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A review by alexijai98
Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was a Percy Jackson kid, and now as a high school teacher I was so excited to see this book in my school’s library! I wanted to check it out both as a Rick Riordan fan and as an educator interested in the books available to my students.
Of course, I don’t think anything could ever compare to reading the Percy Jackson books as a kid, but Riordan gets very close with Daughter of the Deep. As an African American woman I cannot speak to the representation of an Indian American protagonist, but as a person of color I can say that I admire Riordan’s dedication to showing the character’s identity as impactful without trying to cosplay as a marginalized person himself.
Ana Dakkar and her fellow students are funny, kind, and loyal to one another. In classic Riordan style, these teens are tasked with saving the world (while getting hopped up on espresso) while learning more about themselves. They learn valuable lessons about morality, solidarity, and working as a team. In a time where simply existing as a marginalized person in schools is basis for an attack, I am happy my students have access to a story like this that challenges them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.
Of course, I don’t think anything could ever compare to reading the Percy Jackson books as a kid, but Riordan gets very close with Daughter of the Deep. As an African American woman I cannot speak to the representation of an Indian American protagonist, but as a person of color I can say that I admire Riordan’s dedication to showing the character’s identity as impactful without trying to cosplay as a marginalized person himself.
Ana Dakkar and her fellow students are funny, kind, and loyal to one another. In classic Riordan style, these teens are tasked with saving the world (while getting hopped up on espresso) while learning more about themselves. They learn valuable lessons about morality, solidarity, and working as a team. In a time where simply existing as a marginalized person in schools is basis for an attack, I am happy my students have access to a story like this that challenges them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent