Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan

 

This morning, I finished reading Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan. This science fiction adventure is about Ana Dakkar, a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school on the California coast that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. As Ana's class leaves for their weekend trial at sea by bus, they witness the terrible tragedy of their school collapsing into the Pacific Ocean after an unusually powerful torpedo attack by their rival school, Land Institute. Although they are devastated by the loss of their school community and don't know who betrayed their school and helped LI, they still continue on their journey to a secret base in the Pacific. While traveling and coping with the probable death of her older brother, Dev, who was also a student at HP, Ana learns about the secrets of her heritage and the 150-year cold war between Harding-Pencroft and Land Institute that has now become an actual war. When her professor, Dr. Hewett, becomes sick and goes into a coma, Ana has to lead her friends and classmates in a battle against Land Institute.

Daughter of the Deep was such a gripping book that had many twists and turns. I totally enjoyed how it was inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, even though I've never read it, and I was hooked from the very start. Ana was an amazing character who went from being the spare of her family to a strong, brave leader, earning the respect of her classmates. I also really felt for her because the only family she had left after her parents died during a scientific expedition for Harding-Pencroft two years before the events of the story was Dev and it appeared he died in the attack on Harding-Pencroft. Ana's best friends, Ester and Nelinha were pretty great, too, always having her back especially when she had doubts about leading her classmates. Animals play a huge role in this book, and I especially loved Socrates because dolphins are among my favorite animals and he came through in a pinch. I'd be remiss if I forget to mention the Nautilus, which I thought was the coolest submarine I've ever read about once Ana and her crew got her running. With a personality of her own, she's definitely quite the character. While I was reading, I wished that I could explore the oceans on her because she had so much interesting alternative technology. This book is fast-paced and the reveal of the one who betrayed Harding-Pencroft left me reeling, even if I wasn't quite surprised. Although I'm not sure it's in Rick Riordan's plans currently, the end made me want a sequel. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes action and adventure or Rick Riordan's other books.