Deep is the fen by Lili Wilkinson

What a thrill to read another book set in the world of the award winning A hunger of thorns. Deep is the Fen is a book dedicated ‘For every girl who refused to be a damsel in distress.’ This time our indomitable, although at times annoyingly stubborn heroine, is Merriwether Morgan. She is looking forward to enjoying the holidays at the end of school with her best friends Teddy and Sol, while avoiding snobbish Caraway Boswell, her arch enemy and joint dux of the school. She has vowed to avoid magic at any cost, because a witch killed her mother, and she is devastated to learn that Teddy, a very talented blacksmith, is determined to join the Toadmen, a strange secret society only for men. It is rumoured to use magic deep in its headquarters in Deeping Fen and Merry is determined to rescue him from its clutches. But the Toadmen have been hiding dangerous secrets and when she decides to travel to the Deeping Fen with Caraway to find Teddy, she faces incredible danger.

Wilkinson has created a unique frightening world of evil toadmen, witches and dark water and gradually builds up the suspense in the book leaving the reader wondering whether Merry will manage to overcome her fear of magic and use it for good or whether she will become the latest victim of the Toadmen. She gradually overcomes her dislike of Caraway and the slow simmering enemy to lovers trope will engage lovers of romance as she gets to know him. Although Merry refuses to listen to advice and blindly goes her own way she finally makes some spectacular decisions leading to a very satisfying outcome.

Corporate greed and monopoly are strong themes, with Wilkinson’s emphasis on young women taking control adding depth to the story. Readers who love fantasy set in a frightening world with an engaging romance are sure to enjoy Deep is the fen and will eagerly wait for more set in this world. Meanwhile they may like to read Mask of mirrors by M. A. Carrick. 

Themes: Magic, Feminism, Romance, Fantasy.

Pat Pledger