Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina

What worked:

The author creates a remarkable world beneath the sea after Graciela dies in the prologue. The narrator sounds like an old storyteller speaking to the readers. People who die in the ocean become spirits and choose a specific job they’ll do. Immediately after dying, Graciela meets Amina, a Spirit Guide who’s chosen to help new spirits adjust to their eternal roles. Spirits make the world more bearable for the living by keeping the sea in a “delicate balance”. Everything has a counterpart. Some spirits control the fogs, others maintain the sea currents to guide ships, while other spirits ease minds. However, spirits can also cause terrible storms, whirlpools, and other dangers. Needlers are mischievous, and other spirits tend to avoid them. One Needler and his crew become the main antagonists.

Graciela’s character is mischievous and daring, but she’s also insecure. She chooses to become a Glazier and loves to transform pieces of glass into art. Her beautiful creations are left near shore where humans will discover and enjoy them. Graciela searches for bits of glass on the sea bottom and sometimes ventures into risky waters. She still has brief memories of life on land and misses being with her older sister. These remembrances create a subtle, internal struggle. Instead of being paired with a new spirit guardian after her death, Graciela stays with Amina, and they become close, like sisters. This brings Graciela comfort, but she fears the day Amina will be called away to join the Almas and lead all of the spirits. This fear leads Graciela to make a story-altering decision.

The story follows the paths of two characters, Graciela and Jorge. Alternating chapters describe Graciela’s life under the sea and Jorge’s difficult life as the son of a malicious blacksmith and his wife. Jorge is the opposite of his despicable parents, but his kind heart endures. All of the characters, spirits and humans, know the story of the harpoon that can kill spirits. Jorge discovers its hiding place and knows right away that it’s something evil. He tries to destroy it but is forced to conceal it where it will never be found. However, that decision leads to a fateful night at sea.

What didn’t work as well:

Other than Jorge and Graciela, the characters aren’t fully developed and simply serve their purposes. Readers may have trouble connecting with Graciela, as her personality isn’t as defined and positive as Jorge’s. Many of Graciela’s decisions only serve her self-interests, although she eventually learns to care about the entire world under the sea.

The final verdict:

Young readers may be captivated by the undersea world and characters. The mission to destroy the malevolent harpoon builds to a dramatic climax and a satisfying resolution. I recommend you try it out for yourself.