Book Title: Daughter of the Deep
ISBN: 9780241538203
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Puffin Book
Publication Year: 2021
Price: RM49.95
BY ELEAZAR BARRICK PETER
I’m a Dolphin. I believe that communication can solve any problem if the parties have the will and the intelligence to learn to understand each other.
– Ana Dakkar
This latest novel by the amazing Rick Riordan tells the story of Ana Dakkar, a 15-year-old freshman at the exclusive Harding-Pencroft (HP) Academy.
HP Academy is a five-year high school that produces the world’s best naval officers, marine scientists, navigators and explorers.
After a tragedy that forever changes the lives of the HP Academy freshman class, Ana discovers that she is the last living descendant of Prince Dakkar, otherwise known as Prince Nemo, the master of Nautilus and the protagonist of “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”.
Ana realises that all the stories from Jules Verne are not entirely fictional while finding herself at the centre of a cold war that has raged for over a century, as forces beyond her imagination fight over the incredible inventions Captain Nemo created.
I have always been a fan of Verne, and his books are what tickles my brain to be obsessed with the adventure-archaeology and science fiction genres.
“Daughter of the Deep” is one of the best homages to that genre that I have ever read.
This book offers a sense of excitement and adventure, with the reality of danger lurking around every corner.
Riordan’s timeless ability as an author can be seen in his commitment to cautiously portray diversity, and his love for the ocean and Verne.
Furthermore, the author brings the readers to some truly stunning scenes: the discovery of the island, the first sighting of the Nautilus, a giant octopus rising from the depths of the Pacific Ocean …
Readers will be unable to forget the real and present danger our dauntless protagonists face, from underwater combat to bombardment from an enemy submarine, with the reality of capture and death.
In addition, Ana is Riordan’s first solo female protagonist, and through his talents, we meet a relatable character who managed to catch my attention from the moment she was introduced.
She is brilliant, has friends she can rely on, and one aspect about her that makes her relatable is that she holds her sorrow in a certain part of her heart while continuing with her life.
Ana is the type of character you would want to be friends with as she is not the popular one, but rather a good friend who is open-minded and willing to change as she learns more about someone. For example, the way her friendship with Gemini Twain evolves in the book shows how loving she is.
Furthermore, her loyalty to her friends, and the fact that she relies on her wits and intelligence, with some help of technological marvels, allows her to surpass characters like Percy Jackson.
In this stand-alone novel, Riordan has craftily introduced a set of characters, established a cult-like cast of villains who may or may not be bad, and made a commentary on the exploitation of modern society.
When Ana learns about the Nemo technology she now has access to, the kids wonder why HP would keep this technology to themselves. Why not release the Nemo tech to the world.
The HP students’ discussion about how big corporations or governments might seize such technology and perhaps not use it for the best interests of the world is detailed and serves as a nice talking point in the novel.
Discussing corporate exploitation is not what I expected from this middle grade novel, yet it makes perfect sense for the characters to do so.
This book also addressed grief and the dualism of human nature. For example, in “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”, Captain Nemo is paranoid, angry, and eager to lash out, yet in “The Mysterious Island”, Captain Nemo is defeated but willing to believe in a better world.
Both sides of Nemo are mirrored in how his descendants handle their parents’ deaths. Dev becomes angry and resentful and turns on his HP Academy compatriots, while Ana, after some reflection, decides to take up her ancestors’ reigns in keeping his inventions out of the hands of governments and corporations.
I have always admired Riordan’s ability to develop richly compelling stories for middle grade readers while still focusing on detailed issues that kids can relate to.
The middle grade label is merely a category, not a limit on what a reader can access.
Hence, I highly recommend this book even to adults who enjoy a good adventure and science fiction story.
