Did not finish. After reading other reviews I realize that the content of this book is not for me. I apologize that i cannot review this novel any further.

This book is definitely a league of it's own. The Indo-Persian setting is not something common in stories even now, so to have that kind of setting in a story as brilliant as this is a bonus.

This book has everything - an interesting plot, compelling characters, and great writing. I absolutely loved everything about this.

The characters were very well rounded and though I don't agree with all their actions, I can understand their motivations, which is what makes them stand out. Even when I don't agree with them, I can sympathize.

The plot is very engaging and keeps you hooked throughout. I loved all the social commentary included in the plot and how this affected the characters and the story as a whole. The author didn't shy away from the evils of society and it was done very well, shaping characters and furthering plot, which I loved.

The book was definitely one of my best reads for the year and I'm highly anticipating the sequel!

This novel sounded intriguing! However, I was very confused by the storyline! There were also many disturbing scenes that made me uncomfortable. Thus, this book was not for me.

The world building had me a little confused throughout this book. I wanted to love this book so much and I did really root for the characters (check trigger warnings! They go through a lot!) But I found I was confused too much to thoroughly enjoy it. I might do a reread and see if that helps!

Author # Ana Lal Din has a new novel # The Descent of the Drowned. Besides being wonderful I can't wait for the next. Once you start reading you will have a hard time moving.
Description:
Roma is a scared slave of a goddess. Leviathan is the bastard son of an immortal tyrant. He has been raised in a military city. Both struggling to protect the people they love. Destinies interlock as they hunt for an ancient treasure....
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley, # Ana Lal Din, and #White Tigress Press

I don't know what I am reading at this point. I am finding this title hard to follow and the characters are not compelling. I wished this had been better. The description was so wildly creative.

The language and style of writing was very different and difficult for me to navigate and focus on the plot. As a result, I DNF’d this as 20% as I still didn’t comprehend the story being told. I think the writing was just too descriptive and the language too confusing.

World building was very cool although the magic system was a bit much to grasp. The setting and cultural elements were very unique, something I haven’t seen much in fantasy books. But I found the story a bit depressing and heavy. There seemed to be a constant acceptance of utterly terrible things happening around the characters and it got a bit too much for me personally. The second half of the book picked up and got more interesting, and the plot started to solidify a bit more. Not a curl up on a rainy day read, but something you have to be in a mood for as it dealt with human complexity, and morality. Overall, it was a good read but I don’t think I’d continue with this series, just a bit to heavy but that’s just my opinion!

I'm afraid this book didn't draw me in right at the beginning and I didn't finish it. It appeared to be well written and interesting idea, with involved world-building.

DNF'ed at 23%.
Unfortunately, despite the intriguing concept for this book and the excitement about it I'd seen from other reviewers, I just couldn't get on with the writing. That said, the concept had potential and I wouldn't hesitate to put people in the direction of other, more positive, reviews, but I did feel that the book just wasn't for me.

This is definitely one of the best debut novels that I've ever read. This was an absolutely exhilarating read that I could not put down, definitely an unexpected book that consumed me from beginning to end. The plot was intriguing, the characters were amazing, and their interactions were beautifully written. Can't wait to read more!

I tried a few times to read this, but I couldn’t get my head around the world and the magic system. It might just be a personal problem rather than an issue with the book, but I spent most of my time rereading what I had already read to try to make sense of who people were and what caste they were from. I just didn’t understand. Unfortunately this then took me out of the story because I felt like I couldn’t keep up.

The concept and story of this book were great, but I think because it's high fantasy, the writing was overly complex and at times confusing. It was also very violent and slow at times, specially the first half. Sometimes there were many subplots so it was difficult to see the biggest end but it slowly unwrapped.

It's intrinsic incorporation of refugees and immigrants was greatly done. The Indo-Persian and pre-Islamic Arab influence makes the world rich and interesting.

Levi and Roma were amazing characters!

The story was not executed as well as I would have liked in The Descent of the Drowned. There was a lot of information dumping in the beginning to service the plot later on and was honestly a trudge to get through. There were also a lot of secondary characters to keep track of and I considered not finishing the book but I persisted and I'm glad I did. Once the plot picks up, the book is hard to put down. It covers some very heavy topics, human trafficking and cruelty to name a couple. The world-building is surprisingly complex and unfortunately includes many unsavory aspects that I would like to think only happen in books but know is not the case.

Overall, for being a debut this was a very interesting read and Ana Lal Din has a lot of promise as an author.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

I loved the inspiration from Arabian mythology, but the world-building was a bit much for me. The story has a very dark atmosphere, which was enjoyable. The writing and characters were well done. However, the confusion took away from the plot for me. Still a very enjoyable read and there’s definitely room for growth and development.

Gorgeously written with rich worldbuilding inspired from underrepresented folklore, this book is so underhyped!

No my favorite book and could not pull me in. I forgot about it soon and never finished. Just not my cup of tea!

A highly imaginative and richly evocative fantasy steeped in Persian mythology, The Descent of the Drowned is a fast paced epic adventure that takes all the young adult tropes and tears them up with its twists and turns.

I will say that this does require you to have some understanding of Persian mythology to keep up with the massive amount of information and descriptions the reader is given during the first half of the book. Every inch of this story is dripping in world building, culture and lore. Everything builds on the knowledge the reader gains as the plot progresses, adding in conversations about societal injustice and caste systems, to end on an almighty exciting ending.

Very well written, rich world building and wonderful characters. It's a jewel in a sea of standard ya fantasy.

Wow!!! I did not expect this to be so good!!! It's got Daevabad series vibes but it's even darker and full of culture. I was able to understand the language and some customs. I found the story incredibly powerful, and sometimes very hard to read because it was so harsh.

Gasped a few times, especially the last few chapters!!!

Immersive. Unjust. Fascinating. Set in an oppressive society established on a caste system that widens a divide that further brings suffering, this romantic tale connects two people whose compatibility is questioned by a world that has categorised them as conflicting, regarded them as an unattainable match. Through a beautiful writing that gracefully corroborates a longing for freedom, a need to rebel, a yearning for love, and a stunning world with all its flaws, the narration conveys the pain of a colonised Indo-Persian world and the intrigue of a magic system despite a plot that only unravels with more fascination in the later half.