7/10 ( )

I'm a middle school librarian, and I read this book because it's a 2023-2024 Rebecca Caudill Nominee.

Two Sentence Summary: Ana Dakkar and her fellow freshmen at Harding-Pencroft Academy survive a life-altering tragedy only to find themselves alone and on the run. To top it off, they learn that the science fiction novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea may not be so fictional after all.

I grew to like the story, but it took a while. I'm not familiar with Jules Verne's classic novel, though I have an appreciation for the classics. I wondered if the intended audience, middle schoolers, would find the story interesting since they too would most likely not be familiar with the story. I think Riordan does a good job connecting this story to the classic while still making it enjoyable and understandable for readers like me. But I do think those who have read 20,000 Leagues will appreciate Daughter of the Deep even more. This is my first Rick Riordan book, and he did not disappoint. He did a great job writing a story filled with interesting plot twists and likeable characters.

LibraryThing* Rating: 4 Stars - I understand why this book made it to the Caudill List

Book Lady** Rating: 3 Stars - I enjoyed it but didn't love it

I liked…
- Ana's character arc
- Ana's amazing communication skills (using ASL, speaking various languages, cracking secret codes)
- The themes of teamwork, family, and doing the right thing

I disliked…
- How the diversity felt forced - There were different religions, races, ethnicities, and an autistic character all mixed into the large cast of characters. Maybe it's just the size of the cast that made it feel forced for me, but I think diversity is great as long as it's not just to "check the boxes"
- Going into detail about Ana's menstrual cycle - She's on a sailboat, and though as a woman, I have wondered how fictional women would deal with periods when on adventures, I don't need to actually read about it. It didn't add to the plot nor did she have to do anything out of the ordinary to deal with it during the story.
- Pop culture references - this is just me being annoying, but whenever I read these, I wonder what it will be like for readers in the future. The story is not "realistic fiction", so these aren't needed to help readers to understand the setting. I guess it's to help the book appeal to Middle Schoolers?

Content: Clean, some age-appropriate violence, might bring up a conversation about menstrual cycles

Recommended for middle schoolers (and up) who like adventure, science fiction, and dynamic friend groups!

*LibraryThing rating takes into consideration the intended audience’s comprehension and interests.
**Book Lady Rating is what I would give it if I based it on my personal preference and likes/dislikes ( )

Honestly, this was just a fresh breeze of distilled childhood. I'm so sad I finished it so quickly, I can't wait for the next one--thank you, Rick. ( )

Set at a school called HP that has a focus on oceans and marine life, Ana and her older brother Dev are still processing the death of their parents two years earlier. Ana and the rest of the freshmen class are leaving for a training mission when the school is attacked and destroyed. Then begins the action in this adventure where the students suddenly find out that the writings of Jules Verne are based on fact and that Ana is the last living descendant of Captain Nemo. They soon are on the hunt for the Nautilus and the amazing alt-tech Nemo developed. They need to find this and survive before the students at Land Institute (who destroyed their school) get their hands on it for their agenda. Told from Ana's point of view she leans into her friends and the skill sets of her amazing classmates (and their animal friends) to outwit and outmaneuver their foes to try to survive. This felt like a Rick Riordan adventure. ( )

Like a love letter to Jules Verne!

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was one of my favorite books as a kid. I had an illustrated children's edition that I would read over and over. I eventually read the unabridged version as an adult and loved it still. I grew up near the ocean and always loved being on boats.

This book does a great job of being almost like a third book in the series. It's very meta and I love that it references both 20,000 Leagues and Mysterious Island. It even has the techno jargon and science facts that I love about Vernes' books! Because of all this it felt familiar and comforting, but also fresh and exciting.

I think you could read this and enjoy it if you haven't read 20,000 Leagues and Mysterious Island, but you would definitely miss some things. I would recommend to at least read a cliff/spark notes or a Wikipedia summary of those books if you didn't want to read the full novels. Even just an abridged or children's version would hit all the major plots points you would need to understand the references. ( )