Athlen, his love interest, is equally endearing. Tal is a loveable protagonist, one you can’t help rooting for every step of the way. This is a very much a character-driven story, and the quite sizeable cast of characters we get to meet are mostly charming, even though the antagonists were very one-note and underwhelming. The casual queer representation is one of the aspects that really makes In Deeper Waters shine, as is the fact that Lukens chooses to forego the structural gender inequality embedded in many a royal fantasy books.
However, once Tal is no longer shielded by his brother and is left to his own devices, his story gets significantly more interesting. As I said before, the plot seems lacklustre in parts and the first few chapters of the book feel a bit elongated so it takes a while for the narrative to really pull you in. In Deeper Waters reads like a fairytale with certain elements that remind you of The Little Mermaid in particular. Tal, who has been the coddled, sheltered prince all his life, now must find a way to free himself, protect his family and kingdom, and stop a war. Things only get worse for Tal from then on he gets kidnapped by pirates who have been hired by a mysterious entity to force him to reveal his powers so they can set up a war between Harth and the other kingdoms.
Tal uses his magic to free the boy, but then Athlen jumps overboard immediately after, leaving Tal feeling both guilty and heartbroken. Within days after Tal sets off on the tour with his older brother Garrett, they find a burning ship with a trunk of gold coins and a somewhat perplexing, ethereal looking boy who calls himself Athlen, whom Tal finds himself inexplicably drawn to. That is, until his coming-of-age tour of the kingdom. Tal has never had the chance to get out of the palace much because of his rare magical abilities that mark him as the last mage of the royal line and must be kept hidden. Prince Taliesin of Harth is the fourth in line for the throne, the second youngest out of the five children of Queen Carys’. Despite the plot being a bit wobbly at places, In Deeper Waters has one of the best written romances I’ve come across in YA fiction to date and that made this book an incredibly fun ride for me!
Lukens’ In Deeper Waters is best described as a high seas adventure full of pirates and magic, and a swoony queer romance that takes place sailing the ocean for the most part.
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