This was a charming little novel, well written in many ways but a smidge on the simplistic side. Ok, well more than a smidge. Deep Blue Sea is a story of two sisters separated from their mother, Lyra, for ten years. Post the death of their father, from a brain tumor no less, sixteen year old Pell decides it's time to go to the Italian island where Lyra has been hiding / vacationing and bring her back. While offering some really interesting nuggets of wisdom the book does make 16 and 14 year olds, Pell and Lucy, wise, capable, wealthy, forgiving, etc. beyond on their years. They really aren't overly believable as characters. And okay, I know Lyra has some mental illness issues but on the other hand she made some really bad choices, you wanted to smack her up the head. I don't often feel that way about novel characters, but yeah, I did. Maybe it's just that she seems not real because her choices are SO irrational. Also it does seem that between this family, the family that's the girls' main support back home and Lyra's friends on the island, there is an inordinate amount of tragedy befalling everyone. How many tragic pasts can there be in one novel? That being said, I did quite enjoy as I read it. In fact I read it over the course of one Sunday afternoon and part of the evening (it is a quick read.) Think of it as brain candy and you too can be entertained for a short time. But if you try to delve too deeply into content, themes and metaphor you'll start to become annoyed.
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