Lovely holiday read

In Deeper Waters
von F. T. Lukens

Bewertet mit 4 Sternen

The young prince Tal is the last mage of his kingdom Harth, a kingdom in which magic is feared and frowned upon. So, he was hidden for the biggest part of his life to protect himself and his secret from the world. When he finally gets out into the world and meets a mysterious boy who doesn’t seem to be afraid of his magic Tal’s beliefs begin to change.

This young adult fantasy doesn’t only have a stunning cover but is also beautifully written. I personally am a big fan of a poetic writing style, which was one of the things I noticed first about this book. There are so many beautiful metaphors, similes, and descriptions, which painted the story in soft pastel colours and golden tones. The whole vibe reminded me of the time of dawn when a new day begins. Not only because of the writing but also because of Tal’s story.

Throughout the novel, Tal developed from a shy, kind of anxious and unsure boy to someone who knows what they can and want. I loved to see him undergo these changes, though they sometimes seemed a bit drastic to me. In the end, it is as if Tal can just basically do anything, and it all just seemed to go a bit too easy for him.

The love story between Tal and Athlen on the other hand was one thing I was really able to fully enjoy. They were so lovely together. To be honest, one couldn’t not fall in love with Athlen. He was sweet and gentle, but at the same time, he had a dominant and proud side to him. He and Tal complemented each other just wonderfully.

As well as Tal’s relationship with Athlen I also liked how close he was with his family. He had four siblings, and each of them was amazing in their own way. Especially their teasing and banter with Tal were fun to read.

But there also are a few points of criticism. For one I thought all the problems on the political level could have been introduced a bit differently to make the reader more involved in them. I just felt a little distant from all the happenings on this kingdom-wide level. Maybe it would have helped to add another perspective to raise the tension.

 I also struggled a little in the middle part of the story, since nothing all too special and nonpredictable seemed to happen. On the other hand, the story felt weirdly short. I feel like there would have been room for two books with this kind of plot.

 And finally, Tal did sometimes get a little on my nerves (but only a little). He was very dramatic and kind of naïve, which of course is also connected to his young age and his lack of experience in the real world…

Everything considered it still was a lovely book which I especially liked for its LGTBQ+ rep. This was done in such an uncomplicated, nonchalant way, which really made me smile a lot:) There were lots of great characters and I genuinely enjoyed the setting and the vibes, which are very suitable for young readers.