A Fate Worse Than Drowning by Sarah L. Hawthorn

Blurb:

For fans of A Dark and Drowning Tide and The Lighthouse Witches comes a queer speculative novel about a lighthouse keeper who made a devil's bargain to save her sister, but when a shipwrecked survivor washes ashore, she is left with an impossible choice...

One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain...

A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood.

But a sinner's pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more – more shipwrecks, no survivors – Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe...

Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil's name.

Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney's heart, or forfeit her own soul.

Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself…

Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire – what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?

Review:

After making a deal with the Devil to save her sister, Elle is somewhat living a peaceful life on an isolated island beyond the Halifax harbor with her previously lost sibling. Acting as a lighthouse keeper, Elle guides sailors to their destruction in exchange for the Devil’s aid in keeping her sister alive. But when Liney, her sister, discovers the deal she made—after the Devil returns, demanding more souls dead on her shores, a full crew of the deceased is demanded in return for his continued favor, and a strange girl washes ashore, threatening to destroy the façade Elle has fought so hard to upkeep—Liney sets about to stop her nefarious schemes. With the strange survivor putting a wrench in Elle’s plans and growing closer to her sister, she must decide whether to kill the stranded woman and break Liney’s heart or sacrifice her own life to fulfill the debt she owes to the Devil. Danger surrounds both of the sisters on all sides: a sea determined to destroy them, civilians who aim to tear down the alleged evil plaguing the lighthouse, and the bargain Elle will do anything to maintain. When what’s keeping the sisters alive might just be tearing them apart, they’re forced to determine what they will give up in order to save themselves—and each other.

I was so thrilled to discover I was accepted for this ARC on NetGalley, and I dove into my readthrough straightaway. I’ve heard about this novel so much on the infamous Instagram social media platform, alongside the author’s Instagram profile, and I went to request the book after seeing the promotion for its ARC copies. A Fate Worse Than Drowning did not disappoint. It was a visceral sort of story that will keep readers flying through its pages late into the night and well into the day—a phenomenal, intricately-written piece of literature.

This debut novel is one of those books that does not feel like a debut. It’s so visceral and textured, with rich prose and engaging plots, that it feels like something an author would write years into their career. I especially liked the similes and metaphors in comparison to the sisters’ relationships and the seaside setting of the narrative, which truly seemed to breathe life into the story.

I think the most compelling parts of this novel for me revolved around Elle’s conflicted goals, Elle’s deal with the Devil, and the setting itself. I’m a sucker for a seaside setting, and I adore seeing how different authors describe an ocean and a beach and a spooky atmosphere regarding both; everything and anything related to the ocean is always a treat for me, especially as someone who lives so close to the Oregon coast and visits it at least once a year.

The deal Elle makes with the Devil is one many people with prized sibling relationships would make, and it makes her inner turmoil after a stranger appears on her island even more stark. It’s easy to comprehend why she’s so torn about saving herself or continuing to protect her sister as she always has. Each secret spun between the sisters thickens the tension more and more until it finally snaps, and creates the catalyst to a stunning, versatile, and satisfying conclusion to the novel.

I particularly enjoyed how the cost for the Devil’s help kept building throughout the narrative, ever since Elle strikes the original deal. The idea of mounting debts and impossible bargains is an excellent form of social commentary as well as a warning, for similar complications in real life and for things that seem too good to be true. Every time the Devil asks for more, the dread of the characters and the readers grows.

This book is one that is easy to fall into and not want to get back out of the pages again. Binge-worthy, Hawthorn crafted a world that makes reality feel like a daydream unworthy of returning to. If you love seaside spooks, you’ll love this story!