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tifftastic87's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
Into the Sunken City is set in a future where climate change has resulted in majority of the world being under water. We follow Jina after the tragic death of her father during a dive to recover items from the world that was. While dealing with grief and PTSD, Jina is also responsible for the care of her 14-year-old sister, running the inn her father owned, and to top it off she's of age to be conscripted. Enter the Pretty One, a woman who arrives just when Jina thinks all is lost and offers good coin to stay in Jina's inn. Jina is initially wary but concedes because the money can pay her conscription tax and allow her to stay with her sister. Jina and her sister, Thara, settle in to life with the Pretty One until one night a violent corsair arrives and demands to see the Pretty One. Jina is then swept up on a tense and emotional quest to retrieve sunken treasure that can change her and her sister's life.
Dinesh Thiru has written a fast paced and exciting retelling of Treasure Island. All of the characters are dynamic and three dimensional, each with their own personal goals and desires. While Jina herself grated on me at times (I wanted to just shake her on occasion), I understood her and the expression of her grief and PTSD was raw and real. The Pretty One (I refuse to reveal her name because I really enjoyed how it was revealed in the book) was such a good reincarnation of her character inspiration. Silva was a strong villain, written in such a way that he could be both feared and cared for. Thara was such a force, honestly my favorite character of the bunch. Taim was honestly one of the best YA love interests that I have read in a long time, he cared for Jina a way that wasn't overbearing or patronizing. He encouraged her growth in a kind and thoughtful way that fit the maturity young adults in this world would have to exhibit.
The worldbuilding that Thiru has done is truly robust. Everything felt cohesive from the language used, to the cultures, and military presence. Often times when authors use swears that are based in their fantasy world it can feel awkward or forced but in this case, swamping or rusting for example, felt so fitting to the world that we were in. The setting made sense and the characters acted accordingly within it.
I just really enjoyed everything in this book, the pacing the dialogue, the characters, the theme and the ending. This was honestly a banger of a debut from Thiru and I look forward to reading the finished work and anything else he publishes.
Into the Sunken City is set in a future where climate change has resulted in majority of the world being under water. We follow Jina after the tragic death of her father during a dive to recover items from the world that was. While dealing with grief and PTSD, Jina is also responsible for the care of her 14-year-old sister, running the inn her father owned, and to top it off she's of age to be conscripted. Enter the Pretty One, a woman who arrives just when Jina thinks all is lost and offers good coin to stay in Jina's inn. Jina is initially wary but concedes because the money can pay her conscription tax and allow her to stay with her sister. Jina and her sister, Thara, settle in to life with the Pretty One until one night a violent corsair arrives and demands to see the Pretty One. Jina is then swept up on a tense and emotional quest to retrieve sunken treasure that can change her and her sister's life.
Dinesh Thiru has written a fast paced and exciting retelling of Treasure Island. All of the characters are dynamic and three dimensional, each with their own personal goals and desires. While Jina herself grated on me at times (I wanted to just shake her on occasion), I understood her and the expression of her grief and PTSD was raw and real. The Pretty One (I refuse to reveal her name because I really enjoyed how it was revealed in the book) was such a good reincarnation of her character inspiration. Silva was a strong villain, written in such a way that he could be both feared and cared for. Thara was such a force, honestly my favorite character of the bunch. Taim was honestly one of the best YA love interests that I have read in a long time, he cared for Jina a way that wasn't overbearing or patronizing. He encouraged her growth in a kind and thoughtful way that fit the maturity young adults in this world would have to exhibit.
The worldbuilding that Thiru has done is truly robust. Everything felt cohesive from the language used, to the cultures, and military presence. Often times when authors use swears that are based in their fantasy world it can feel awkward or forced but in this case, swamping or rusting for example, felt so fitting to the world that we were in. The setting made sense and the characters acted accordingly within it.
I just really enjoyed everything in this book, the pacing the dialogue, the characters, the theme and the ending. This was honestly a banger of a debut from Thiru and I look forward to reading the finished work and anything else he publishes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Grief, Gun violence, Death of parent, Violence, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood and Cursing
Minor: Pedophilia
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