“Words in Deep Blue,” by Cath Crowley, a  young adult fiction book, has astounded me. This book is filled with passion, tragedy, mystery, and betrayal. “Words in Deep Blue” is a book that I almost gave up on because of such a confusing and drawn-out introduction, but after reading around 50 pages you really get immersed in the book. 

This book illustrates the tale of Henry and Rachel who were long childhood friends with a love that was never timed precisely. Rachel shortly had to move away from Henry and was soon confronted with her brother, Cal’s death. She later came back and was forced into working at the bookshop Henry’s family owns. 

Henry’s bookshop is truly what makes this entire book unique. Though the inside of the library is the letter library, which keeps the plot moving. It’s what creates mystery and interest because there are so many secrets kept between the creases of the books. 

Despite the point of view of Henry and Rachel, the annotations and letters left in the library are put in the book. There is correspondence from Henry’s sister George, and letters between Henry’s parents. Along with them, there are hundreds of letters and notes left by strangers. 

The part of the plot that brought me anger but also commanded that I don’t put the book down is the jealousy and manipulations that Amy, Henry’s ex, was putting upon Henry, which didn’t allow for an easy opening of love for him and Rachel. 

Another thing that baffled me was the language they used in the book. Before listening to a part of an audiobook, I found that the book was written in an Australian accent.

The genre of this book is romance, so I was expecting one love story when I began reading this book, but then after reading, I realized this was a multi-love story. There was love and healing between Henry’s parents as well as George and her friend from the letter library. Henry’s parents had been going through a separation, all while having a bigger problem the whole family would have to face, but throughout they always talked it out in annotations in the letter library. George found love in the letter library, which helped her go from being shy and enclosed, to more open and optimistic. 

Nearing the end of the book, the character that had most drastically changed was Rachel. She went from being completely baffled by her brother’s death, allowing it to affect her every decision and holding her back from happiness, to her stepping up for herself and allowing herself to feel joy without feeling guilty. She had been completely changed by his death and she swore she would never come near the ocean that drowned her brother again, but in the end, she faced that fear. 

Henry also changed with Rachels’s help when he listened to her when she said he was getting manipulated by Amy. Henry always believed Amy was the one for him but after she disappointed him time after time, he finally understood and chose the right person to love. 

As previously mentioned, the end of the book brought many characters healing and an overall understanding of things they couldn’t understand. If there would be any reason to read this book would be the end of the climax and all of the characters finally saying what we have been wanting them to say for far too long. This book had me so worried that there wouldn’t be a happy ending throughout. But by reading subconsciously for hours on end, I was overjoyed with the ending.