Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep

A book I’d requested through work as I’m a huge fan of Mortal Engines (plus Philip Reeve’s other works).

This latest book is a magnificent middle grade fantasy adventure following Utterly Dark, the ward of The Watcher of Wildsea.

When her ward drowns it sets a chain of events off that has this adventure crack along at a really fast pace and has you chewing your nails to the finale.

This speed doesn’t stop the story from building up some solid characters throughout. There are the Skraevelings who are the housekeepers of Sundown Watch, Will Dark is Utterly’s scientifically sceptical uncle, Thurza Froy the sea witch, Egg the boy who got kicked in the goolies, and Aish who is brilliant.

Then there is Utterly, the young girl swept up from the sea and cared for by Andrew Dark, her mystery is at the core of this book.

The interaction between these characters and the building of a solid mythology for the island helped me to invest heavily in the story of myths and magics.

Utterly engrossing and captivating story which will be out in the first week of September (2021).