Residents of the Deep

In Residents of the Deep, Marianne Villanueva explores human resilience in moments of extremity through a series of gripping stories. In "Ice," two men confront their future in a barren, post-apocalyptic world where survival itself becomes the only meaning: "The point is, there is no point. You just keep going." In Dumaguete, a young boy is forced to protect his mother, a role that threatens to unravel him. The title story follows a ship captain who discovers a submerged city and is thrust into a moral reckoning that challenges his understanding of responsibility. Clear-eyed and unflinching, these stories reveal the raw tenacity and unyielding spirit of humanity, even in the face of profound vulnerability and hardship.