Queer dark academia but make it middle grade we love to see itlgbtqiap-reads11 s Lilly165 29 Read

This book was recommended to me by a good friend and I'm so glad I picked it up! Deephaven is a YA (middle grade) dark academia fantasy horror novel that takes place at an academy for uniquely talented students. When Nev discovers some dark secrets lying within the academy, they must work to solve the mysteries lying within Deephaven.

This story features a non-binary main character, as well as nonbinary and queer secondary characters and is filled with themes of suspense, mystery, and found family. I also really enjoyed the beautiful illustrations featured at the end of each of the chapters.

While this book is technically targeted toward a younger demographic, I found the plot and characters to be very well-developed and think this story would be enjoyable for fantasy lovers of all ages.7 s DK866 38

This is an excellent creepy story to start off the spooky months! A boarding school with a sinister past, magic gone wrong, hauntings, students up to no good, dark academia vibes -- Deephaven has it all. I honestly wasn't expecting to be scared but the horror is pitched just right and had me frantically reading and worrying about the characters. I think what set this story apart from others that I've read is that it felt truly terrifying and unpredictable. There's enough detail and backstory to intrigue, but it's still very mysterious and uncanny. I felt just Nev, tiptoeing through this hazardous new school and facing down monsters and villains. The adults aren't the kind one can turn to when there are real problems, so it falls on Nev and their friend Danny to unravel the mysteries of Deephaven.

I really enjoyed the characters! Nev is the epitome of independent and street smarts due to their unstable home life and upbringing. They have a mind suited to solving puzzles and creating, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Danny is a great ride or die friend, and bonds with Nev over their shared trauma at Deephaven, their desire to find answers, and tumultuous childhoods. Overall, this is a compact, spine-tingling tale I would recommend to fans of horror, monsters, boarding school settings, and dark academia. The illustrations are also delightfully creepy and atmospheric!

*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*lgbtqia middle-grades netgalley ...more3 s Emily Johnson1 review

A little reminiscent of a certain young adult series that also involves magic, a child with a troubled past, a forbidden area inside a special school, and a principal that knows lots but refuses to relay information to their students and thus allows them to meddle…

Though in this story, “magic” appears so late in the game, it feels the author had to whip up something for the climax to be solved. I found myself asking where everything was going, and why. Relationships between characters felt very surface level, and mostly focused how their lives weren’t great outside of this school (but even the school didn’t seem welcoming?).

The horror/mystery aspect was intriguing at first but the resolution had me bored. Yes, this is an all-ages read but it felt the solution to this horror’s problem came out of nowhere (kind of literally) and plainly stated, when all I really wanted was to be on this journey with Nev to figure out the mysteries.

Spoilers below.

Nev’s thievery was building up to something but it all fizzled out and left me unimpressed. To me it felt they were just a klepto stuck in a couple situations rather than possessing a “talent” that required thought and skill.

The relationship between Ruth and Naomi felt out of left field. If Ruth were in love with Naomi, why didn’t she take matters into her own hands when Patience gave up? Why would Ruth not go seek help from the principal when the principal herself locked Naomi in the space?
Alternatively, why didn’t the professors or principal do ANYTHING? They know of the magic Nev ended up using but refused to help Naomi out and thought it best to lock her up and starve? (Again… how does this school feel home to Nev when there is no deep bond within it?)

Thaddeus’s involvement with the room and Ruth telling him to meet her there still has me perplexed— why did he need to show up at the end? I understand the drama element with Nev working their spell/summoning but again, felt out of left field. (Nev did this summoning only one other time but was instantly able to do it without issues on their own?)

Danny felt a little unnecessary beyond the wielding of the sword. I can see the attempt at a love interest between him and Nev but with only their dire childhoods as their bond, it doesn’t feel a solid relationship I can set sail on.

The book left me with more questions than answers. It’s a fast read, so if you’re looking for something “scary” for a tween/middle schooler, have them give it a try.

The art was what originally sold me and I wish this had more of a graphic novel approach— I think the author has strong storytelling skills in their visual art and I’d to see more of that.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review2 s blok sera szwajcarskiego860 262

4,5??

I would love this book to stay with me a bit longer, as three hundred pages is not that much, but if author ever comes with an idea of a sequel or related story, I will so gladly read it. Deephaven was wonderful – spooky, queer, perfectly spaced. A good horror and great characters, what's there more to wish for?2 s Kristen129

a kleptomaniac and a dickensian-orphan-turned-unhappy-rich-kid solve eldritch horror mysteries at a school that potentially (although im really unclear on this) teaches magic. short and sweet - wish this sort of book had been around when i was a kidpubbed-and-read-20232 s Katina4

wholesome/102 s Leo16 1 follower

I couldn't put it down for the last 2/3rds of the book. Loved our main character, loved all the side characters. Great mystery. Was pretty intense toward the end. I loved the general atmosphere of the book, the found family elements, and I am very VERY much looking forward to more. Recommending this to all my mystery-loving buddies. Even though its technically a middle grade book, I really found that this reads well for all ages. Fantastic work.favorites2 s Carolyn315 4 Shelved as 'did-not-finish'

DNF page 47 - 16%

I just wasn’t in the mood for this, and to be completely honest I struggled reading the they/them pronouns. 2 s Sarah Laudenbach122 27

"This helped. This had always helped. Nev's magpie heart sought and gathered the misplaced, broken parts of the world around them, and their mechanical mind shaped it into something new. In Nev's hands, everything had a use. Everything a fit. Everything belonged exactly where it was."

A solid 3.5 rounded down to a 3.

The moment I saw the cover for Deephaven at my bookstore, I had to grab a copy of it. I think that illustration is something really under-utilized in horror books in general, and when I paged through and saw some of Aldridge's illustrations in this book, I was in love immediately. Aldridge has the coolest artistic style, and the artwork in this book is simple, but eerie, and captures the tone of Deephaven perfectly.

Between the art style of this book and how I found it to be written, I really think Deephaven would have been a 5-star read if it had been made a graphic novel rather than a chapter book. I found Aldridge's writing style to be a little lacklustre, and some of the descriptions in Deephaven really just dragged on for too long. The pacing with this one was off for me, not only because there were really boring stretches between very interesting moments, but because we get introduced to the monster of Deephaven very, very quickly. Somehow, Deephaven moves both too fast and too slow.

The other thing about this book is, despite the spooky illustrations and premise, Deephaven isn't actually as much of a horror book as I had expected it to be. It's actually more of a dark fantasy mystery story, focusing more on magic and spells than on what goes bump in the night. Granted, the series is called Deephaven Mystery, so I can't exactly be upset that this book was more a mystery-solving thing than a monster-hunting thing.

All of this being said, the two absolute standout parts of Deephaven for me were the artwork, and Nev's characterization. I absolutely adore Nev as a character, not only because it's so refreshing to have nonbinary rep in a middle grade book, but because of Nev's implied neurodivergence. While I've seen many reviewers dismiss Nev as nothing more than a kleptomaniac, it's so clear to me that their penchant for taking things is not only a trauma response to growing up in the Great Depression, but because they need something to do with their hands. There's so many great lines in Deephaven about how Nev's brain works, about how they relate more to math and science and things with definitive answers rather than the loosey-goosey terms of magic. Nev is a puzzle-solver and mechanically-minded, and I absolutely loved to see how they managed to relate their ways of thinking to things that wouldn't make sense to them otherwise. Really, even though Deephaven wasn't the horror monster story I wanted, I would absolutely read the rest of this series just because I love Nev as a character so much.

I would absolutely recommend Deephaven, just not necessarily as a horror book, so much as a dark academia fantasy. Don't be fooled by the spooky cover and illustrations: there may be a monster, but first and foremost, Deephaven is a school full of magic. horror midgrade-horror queer-horror1 Stephanie289 7

Deephaven is not a particularly scary story when it comes to middle grade horror, but it was certainly very atmospheric as it takes place at an academy for students with specialized talents and interests with all the usual tropes that goes along with such a setting. However, the plot moved along quickly and the author used those tropes to develop an interesting plot and fun characters,

I thought the plot was well-developed, and the way the author creates a scene is really good. There is this focus on the little things which really enhance the overall enjoyment of the story and also makes you feel you are there without being overly descriptive for a middle grade novel. The story moved along rather quickly, with an evenly-paced story, and enough twists and turns that made me read this in one sitting. I also enjoyed the illustrations that were included in each chapter as you got to experience what Nev actually saw and I think they added to the whole atmosphere of the story. It was really easy to figure out who were the villains in the story and I think even middle grade readers will have no problem figure it out as well so some of the tension that should have existed was not there because of this. It is really unclear exactly how Deephaven works however, and while there were some hints at magical realism, a lot of it was vague and left you with many unanswered questions.

Nev is a great character and I appreciated having their background story sprinkled throughout the book. And while it was great for the author to have a nonbinary person as a main character, I don't think it had any impact on the story at all. You could have switched any character in that role and you wouldn't have known. Now while the author may have wished to downplay the role, it also made it difficult to really empathize with Nev because there was this barrier, this difficulty to understanding their motivations, no understanding as to how Nev felt as they were becoming this new person, so different from the life they just left, and how confusing it must have been to make that choice. And the other children just accept the pronouns Nev used without a thought in the world. Considering this story is set in the 1940s, I have a hard time accepting there would be little discussion around Nev's choices. However, readers may enjoy this escape from historical transphobia.

The supporting characters were interesting as well, but I especially enjoyed Danny's character, a character who really pushed the others to develop and grow as well as take chances. I love it when the supporting characters are given a chance to shine.

Deephaven was a fun, somewhat spooky read, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It moved quickly, had interesting characters, and a story line that was engaging, but also gave me hope will continue into a sequel as so many things were left unanswered at the end, even if the ending was satisfying. This is definitely a book that many middle graders will enjoy.1 Irene1,146 78

This book may be able to scratch a very specific "poor young protagonist with no reliable family receives a letter inviting them to attend a mysterious school where they make friends for the first time" kind of itch. Only the protagonist is non-binary, so that also conveys a certain message if you know what I mean.

While it's almost impossible not to draw some parallels with other books, this is very much its own story. I'm not entirely sure I know how old Nev is supposed to be, but I'd guess around 14 or 15 at most. It's not particularly scary, but it is quite exciting when it gets into the action, and I found it very atmospheric. If you're looking for dark academia books for spooky season but don't usually horror, this is ly something you'll enjoy. Just creepy enough for the aesthetic, but I don't think it would give anyone nightmares.

I was hoping for even more illustrations, but we get two per chapter, and I really enjoy Aldridge's style. I read the ebook in conjunction with the audiobook, and it was a delightful experience.audience-ya favourite-illustrations feelings-atmospheric ...more1 Elizabeth Mellen1,655 59

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s for this MG dark academia!

Following a non-binary MC, Nev, into a weird school that seems to have a scary problem, this was easy to read. I loved the illustrations, they helped add to the spooky vibe. The magic system was confusing for me, I would’ve d it to either be more explained or less (poof, we found a spell!), but otherwise I really enjoyed it.1 Rowen H.375 13

If this book had existed when I was thirteen, it would have almost certainly become a core pillar of my personality. lgbtq middle-grade spooky ...more1 Autumn75

I initially gave this 4 stars because I listened to the audio book, which was great, but after ordering a physical copy and seeing the gorgeous illustrations I'm bumping it to 5. I'm really looking forward to getting the sequel whenever it drops1 katabaza484 34

2,5 moja ulubiona postac to jes niemi?y prefekt tylko on mnie przy zyciu trzymal academia fantasy horror ...more1 Ms. Yingling2,399 495

Copy provided by Edelweiss Plus

Guinevere "Nev" Tallow (who uses they/them pronouns) has been living in the city during the Great Depression. Their mother has died, and their father has been making sketchy choices, and is hauled off by loan sharks shortly after Nev has gotten an invitation to attend Deephaven, an exclusive private school in a secluded New England Valley. They are offered a scholarship, and when the father is no longer in the picture, Nev writes to accept the position. Still, even though there is someone to pick them up, the school is eerily deserted when they arrive. Patience Sleepwell is there, and shows Nev around, even making them a sandwich since the cooks aren't on duty. Each scholar at Deephaven gets a private room, and this is fairly luxurious to Nev, who is used to trying to earn a living selling small clockwork toys from a blanket in the park. Nev constantly wears a heavy, dark green jacket, and frequently appropriates objects lying about, spools or pens, secreting them in their jacket just in case. Principal Blanchly is very stern, and tells Nev that the clockwork animals are what brought them to the school's attention, and that this is a rare opportunity that shouldn't be taken lightly. Nev does fairly well, but comes to the attention of a supercilious prefect, Thaddeus, who doesn't their kind. They do make friends with Danny, a fencer, and the two investigate the forbidden East Wing together. The wing was closed after a partial collapse killed a student, and is strictly off limits. Nev feels that there is a bigger secret, and gets into trouble for entering the area, but doesn't give up. After Patience has a soiree to which Nev is invited, Nev finds out that the school harbors a dastardly secret that they hope to unravel. Will this be possible without losing the position at the exclusive school?

The Depression setting does allow Nev to travel by train and communicate by letter, and also lets students wear older styles of clothing that Aldridge can render beautifully in line drawings throughout the book, but there's no reason to set it during this time, unless it is to deprive Nev of parents. Middle grade fantasy manages to do that regularly anyway, but the threat of a poor house in the 1940s is something different.

Nev does manage to uncover secrets that the staff is hiding, and that the students are complicit in. The monster is rather scary, and the reason behind its existence is definitely dark. I would have d to have known more about why Deephaven existed, and what its specialized curriculum covers, but since academy tales often come in series, perhaps we will find out more in the next book.

Alexander's Gallowgate is the most closely related book to this spooky title, but readers of academy stories Elle's A Taste Of Magic, Thomas' Nic Blake and the Remarkables, Whitesides' Janitors School of Garbage, and especially Fournet's Brick Dust and Bones and Royce's Conjure Island will find that Deephaven is a school that they would to attend rather than the one in The Book That Shall Not Be Named.

This author's graphic novels Estranged and The Changeling King are very popular in my library, which is a bit unusual, as most of my graphic novel readers don't want fantasy. There are a lot of elements in Deephaven that will resonate with different readers; it has an LGBTQIA+ element for fans of McCarthy's B.E.S.T. World or Perry's Cameron Battle, and the darkness of Noble's The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane. I'll probably purchase for my school library because I think it will be popular, as it will appeal to readers who to dress in all black and color their fingernails with black Sharpie markers. Just not my favorite.1 Richard Winters32

Deephaven
Written by Ethan M. Aldridge
288 pages
Release Date: September 5, 2023 by Quill Tree Books
4/5 Stars
*An ARC of this title was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Receiving a copy in no way influenced my review*
If you got a chance to start over, re-create yourself from your current life, would you? That is the question that Nev faced after receiving a letter from Deephaven Academy. The academy offered a full scholarship ride to attend and meant Nev could leave their life and start fresh, but could they? And did the Academy make a mistake? And could they make friends there and would the people notice their odd habits of picking things up and sticking those things in their pockets. And then, when they arrive, what about the weird noises coming from the East Wing and how odd the students sometimes act…
I had never read anything by Aldridge before, but now I want to. His storytelling and crafting of a scene are amazing, with just a little added art to the book to help the reader see what he sees in his mind. Nev is a great character, with enough background sprinkled throughout the story to help explain the important choices they face and why they make the choices they make. While the villain(s) (if you read the book, you will get why I wrote it that way) are interesting, the character that most drove me for the book was Danny, another new kid to the school and who seemed the most interesting. His growth and background helped push Nev towards who they needed to be and showed them more of what they could become.
The reason this is not a perfect book is two-fold. First, while it is fast-paced and a quick read (which is great), too early I was able to figure out the villain(s) behind the plot and see the connections. Second, the choice for the main character the author makes. While it is great to see a someone such as a nonbinary being represented in the book, other than the use of “them” and “they”, it has absolutely no impact on the story. In fact, at times it was confusing as others automatically use those pronouns for them, with no real clue how these people would know to do that as the characters had just met. There is no connection to how Nev feels in dealing with the issue that someone at their age would feel and showing how to deal with it, which is important. It is through reading we understand how to deal with the larger issues in the world.
Other than those issues, this is a strong, fast read and I definitely hope to see more of Nev and their adventures in Deephaven Academy in the future.
1 Cory182 2

I have pretty mixed feelings about this latest work from Ethan M Aldridge. I absolutely loved the bleak and dreary setting of Deephaven, the characters were strong and diverse (nonbinary lead!), and the art was fantastic, but I felt the plot quite lacking. Perhaps I went in expecting too much from a very middle-grade novel, but not much happened in the book. There was a lot of ornamental language that was reused ("mechanical mind" must have been said at least two or three times) to pad the runtime seemingly. I really enjoyed the action when it happened, but it was fleeting. My favorite thing about Deephaven was definitely the art. Aldridge is a good writer but a great artist! He kind of parallels Junji Ito in this distinction, while I would argue Aldridge tells better stories than Ito. I'm hoping there may be a graphic novel edition of Deephaven as I want more art of these wonderful characters, this wonderfully gloomy setting, and more meat versus internal ornamentation. I enjoyed my time with this book, I was just expecting too much.

P.S. I find some of the of this book criticizing the main character's they/them pronouns very harmful. It was not hard at all to keep up with these pronouns, so I would argue that the folks complaining just have some deep seated disregard for non-binary and trans people. 1 Dan340 3

If Gallowgate and The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane had a disappointing baby. It read a lot a debut novel, and I might be more forgiving if that were the case, but the author has written other things before.

Middle grade dark academia, so it should have been my scene, but there were a number of distracting tics (constant references to Nev’s “mechanical mind” and things being tucked into corners or pockets every other page, it seemed) and the story itself didn’t make much sense.

Nev accepted getting told off for going into the east wing without telling the principal they were locked in by a prefect. It was set during the Depression, but there seems to be no reason for this, given everyone read modern teenagers, and it didn’t add anything to the story beyond the lack of electricity. The reveal of Deephaven secretly being a magic school fell flat. Nothing about the story meshed into a fluid whole is what it really comes down to.

(Also, I struggle with singular they and often had to go back to clarify whether Nev alone was doing something or if the person Nev was with was also included, but that’s more of a me problem.)

It wasn’t offensive or boring enough to get only one star, but nothing about it particularly impressed me.2023 boarding-school kids-horror-misc1 Library For Fairies 657 11

This was a wonderfully spooky middle grade that genuinely gave me goosebumps. This was dark academia, queer, horror, mystery but made for middle grade and I loved that. The vibes were on point, the characters went from lovable to eerie to sus, so they were well fleshed out. This was easy to devour and so much fun.1 Pam1,604

DNF. Children—middle grade— age 8-12. The use of “they” when referring to one person when there is more than one person in the scene is totally confusing to me. The English language needs new pronouns to refer to those who are non-binary. 1 1 comment emtortles37

so fun and spooky!doin-my-job1 Amelie ?19

Maybe somewhere closer to 3.5?

I don't have many issues with this book, but I don't think I enjoyed this as much as I could have, as much as I should have.

I don't have much experience reading middle grade books as a young adult. Usually I just re-read the "classics" and my other personal favorites, so I already know what I'm getting into. I'm revisiting characters and a world that I'm already attached to, that I already associate with childhood and magic and such. So, going into this book, I didn't have any of that attachment to use as a cushion.

For most of the other middle grade books I've read, I don't remember being too impressed by the writing, but as I stated previously, the old attachments are what really made the experience worthwhile. all the others, I wasn't impressed by the writing in Deephaven, though of course I know that this is directed towards children, and I don't belong to the intended audience. However, despite my distaste for the writing itself (the words chosen), I was impressed by the imagery Aldridge used to power this story. To me, the writing felt a bit flat, but behind it was a world full of beautiful, and at times, terrifying scenery. This, of course, was only amplified by the charming and atmospheric illustrations. Personally, my mind operates better with images and concepts than with words and concrete statements, so the "flat" writing really doesn't bother me. I was pleased enough by the imagery.

Now, though I was pleased with the atmosphere of this story, I'll admit that I wasn't too invested in the characters or the story itself. At times, the plot, and the characters and their dynamics, felt superficial, but since I'm aware that this is a middle grade book, I don't want to be too critical. I believe younger readers, and maybe more nostalgic older readers, would be able to fully appreciate all that this book has to offer.

And, of course, the representation in this book gives this so much more significance to me. Giving representation to queer and non-white children is vital. Stories where a character's race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality is a core aspect of their identity and story are important, but it's just as important for such individuals to see representation where their identities aren't a statement, and they can just exist and occupy their spaces in peace.

Overall, I wasn't too blown away by this book, but I must give credit where it's due. It's a unique work, because how often do you get this kind of representation in such a desirable setting? With original illustrations? And directed towards children?

As of right now, I don't think I would read this again, because I think I've outgrown the charm of middle grade fiction, but I would recommend it to others.

Also, this is probably a bit childish, and definitely a personal thing, but I grew a bit annoyed by the amount of times I read the phrase "mechanical mind." I felt Aldridge was shouting at me, telling me how analytical Nev is, instead of letting the readers figure it out for ourselves. I mean, Nev was constantly picking things apart and putting them back together, so I don't understand the need to tell us how analytical they are. Maybe it's just me. This has happened in other books. I don't the repetition.currently-owned-physical MarshaAuthor 2 books34

I have a couple of personal objections to make before I begin. What’s with authors using the word “haven” all of a sudden? There’s the Ice Haven and the Fablehaven series. I know two examples doesn’t seem much. But it made me rather confused when I picked up this book.

Using the first-person plural to describe yourself is a personal headscratcher for me. I know it’s the only alternative currently available when a person doesn’t identify as male or female. But it strikes me as confusing and odd. I think the only three people who should refer to themselves in the plural are the schizophrenic, the possessed or the insane. But that’s my personal pet peeve. I know I’ll have to practice tolerance to overcome it. I just would a better word. (How about çir? It’s a cute one that I saw in A Taste of Gold and Iron and I very much fancy it.)

That being stated, Guinevere Tallow is a non-gendered individual. Surprisingly, no one at Deephaven Academy ever brings it up or seems to suffer confusion, not even Guinevere themselves. Since Guinevere (who prefers the nongendered name Nev) never introduces themselves as such, why does no one call them “she” or ask what pronoun they prefer? How is it that they automatically know or don’t inquire?

Oh well. Gender aside, this book is a poser in other ways. Nev gets in over their head when they must deal with the occult. This school selected Nev on the basis of potential…but it never states what Nev’s potential is, only that Nev has it. Nev is able to make wonderful clockwork creatures that they sold for petty cash but that doesn’t explain the school’s inordinate interest.

However, Nev’s unusual way of thinking leads them down strange paths. They’re not good with people, often clueless about how to respond in certain social settings. They’re withdrawn, quiet and prone to inward anxiety, needing to work on their clockwork creatures to settle their mind. Maybe Nev suffers from a kind of autism (another tired trope that I don’t care for in fictional characters). This is also not addressed by the adults running the school.

Nev butts heads with two very different prefects, neither of whom is good leadership material. But they are fighting each other for…well, I’m not exactly certain what. Patience has a hunger to be d by everyone while Thaddeus seeks to cow and bully people into obeying him. While Thaddeus gets ignorant slaves to do his bidding, you’re not quite certain what Patience craves. Is it merely power? Money? It’s left uncertain.

Perhaps these matters will be cleared up in future books. Perhaps the author is just finding his footing with the “enchanted school” topic. In any case, Nev proves to rise above his miserable beginnings with courage, loyalty and cleverness. These are qualities I can admire.action-adventure crime-mystery-thriller horror ...more Katherine867 9

Guinevere Tallow thought it was odd that they received a full scholarship to a school they’ve never heard of before. But the imposing invitation from Deephaven Academy is a tempting opportunity, one that Nev can’t ignore when their home life crumbles to pieces. With a single suitcase of worldly possessions and their coat of many pockets, Nev arrives at Deephaven hoping for a fresh start. The school holds many of its own mysteries, including the recently locked up east wing, and Nev has a strange encounter there late one night that they simply can’t ignore. Together with help from a new friend, Nev needs to use all their courage, and their puzzle-solving skills, to untangle fact from fiction and set the east wing to right again.

Deephaven is a charming academic fantasy with a slight lean towards horror. This is a magical school story in the broadest sense, because although the two professors aren’t actually teaching magic, the school is bustling with magical potential and plenty of spooky happenings. The plot wasn’t terribly hard to guess at least some of the major events, but it was a fast read and enjoyable. I never felt I was left waiting too long for new information. Nev finds themself involved in unravelling secrets of the school almost immediately, though their journey towards magic as a useful tool in one’s arsenal takes them quite a bit of time. I did love Nev’s quick fingers and coat of many pockets, which paired with their inventive and curious spirit throughout the story whenever they most needed an innovative solution. It’s also always great to see non-binary rep in book especially when the other characters make such a non-issue of the news, even the bullies and otherwise frustrating characters. Nev gets a chance to reinvent themself a little before starting at Deephaven and if there end up being more books of their adventures, I look forward very much to seeing them get even more comfortable in their own skin next time around. Making big changes, starting over in a new life, discovering magic for the first time - Nev certainly goes through a lot. With their new friend at their side, a boatload of curiosity, and a growing body of knowledge, there’s nothing Deephaven can throw at them that will keep them from success. books-from-2023 Umaenomi Dumbledore8

I don't usually read middle grade but after seeing the artwork on Twitter (now called X) I was curious. I'm giving it a 4/5 stars. Overall, I enjoyed the plot despite it being fairly easy to piece together from the beginning. I felt the magic system was a bit shallow and wished that it had been explored a little more since their seemed to be a lot of occult objects hidden in the East Wing so more than just Patience and Nev must be able to use magic. There were also very few teachers for the size of the school that I'm imagining Deephaven to be. Nev is a good main character. At first, I was a little bit confused by the pronouns and mistakenly thought that this was being told in the 2nd person, but it's not. Nev is non-binary and goes by they/them pronouns. Not entirely sure how I feel about Nev's backstory, however. I understand that her dad was in a lot of financial trouble, but something about it felt incomplete and unsatisfactory for me in terms of who Nev is and why they are the way they are. I guess that will be explained in later books. Danny was a standout for me. He was very likable from the beginning and was not at all hard to connect with. I just wish that we had a bit more of him as he started off as being a friend and sidekick to Nev before starting to feel just another background character near the end. Patience and Thaddeus were two sides of the same coin. Both craved power, but had very different ways of going about it. Patience wanted power by presenting herself as good and kind (though we can see by her expressions and what she does to Naomi later on in the story that she's almost as bad as Thaddeus is). Thaddeus is more open about being a bad person. He gains his power by bullying. I don't really understand what he had to do with all of this near the end of the book when they save Naomi from her curse. The best part of this book were the vibes. It was very dark and gothic and one of the rare examples in recent books of something actually being dark academia.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full reviewdark-academia horror lgbt ...more Jenna285 1 follower

**I was provided and electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Ethan M Aldridge returns with his queer dark academia middle grade novel, Deephaven. Guinevere "Nev" Tallow has made the decision to attend Deephaven Academy after a letter arrives offering them a scholarship and a fresh start. Nev is eager for the opportunity, but quickly finds out that Deephaven is a spooky old place with all the secrets and mysteries one can expect from a place that. Nev and their new friend Danny have their work cut out for them to try to solve some of the puzzles of Deephaven before more people get hurt.

Nev is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, which was nice despite never having any on page conversations about their identity or how other characters should address them. Certainly, the content was appropriate for the target age demographic, though even a simple addition of a request for specific pronouns in their introduction to the other characters would have been welcome. Nev is certainly more than their gender identity, as their habit of pocketing small items they find and later incorporating them into small mechanical toys was a pleasant quirk to feature. Nev's friendship with Danny was wholesome and a highlight of the work.

The plot, however, was a bit thin if still effective. Nothing was unexpected and it was easy to figure out the characters in play. However, given the target age demographic it is ly this is a feature not a bug. wise, the magic implemented was also very surface level with very limited explanation as to how or why the magic worked. Where Aldridge shone was in the setting of Deephaven itself as he was incredibly successful at building out an atmosphere of vaguely creepy and spooky gloom surrounding the academy.

Ultimately, I would be happy to recommend this to middle grade readers or older and I hope that Aldridge chooses to expand on Nev's adventures at Deephaven in future works. Rebecca Shelton345 11

The story follows Guinevere "Nev" Tallow, a nonbinary student who is drawn to the academy's forbidden east wing, where mysterious and sinister forces lurk in the shadows.

Upon arriving at the exclusive boarding school, Nev senses that something is amiss. The academy seems almost alive, with its creaking floors and whispering walls enhancing the chilling atmosphere. The east wing, in particular, is shrouded in mystery, locked away and guarded by secrets that the students and faculty are hesitant to discuss. Nev, driven by curiosity and a desire for a new beginning, teams up with another first-year student to uncover what truly haunts the corridors of Deephaven.

The novel is steeped in a gothic ambiance. Nev's exploration into the academy's dark past and the eerie entity that haunts the east wing is thrilling, yet the pacing of these revelations can feel rushed, leaving little room for deeper character development. This brisk progression of the plot might leave some readers wanting more time to connect with Nev and their companion, to fully flesh out their motivations and reactions to the unfolding mysteries.

The writing is competent, and the setting is effectively atmospheric, capturing the quintessential elements of a gothic novel. However, the rapid unfolding of events and the somewhat underdeveloped characters prevent the story from reaching its full potential. The representation of diverse characters, including a nonbinary protagonist and a subplot involving two girls in love, is handled with a natural, unforced touch, contributing to the inclusivity of the narrative.

Overall, while "Deephaven" offers a compelling premise and a suitably spooky setting, its execution lacks the depth and pacing needed to make it a standout in the genre. Nonetheless, it remains a worthwhile read for young fans of gothic tales looking for diverse characters and a quick, mysterious adventure.2025-2026 middle-grade-fiction Paige V226 2

Autor del comentario:
=================================