Lu watched the love of his life walk the plank and sink into the inky-black depths of the sea. Nnenna was dead . . . or so he thought.
Five years later, Lieutenant "Lu" Ortega, dutiful fleet officer, embarks on a mission to hunt down a powerful talisman now in the hands of a runaway mermaid. On his quest, he discovers the impossible: Nnenna is still alive. Fierce and cunning, and as breathtaking as ever, Nnenna 's won enough bloody sword fights as a pirate captain to earn the nickname "Devil of the Deep." She has come to reject the system of order that Lu clings to, and worse, she's protecting the very quarry he's tracking: Pearl Highwater, who has defied the all-powerful sea god and might hold a valuable key to finding her people's lost island.
When the tides and fates bring them together, Nnenna, Lu, and Pearl must choose their loyalties, find their courage, and race to protect the island from false gods and forces of evil-or risk unleashing an ancient curse that could destroy them all.
About the Author :
Falencia Jean-Francois, a proud Haitian immigrant, is an author and educator living in Pittsburgh with her wife, two cats, and dog. She has loved storytelling since her first-grade teacher challenged her to write her own fable. Falencia has published two novellas, After Hours and Cinderella, and Devil of the Deep is her debut novel. Falencia believes that words hold immense power, and she is committed to using them to fight oppression.
Review :
“Beautifully evocative and wonderfully queer, Devil of the Deep is a swashbuckling and captivating tale. Falencia Jean-Francois is an author I know I will be returning to again.” —A.K. Mulford, bestselling fantasy author of The Five Crowns of Okrith series
“Devil of the Deep is a profoundly soulful story of mermaids, pirates, and lost gods—where the bonds of family (both blood and chosen) are tested by forces of tyranny. As action-packed as it is poignant, the novel expertly navigates themes of acceptance, regret, passion, love, and loss and demands we closely examine what it means to be in community. This is necessary reading.” —Leslye Penelope, award-winning author of Song of Blood & Stone and The Monsters We Defy
“Lush in worldbuilding, explosive in action, and steeped in culture; this achingly compelling fantasy is a love letter to queer people of color who deserve to be the heroes of their own story.” —Natalia Hernandez, author of the Flowers of Prophecy series
“Devil of the Deep—Queer. Black. Mythos for the culture. If you’re into pirates, mermaids, and burning corrupt systems to the ground—or in this case, flooding them while having an adventure on the seven seas—this one is for you.” —E.A. Noble, author of When Blood Meets Earth
“A clever mix of creation myths and colonizers—Devil of the Deep dares to bring shadows to the surface through action-packed adventure, compelling characters, and emotional depth. Falencia Jean-Francois is a rising voice among the tides, submerging readers in themes as lyrical as the songs woven into the heart of the story.” —Robin Alvarez, author of When Oceans Rise
“Devil of the Deep gripped me from the very beginning. It’s an exciting tale filled with adventure, Haitian culture, unashamed queer characters, and a little bit of deconstruction from oppressive belief systems. What more could you ask for?” —Kay Synclaire, author of House of Frank
“Falencia Jean-Francois has filled her richly imagined world with complex characters to create a propelling story with timely social commentary about the danger of blind faith in corrupted power. I’m an instant fan!” —Mona Tewari, author of Burn the Sea
“Falencia Jean-Francois’s debut is a triumph for the fantasy genre and literature at large. Not only is queerness, Blackness, and Caribbean heritage front, center, and the norm in the magical world where this gripping mermaid-pirate adventure unfolds, Jean-Francois beautifully explores the human condition and expertly indicts systems meant to harm and diminish. Rest assured, you haven’t read anything like Devil of the Deep.” —Talia Cadet, book influencer
