Ever since Pat, Coop, and Kate saved New York City from disaster in the book Beneath, with the help of Alex the Librarian, they’ve been on the run, separately. But, this will all change when they all meet in Portland, Oregon. The People of the Deep (POD), an underground cult-like community that Kate was part of, have resurfaced and they will do everything to get their new plans in action. Suddenly, Kate has disappeared and left notes in her path. The O’Toole brothers will have to work side by side with familiar faces and new strangers to find Kate and bring the POD to justice.
This book was so well written, that someone didn’t have to read Beneath, to understand the events of this story. With switched first person views between Pat and Kate, Smith gives us two unique perspectives of each situation in a way that makes us wonder even more and more. The vivid plot can be confusing at some points, but in the end, everything turns a full circle. In honesty, I liked this book more than I did Beneath, mainly because this book was so plot-driven, while the latter had to give lots of background information. The way the book ended was nice, but the climax was a bit to sudden to digest. I would have liked more explaining and reasoning than a simple “it happened” scene. Still, this is a very powerful book.
Arguably the more memorable parts are spoilers, but the most memorable parts are the parts where there are memories to back in the Deep. These give depth on what had happened before the events and show how the characters have changed. The memories are similar to flashbacks, but aren’t exactly a scene, but more a call back to the past.
Reviewed by Edward, Grade 7 , Twin Hickory Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 