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Frances Hardinge

British

Born 1973

Frances Hardinge is the author of "Deeplight," a Young Adult novel that blends maritime mystery with fantasy elements, featuring a richly imagined underwater world and complex characters drawn into dangerous secrets. Known for crafting intricate plots and atmospheric settings, Hardinge brings her signature storytelling style to this tale of friendship, betrayal, and the consequences of curiosity in a world where the sea holds both wonder and terror.

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Cover of Deeplight: A Novel

Deeplight: A Novel

4.5/5

reader rating · 710 ratings

Deeplight is Frances Hardinge's ninth novel — a young adult fantasy set in the island chain of the Myriad, where enormous sea creatures once worshipped as gods have died, leaving behind dangerous relics and fractured belief. When a street-smart orphan named Hark discovers a mysterious pulsing relic and uses it to save his reckless best friend Jelt, the consequences spiral into something catastrophic. First published in 2019 by Macmillan Children's Books and later reissued by Harry N. Abrams in 2022, the novel earned starred reviews from both Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, along with praise from The Guardian and Booklist — recognition that reflects the intricate, atmospheric world-building and morally complex characters that have become hallmarks of Hardinge's fiction.

Reviewed Jul 7, 2026

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