Official Review: A Deep Thing by A.K. Smith

[Lennycat]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Deep Thing" by A.K. Smith.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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A cenote is a natural sinkhole that results from the collapse of limestone bedrock and exposes the underlying groundwater. Most cenotes contain crystal clear, mineral rich water that is filtered by the limestone, and they are found in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The Mayans settled near these cenotes, believing they were sacred entities and provided healthful and spiritual benefits. They called these cenotes “dzonot,” which the Spaniards called cenotes, and translates in English to “a deep thing.” One such book about the mystery of these cenotes is A Deep Thing by A.K. Smith. It is a 320-page novel and is listed as Other Fiction.

Kendall’s Jackson’s husband Tim dies in a tragic accident while on a diving expedition in Mexico. She is heartbroken and grieves for nearly 18 months, living merely to exist. Finally, Kendall resolves to go on with her life, and after cleaning up Tim's belongings, she comes across one of Tim’s computer memory sticks. Curious, she plugs it in her laptop to discover ten documents. Six are from before she and Tim met, and the others are while they were together, including one document from just days before Tim died. She opens the most recent document to discover a video of Tim, where he declares his undying love for her, and exclaims that his last wish is for Kendall to take his son Ryder on a diving trip to Mexico for his birthday. She opens the other documents and finds that Tim has been living a secret military life for some time, without her knowledge. What had Tim been involved with in his secret life and why didn’t he tell her? How could a love so strong have such betrayal? Can she convince Tim's son, Ryder to make amends with her, and go on this diving trip?

This book was a great adventure, with lots of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. There were components to the story line that kept it moving with mystery and suspense. The author includes plenty of clues that provide nice tidbits of information, and just when the reader thinks they have the game solved, a new twist takes the story in a different direction. It kept me guessing to the very end of the book. Most of the characters were interesting, well-rounded, and integral to the story plot. A.K. Smith's writing is cool and languid, like the beautiful waters of the cenote. The descriptions of the water and jungles of Mexico put the reader right into the landscape, like living in a movie.

However, the ending of the book was disappointing. It felt rushed and had a bit of a "taped on the end" feel, although it was a big surprise and well worth reading. Tim’s son Ryder, was an over-the-top character with unlikable personality traits that never resolved throughout the story. It would have been nice if he would have taken on more of his father’s personality traits after his experiences in the Mayan jungle. Also, I wish the author would have formatted the chapter titles to make more of a difference in style between text and chapter number. There was no space between chapter title and the rest of the text, and it made a rather awkward and unsightly transition. Maybe it was the specific e-version I read.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The ending was somewhat of a disappointment and just a little bit unbelievable. Some of the characters were a little too one-dimensional and the ending did not resolve some the character flaws of Tim’s son. Nonetheless, this book is an exciting read, and will appeal to people who love adventure and mystery.

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A Deep Thing
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Like Lennycat's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Emie Cuevas]

This seems like a very interesting book, I love stories that keep me trying to work out where they are going. I'm not sure about reading one that, as you put it "somewhat of a disappointment" but the rest sounds exciting enough that I may risk it anyway.

[kandscreeley]

Interesting. I'm already intrigued just from your review. I want to know what she discovers. Thanks for a good review.

[Christina Rose]

This sounds like a very interesting storyline, but it's always a disappointment when characters don't develop properly. It sounds like the ending is unfulfilling as well. Thank you for the honest review!

[raizenagallo]

Sounds like a very interesting read, too bad you didn't like the ending. I like reading stories that have unusual twists of events. Great review!

[Reuben 92]

I hate a shabby ending! But the rest of the book seems really intriguing, you've sold it to me. Thank you for sharing this review.