Soul of the Deep - (Of Mermaids and Orisa) by Natasha Bowen

About the Book

When signs of the eight ajogun begin to appear, Simi teams up with the corrupt trickster god Esu to stop the demon warlords before they enter the human realm and ruin humankind.

Book Synopsis

The highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller Skin of the Sea, in which the world must pay the price for one mermaid's choice, and a dark force reverberates across realms. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and those eagerly anticipating the live-action film adaptation of The Little Mermaid.

One life.
One choice.
One sacrifice.

To save those closest to her, Simi traded away everything: her freedom, her family, and the boy she loves. Now she is sworn to serve a new god, watching over the Land of the Dead at the bottom of the ocean.

But when signs of demons begin to appear, it's clear there are deeper consequences of Simi's trade. These demons spell the world's ruin . . . and because of Simi, they now have a way into the human realm.

With the fate of the world at stake, Simi must break her promise and team up with a scheming trickster of a god. And if they succeed, perhaps Simi can also unbreak her heart along the way, and find herself again.

"Epic and original . . . Simi's story will stay with me for a long time." --Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR SOUL OF THE DEEP:

YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults
Bustle Most Anticipated Book - September 2022

★ "A deeply satisfying dive into magic and mystery." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Readers will be pleased that this sequel is just as adventurous as the previous volume, rife with drama and West African mythology, from the epic scale of the setting to the clashes with terrifying beasts to the interference of scheming orisa." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Bowen's lush fantasy is steeped in West African mythos, and this installment expands upon the worldbuilding with new villains and deeper characterizations . . . Interesting and inventive, this installment is worth purchasing for libraries that own the series opener." --SLJ

PRAISE FOR SKIN OF THE SEA:

Instant New York Times Bestseller
NPR Best Book of the Year
PopSugar Best New Book - November 2021
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Children's Africana Book Awards - 2022 Honor Book for Older Readers
Top 10 YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults

"Bowen has built an impressive mythology to buttress her fairy tale, and it's a pleasure to discover this world through Simi's eyes." --The New York Times

"An evocative debut." --Entertainment Weekly

"Riveting . . . I'm sure that Simi has many ardent fans to await her further adventures." --NPR

"Remarkable." --Buzzfeed

"Skin of the Sea is one of the most epic and original fantasies I've read. . . . Simi's story will stay with me for a long time to come." --Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing

"The most engrossing, thought-provoking, beautiful novel I've read in ages. Skin of the Sea knocks your socks off and leaves you wanting more." --Namina Forna, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Ones

"An enchanting, unputdownable fantasy. Bowen's lush world building and beautiful prose will have you rooting for these characters from page one. A triumph of storytelling." --Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of This Poison Heart

★ "A story bursting with innovative inspiration . . . a divine debut." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Reinvigorating the image of West Africa as not merely a site of human suffering but a historical place of great invention, fellowship, and hope, Bowen relays a story as lushly described as it is cinematic, centering a brave, headstrong protagonist coming into her own power in an age of change." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Any story about literal Black girl magic featuring a Black mermaid is sure to shine, but Bowen's story swims to sparkling heights." --Booklist, starred review

"Give this book to everyone, but especially fans of mythological and well-crafted fantasy." --School Library Journal

"Those who have been riveted by the many new West African-inspired novels of the last few years including Children of Blood and Bone and The Gilded Ones will find this a worthy addition to the genre, and readers new to an African fantasy setting have an excellent introduction here." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"An inspired take on Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Little Mermaid' that blends West African religion and history in an immersive adventure. . . . Skin of the Sea painfully entwines love and sacrifice to create a story as powerful and majestic as the sea itself." --BookPage

"Bowen combines a classic quest plot with a rich and still-underrepresented mythology . . . [an] inventive supernatural fantasy." --The Horn Book

About the Author

Natasha Bowen is a New York Times bestselling author, a teacher, and a mother of three children. She is of Nigerian and Welsh descent and lives in Cambridge, England, where she grew up. Natasha studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa University before moving to East London, where she taught for nearly ten years. She is obsessed with Japanese and German stationery and spends stupid amounts on notebooks, which she then features on her secret Instagram. When she's not writing, she's reading, watched over carefully by Milk and Honey, her cat and dog. Follow her on Twitter at @skinofthesea.