From the Publisher: The gods were as real as the coastlines and currents, and as merciless as the winds and whirlpools. For centuries the gods of the Undersea ruled the islands of the Myriad through awe and terror: they were very real, and very dangerous. Sacrifices were hurled into the waters to appease them, and every boat was painted with pleading eyes to entreat their mercy. They were served, feared and adored.
Then, thirty years ago, the gods rose up in madness and tore each other apart. Now, none remain. The islands have recovered and the people have patched their battered ships and moved on. On one of these islands live Hark and his best friend Jelt. To them, the gods are nothing but a collection of valuable scraps to be scavenged from the ocean and sold. But now something is pulsing beneath the waves, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it.
Review
I loved this story, it was compelling, magical and completely un-put-downable. Like her previous novel, The Lie Tree, Hardinge has created a magical alternate world in which giant sea creatures, with evocative names like The Glass Cardinal and The Hidden Lady are worshipped as gods by the islanders on which they prey. It’s a story about two street boys, their one-sided friendship and how the magic they encounter through the physical remnants of the ‘gods’ (known as as godware) changes their lives – one for the better and one for the worst through the choices they make.
The story unfolds in a priestly Sanctuary where we learn about what really happened in the Cataclysm that wiped all the gods out; we visit the sea shore where we see the awful effects of “godware” (monster body parts) on the friends, we watch the events in the steampunk laboratory of Dr Vyne, and in the magical Undersea where you can breathe the water but also feel the fear that drains from the islanders that fed the old gods.
Hardinge”s narrative is exciting, its language beautiful and poetic and I would highly recommend this.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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I also recommend The Lie Tree.
When Faith’s father is found dead under mysterious circumstances, she is determined to untangle the truth from the lies. Searching through his belongings for clues, she discovers a strange tree. A tree that feeds off whispered lies and bears fruit that reveals hidden secrets.
Books After Midnight 