Into the Sunken City

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 33 ratings

Price: 21.25

Last update: 09-16-2024


About this item

""Steal-your-breath adventure."" —Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles

Perfect for fans of Fable and House of Salt and Sorrows, this spectacular YA fantasy adventure debut is like nothing else, featuring a unique twist on Treasure Island, a magnetic second chance romance, and a thrilling heist where the reward is great—but the risks are even greater.

In the slowly sinking city of Coconino, Arizona, the days are long, the money is tight, and the rain never stops.

For Jin Haldar, this life is nothing new—ever since her father died in a diving accident, she’s barely made ends meet for her and her younger sister, Thara.

Enter Bhili: a drifter who offers Jin and Thara the score of a lifetime—a massive stash of gold hidden in the sunken ruins of Las Vegas.

Jin knows it’s too dangerous. She stopped diving after her father’s accident. But when her sister decides to go, Jin’s left with only one choice: to go with her.

A ragtag crew is assembled—including Jin’s annoyingly hot ex-boyfriend. From there, a high-stakes heist ensues that’s beyond even Jin’s wildest fears. Crumbling ruins, sea beasts, corsairs, and a mysterious figure named João Silva all lie in wait. To survive, Jin will have to do what she promised herself she’d never do again: dive.


Top reviews from the United States

Tiffany A.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Debut
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024
Into the Sunken City is set in a future where climate change has resulted in majority of the world being under water. We follow Jina after the tragic death of her father during a dive to recover items from the world that was. While dealing with grief and PTSD, Jina is also responsible for the care of her 14-year-old sister, running the inn her father owned, and to top it off she's of age to be conscripted. Enter the Pretty One, a woman who arrives just when Jina thinks all is lost and offers good coin to stay in Jina's inn. Jina is initially wary but concedes because the money can pay her conscription tax and allow her to stay with her sister. Jina and her sister, Thara, settle in to life with the Pretty One until one night a violent corsair arrives and demands to see the Pretty One. Jina is then swept up on a tense and emotional quest to retrieve sunken treasure that can change her and her sister's life.

Dinesh Thiru has written a fast paced and exciting retelling of Treasure Island. All of the characters are dynamic and three dimensional, each with their own personal goals and desires. While Jina herself grated on me at times (I wanted to just shake her on occasion), I understood her and the expression of her grief and PTSD was raw and real. The Pretty One (I refuse to reveal her name because I really enjoyed how it was revealed in the book) was such a good reincarnation of her character inspiration. Silva was a strong villain, written in such a way that he could be both feared and cared for. Thara was such a force, honestly my favorite character of the bunch. Taim was honestly one of the best YA love interests that I have read in a long time, he cared for Jina a way that wasn't overbearing or patronizing. He encouraged her growth in a kind and thoughtful way that fit the maturity young adults in this world would have to exhibit.

The worldbuilding that Thiru has done is truly robust. Everything felt cohesive from the language used, to the cultures, and military presence. Often times when authors use swears that are based in their fantasy world it can feel awkward or forced but in this case, swamping or rusting for example, felt so fitting to the world that we were in. The setting made sense and the characters acted accordingly within it.

I just really enjoyed everything in this book, the pacing the dialogue, the characters, the theme and the ending. This was honestly a banger of a debut from Thiru and I look forward to reading the finished work and anything else he publishes.
desiraye
4.0 out of 5 stars If you love suspense this book is for you!
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024
4⭐️

This book was such a heart thumping read! Tension was wound throughout every sentence which kept me on my toes with every passing second. All of the characters in this book were compelling in their own way, but none more so than Jin. Jin’s struggle through grief and responsibility made her a character worth rooting for. The book has a slow beginning and drags a little at the end, but the third act is non stop action. As a lover of heist movies this book was made for me. The high stakes heist paired with the setting of a sci-fi dystopian future makes for an incredibly entertaining story. Thiru is amazing at writing suspense and describing the senses. His powerful writing made me feel anxiety for the characters as they made their way through the deep. The B plot of the romance fell flat for me. However, the relationship with Jin and her sister felt very authentic. This was a very enjoyable read, and I definitely recommend reading it.
K. Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars Intense dystopian book about two sisters...
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2024
This book was not what I expected but it was so much more. Jin and Thara are sisters who have been on their own since the diving death of their father in a dystopian world where much of the West Coast is underwater. Jin was a diver, but won't do it any longer, to protect her sister. But a man named Bhili convinces her sister to dive into Las Vegas to go after a legendary cache of gold, so Jin has to go along to keep her sister safe. But can she? The dangers and terrors Jin has to face are intense--the story is brutal but spellbinding. This is definitely one you will think about for a long time afterward, I can promise you that--even though I can't tell you why. It would give away too much of the plot! Excellent story, well worth the read. Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Readers Copy and, as always, my reviews are independent and my opinions are my own.
Lady with a Quill
4.0 out of 5 stars Post-Apocalyptic Treasure Planet
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2024
The perfect escapist read for a reader of any age, background and mood! I loved diving into this post-apocalyptic adventure. The world-building was unique, subtle in a way that allowed immersion before the reader even realizes it's occurred. I felt instantly connected to the characters, the world they lived in, and the trials they went through. It had a bit of a Treasure Planet vibe to it, which happens to be one of my favorite animated movies, so that likely helped. The romance was very minimal, so don't go into this expecting a whole lot in that department. Honestly, the book would have been just fine without it, so this could be categorized as a science-fiction/fantasy young adult novel and leave off the romance tag entirely. Which I was a little bummed about, given that it was marketed as a romance. There is a couple in love, but this story is more about family, trauma, healing and redemption. While there isn't a large cliffhanger, there is a bit of one, so my guess is the romance will feature more prominently in the next book.

Jin Haldar lives to keep her sister safe, after their father died in a diving accident three years ago and left the running of their family inn to his surviving daughters. Dodging the Navy's efforts to recruit her requires money, and it's all she can do to continue swimming into the vast waters around them to salvage wreckage from long-lost towns and homes. When her boyfriend leaves to join the Coast Guard, Jin accepts that she can only count on herself and her sister...until a visitor to their inn changes everything. In exchange for enough money to ensure Jin and her sister can live comfortably outside the Navy's reach, she allows the guest inside. When someone comes looking for them, it sparks a chain of events that points to an even bigger prize - gold in the Treasure Island Casino in what was once Las Vegas. It requires an experienced diver, and if Jin doesn't go, her sister will take her place. Joined by a crew that eventually involves her ex-boyfriend, Jin must face her fears to keep her sister safe. Even if that means doing the one thing she swore never to do again - dive.

I loved the family dynamic in this book more than anything else - reading about the complexity of Jin's relationship with her sister was so genuine and multi-faceted. Her sister being a teenager in a post-apocalyptic world just showed how the world can change but teenagers will still be teenagers. Her sister's relationship with their guest only solidified that, where sometimes they find role models in the most unlikely of places...and with the last person the adult in the room wants them to look up to. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, even the villains. They weren't caricatures of villains, feeling overdone or obvious. They had layers, a backstory, even as they did things that made me want to see them hurt. Jin's romance with her ex-boyfriend, Taim, was interesting, albeit not as interesting as the rest of the story. It was predictable, frustrating and full of emotion. Taim wanted to move on with his life, and he wanted Jin at his side, but he didn't realize Jin couldn't move on. Jin was still stuck in the past, struggling to manage her trauma from her father's death, and it wasn't until she was able to verbalize where she laid blame that true healing began. Honestly, that was where their relationship started to take a turn. It was painful but necessary. I really look forward to seeing how it progresses in the next book.

**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**

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