The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora April Spisak Mora, Maria Ingrande The Immeasurable Depth of You. Peachtree, 2023 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781682635421 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781682635438 $11.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-10 Brynn’s intrusive thoughts have led to a persistent obsession with death, and after an alarming blog post of hers gets sent to her mom, Brynn is shipped off to spend the summer with her dad down in Florida in the hopes that a drastic change in location can help her. Brynn hasn’t seen her dad in years, and she is horrified by the idea of a summer on his houseboat with no technology and a whole host of new ways to accidentally die in Florida. When she meets Skylar, brash and strong, Brynn is at first alarmed by her boldness and then inspired. The two become friends in a way that is transformative for Brynn, pushing her out of her comfort zone and into a frame of mind that doesn’t quell the anxiety but does help her feel a bit more in charge of her life and ready to admit just how dark of a place she was in before. Brynn is deeply sympathetic, moving with a filter of fear that makes it difficult to accept love, healthy relationships, and her own strengths, and there is realism too in her parents, who are well-intentioned but not always terrific at decision making. Skylar is an enigma, serving primarily as foil against whom Brynn can learn new things about herself, although she does experience a key revelatory moment [End Page 194] of her own when she faces her own particular demons and finds a way to release them. There is a supernatural element that may surprise the most likely audience of realistic fiction fans who will either enjoy or forgive it as part of an emotionally rich, thoughtful, and deeply meaningful novel. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois