A Letter to the Luminous Deep

When the reclusive E. makes a beautiful scientific discovery outside her underwater home, she begins a correspondence with scholar Henerey Clel. The ensuing correspondence is passionate, expressing E.’s and Henerey’s interest in the world around them and their growing feelings for each other. Then, after a mysterious explosion destroys E.’s house, the two vanish. A year later, E.’s sister Sophy and Henerey’s brother Vyerin are left to sort through their papers and figure out what happened to them. What they discover could upend everything they know about the world. Cathrall’s debut is set in a lush underwater world filled with beauty and mystery. Claire Morgan, Joshua Riley, Justin Avoth, and Kit Griffiths narrate the four characters through letters as they discover the truths about their beloved underwater homes. Though it maintains a charming cozy fantasy atmosphere, the novel also explores themes of family, scholarship, mental health, and sexuality.