Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen sisters race death in tepid futuristic thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As THE VANISHING DEEP opens, 17-year-old Tempe is determined to gather the money needed to revive her sister Elysea from death. She also wants to learn the truth behind her parents' supposed deaths. When she and Elsea escape the research facility, they have only 24 hours to complete their mission before Ely dies again. On their trail are two young men desperate to return them to the research facility. None of them can anticipate the secrets that will be revealed before the fatal hour.
Is It Any Good?
Sometimes an author's second book faces high expectations, and that may be the situation with this somewhat tepid follow-up to a truly riveting debut. The Vanishing Deep features an interesting cast and some suspenseful scenes, but the plot doesn't really take off until the novel's final third. Author Astrid Scholte saves the best plot twists for the end. Whether the final reveals make up for what's gone before may depend on the expectations of the reader.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Vanishing Deep treats the notion of life after death. How do various religions treat the idea of an afterlife?
The novel is set on a water-based planet in the wake of a global catastrophe. How can fiction address issues of climate change? How do governments plan to lessen its effects?
If you knew you had only a single day to live, how would you spend that day?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Pirates
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : April 1, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 432
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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