Daughter of the Deep Paperback – April 4, 2023

I'll admit, it was kind of strange reading a stand-alone, non mythological Rick Riordan novel. Strange, but not in a bad way.It didn't feel super different from a regular RR novel, because it is inspired by both Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. This was like Jules Verne mythology, and it was so much fun.Ana Dakar, a second year (out of five) at Harding-Pencroft Academy is preparing for the test that will determine her future at the school. She attends the school with her older brother Dev, and her parents died two years before in a naval accident. When a horrible tragedy occurs when she and her fellow classmates are on the bus to the exam, their lives and realities are instantly changed.I loved Ana and all her friends - they were all very well-rounded and developed, as well as diverse. Even the side characters were well developed with their own personalities. I loved how Ana grew and developed under the new position and pressure she is now under, as well as her "fake it till you make it" attitude. Her character development was wonderful, and I loved her bravery and how she never waved in her own morals. And I loved how much diversity there was. It's probably the most diverse book I've ever read, and it was amazing.The plot definitely kept me on my toes. Even though I knew something was going to happen on Ana's bus trip, I had know idea what devastation was coming. (Also I loved how her school and their rival school had "The Land" and "The Sea" aspect since Epcot at Disney World as areas named that). I never had great ideas of what was coming next, and every plot turn left me shocked at what all was going to happen. It almost made me want to read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The plot twist near the end had me shook.This was such a great sci-fi boo, a great middle-grade book, a (I assume) a great Jules Verne-inspired boo, and a wonderful book in general. I definitely recommend it to everyone.

So. I love everything by Rick Riordan, I basically have read all his books.This book had a slightly smaller charm than his others. I felt like there are a lot of repetitions, also some parts were overwritten. Overally the writing would have needed some "ripening" and an extra round of revision from the author. Some parts it turned into the parody of themselves.However, the storyline was enjoyable, some events were shocking, and the parts about the Nautilus were very interesting.Everyone says this is a standalone, but I definitely feel that the door has been left wide open for sequels.And then why 5 stars? It made me want to read the original, of which I am in the process. While reading, my 4 year old became interested in the "super cool submarine", so I bought a children's version of Verne's book 20.000 leagues... which we are now reading daily. We also built a Lego Nautilus. Moreover, we watched the cartoon version of The Mistery Island. Hence the crying - my son was sad the Nautilus has been destroyed.However, because of Daughter of the Deep I was able to comfort him by saying that the Nautilus has survived and it was just a lie to keep people from searching. He really appreciated this point of view.So if solely because of this book there are now two generations reading the original, keeping the Nautilus legend alive, it reached its goal and deserves a good rating :)

Ana Dakkar is a freshman and Harding-Pencraft Academy, a five year high school that graduates some of the best marine biologists, naval warriors, and underwater explorers in the world. On the day of the freshman final exams, as they’re en route to the marina, H-P is attacked and their campus collapses into the ocean. The freshman class escapes to sea with the mission to find a hidden base and warn them that their rival, Land Institute, has attacked. Ana learns that she is the last surviving descendant of the famous Captain Nemo and that Jules Vernes’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea isn’t as fictional as she thought. With the ship now under her command, she and her fellow freshman must do whatever it takes to protect the Nautilus and Nemo’s technology.I pre-ordered this book the moment I heard about it and started reading it the day it arrived. I love Riordan’s narrative voice and was excited to see a new book from him that stepped outside of mythology. The story is captivating and fast-paced. Riordan did an excellent job of providing background information related to 20,000 Leagues as many middle grade readers will likely not be familiar with it. The book includes themes about how power corrupts, forgiveness is powerful, and youth shouldn’t be underestimated. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to share it with my students.

I liked this book a lot, but I was hoping for a bit more romance between Ana and Gem. I feel like that really would have enhanced the storyline a lot. Even so this was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read.

This book captured me from the beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed the marine life and the tension built in. Clever weaving with Jules Verne.

I loved the story and characters. I hope there will be more books like this. Thank you Mr. Riordan for all your stories.

I was delighted to find another book from Rick Riordan. He did not disappoint, This book caught and held my interest from beginning to end. Now I need to find the next one…

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and the trials they had to go through. You should check it out.