Tanvi Berwah

Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah takes the idea of heroes and heroines and turns it on its head. Koral is so bitter, angry, and traumatized that you find her slightly abhorrent even as she tugs at your heartstrings. At the same time, Ms. Berwah shows the insidious nature of power in a world that is nothing like current-day America but certainly has many similarities regarding the haves and the have-nots. Monsters Born and Made is a difficult read because of the raging emotions swirling show more within Koral and fueling her actions and also because it is bloody and raw, violently brutal, and ruthless. I loved every minute of it. show less

Tanvi Berwah's debut novel, MONSTERS BORN AND MADE, impressed me. It was different, and I appreciate anything that feels fresh and new when you read as much fantasy as I do. Because I enjoyed her first novel so much, I knew I wanted to read her second novel, SOMEWHERE IN THE DEEP. While it suffers from second-book syndrome, there are enough elements I enjoyed to make her an author to watch.

It was a pleasant surprise to discover that SOMEWHERE IN THE DEEP is in the same world as MONSTERS show more BORN AND MADE. They occur on different islands, and Krescent's story runs concurrently with Koral's. While reading one before the other is unnecessary, you get a better picture of the political landscape between the Landers and everyone else.

What I like most about Ms. Berwah's storytelling is that she doesn't reveal everything at once. Neither does she unveil secrets in a standard fashion. Instead, it is almost as if backstory and secrets are secondary. For example, we don't find out what made Krescent a pariah among miners until well into the story. While you might think this is a big part of Krescent's backstory, it isn't as big as you thought. Knowing the details of Krescent's past doesn't change your opinion of her. If anything, knowing her past solidifies her fighter status, but it doesn't impact the rest of the story.

Unfortunately, SOMEWHERE IN THE DEEP does struggle with pacing—a lot. Nine days to get under the mines occurs in a matter of chapters. Eight days to return to the surface occurs in one chapter. The pacing issues don't stop there. Once Krescent and the group are at the surface again, the action moves at breakneck speed. The problem is that there is nothing to explain how we go from one situation to another - a very big life-altering -situation within a matter of hours. It's one thing to suspend disbelief for the myriad monsters Krescent faces, but it is another thing to have to suspend disbelief because of the pacing.

With the way SOMEWHERE IN THE DEEP ends, Ms. Berwah may be continuing with this pseudo-series. If so, that excites me. I would love to see Koral and Krescent meet. What's more, I know there are other islands in this archipelago, and the possibilities are endless. Despite the pacing problems, I enjoyed SOMEWHERE IN THE DEEP. Krescent is one of the fiercest heroines I've met, and I appreciate that Ms. Berwah doesn't force a romance on her readers. I still believe Ms. Berwah has the potential for greatness. In the meantime, her South Asian-inspired stories are excellent palate cleansers for those who read fantasy. show less

On the Island of Kar Atish the lower class must carve out a living for themselves either mining for a substance called zargunine that the upper class, the Landers will pay them for or they can fight against wild creatures from the deep in the pits. After the death of her parents, Krescent Dune chose to fight in the pits in order to raise money to get off the island faster. Kress is paying the price for a mistake that her parents made years ago. Kress has quickly risen as a top fighter in the show more pits making her a target for her boss. She receives an offer too good to refuse, protection for a rescue mission in the mines that will pay enough for Kress to get off the island. However, the mission quickly becomes more than anyone could have thought, Kress' best friend Rivan shows up and becomes poisoned by an unknown beast, the mines reveal a secret history of the island and new and dangerous creatures keep appearing as the mines meet the ocean.

Somewhere in the Deep is an exciting Young Adult fantasy thriller. This book is set in the same world as Monsters Born and Made, but you do not need to read the books in any order. I was brought into the story immediately as Kress fought in the pits under the name Dark Dancer. Kress is wizened and hardened for her age, but wants desperately to live a simpler life. Through Kress' eyes the writing brought the island to life. Kar Atish is a harsh landscape that has been colonized and created two distinct classes. I could imagine the many different animals the Kress came across on the beach as well as the zargunine filled mines that have been carved out long ago. The pace was kept at a good pace with the many dangers below ground and Kress' impressive fighting skills. More than just fighting, Somewhere in the Deep reveals Kress' true identity, not just the child of the Kinkillers, but a caring person who fiercely protects their own and loves those around her as well as her home.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

Strict social hierarchy mixes with sea monsters, intrigue, action, brutality, and determination to great tons of plot and a large variety of characters.

Koral has been born into a family of Hunters, whose job it is to capture and breed the fearful monsters of their seas, the maristags. It's a job, which always draws blood and luck is the only thing separating the Hunters from death, but the creatures are only there for a short time period, and if a male and female aren't available, the family show more must live off one month of salary and starve the rest of the year. This year, that can't happen since Koral's younger sister is sick and needs medicine to survive. When the hunt fails, Koral refuses to bow to fate and is determined to save her family by entering a deadly race. The prize money would mean financial relief, but her entrance means stepping up against members of the class above her family's...and they are more dangerous than the monsters.

This one is sold as a type of Hunger Games meets These Violent Delights. and while I wouldn't completely agree with the second of these, the first is hard not to see. The class differences are clear-cut and brutal, which made it intriguing as Koral's family isn't allowed to be anything but what they are. The attitude between the classes rings clear, and the prejudice slams hard. As the higher level gets involved, the nods at Hunger Games is strong. Even the romance and competition settles in clearly along these lines. It did make it a bit cliche, but that's not a bad thing, since it leaves the reader sure of where this novel sits. Plus, the other aspects are original enough to make it feel too close, too. Although I didn't get as much of the South-Asian feel that I was hoping for.

To say that there are a few plot strings, is an understatement. The author creates a rich weave of sub-plots, which cross and spread to make sure there isn't a boring moment and little is easy to predict. Along with this wide spread comes a large cast of characters, who each hold their own agendas, personalities, and goals. There's tons to follow and even more surprises as everything twists and turns. It makes for a rich and exciting read, especially when the well-done action scenes are thrown in. Deceit and danger go hand-in-hand, giving Koral much more to deal with than just getting the money for her sister's medicine.

All of this takes place in a complex and original world, where monsters, the sea, and much more are at play. The atmosphere portrays a dark and dirty reality, where survival is harsh and hatred runs high. Even Koral's own family has more than a slightly shadowed side. The monsters are well-described and hold the beautiful deadliness they need. The world, however, isn't given the same attention and is a bit scattered...as are the characters. There's just too much, and it suffers, never gaining the complete attention it needs to really grab hold. The many plot strings also lose their thread because of this. While promising, many things are skid over too quickly and lose their impact.

These pages hold the promise and beginnings of an amazing tale, so much so that it is fun to read...but it simply could have been more. And the ending...well, that slaps hard and leaves me hoping that there's another book to come. I received a DRC through the publisher and am giving this one 3.5 stars while rounding up. show less