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lightqueer's review against another edition
5.0
THE DESCENT OF THE DROWNED terrified me in ways that i can't quite explain. Ana Lal Din has created a world of magic, fear, and hope that i find has rooted deep within me to the point where i cannot have this be the end for roma or levi because i simply would not be able to bear it. the writing, the imagery, and the dialogue within this book are all masterful and expertly wielded. the stakes are higher than i had ever expected and the realism of the tragedy and pain that we see roma and the fellow women in her life go through is striking, visceral, honest. i expected to be triggered by a lot of the topics presented in this book, but i felt somehow protected by roma and emboldened by her strength to continue on. i have no regrets - i am wonderfully happy to have had the chance to read this book, and grateful as well.
harrowhcrk's review
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and White Tigress Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Descent of the Drowned incorporates a lot of dark and heavy themes that could be very triggering, so make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading! Because of this, I would definitely consider this book more NA than YA.
This book is SO GOOD. It’s refreshingly unique, and the Indo-Persian and pre-Islamic Arab influence creates such a fascinating world, mythos, and magic system. All of the characters are incredibly complex. Roma and Leviathan are both flawed in a way that makes them feel very human. I hurt with them and i rooted for them, and many of the side characters are just as complex and well-written. The writing itself was clear and easy to follow, and the plot left you guessing—I absolutely devoured the last 15 or so chapters because I needed to know what happened. Plus, I just love a book that includes a glossary.
I won’t lie—this started a bit slow, but I was never bored. In the first half of the book, a number of different plot threads are set up, and while all of them were interesting, it made it a bit confusing to figure out what exactly was the overarching plot. Many of the threads seemed virtually unrelated, and while some of them came together towards the end of the book, I felt some could have been incorporated sooner or had more emphasis placed on them.
As the first in a series, this book does exactly what it needs to: it gets you invested in the story and characters, sets up the world, and leaves you anxious to find out what happens next.
The Descent of the Drowned incorporates a lot of dark and heavy themes that could be very triggering, so make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading! Because of this, I would definitely consider this book more NA than YA.
This book is SO GOOD. It’s refreshingly unique, and the Indo-Persian and pre-Islamic Arab influence creates such a fascinating world, mythos, and magic system. All of the characters are incredibly complex. Roma and Leviathan are both flawed in a way that makes them feel very human. I hurt with them and i rooted for them, and many of the side characters are just as complex and well-written. The writing itself was clear and easy to follow, and the plot left you guessing—I absolutely devoured the last 15 or so chapters because I needed to know what happened. Plus, I just love a book that includes a glossary.
I won’t lie—this started a bit slow, but I was never bored. In the first half of the book, a number of different plot threads are set up, and while all of them were interesting, it made it a bit confusing to figure out what exactly was the overarching plot. Many of the threads seemed virtually unrelated, and while some of them came together towards the end of the book, I felt some could have been incorporated sooner or had more emphasis placed on them.
As the first in a series, this book does exactly what it needs to: it gets you invested in the story and characters, sets up the world, and leaves you anxious to find out what happens next.
naphoeleon's review
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and White Tigress Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Descent of the Drowned incorporates a lot of dark and heavy themes that could be very triggering, so make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading! Because of this, I would definitely consider this book more NA than YA.
This book is SO GOOD. It’s refreshingly unique, and the Indo-Persian and pre-Islamic Arab influence creates such a fascinating world, mythos, and magic system. All of the characters are incredibly complex. Roma and Leviathan are both flawed in a way that makes them feel very human. I hurt with them and i rooted for them, and many of the side characters are just as complex and well-written. The writing itself was clear and easy to follow, and the plot left you guessing—I absolutely devoured the last 15 or so chapters because I needed to know what happened. Plus, I just love a book that includes a glossary.
I won’t lie—this started a bit slow, but I was never bored. In the first half of the book, a number of different plot threads are set up, and while all of them were interesting, it made it a bit confusing to figure out what exactly was the overarching plot. Many of the threads seemed virtually unrelated, and while some of them came together towards the end of the book, I felt some could have been incorporated sooner or had more emphasis placed on them.
As the first in a series, this book does exactly what it needs to: it gets you invested in the story and characters, sets up the world, and leaves you anxious to find out what happens next.
The Descent of the Drowned incorporates a lot of dark and heavy themes that could be very triggering, so make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading! Because of this, I would definitely consider this book more NA than YA.
This book is SO GOOD. It’s refreshingly unique, and the Indo-Persian and pre-Islamic Arab influence creates such a fascinating world, mythos, and magic system. All of the characters are incredibly complex. Roma and Leviathan are both flawed in a way that makes them feel very human. I hurt with them and i rooted for them, and many of the side characters are just as complex and well-written. The writing itself was clear and easy to follow, and the plot left you guessing—I absolutely devoured the last 15 or so chapters because I needed to know what happened. Plus, I just love a book that includes a glossary.
I won’t lie—this started a bit slow, but I was never bored. In the first half of the book, a number of different plot threads are set up, and while all of them were interesting, it made it a bit confusing to figure out what exactly was the overarching plot. Many of the threads seemed virtually unrelated, and while some of them came together towards the end of the book, I felt some could have been incorporated sooner or had more emphasis placed on them.
As the first in a series, this book does exactly what it needs to: it gets you invested in the story and characters, sets up the world, and leaves you anxious to find out what happens next.
powersureater's review against another edition
5.0
Trigger + content warnings: self harm (mentioned), death, parent death, sickness (mentioned), violence, guns, sexual assault, sodomization, grief, addiction, drug abuse, suicide (mentioned), castration (mentioned), transphobia, bigotry, human trafficking.
The book does come with trigger warnings at the beginning which is great but I definitely think it could be a bit more extensive considering how heavy the themes of this book are.
I cannot begin to describe how much I loved this book. A dual-perspective, fast-paced book that deals with human morality is all I want and need and oh how The Descent of the Drowned delivered. Roma is a sacred slave, sold to men who want the honour of sleeping with a goddess. While she has faced many abuses and violations, I loved Roma because she is a fighter, and her heart remains so big despite all that she has experienced. Her story is heartbreaking but she isn't defined by the horrors committed against her, her story is about freedom, power and self-discovery.
Roma's story entwines with that of the bastard son of the immortal tyrant. While honed to be his father's weapon, Leviathan's mother was from one of the persecuted clans, leaving him a ghost to both, being too much of the other to fit in. While he has done terrible things in his father's name, Levi has come to realise that he is also in a position to bring change and that he doesn't have to contribute to the system of power and inequality, that helping even a single person is worth it.
The side characters were also phenomenal, including Chirag, Junho, Malev, and all the others, who felt very fleshed out and just as important as Levi and Roma despite not being the focus.
While dark, I appreciate that Ana Lal Din held a mirror to our world and showed us the long-standing problems that have been allowed to flourish at the expense of the less fortunate. She mentions herself in her acknowledgements all the sources in our world that the aspects of the story come from, and nothing is adding just for the dark aesthetic or for shock value. "What is humankind in a world without humanity?" is definitely a question we should be asking ourselves in our world that still has so far to go, but Ana Lal Din has done such a good job of encapsulating the power of choice.
25/8/21 - it was just as good as the first time if not better. i’m in awe. i literally have zero words.
The book does come with trigger warnings at the beginning which is great but I definitely think it could be a bit more extensive considering how heavy the themes of this book are.
I cannot begin to describe how much I loved this book. A dual-perspective, fast-paced book that deals with human morality is all I want and need and oh how The Descent of the Drowned delivered. Roma is a sacred slave, sold to men who want the honour of sleeping with a goddess. While she has faced many abuses and violations, I loved Roma because she is a fighter, and her heart remains so big despite all that she has experienced. Her story is heartbreaking but she isn't defined by the horrors committed against her, her story is about freedom, power and self-discovery.
Roma's story entwines with that of the bastard son of the immortal tyrant. While honed to be his father's weapon, Leviathan's mother was from one of the persecuted clans, leaving him a ghost to both, being too much of the other to fit in. While he has done terrible things in his father's name, Levi has come to realise that he is also in a position to bring change and that he doesn't have to contribute to the system of power and inequality, that helping even a single person is worth it.
The side characters were also phenomenal, including Chirag, Junho, Malev, and all the others, who felt very fleshed out and just as important as Levi and Roma despite not being the focus.
While dark, I appreciate that Ana Lal Din held a mirror to our world and showed us the long-standing problems that have been allowed to flourish at the expense of the less fortunate. She mentions herself in her acknowledgements all the sources in our world that the aspects of the story come from, and nothing is adding just for the dark aesthetic or for shock value. "What is humankind in a world without humanity?" is definitely a question we should be asking ourselves in our world that still has so far to go, but Ana Lal Din has done such a good job of encapsulating the power of choice.
25/8/21 - it was just as good as the first time if not better. i’m in awe. i literally have zero words.
trisha_thomas's review
3.0
"Why do we believe in a goddess who would have us worship men?"
This is a rough story, hard to rate. It's slow moving, taking it's time to really introduce a world and 2 very different people in this world. There is a lot around both gods and goddesses and about prostitution and what woman is worth.
And there is a whole lot of suffering. Because the story is a lot about survival - and what it takes to do it. For some, it's to fight back and for others, it's to endure. It's ugly, this suffering and being brought down again and again. It's hard to read and can make chapters feels like a lot more pages than they are. It's hard to read your character's suffering.
but it did end well and left me wondering - I think I might want to read more if the next one is less back story and build up and more action and character progress.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
This is a rough story, hard to rate. It's slow moving, taking it's time to really introduce a world and 2 very different people in this world. There is a lot around both gods and goddesses and about prostitution and what woman is worth.
And there is a whole lot of suffering. Because the story is a lot about survival - and what it takes to do it. For some, it's to fight back and for others, it's to endure. It's ugly, this suffering and being brought down again and again. It's hard to read and can make chapters feels like a lot more pages than they are. It's hard to read your character's suffering.
but it did end well and left me wondering - I think I might want to read more if the next one is less back story and build up and more action and character progress.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
duriangray's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
nite0wl29's review
5.0
I’ve had my eye on this book for months, ever since I found the author’s character art on Instagram. I KNEW I needed to read it when it was available. So I want to thank NetGalley and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
WOW!
This book completely and utterly blew my mind. I fell in love with Roma and Levi right off the bat. Without a doubt, they will be the slow burn of the century and I’m totally 100% here for the angst and (hopefully) healing that’s to come in future books in this series.
Now for the story. The first several chapters were a struggle for me as I had a hard time keeping character names and nicknames straight. But that grew easier along the way as I got a better understanding of the characters and the world that the author has weaved for us here. There are some very heavy topics covered in this book: rape being the one worth mentioning in case anyone is triggered by it. It is also worth noting depictions of human trafficking, prostitution, drug use, and graphic depictions of violence.
This book took me by surprise in every way. There are revelations that’ll blow your mind and an ending that’ll leave you crawling and begging for more. I absolutely loved this story and I can’t wait for book 2!
WOW!
This book completely and utterly blew my mind. I fell in love with Roma and Levi right off the bat. Without a doubt, they will be the slow burn of the century and I’m totally 100% here for the angst and (hopefully) healing that’s to come in future books in this series.
Now for the story. The first several chapters were a struggle for me as I had a hard time keeping character names and nicknames straight. But that grew easier along the way as I got a better understanding of the characters and the world that the author has weaved for us here. There are some very heavy topics covered in this book: rape being the one worth mentioning in case anyone is triggered by it. It is also worth noting depictions of human trafficking, prostitution, drug use, and graphic depictions of violence.
This book took me by surprise in every way. There are revelations that’ll blow your mind and an ending that’ll leave you crawling and begging for more. I absolutely loved this story and I can’t wait for book 2!
thebookishgarden's review against another edition
4.0
I'm so grateful to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ana Lal Din created an fantastical new series unlike any I've ever read before. The book follows the perspectives of two main characters: Roma and Leviathan. Roma is of a lower caste that serves patrons to sustain the balance between gods and men, and Leviathan is the Firawn's son with much power but lots of emotional damage.
When their paths intertwine, it's definitely an interesting combination of characters with Roma's determination and Leviathan's strength. I would love to see more of how their relationship develops in the next book.
I loved the characters, I loved the overall plot, and most importantly, I loved the connection to Indo-Persian culture. The story felt very fast-paced for me which I really enjoyed, and I liked practically every aspect of Ana Lal Din's writing. I can't wait to read the next book!
Ana Lal Din created an fantastical new series unlike any I've ever read before. The book follows the perspectives of two main characters: Roma and Leviathan. Roma is of a lower caste that serves patrons to sustain the balance between gods and men, and Leviathan is the Firawn's son with much power but lots of emotional damage.
When their paths intertwine, it's definitely an interesting combination of characters with Roma's determination and Leviathan's strength. I would love to see more of how their relationship develops in the next book.
I loved the characters, I loved the overall plot, and most importantly, I loved the connection to Indo-Persian culture. The story felt very fast-paced for me which I really enjoyed, and I liked practically every aspect of Ana Lal Din's writing. I can't wait to read the next book!
sarag19's review
5.0
***ARC received from White Tigress Press and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
This is a book that is not going to be for everyone, it deals with a lot of heavy subjects from forced prostitution, murder, physical and emotional abuse, rape, torture and so on. Most of it, particularly the rape is not described in any level of explicit detail but it can be triggering to people. It never felt like it was there to be gratuitous, it is there to help tell the story of Roma and Levi and their people. Its also a slow burn of a book, more set on world building and fleshing out its characters than rushing headfirst into the confrontation. This is a series you are in for the long haul because there are no satisfactory answers or conclusions to really anything this book sets up and I am here for it.
The book jumps between Roma and Levi and I loved them both equally. Roma is a slave girl, a sacred prostitute to serve the upper class. She is traumatized by her first patron and much of what happens shapes her into the character that she is. She is still a compassionate and caring individual not yet fully broken down by the world around her. I liked that she is complex, wanting both to be good and serve but also longing desperately for her own freedom and the freedom for her brother. There is more to Roma though that only gets hinted at right at the end but is set up well for the next book.
Levi, Levi, Leviathan… How much I adore him. Levi is all sorts of shades of grey, he is not a good man nor does he ever admit to being a good man but he has a broken heart that can’t fully get on board with all the horrible things he has done. Levi is a weapon and uses his skill as best he can, his means to an end are at times violent and bloody but there is no enjoyment in what he does. Levi is trying to do right by his people, trying to help as best that he can. We get glimpse of his past, the soft boy he was that completely conflicts with the hard edges of his current self. I liked the interaction between Levi and Roma, they do not trust each other at all but there is a connection there that I look forward to see who it is explored in the next book. They also play well off each other, two good people broken down and rebuilt by their society and the treatment of others into who they are.
The mythology and world building in this book is lovely. The author is clearly crafting a story using stories and themes that mean a great deal to her. The depiction of the caste system and the abuse easily inflicted upon those without voices by those in power is stark and at times difficult to read. Even though this is set in a fantasy world you can still draw parallels to what is happening then to what still occurs in modern times. There are at times that the writing gets a little clunky and scenes go on a little longer than they should but the writer has a passion for what she is writing about and the characters and themes dragged me in and kept going.
My only complaint is I wish the glossary had been at the front of the book and not the back especially on a digital copy, since bookmarking it from the start would make going back to it easy to reference even if after a little while I was able to pick up what the words meant.
This is a book that is not going to be for everyone, it deals with a lot of heavy subjects from forced prostitution, murder, physical and emotional abuse, rape, torture and so on. Most of it, particularly the rape is not described in any level of explicit detail but it can be triggering to people. It never felt like it was there to be gratuitous, it is there to help tell the story of Roma and Levi and their people. Its also a slow burn of a book, more set on world building and fleshing out its characters than rushing headfirst into the confrontation. This is a series you are in for the long haul because there are no satisfactory answers or conclusions to really anything this book sets up and I am here for it.
The book jumps between Roma and Levi and I loved them both equally. Roma is a slave girl, a sacred prostitute to serve the upper class. She is traumatized by her first patron and much of what happens shapes her into the character that she is. She is still a compassionate and caring individual not yet fully broken down by the world around her. I liked that she is complex, wanting both to be good and serve but also longing desperately for her own freedom and the freedom for her brother. There is more to Roma though that only gets hinted at right at the end but is set up well for the next book.
Levi, Levi, Leviathan… How much I adore him. Levi is all sorts of shades of grey, he is not a good man nor does he ever admit to being a good man but he has a broken heart that can’t fully get on board with all the horrible things he has done. Levi is a weapon and uses his skill as best he can, his means to an end are at times violent and bloody but there is no enjoyment in what he does. Levi is trying to do right by his people, trying to help as best that he can. We get glimpse of his past, the soft boy he was that completely conflicts with the hard edges of his current self. I liked the interaction between Levi and Roma, they do not trust each other at all but there is a connection there that I look forward to see who it is explored in the next book. They also play well off each other, two good people broken down and rebuilt by their society and the treatment of others into who they are.
The mythology and world building in this book is lovely. The author is clearly crafting a story using stories and themes that mean a great deal to her. The depiction of the caste system and the abuse easily inflicted upon those without voices by those in power is stark and at times difficult to read. Even though this is set in a fantasy world you can still draw parallels to what is happening then to what still occurs in modern times. There are at times that the writing gets a little clunky and scenes go on a little longer than they should but the writer has a passion for what she is writing about and the characters and themes dragged me in and kept going.
My only complaint is I wish the glossary had been at the front of the book and not the back especially on a digital copy, since bookmarking it from the start would make going back to it easy to reference even if after a little while I was able to pick up what the words meant.