Mel > Recent Status Updates

I’ve been waiting months for this book and it just so happened to release on a day I’m doing cleaning/organizational tasks at work and can really settle into the audiobook. It has absolutely bodied me in the best of ways. When I say I love folk horror/rural horror/western gothic, this is what I’m chasing. Specifically this.

I love Nemo’s optimism but get the feeling he’s also batshit crazy. I barely remember the movie as a kid. The things that stand out are the Whale of a Tale song (which is an absolute banger btw) and the scenes of the kelp forests. Also a bomb??? Curious to see where this goes and how those clips fit into the book plot. The intro by Bradbury compared Nemo to Ahab. Soooo my money is on CRAZY.

Into The Drowning Deep is my #1 book of the year so far. Time to experience the horrific event that started it all. 🤘🏻

I need to work on not disliking the silly shallow young woman archetype. So many factors create this character. Usually they are victims of circumstances outside their control. But like…care about literally anything else besides dresses and parties and flirting. I’m begging you.

Simply cannot wait for my pagan besties to murk this priest ❤️

“I don’t know why I care other than she’s an antidote to Christ and his earnest suffering.”

I was wrong. I had no idea where things were going. I’m happy the current location is one where we are being mean to nepo babies.

I don’t usually love non-linear horror. But when done like this, it forces a tension that just builds and builds in such an enjoyable way.

I’m considering this part of my Nautical Horror Summer because yes, it’s in space…BUT it is a luxury cruise liner ship (in space) that is inspired by the Titanic. It counts. It’s also yucky so far and I am having a lot of fun with that!

I want this to be weirder and a bit freakier tbh. It’s already ethically and morally fucked up. Let’s just fully commit and be transgressive also.

This is so incredibly good.

It’s like a runaway train. You know the station it left from. There is only one place this can go. But you can’t look away. And I don’t wanna look away. Fun!

I think we’ve reached the moment where it’s officially too much going on.

The pacing has gotten a little weird. And I don’t think we have built a deep enough relationship with some of the secondary characters for the stakes to be high enough for us to mourn them should something happen.

These characters are all incredible self aware in a way that I appreciate. I think the pacing of this middle section is a bit of a struggle but I’m not gonna be too harsh yet.

Okay, Mommy Macbeth, calm down. The revenge/escape violence was cool. This power hungry maneuvering is meh.

Couple things: This is incredibly ambitious. We’re juggling multiple genres. We’ve gone from Epic Fantasy mystics to Science Fiction alien colonization to rage fueled Body Horror & back & not one ball’s been dropped. Ysira! Auntie Mel loves your war crimes, gorl! Finally, “Jacen” sounds like “Jason” & he’s my favorite character so far, but his name being Jason considering all the other names is WILD.

The fact that this is a debut novel is WILD.

I’ve had multiple recs for this just this week and i am elbow deep in sewing projects so we are rolling directly into this after just finishing another audiobook. And you know what, the recs were right. I’m not even done with the intro and this slaps.

Started this yesterday morning just to have something fun and cozy but spooky in my ears while I sew some curtains. So far it has surpassed all of my expectations. A horror romance with actual horror in it? A rare gem.

As a huge lover of maritime disaster stories and science fiction, I cannot believe I’ve never sat down and actually read this book. I’ve seen the Disney adaptation a million times, but I’ve never gone back to the source material. Adulthood really is just rectifying the mistakes of our youth. 😮‍💨

Finally giving her the attention she deserves and am being rewarded tenfold.

The 14 page introduction by Bradbury has already made this $7.00 book more than worth it. I have literal actual tears in my eyes. How is his work so blunt but somehow also deeply descriptive and poetic? It contradicts itself. He was brilliant. Okay, I’ll focus on Verne now.

The player inserts at the start of each chapter are masterfully done. I also love that we are starting before EURO2017 with Oranje. Sarina, the woman you are.

I’m having an incredible time. Anne Boleyn didn’t have 3 nipples. Archeologists have found evidence of Prehistoric peoples’ primitive groan processing tools??? Before the invention of agriculture??? Big fun. 10/10

I’m gratified by how pathetic she is. I like that we are not romanticizing the love sick heroine who ruins lives in her attempt to get her magical brooding man. I sincerely like that we are subverting this.

Moth and her kid are incredibly unlikable which usually isn’t a deal breaker for me if the story is compelling enough. But her motives are also annoying. I’m gonna keep on chugging and hope for a twist that saves this cus I want to like it.

This is not horror. It’s not even uncanny. It feels more Greek mythology than Appalachian folk story. The story itself is fine. It’s doing semi interesting things with timelines and generational trauma. It’s just not doing what it said on the tin.

I’ve seen this repeatedly categorized as a horror. Is the horror in the room with us?