each of them grow as individuals.
The feminist themes and discussions that were intertwined within the story were brilliant. How they made my heart sing with joy! This story truly revolves around Sam’s grief and there are multiple discussions/presentations of how society pressured him to respond to this tragedy in specifics ways. I loved that it touched on the idea that crying was considered an effeminate trait and how Sam really struggled with this. Ruby’s characters also brought attention to the sexism present in the surfing industry during the 90s. I loved that none of it was glossed over. We got to see Shane and Minty with their obvious misogynistic viewpoint presents their side of the issue and we also saw how it affected the female surfers like Ruby. It was cleverly and seamlessly woven into the story without seeming at all preachy.
The thing which let this story down - and you could probably tell that this was heading towards a five-star read for me - was the ending. Oh God, it was awful! I love a good open ending. When most of the story is wrapped up or there is heavy indication of how the story will end past the final page, then an open ending is great for leaving readers with a bit of hope. However, this story did not wrap anything up. It just… ended. It was so abrupt! I hated being left in the dark and not knowing exactly what was going to happened to my beautiful little Sam. I am still so furious about this and it really brought my overall enjoyment down a notch.
Overall?
This was such a beautifully written story. If you couldn’t tell already, I adored it a whole lot. I thought Sam was an incredibly complex and well-written protagonist. I loved seeing his development across the story and the writing style truly captured his grief without making the story too depressing as a whole. The secondary characters, the setting, the themes - they were all done so well. I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy Australian contemporaries and you aren’t afraid of a few tears.
What really made me adore this story was Zorn’s writing style. It was just so goddamn beautiful! I don’t know how she managed to weave her gorgeous prose into a story with such a bogan setting but somehow, the contrast just worked. I loved how her descriptives brought the town to life and also managed to capture the characters perfectly. It was so rich and emotive, bringing the grief and sadness of Sam’s story to the forefront of the reader’s minds without making the overarching plot seem bleak. I cannot believe this is the same author who penned The Sky So Heavy!
I also adored how Zorn made this story so goddamn Aussie. For non-Australians readers, I have a feeling the language - particularly Minty’s dialogue - is going to to be a bit challenging. It holds literally nothing back and references so many Australians things. It was just fantastic. I guess it has gotten to the point where I am so used to not knowing what American (or occasionally British) words mean - and having to Google them - that it was nice to sit back and revel in the extreme Aussie-ness of the story. Minty honestly made me laugh so many times because I know a couple of mates that talk just like that and I couldn’t help but think of them the whole time. I just really appreciate how authentic it was.
The characterisation was also on point. I adored Sam from the very depths of my soul. He was troubled and chaotic but also strangely relatable? You could tell that he had was just a genuinely good person going through a rough patch and I just wanted to reach into the pages and give him a big bear hug… or slap a little of sense into him so he’d stop underestimating himself and realise that he was brilliant and kind-hearted. His grief was so accurate and touching that I honestly lost wept a few times. The way Zorn created a flawed but redeemable protagonist and allowed us to delve into his development across the story was simply brilliant. I could have asked for a more well-written character!
However, Sam was not the only well-written character. All of the secondary characters were complex and gritty with the perfect amount of attention spent on developing them as well. Ruby was probably my favourite character. She was so feisty and spirited! I loved that she held back no punches and didn’t let anyone else tell her what do or how to act. The fact that Minty and Shane, Aunt Lorraine, and Nana were all simultaneously unlikable, realistic and redeemable made me so happy. I love that Zorn made sure her supposed ‘antagonists’ - even Shane - had complex motivations and backstories so we were able to understand and even empathise with their situation. Getting to see the characters’ relationships with Sam foster really made the story shine.
Something else that will please a lot of readers is that the minor romance which takes place is barely even a romance. It was more of an exploration of Sam’s growing relationship with Gretchen if that makes sense. I loved, loved, loved that it was not in the slightest bit sappy or over-the-top. It was more about how these two characters formed this supportive friendship and let it help each of them grow as individuals.
The feminist themes and discussions that were intertwined within the story were brilliant. How they made my heart sing with joy! This story truly revolves around Sam’s grief and there are multiple discussions/presentations of how society pressured him to respond to this tragedy in specifics ways. I loved that it touched on the idea that crying was considered an effeminate trait and how Sam really struggled with this. Ruby’s characters also brought attention to the sexism present in the surfing industry during the 90s. I loved that none of it was glossed over. We got to see Shane and Minty with their obvious misogynistic viewpoint presents their side of the issue and we also saw how it affected the female surfers like Ruby. It was cleverly and seamlessly woven into the story without seeming at all preachy.
The thing which let this story down - and you could probably tell that this was heading towards a five-star read for me - was the ending. Oh God, it was awful! I love a good open ending. When most of the story is wrapped up or there is heavy indication of how the story will end past the final page, then an open ending is great for leaving readers with a bit of hope. However, this story did not wrap anything up. It just… ended. It was so abrupt! I hated being left in the dark and not knowing exactly what was going to happened to my beautiful little Sam. I am still so furious about this and it really brought my overall enjoyment down a notch.
Overall?
This was such a beautifully written story. If you couldn’t tell already, I adored it a whole lot. I thought Sam was an incredibly complex and well-written protagonist. I loved seeing his development across the story and the writing style truly captured his grief without making the story too depressing as a whole. The secondary characters, the setting, the themes - they were all done so well. I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy Australian contemporaries and you aren’t afraid of a few tears.
July 1, 2016
Another excellent read from Claire Zorn. I didn't love this quite as much as her first two books (which blew me away), but I certainly enjoyed it. I do wonder about the little trend in Aussie YA to set books in the 1990s - seems a bit too much nostalgia for the author and not far enough away from daggy for the reader! Still good though (well, I AM a teen of the '90s!), and made me cry - par for the Zorn course!
December 28, 2016
Claire Zorn can seriously do no wrong.
Read
March 28, 2018Lovely, lovely writing.
May 29, 2016
Claire Zorn does it again!
I loved being in a new world of hers, and after knowing the accuracy of her previous books, I completely fell into this one with trust.
The heartache never stops though, right from start to finish, I wanted to cry so many times, and finally did at the end when it was all too much!
I couldn't predict a single thing in this book, especially at the end, I did not see that coming until the paragraph before! I'm so happy I bought this and put it ahead of everything I had to read because it was every bit worth it! I'm in love with this book!
Also set in 1997, I appreciated the techno back step! So many times I thought "just drop a text" and realized that wasn't a thing yet! Which makes you think about situations a little more.
I loved being in a new world of hers, and after knowing the accuracy of her previous books, I completely fell into this one with trust.
The heartache never stops though, right from start to finish, I wanted to cry so many times, and finally did at the end when it was all too much!
I couldn't predict a single thing in this book, especially at the end, I did not see that coming until the paragraph before! I'm so happy I bought this and put it ahead of everything I had to read because it was every bit worth it! I'm in love with this book!
Also set in 1997, I appreciated the techno back step! So many times I thought "just drop a text" and realized that wasn't a thing yet! Which makes you think about situations a little more.
July 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this book- it was one that I definitely got immersed in and thought about a lot. I cared about the main character from page one, and cried quite a bit in the first 100 pages. after that, the story progressed and developed so well that I felt like I was living it, and the characters' lives seemed so real to me. this book dealt with grief and mental illness very well, by showing how it affects lives, but also that it isn't simple to identify and overcome. despite the book being set years ago, it being in australia made it so relatable and just that much more enjoyable. overall, i can't fault the book- it was such a unique, hooking, and important piece of literature!
May 22, 2016
Claire Zorn writes about surfers as though she’s locked into their hearts and souls, riding every wave and rush with them.
She writes dialogue like she’s been secretly taping the warts and all conversations of real people. Her magic tape recorder also finds its way into their thoughts and feelings, so we get to know them, truly. And most importantly, we care about them.
This is a beautifully crafted novel about love lost and regained, about families and the secrets that tear them apart, and which finally hold them together.
Great story. Great characters. Great writer.
Want to read
December 3, 2015Claire Zorn quickly became one of my auto buy authors. I devour her books -- in one sitting, no less! I cannot wait to read this.
September 16, 2017
Trigger warnings: death of a parent, violence, mentions of past domestic violence.
I am coming to the conclusion that Claire Zorn's books are not really for me. I read The Protected last year after it won the CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers in 2015, and...I didn't love it. I mean, I liked the characters. But the story just didn't really work for me.
And I had the same problem here, with this year's CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers.
I liked the characters. I liked how incredibly Australian it was. I liked how it dealt with the complexities of families and grief. But at the same time, this was like 30% family drama and dealing with grief, 10% romance, 10% 90s music, and 50% surfing. I gave precisely zero fucks about the surfing stuff, and not many more fucks about the romance or the 90s music.
Frankly, I was far more interested in the dynamic and the relationship between Minty and Ruby than I was anything else that was happening in the story. And yet that was a miniscule part of the story. So.
I am coming to the conclusion that Claire Zorn's books are not really for me. I read The Protected last year after it won the CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers in 2015, and...I didn't love it. I mean, I liked the characters. But the story just didn't really work for me.
And I had the same problem here, with this year's CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers.
I liked the characters. I liked how incredibly Australian it was. I liked how it dealt with the complexities of families and grief. But at the same time, this was like 30% family drama and dealing with grief, 10% romance, 10% 90s music, and 50% surfing. I gave precisely zero fucks about the surfing stuff, and not many more fucks about the romance or the 90s music.
Frankly, I was far more interested in the dynamic and the relationship between Minty and Ruby than I was anything else that was happening in the story. And yet that was a miniscule part of the story. So.
April 24, 2023
I was waiting for this book to give me just a bit more... that never came. Something was unfortunately just missing from this book, particularly the ending. The plot twist was obvious and given like half a page, I didn't love Sam's character development (or lack thereof), I disliked how our cool female character Ruby just.. totally dipped out of the story at the end... I wanted a good ending for her! Anyway, it had been on the old tbr for ages so I was glad to knock it off, and if you want my copy it'll be sitting in the little free library of Camberwell..
July 17, 2017
I liked this book, but I have no idea how the title relates to the actual book.
September 16, 2016
I bow down to the awesomeness that is Claire Zorn. She is an amazing writer who can make someone like me who doesn't like the beach and who's never been surfing (and never will) get drawn into that kind of world.
I had to stop reading when Sam found out Jeff Buckley died. I knew nothing about this singer and had never heard his music. So I listened to a few of his songs on YouTube before continuing, and after hearing them I felt that I connected to Sam more than before.
I never fully loved the whole surfing thing to this story, and when I first started reading I felt like something was missing or that I wanted a bit more. I don't know the exact moment when my mind changed and I was completely hooked. All I know is that this book, like the ocean, sucked me in and held me under until it finished and I could come back up for air.
I had to stop reading when Sam found out Jeff Buckley died. I knew nothing about this singer and had never heard his music. So I listened to a few of his songs on YouTube before continuing, and after hearing them I felt that I connected to Sam more than before.
I never fully loved the whole surfing thing to this story, and when I first started reading I felt like something was missing or that I wanted a bit more. I don't know the exact moment when my mind changed and I was completely hooked. All I know is that this book, like the ocean, sucked me in and held me under until it finished and I could come back up for air.
May 4, 2016
You need to give yourself time to read this properly, Zorn's characters deserve your full attention and Sam is such a complicated young man, the true extent of his grief is layers deep. Like her earlier work there is crushing pain followed by the sun of redemptive friendships shining through...and then more crushing pain. Surfing is an excellent metaphor - and there's lots of it going on. Strong female characters you'll also love. Fans who've been hanging out for the new Claire Zorn will be very very happy. Savour this one, don't waste on a power read.
March 26, 2016
Full review to come upon release. Outstanding Australian talent.
February 16, 2018
Beautifully written though raw with emotion; real and amazing. That's all you need to know - just read it.
December 7, 2018
I’m the first to admit I may have been a bit snobby about YA books in the past, never thought they were my thing and pretty much dismissed them. I know! Pretty silly really. In terms of quality writing, important themes and excellent characters there is no difference whatsoever. I was drawn to One Would Think The Deep by the fantastic cover and I’m so happy I had the chance to read it, many thanks to Ransom Publishing for sending me a complimentary copy.
What’s it about?
Sam is going through a tough time, his mum has just died suddenly and with no close family around he is forced to move away from his home and friends in Sydney to live with his distant Aunty and two cousins Minty and Shane. Minty is on his way to being a superstar surf champion while Shane is the protective, surly older brother. Back home in Sydney, Sam had been struggling with angry outbursts, school suspensions and frequent fights and now with the death of his mother and an old family secret resurfacing, he is at breaking point.
Things I liked
I loved all the 90s music references, being reminded of my old favourites like Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana was a nice slice of nostalgia. Music is an important part of Sam’s life and his way of dealing with problems, and as part of his character’s development it really strengthens the feelings of melancholy and angst. I also really enjoyed the depictions of surfing through Sam’s eyes, I found I could totally visualise and imagine the sensations of surfing. For him, the only place he can find solace is in the water.
“The ocean was like a parallel dimension, with its own laws of gravity, its own time; it felt like nothing that mattered on land mattered in the water and vice versa. Every time Sam caught a wave he felt the phenomenon of time slowing; nothing else in his mind, nothing, not even the snapshot of his mum lying unconscious in his arms, head lolling back.”
Any issues?
I guess by pigeon-holing this book as YA it might deter a broader range of readers which is a shame as I think it could appeal to a larger audience. I also wonder if younger readers might not get or appreciate all the 90s references and be put off by the music mentions. (My advice to them would be embrace the 90s music! Such quality tunes)
Why you should read this book
This is a really thoughtful, well-written and hopeful read. Through Sam’s character, It accurately portrays and explores the difficult emotions a person goes through after losing someone close, the loneliness, the fear, the anger and the numbness.
“Sam tried to remember the very last night he had spent there, the last twenty-four hours of his life as it once was with his mum. As soon as he remembered that soft, safe feeling he wished he couldn’t.”
The characters are all authentic with natural, flowing dialogue and rounded personalities. Zorn has perfectly captured the messy truth of family dynamics and the awkwardness of first love dalliances. The book deals with difficult issues and emotive subject matter such as grief, domestic abuse and alcoholism in a direct yet sensitive way.
What’s it about?
Sam is going through a tough time, his mum has just died suddenly and with no close family around he is forced to move away from his home and friends in Sydney to live with his distant Aunty and two cousins Minty and Shane. Minty is on his way to being a superstar surf champion while Shane is the protective, surly older brother. Back home in Sydney, Sam had been struggling with angry outbursts, school suspensions and frequent fights and now with the death of his mother and an old family secret resurfacing, he is at breaking point.
Things I liked
I loved all the 90s music references, being reminded of my old favourites like Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana was a nice slice of nostalgia. Music is an important part of Sam’s life and his way of dealing with problems, and as part of his character’s development it really strengthens the feelings of melancholy and angst. I also really enjoyed the depictions of surfing through Sam’s eyes, I found I could totally visualise and imagine the sensations of surfing. For him, the only place he can find solace is in the water.
“The ocean was like a parallel dimension, with its own laws of gravity, its own time; it felt like nothing that mattered on land mattered in the water and vice versa. Every time Sam caught a wave he felt the phenomenon of time slowing; nothing else in his mind, nothing, not even the snapshot of his mum lying unconscious in his arms, head lolling back.”
Any issues?
I guess by pigeon-holing this book as YA it might deter a broader range of readers which is a shame as I think it could appeal to a larger audience. I also wonder if younger readers might not get or appreciate all the 90s references and be put off by the music mentions. (My advice to them would be embrace the 90s music! Such quality tunes)
Why you should read this book
This is a really thoughtful, well-written and hopeful read. Through Sam’s character, It accurately portrays and explores the difficult emotions a person goes through after losing someone close, the loneliness, the fear, the anger and the numbness.
“Sam tried to remember the very last night he had spent there, the last twenty-four hours of his life as it once was with his mum. As soon as he remembered that soft, safe feeling he wished he couldn’t.”
The characters are all authentic with natural, flowing dialogue and rounded personalities. Zorn has perfectly captured the messy truth of family dynamics and the awkwardness of first love dalliances. The book deals with difficult issues and emotive subject matter such as grief, domestic abuse and alcoholism in a direct yet sensitive way.
September 27, 2016
(This review is also published on my blog at www.whenpapermetpen.com)
In the opening scene of Claire Zorn’s award-winning YA contemporary novel, the main character Sam is in a hospital feeding coins into a payphone that’s eating them just as fast. He’s trying to contact his aunty Lorraine who he hasn’t seen in years, but who he hopes will let him come and stay. His mum has died unexpectedly and he’s on his own.
Something of the feeling of that scene stayed with me throughout the book. Sam is in a precarious position – he’s alone in the world, he can’t support himself, his lines of communication and connection to those around him feel tenuous, fragile. He’s trying to hold it together, burying a roaring grief inside himself because he doesn’t know what else to do with it.
This wasn’t a book I read quickly. I took a little while for my ear to acclimatise to the style of the dialogue, which is heavily vernacular, and the intensity of the language. And it’s not a light book – the storytelling is carefully paced and subtle; the grief and the secrets and the resentments and the mistakes are all given their time to unfold.
I really admire what Zorn has tried, and I think succeeded in doing with this book: she shows the point of view of a character who is smart and insightful but who is not articulate. I also liked that this book was about a boy/young man because most of the YA I read has female leads.
One would think the deep is sunk knee-deep in the 90s. Music is really important to the protagonist, and is one of the ways he connects with people he meets and tries to make sense of his loss of his Mum and everything he’s feeling. This isn’t just a passing reference, but is explored in detail and is important to the story. Sam’s mixtape includes REM, the Pixies, Radiohead, Beastie Boys. Jeff Buckley’s Grace is the song that is most impactful, and the chronology is timed so that Jeff Buckley’s death by drowning occurs during the course of the story.
I couldn’t help comparing this to Christos Tsiolkas’s Barracuda, which is similarly set (in part) in the 90s, and in which Kurt Kobain’s death is a significant plot point. I don’t know if this is fair or not but it’s the comparison that kept coming to me, and I felt that Zorn’s story felt more placed in that time period, where Tsiolka’s felt like it really belonged there, perhaps because his included present tense narrative as well.
Another element of the story that I similarly connected to while it didn’t quite sit right was the character of Ruby. She’s a young Aboriginal woman who’s living with an adopted family and who’s just starting to connect with her identity and imagine her future. She’s Minty (Sam’s cousin)’s close friend/ex-girlfriend and she’s often there on the periphery. I felt like she existed in part to show that Minty had the capacity to be a good guy, even if he sometimes didn’t choose to exercise it. I felt like hers was a story that Zorn was invested in and wanted to tell, which is great. But I also felt a little like she wasn’t central enough – you could remove her character without fundamentally changing the story. And I guess that’s okay! There’s no law saying an author can only include those characters fundamental to story structure in the book. But it did leave me feeling unsure about her place in things. Interestingly, my Mum picked up this book and read it while she was staying with me and had the same response (though she thought Ruby was included to indicate the book as clearly Australian for an overseas market).
The other thing that didn’t quite work for me was the biblical reference that is the source of the book’s title. It just didn’t sit right – it felt like it was included because the author liked it rather than because it was really coherent with the characters and the context.
This is one of those books that has lodged itself in my mind. It wasn’t the easiest read, but the characters felt strongly real and have something like their own life inside me now. I was engaged and moved by the story. I saw part of the twist/reveal coming but not all of it. And I love that, while not shying away from the hard stuff of life, the book finished on a tone of real hope and connection.
In the opening scene of Claire Zorn’s award-winning YA contemporary novel, the main character Sam is in a hospital feeding coins into a payphone that’s eating them just as fast. He’s trying to contact his aunty Lorraine who he hasn’t seen in years, but who he hopes will let him come and stay. His mum has died unexpectedly and he’s on his own.
Something of the feeling of that scene stayed with me throughout the book. Sam is in a precarious position – he’s alone in the world, he can’t support himself, his lines of communication and connection to those around him feel tenuous, fragile. He’s trying to hold it together, burying a roaring grief inside himself because he doesn’t know what else to do with it.
This wasn’t a book I read quickly. I took a little while for my ear to acclimatise to the style of the dialogue, which is heavily vernacular, and the intensity of the language. And it’s not a light book – the storytelling is carefully paced and subtle; the grief and the secrets and the resentments and the mistakes are all given their time to unfold.
I really admire what Zorn has tried, and I think succeeded in doing with this book: she shows the point of view of a character who is smart and insightful but who is not articulate. I also liked that this book was about a boy/young man because most of the YA I read has female leads.
One would think the deep is sunk knee-deep in the 90s. Music is really important to the protagonist, and is one of the ways he connects with people he meets and tries to make sense of his loss of his Mum and everything he’s feeling. This isn’t just a passing reference, but is explored in detail and is important to the story. Sam’s mixtape includes REM, the Pixies, Radiohead, Beastie Boys. Jeff Buckley’s Grace is the song that is most impactful, and the chronology is timed so that Jeff Buckley’s death by drowning occurs during the course of the story.
I couldn’t help comparing this to Christos Tsiolkas’s Barracuda, which is similarly set (in part) in the 90s, and in which Kurt Kobain’s death is a significant plot point. I don’t know if this is fair or not but it’s the comparison that kept coming to me, and I felt that Zorn’s story felt more placed in that time period, where Tsiolka’s felt like it really belonged there, perhaps because his included present tense narrative as well.
Another element of the story that I similarly connected to while it didn’t quite sit right was the character of Ruby. She’s a young Aboriginal woman who’s living with an adopted family and who’s just starting to connect with her identity and imagine her future. She’s Minty (Sam’s cousin)’s close friend/ex-girlfriend and she’s often there on the periphery. I felt like she existed in part to show that Minty had the capacity to be a good guy, even if he sometimes didn’t choose to exercise it. I felt like hers was a story that Zorn was invested in and wanted to tell, which is great. But I also felt a little like she wasn’t central enough – you could remove her character without fundamentally changing the story. And I guess that’s okay! There’s no law saying an author can only include those characters fundamental to story structure in the book. But it did leave me feeling unsure about her place in things. Interestingly, my Mum picked up this book and read it while she was staying with me and had the same response (though she thought Ruby was included to indicate the book as clearly Australian for an overseas market).
The other thing that didn’t quite work for me was the biblical reference that is the source of the book’s title. It just didn’t sit right – it felt like it was included because the author liked it rather than because it was really coherent with the characters and the context.
This is one of those books that has lodged itself in my mind. It wasn’t the easiest read, but the characters felt strongly real and have something like their own life inside me now. I was engaged and moved by the story. I saw part of the twist/reveal coming but not all of it. And I love that, while not shying away from the hard stuff of life, the book finished on a tone of real hope and connection.
July 26, 2018
I liked this book even though it isn’t my usual choice. It’s heavily focused on surfing, which works as a distraction for the main character, Sam, who has just lost his mother. The story is character driven rather than being moved along by events/plot. It also has a lot of dialogue, which I don’t normally see but I liked the longer conversations. There was a reveal at the end that I did guess, but it was really good. I think this book is a good look into how a young adult copes with these changes and problems.
December 8, 2017
Jeanne of Happy Indulgence summed up my thoughts perfectly. I didn't like any of the characters or the surfing aspect. I loved Claire Zorn's first book, The Sky so Heavy so I was really disappointed that I could connect with this story.
September 8, 2017
An excellent read. This book won Australia's top YA award: CBCA 2017 'Book of the Year for Older Readers'
March 3, 2021
3.5 stars
This book was deep and beautiful. If I had read it at 15 maybe I would have loved it. Now as an adult I can see the flaws in the novel and possibly the wrong messages the text could send.
This book was deep and beautiful. If I had read it at 15 maybe I would have loved it. Now as an adult I can see the flaws in the novel and possibly the wrong messages the text could send.
July 5, 2023
DNF. Got about 60% through it, but I can't persevere any longer. So boring. Writing quality isn't too bad though.
February 1, 2025
3.25 ⭐️
Unsure if my year 10s will love this. It’s cool how it’s set near Wollongong but I found the pacing quite slow..
Unsure if my year 10s will love this. It’s cool how it’s set near Wollongong but I found the pacing quite slow..
December 14, 2017
That broke me...
Back in August One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn (UQP, 2016) was shortlisted for the Inky Award 2017 and won CBCA Book of The Year Older Readers 2017. I was paying so little attention, I noticed neither. But I know what I feel for One Would Think the Deep, as it twisted my heart and wrung me dry.
My incomparable tardiness knows no bounds, as usual. My book group read it in September 2016 (they know how to choose award winners). Of course I didn't make it there because I took 6-ish months to finish reading. Remembering my 1997: broken, drowning. (Although my drowning was entirely my own doing.) Even more months later, I turn to write about Claire Zorn's masterpiece.
Yet another book, miring me in my own associations. I guess that's what makes exceptional writing - ensnaring my equanimity in the screaming soundtrack to 1997.
Mudhoney is seminal, Grinspoon, an acoustic live recording of 'Drive.' I remember where I was was when I heard Jeff Buckley died, not sure why because I didn't think much of his music - not broken enough. All the way through reading, I wondered how Sam would cope with another death. Nana tells it like it is:
Sam starts the year holding his dying mother in his arms and his grief permeates every pore of his story.
Sam's Aunty Lorraine becomes his guardian and he moves into her house and reconnects with the cousins he hasn't seen for years. The reasons for the falling out between his grandparents, his Mum and aunt are a mystery. Sam's older cousin Shane still has it in for him, but Minty invites him surfing and their friendship starts back up where it left off.
Sam meets others in the town, in between drifting aimlessly away from finishing school and into a maybe job. Minty's friend Ruby and Sam's budding romance with Gretchen are there when his grief overtakes him and surfing with Minty is a constant.
The interactions between each character and Sam's grief are clever, especially with Minty.
...the king of the waves.
The descriptions of surfing are phenomenal. Not only when they're in the water, but the culture of up-before-sunrise-chasing-the-break and drinking round the bonfire into the night.
I knew these guys in 1997!?
Skating is no longer central in Sam's life after his Mum dies, but after reading before bed one night, I dreamt about skating. So much fun!
The cover design is as iridescent as the writing. Astred Hicks turns things upside down so we can see them as they truly are.
Still mired in drowning, still trying to sink.
Photos by me (CC). If you want to reuse them, please credit Clare Snow.
This is from my blog https://ofceilingwax.wordpress.com/20...
"How long could you stand there in one spot, not moving, before someone noticed or said something or asked you to move?"
Back in August One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn (UQP, 2016) was shortlisted for the Inky Award 2017 and won CBCA Book of The Year Older Readers 2017. I was paying so little attention, I noticed neither. But I know what I feel for One Would Think the Deep, as it twisted my heart and wrung me dry.
My incomparable tardiness knows no bounds, as usual. My book group read it in September 2016 (they know how to choose award winners). Of course I didn't make it there because I took 6-ish months to finish reading. Remembering my 1997: broken, drowning. (Although my drowning was entirely my own doing.) Even more months later, I turn to write about Claire Zorn's masterpiece.
Yet another book, miring me in my own associations. I guess that's what makes exceptional writing - ensnaring my equanimity in the screaming soundtrack to 1997.
"The space between the notes was loaded. Negative space."
Mudhoney is seminal, Grinspoon, an acoustic live recording of 'Drive.' I remember where I was was when I heard Jeff Buckley died, not sure why because I didn't think much of his music - not broken enough. All the way through reading, I wondered how Sam would cope with another death. Nana tells it like it is:
"Thought you meant a real person."
Sam starts the year holding his dying mother in his arms and his grief permeates every pore of his story.
"He didn't sleep. His mother was too close. He could see every crease on her face, every worry line he'd ever given her."
Sam's Aunty Lorraine becomes his guardian and he moves into her house and reconnects with the cousins he hasn't seen for years. The reasons for the falling out between his grandparents, his Mum and aunt are a mystery. Sam's older cousin Shane still has it in for him, but Minty invites him surfing and their friendship starts back up where it left off.
"Sam felt the cavity in his chest expanding, pushing him out and sucking him in all at once."
Sam meets others in the town, in between drifting aimlessly away from finishing school and into a maybe job. Minty's friend Ruby and Sam's budding romance with Gretchen are there when his grief overtakes him and surfing with Minty is a constant.
"The memory cut into him with a sudden, gasping savageness."
The interactions between each character and Sam's grief are clever, especially with Minty.
"Sam knew Minty had taken a day that was one of the most horrible in Sam's existence and reshaped it entirely... Who brings a surfboard to a funeral?!"
...the king of the waves.
"Sam remained struck by the transformative ability of a piece of fibreglass to take an inarticulate, hulking lump of a guy and turn him into a vision of fluid beauty."
The descriptions of surfing are phenomenal. Not only when they're in the water, but the culture of up-before-sunrise-chasing-the-break and drinking round the bonfire into the night.
"Watching as a bunch of guys tried to set the slippery dip on fire."
I knew these guys in 1997!?
"He felt the preciousness of every wave, he had to use it well otherwise Minty would have sacrificed it to him for nothing."
Skating is no longer central in Sam's life after his Mum dies, but after reading before bed one night, I dreamt about skating. So much fun!
"He felt the hot shot of adrenaline at the base of his skull. In that moment he forgot everything."
The cover design is as iridescent as the writing. Astred Hicks turns things upside down so we can see them as they truly are.
"The desire to breathe that was the problem."
Still mired in drowning, still trying to sink.
Photos by me (CC). If you want to reuse them, please credit Clare Snow.
This is from my blog https://ofceilingwax.wordpress.com/20...
September 12, 2016
"Sam fell into a pattern without making a conscious decision. Out of the water he was messed up, he had turned every good thing he had to shit. In the water he was Minty Booner’s cousin and he would take on any wave that rose up against him. Recklessness or measured risk – the hazy space in-between was solace."
In the summer of 1997, 17-year old Sam Hudson catches his mother as she collapses, felled by an aneurysm. Sam hasn’t seen his Auntie Lorraine Booner in 7 years, but she is the only family he has left. Lorraine’s knee-jerk reaction is to ask Sam if his grandmother can take him in, but she agrees to take him in at a push. With nothing but his skateboard and a few random belongings stuffed into garbage bags, Sam trades Sydney for a camp bed in the small windowless spare room at his Aunt’s house on the surf coast. His aunt won’t look him in the eye, and his cousin Shane makes it clear from the outset that Sam isn’t welcome, but Shane’s younger brother Michael ‘Minty’ greets Sam with Labrador-like enthusiasm. Sam is surprised at how easy it was between him and Minty after all this time, but despite his efforts to emulate Minty’s chilled lifestyle, Sam struggles to escape the grief of his mother’s death and his need to uncover the family secret that led to the 7-year estrangement.
Just as she did with THE PROTECTED, Claire Zorn perfectly captures the emotional chaos of grief. Sam spends much of ONE WOULD THINK THE DEEP trying not to think of his mother, or of the pointlessness of her death. Sam realises he can switch off the anger and sadness he feels while he is out surfing with Minty. But, surfing is not a peaceful and meditative experience for Sam, as time and time again he is dumped and slammed into the ocean floor, salt water burning through his nose and his chest. Sam turns to violence as a desperate means to stop himself from falling into the black hole of grief, and to somehow reassert himself as a strong masculine figure, but each violent encounter brings him one step closer to losing what little family he has left.
The family revelation was admittedly predictable, but this did not detract from the readability of One Would Think the Deep. The focus of the novel was not so much the events leading up to Sam’s arrival at his aunt’s home, but whether he can reconcile with his past in order to navigate towards a hopeful future. Claire Zorn has once again created a great mix of believable characters. While Ruby may be the only likeable character, it is the fallibility, vulnerability and earnestness of each of the characters that makes them compelling. As with THE PROTECTED, Claire does not present a final conclusion for each of the characters, but there is enough presented about the ensemble throughout the novel to indicate how their lives continue on after the final page.
Full review, and reviews of other YA titles, can be found at https://lizkatemcshane.wordpress.com/
In the summer of 1997, 17-year old Sam Hudson catches his mother as she collapses, felled by an aneurysm. Sam hasn’t seen his Auntie Lorraine Booner in 7 years, but she is the only family he has left. Lorraine’s knee-jerk reaction is to ask Sam if his grandmother can take him in, but she agrees to take him in at a push. With nothing but his skateboard and a few random belongings stuffed into garbage bags, Sam trades Sydney for a camp bed in the small windowless spare room at his Aunt’s house on the surf coast. His aunt won’t look him in the eye, and his cousin Shane makes it clear from the outset that Sam isn’t welcome, but Shane’s younger brother Michael ‘Minty’ greets Sam with Labrador-like enthusiasm. Sam is surprised at how easy it was between him and Minty after all this time, but despite his efforts to emulate Minty’s chilled lifestyle, Sam struggles to escape the grief of his mother’s death and his need to uncover the family secret that led to the 7-year estrangement.
Just as she did with THE PROTECTED, Claire Zorn perfectly captures the emotional chaos of grief. Sam spends much of ONE WOULD THINK THE DEEP trying not to think of his mother, or of the pointlessness of her death. Sam realises he can switch off the anger and sadness he feels while he is out surfing with Minty. But, surfing is not a peaceful and meditative experience for Sam, as time and time again he is dumped and slammed into the ocean floor, salt water burning through his nose and his chest. Sam turns to violence as a desperate means to stop himself from falling into the black hole of grief, and to somehow reassert himself as a strong masculine figure, but each violent encounter brings him one step closer to losing what little family he has left.
The family revelation was admittedly predictable, but this did not detract from the readability of One Would Think the Deep. The focus of the novel was not so much the events leading up to Sam’s arrival at his aunt’s home, but whether he can reconcile with his past in order to navigate towards a hopeful future. Claire Zorn has once again created a great mix of believable characters. While Ruby may be the only likeable character, it is the fallibility, vulnerability and earnestness of each of the characters that makes them compelling. As with THE PROTECTED, Claire does not present a final conclusion for each of the characters, but there is enough presented about the ensemble throughout the novel to indicate how their lives continue on after the final page.
Full review, and reviews of other YA titles, can be found at https://lizkatemcshane.wordpress.com/
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