The Deeper Shadow is a violent espionage narrative with a lethal and unhinged female operative as the protagonist chasing down some unsavory characters linked to Daesh. From the very beginning, the story embraces a dark tone with the focus on Elle Anderson, who recently escaped captivity and torture at the hands of a terrorist. Even though her body recovers fairly quickly, the mental scars haunt her throughout the story, adding unpredictability to an already volatile and unorthodox Elle on a mission she may not be fully prepared for.
The narrative keeps the spotlight on Elle, allowing readers to gel with the character not only in terms of her background but also with her thought processes and her trauma which elevate the gravitas of what she has been through as well as the uncertainty of what she will go through in The Deeper Shadow. It’s refreshing to read new badass female operatives who take the fight to the bad guys. Elle is well-versed in hand-to-hand combat and firearms as demonstrated extremely well by A.M. Adair in crisp and grounded action sequences.
I enjoyed the singular focus on one baddie in this narrative instead of Elle rushing through targets on her list. A.M. Adair utilizes the singular focus to shed insightful details of undercover work, no doubt mirroring her own experiences. It also allowed for deeper character developments on both sides of the coin leading to shocking twists and turns.
The ending is literally explosive with a badass action sequence, ending on a cliffhanger that promises lots more action and retribution in Elle Anderson’s next outing. If you’re a fan of Red Sparrow and Atomic Blonde, The Deeper Shadow is a fantastic fusion of the two.
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