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Allison Hurd's Reviews > Deeplight
Deeplight
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Holy sh*t this book was good. The plot was solid, the characters were lovely, and the storycraft was impeccable. Everything connected, everything bled into every other part of the story and it all felt so organic.
The only thing that pisses me off is that this is not YA IMO. This is a heavy, heavy story about abuse, loyalty, freedom vs. free choice, and ableism. Yeah, the main characters are teens, but it's about as "YA" as Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series. I'm trying not to read too hard into why that series and others like it are considered adult and this is considered YA (surely no presumption on the basis of gender, right??) but it's pretty hard to overlook.
If you want a very smart, moving, action-packed story filled with people who are hearing impaired, brooding and/or dealing with complex feelings of surviving trauma, this is it.
CONTENT WARNING: (view spoiler)
The only thing that pisses me off is that this is not YA IMO. This is a heavy, heavy story about abuse, loyalty, freedom vs. free choice, and ableism. Yeah, the main characters are teens, but it's about as "YA" as Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series. I'm trying not to read too hard into why that series and others like it are considered adult and this is considered YA (surely no presumption on the basis of gender, right??) but it's pretty hard to overlook.
If you want a very smart, moving, action-packed story filled with people who are hearing impaired, brooding and/or dealing with complex feelings of surviving trauma, this is it.
CONTENT WARNING: (view spoiler)
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Reading Progress
July 3, 2020
–
Started Reading
July 3, 2020
– Shelved
July 3, 2020
– Shelved as:
fantasy
July 3, 2020
– Shelved as:
fem-author
July 3, 2020
–
40.0%
"omg this is wonderful. A bit more mature than I anticipated, but quite excellent!"
July 5, 2020
–
40.0%
July 5, 2020
–
Finished Reading
March 22, 2021
– Shelved as:
sff-bookshelf
Comments Showing 1-23 of 23 (23 new)
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Lowell
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rated it 4 stars
Jul 03, 2020 10:01PM
the comment got my attention, and the blurb sealed the "will throw it on my want to read" pile deal!
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Huzzah! Yeah, I haven't read this author before. Pretty damn impressed. Can't wait to see what you think!
I am so stoked now!
Wait despite the CW, would you say this is a cozy book overall? I need something like it
No, I would not call this one cozy. Riverland, maybe? Minor Mage kind of?
Noted, thanks. Maybe Minor Mage should be my next one then
All the Lodestar books this time are quite dark!
Yeah, the main characters are teens, but it's about as "YA" as Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series. I'm trying not to read too hard into why that series and others like it are considered adult and this is considered YA (surely no presumption on the basis of gender, right??) but it's pretty hard to overlook.It could be the author wanting to stay with her publisher?
Deeplight is published by Macmillan Children's Books. They only publish children's and YA books. That imprint published Hardinge's first, children's novel Fly By Night and several others. I only checked a few, but it looks like MCB has been her only publisher.
Its possible Hardinge wanted to both write an adult novel and stay with her publisher and editor? She and her publisher could have put her adult novel behind a YA fig leaf?
Possibly, but Macmillan has a vast empire of imprints which makes me suspicious of that. And she's fairly established, so it COULD be about a "bigger market" but again I find that an interesting choice from a business perspective.
Hardinge describes her take on YA and deep and abiding love for Macmillan Children’s Books.
They're patient and i talk to my editor sends a bit different than abiding love. I'm more convinced by her saying her audience is older, intelligent "odd" kids... which is to say not the average market.
I forgot to include the "ironic" emoji with regard to the author/editor or publisher love-fest (😻). Allison wrote: "... I'm more convinced by her saying her audience is older, intelligent "odd" kids... which is to say not the average market."
That's the issue. The "YA" genre audience isn't just, "readers between 12 and 18 years old". I know several adults that prefer to read YA, because 'adult' fiction can be too disturbing. . Hardinge's "older, intelligent, 'odd' kids" are likely some of the adults mentioned in the article.
Maybe Hardinge should move to a New Adult imprint of Macmillan?
Yeah. I can see valid reasons for the designation, but in a world where structurally women and nonbinary authors are seen as "less serious" and so on, it's really hard for me to discount that part, I guess. Frances may have done exactly as she wanted with clear intent and support from her team! But there are so many variables, that while I appreciate your thoughts and your attempts to clarify/comfort, I think this is just something I'll remain low key cranky about until the world gets a bit less divided.
Just finished it, and I completely agree, there is NOTHING YA about it, the themes are far too heavy for that, and there is nothing of the self-absorbed, navel-gazing I find in most YA lit. I can actually understand better if it's grouped with children's literature, kids tend to deal better and more naturally to these themes. Overall a surprisingly compelling novel!
Yeah, I saw it tagged as YA before I started reading and was wondering if it would be for me (since YA novels don’t always work for me) and once I started I was like ‘Uh...this does not....read like a YA novel?�
Yeah. Which isn't to say that I don't think kids could read this, but the sophistication of prose, recurring themes, the cunning use of words and nuance...there's plenty in here for adults, and indeed that I think can only be fully appreciated by adults.
I had to step back from the book club thread because I would have started yet another argument over the "YA" designation and it's just not worth it. Suffice it to say.. I think the entire categorical designation is probably just a big load of sexist marketing in the first place.
I think this is one of the few places I think the author's determination is the important part. Not that kids can't hear big things, but you talk about war with Little Princess, not All Quiet on the Western Front. I think she just wrote a damn good story about a really tough and relatable thing, ergo, not necessarily a kid's book.
Allison wrote: "Yeah. Which isn't to say that I don't think kids could read this, but the sophistication of prose, recurring themes, the cunning use of words and nuance...there's plenty in here for adults, and ind..."Agreed.
Glad I’m not the only one questioning the YA designation. I’m about 80% done and keep looking back at the cover and asking ‘How can this be YA?�
No, part of the reason I loved it was the thing that induces hate of the mc and his "friend." Move on!
Good discussion in the comments. Hardinge is definitely one of those writers who isn't "just" a YA author - not that there's anything wrong with writing YA, but it can be used to devalue the work of someone who deserves more praise than they're getting. I'm always floored by the depth and complexity of her work.
Well said, Nore! Excited for more of her works in the future
