I can give this book points for creativity; I didn't think I would be rooting for a dolphin romance. A rare opportunity to experience a story from a non-human point of view. Paull succeeds in "showing, not telling" consistently, the human activities being the best examples of making the reader feel clever for understanding the source of the terrors in the ocean. Ea and Devi are decently developed characters who drive the story; I found the chapters following the Wrasse useless and boring, even though I understand its purpose in the last chapter. The ending is a bit flowery. 

My hesitation in giving a higher rating comes from a lull in the first 2/3 of the book. It felt like a small chore to keep reading; I'd argue there is not enough atmosphere to drive the book when at that point characters are surface level and there are no major plot points. For me, enjoyment only started too many pages in. 

The author claims to have researched the creatures she writes about, but also says she's taken creative liberties. While I don't expect only biologists to write books, it feels as if she's gone a little too far into making things up.

For all of the hype, I'm disappointed I did not have a great experience. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this book to. It's not terrible, but its strengths don't make up for its weaknesses.