**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I’m not one who immediately jumps to pick up anything with a nautical / underwater theme but I do love it when books explore dystopian worldscapes and the one in this really intrigued me for its uniqueness. Plus the lead protagonist is a brown girl and I’m always down for more desi rep in fiction!

Into the Sunken City is a YA book that takes place on the American West Coast in a future where a weather phenomena of persistent cloud cover and rainfall called The Stitching has caused sea levels to rise and sunken much of the landmass. After losing both her parents Jin Haldar runs the family inn that they left behind and has the responsibility of her 14 years old sister Thara. When a drifter called Bhili turns up at their inn with a wrecking job that could provide enough gold to solve the girls problems Jin is hesitant to give in. Diving and wrecking – salvaging objects that have been lost to the ocean – has always been in their family’s blood but is also the reason their father is no longer with them so is a bit of a touchy subject between the two sisters. However, with Thara determined to go on this heist Jin isn’t going to let Thara go without her.

I was hooked in by the story and the characters almost immediately. It is a book packed with daring adventure and heist like shenanigans and while not being an exact retelling did sort of give me Treasure Island vibes.

The whole diving and wrecking aspect was so so interesting and Thiru did his research there alongside everything to do with maritime exploring extremely well. The future worldbuilding overall felt quite well established too.

While I enjoyed the book overall, the pacing did effect the tensions and high stakes aspect for me a little and I’ve got to say that Jin was a main character that got more and more frustrating as the story progressed. She has serious trust and attachment issues and these things alongside the theme of grief were explored through her character well. However, there were times when her internal monologue was way too repetitive to the point of tediousness.

I really liked the supporting characters though especially Bhili. Thara and Jin’s ex-boyfriend Taim weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked but they were a really wholesome support system for Jin with all that she was going through despite her constant cynicism and stubbornness. I feel like there was the foundations of a found family trying to be put together but it didn’t entirely capture me even though there were some well written relationships a part of it.

All in all, the story has a satisfying enough ending and for its originality I’d say it’s a book worth checking out if you like YA dystopia and storylines involving heists!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars

I really enjoyed this books blend of family responsibilities and adventure. It had a unique premise and the author presented a very different dystopian future. I liked the characters but I wish some of the supporting characters had gotten more backstory and character growth.

@dineshmt ‘s into the sunken city was such a gorgeous read - set in this complex, dystopian world where rain falls constantly - and cities have fallen to ruin underwater, this follows our MC Jin (a proper badass struggling with grief after losing her dad) who, to save her younger sister and the people she loves, is blackmailed by pirates and vigilantes into diving into a dangerous wreck to find buried treasure. loved it. 4.5🌟 from me

I think this will find a large readeship. The writing is good and the character development is great and relatable. The Cover is a bit generic and will not stand out. It will likely require librarian support in recommending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 3.5 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Into the Sunken City takes place years into the future when heavy rainfall has sunken much of the world. Jin, in charge of her younger sister and the inn after her father died needs money and when a drifter offers them the job of a lifetime, she takes it.

“There are two kinds of power in this world. Authority - the power to make someone’s decisions. And money - the power to buy someone’s decisions.”

The synopsis of this book really intrigued me, and I was curious to see what this book would bring to the table.
The story starts off in a way that is interesting, but also not really attention grabbing at the same time. What I noticed the most is how little bits of information were given, but it felt like I still didn’t know anything about the world or why it was flooded. Later on, we learn, but I feel like the way the information about the world was given wasn’t really distributed well across the book. I needed more at the beginning.
Jin starts off as an interesting character to me. I liked her determination and her protective nature. As the book progressed though, she came across as more narrowminded and her protectiveness tipped the wrong way. She was quick to jump to (the wrong) conclusions and smothered her sister, which became annoying as it happened more and more. Same with Thara, who was really rash often times, and acted like a typical teenager in my eyes.
Jin’s ex-boyfriend goes along with the journey, but I didn’t feel or see the chemistry between them. It felt unnecessary to the book and out of place. Same with the found family trope, it didn’t really work for me in this book. I think all of this can be contributed to the fact that I just didn’t vibe with Jin and Thara and they were the centre of it all.
The story itself was rather predictable, and I knew what would happen before it did. This kinda took away the excitement of reading this book all together. I did like how the theme of grief was woven into the book and the story.
Overall, Into the Sunken City has a great and interesting concept, but the execution lacked and I didn’t connect with the main characters.

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

*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.