Despite it being completely different from the Synopsis, I actually really enjoyed reading this book. I was expecting it to be a mix of The Ruins and Lost. Instead it was more a mix of Lord of the Flies and Naked & Afraid (minus the nudity). I liked 90% of the book. The other 10% sort of ruins it. The entire Amarante section was enjoyable. The characters and events were compelling. Tensions was building. I was looking forward to a big twist ending. But the ending was too rushed and contradictory to be gratifying. 

Pandering: 

One of the things I notice new authors doing is pandering to every demographic. Doing this takes away from the overall plot of the book and disrupts the continuity of the story. I hate this. Just be honest with me. I want to know what an author really thinks. I want their characters to be authentic and interesting. I want them to have their own beliefs that make sense for who they are. I don’t want ideas to just be thrown in because it’s what the author thinks we want to hear. For example, in the beginning, Tengku thinks about climate change: “There was a near gale outside-the forerunner of a monsoon come early, climate change having sent nature’s calendar askew.”

It’s mentioned on the first page. One of the first things you know about this main protagonist is that he is environmentally conscious. Caring about the environment is great. I just hate that Bamford was obviously adding this to virtue signal. She started out with Tengku’s damnation of climate change, but ended with him leading an expedition to excavate the Amarante graves. The environmental preservation of Amarante was mentioned repeatedly; however, the book wraps up with a boat full of university students heading toward the island to destroy it’s ecosystem and the nearby reef. It’s such a blatant and completely unnecessary conclusion. 

The Forced Ending: 

It’s a common format in thrillers for the majority of the book to be buildup to a fast-paced and eventful ending.  I could see how the end of Deep Water is trying to be like this but it’s too unpolished. It’s like she ran out of time before her deadline to finish the book in a well-rounded and thought-out way. The events are so surreal and random it really doesn’t match with the beginning 2/3 of the book. 

The Skipped Boat Scenes: 

Bamford skipped over the days Virginnie spends on the boat frantically calling for help and keeping Jake alive. It would have build so much more suspense and been an opportunity for further character development. The plot would have flowed better if Virginnie was contemplating her relationship status with Jake while trying to save him, instead of in the hospital room where it’s largely glossed over. These added scenes would have also given Virginnie a chance to work through her guilt for Stella’s death and Vitor’s abandonment, instead of the brief sentences that barely mention it. 

Teresa’s Imprisonment: 

Teresa’s imprisonment in the cabin feels completely random. Maybe it could have worked if Virginnie had heard some mysterious banging noises before Tengku rescues them. Without other tie-in elements, her confinement doesn’t add anything to the plot other than another example of how evil Vitor is, which is unecessary. The reader already knows he’s the epitome of evil from his attempted coercive rape of Virginnie. 

The Warehouse: 

The whole scene in the warehouse is a total mess. Vitor is more motivated by uncovering how much information his enemies have about his criminal business practices than he is by getting revenge for being abandoned on a remote island. Why doesn’t he just leave Malaysia? He’s so rich and influential he is successfully bribing the police force. He could easily acquire another fake Visa and escape to a different corner of the world. But no, he returns to Malaysia just to waterboard and question Virginnie about Teresa’s snitching. 

No Repercussions: 

Lastly, the epilogue shows Tengku has retired in peace and is now leading the excavation effort. There’s been no retaliation against him for disrupting whatever crime organization Vitor was running. And why does he care about the long-deceased prisoners on Amarante, which is an island he admits he’s never been to? It seems kind of an unserious fairy-tale ending for an otherwise serious novel. 

1. Virginnie is unmaterialistic preferring to live in a more primitive way. Could you give up all of your belongings and the internet to go live on a paradise island? 

2. While Roly is explaining the rules to the new arrivals, he explicitly says not to fish in the far reef because it’s a long held supersitition. Later in the novel, Roly reveals he knew the reason to avoid the far reef was Ciguatera. Why would he choose to give such a non serious reason when he knew that people could literally be poisoned? Is he more culpable than Virginnie in Stella’s death? 

3. Virginnie is understandably constantly reflecting on her past abusive relationship with Tomas. In the Malaysian restaurant, Virginnie thinks to herself that Vitor sort of reminds her of Tomas. Is her inability to acknowledge his true nature until it’s too late naivete or willful blindness?

4. Vitor’s occupation is never explicitly revealed. What criminal enterprise do you think he was involved in? 

5. Was this book anything like The Ruins?