Looking for a retelling of a classic with climate change, diverse characters, adventure, and sci-fi elements? "Into the Sunken City" is the book for you! Thiru weaves the story of Treasure Island into a near-future world that is mostly underwater. Our main character Jin is haunted by the death of her father, but can't help but long for the adventure that diving provides, despite its hand in her grief. When an opportunity arrives on her doorstep that promises to change her life forever, it includes certain dangers, pirates, and spending time with her ex. But it also includes a mind-blowing treasure, so she can't help but go for it.
This plot kept me reading throughout the story. There was intrigue, romance, and great descriptions of a dark, rainy, world. The author did a great job of making the reader feel the pressure (literal and figurative) of being hundreds of feet under the water, surrounded by unknown creatures, with barely enough light to see in front of you.
It is classified as YA but I think it would appeal to adults as well. If you go into it with an open mind and don't expect a faithful Treasure Island retelling, I think you will enjoy it!

“Perfect for fans of Fable and House of Salt and Sorrows”? Count me in! Second-chance romance, hot ex-boyfriends, underwater heists, pirates, and heaps of adventure—sounds perfect! I really enjoyed the unique dystopian world of Into the Sunken City. It was a highly entertaining YA novel, though I’m realising now I might not be the target audience for this book.

The world-building was a standout for me. It was fascinating to see how everyone on Earth had to adapt to a world of constant rain. I also loved the evolving relationship between the main character and her sister—it added great depth to the story.

Into the Sunken City was a quick, enjoyable read, and the ending leaves the door open for more adventures. I’m sure readers are excited to see what Dinesh Thiru will write next!

I don’t read YA often anymore but I did enjoy this one and it brought back memories of that great YA fantasy feel

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

*Into the Sunken City* by Dinesh Thiru is an engrossing adventure that takes readers on a thrilling journey beneath the ocean's surface. Thiru's vivid descriptions and imaginative world-building bring the lost city to life, making for a captivating and suspenseful read filled with mystery and wonder.

Into The Sunken City is a captivating and dynamic read with characters who are well-developed and a plot which is engaging and vivid. The book was a delight to read and I highly recommend it!

Into the Sunken City by Dinesh Thiru was captivating. The characters were well-developed and the plot was engaging. The book was a delight to read. I highly recommend it!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own.**

In a world where it constantly rains and very little land is still above water, Jin just wants to live a quiet life with her sister. But with both their parents dead, the family inn failing, and conscription taxes to pay to avoid having to serve in the Navy, Jin’s life is anything but peaceful.

When a mysterious woman shows up at the inn looking for help with supposed treasure buried in what used to be Las Vegas, Jin’s dream of a peaceful life is pushed even farther away.

A fast-paced, thrilling Treasure Island retelling, Into the Sunken City is a story for adventure lovers.

I'm always going to support women of color committing crimes! It was an interesting and engaging book. Super unique premise and I loved the diverse cast of characters

3.25

As someone who was a young adult during the peak YA dystopian faze, I get wary of new releases in the genre but I was intrigued when I heard pirates and ocean horror, and I saw that Dinesh Thiru was inspired by Treasure Island but wanted it to be more diverse.

I can't really speak on the Treasure Island elements of the plot because my only knowledge of the story comes from the Disney cartoon adaptation Treasure Planet, a movie I haven't seen in 20 years. But I did really like the world Thiru built. Here, there was an attempt to fix climate change that resulted in never ending rain that left most of the land on earth completely submerged. I liked how he explored how people would adapt to a flooded world, and the way he wrote new communities and how economies evolved. Some of the new creatures he created remind me why the ocean is so terrifying.

That being said, I didn't love the romance. It felt really forced and I think that relationship would have worked better for me if it was solely platonic. Though I liked the sibling bond between Jin and Thara, and I liked the exploration of João Silva as an antagonist.

Overall, I think this could be a big hit for YA audiences looking for a fresh take on the dystopian genre. I know I would have devoured anything with pirates when I was a teen.

Let's start with just how gorgeous the cover is, quite the eye candy. The synopsis then leads us into a false sense of adventure and yet I felt like there was only one adventure at the end and it was a little too late. Most of the pacing was too slow and I was more annoyed than enamored by the main character. Unfortunately my main feeling on this book was, meh. 2.5 stars rounded to 3

Such an interesting book! The world is futuristic dystopian and really immersive. The plot really picks up at the end and I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much @netgalley & @harperteen for the eArc. I love a good dystopian and I’ve been looking for just this sort of thing this week 🖤

Edit, review:

I couldn’t get into this book, despite an earnest effort because I loved the concept. I think the writing was distracting for me, and I couldn’t sink into the narrative aa a result. That being said, I think it will land for a lot of readers & I may give it a try on audio when that is released!

Into the Sunken City was a fun fantasy read. I loved the underwater post-apocalyptic setting and the characters were great.

This was an exciting, fun read. I like how it combined a post-apocalyptic world with a heist, pirates, and an awe-inspiring, beautiful horror that reminded me of the video game Subnautica.

The characters were engaging overall, though I was annoyed that Jin was often untrusting of everyone to the point that it just felt like her purposefully being obstinate. It certainly made for an interesting dynamic between her and João Silva though. It was fun watching them try to outwit each other.

I would have given this 4 stars, but the way some of the science was "explained" by way of dismissal messed with my suspension of disbelief. There were also moments where the protagonists had sensitive conversations that revealed part of their plans or thoughts right in front of the antagonist's people. That really didn't make sense to me.

I recommend this to people looking for a dystopian book that has elements of Treasure Island and Subnautica and who like survival stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC.

I love the premise of the story, the fact that it's set in a post-apocalyptic world where most of the world is flooded I just wished this was explored more from a suspense/horror perspective as i feel it would have added some much needed urgency and atmosphere to the story. However, that could have been my fault for going into this story with the wrong idea of what the story is about. This story is very much a treasure island/Heist story at the heart of it and I think if you go into the story with that mindset of what the story is about you will enjoy this story so much more.

I really loved the underwater aspect of this story though and I loved the premise of diving under water for treasure I think that is really cool which is why halfway through the story I got a bit more interested in it as that pulled me it. But I struggled at the beginning mostly during the planning of the heist as I felt it was a bit too much info dumping regarding the world and the characters.

Overall its a good story if you love heist stories especially if you love Treasure Island.

This is a brilliant book and a fantastic world. I was really enjoying it but then unfortunately had to DNF 50% in because there were some scenes featuring the threat of something I don’t like to read about and I was put off from continuing. However, that is a me problem and I still think this was a great book until that point. 4 stars for the 50% I did manage to read.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

A swash-buckling adventure full of action, danger, mystery and fun; it hooks the reader in and takes us on an entertaining and emotional journey.

The fascinating world-building fully immerses us in this never-ending waterworld, there’s no sun but plenty of rain! The water feels alive, it has a mind of its own, and the stunning Coconino Bay is subject to its whims. I enjoyed how the writing brings the elements so vividly to life, we can hear it, see it, and feel it!

In the aftermath of losing her Father, Jin is dealing with her grief and struggling to keep the Inn afloat. She’s a strong character who’s smart, funny, loyal and I loved the sass she brings to the pages lending the perfect voice to the story.

Thara doesn’t always take Jin’s protective advice on board and longs for independence and to make her own choices. Be careful what you wish for! I loved their strong bond and the way they support each other through the darkest of times. I enjoyed how the story explores family – how it can hurt, heal, give strength and come in many forms.

A mysterious guest, Bhili, brings more to their door than they bargained for, and before they can turn back they find themselves caught up in a high-stakes treasure hunt with betrayal, secrets and peril hiding under the surface. The reader has no clue how it will all pan out and I was so invested in the outcome!

What follows is an exciting tale that’s as up and down as the choppy waters they find themselves in! There’s complicated feelings, sea monsters and the ruthless Captain Silva to contend with. Despite all this, Jin and Thara keep their hope for a better tomorrow alive. Will a job that could destroy them be the thing that sets them free? It’s a brilliant read to find out!

The underwater world of "Into the Sunken City" was my favorite part of the novel. The environment and atmosphere pulled me in but the plot and the characters left me wanting. The plot felt abrupt at times and I did not find the treasure-hunting narrative compelling when it felt like so much else could have been explored. The tonal transitions also felt quite jarring at times. The characters felt extremely one-dimensional, especially with regard to their relationships with other characters. They were either simple monoliths of sister or not-quite-ex-boyfriend rather than fully fleshed-out people who would've known each other for years.

This last point may be more personal to me as I am of Indian descent, but the Hindu texts and deities felt shoe-horned in rather than having a meaningful impact on the characters or worldbuilding. While the text of the prayers may have mirrored the novel's setting, they felt unmoored within the story and largely superficial rather than deeply meaningful. I think a more subtle integration of the Vedic philosophies would've fit better rather than symbolic inclusions.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.