Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan (review)

Harding-Pencroft Academy is an elite school that is focused on preparing its students for marine science professions, and freshman Ana Dakkar is anxious about passing its notoriously difficult trials to move on to her next year. All that worry is quickly pushed aside, however, when the school is attacked by a rival academy, and Ana, a few dozen freshman, and an ailing professor are the only survivors. Ana is suddenly thrust into a leadership role after it’s revealed that she is the last remaining heir to Prince Dakkar, i.e., Captain Nemo from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, which she learns is apparently more a work of journalism than fiction. Ana is the only one that can lead the group to an HP hidden base and control the Nautilus, an AI submarine, before the powerful alt-tech falls into the wrong hands. The plot follows the familiar “chosen one” trajectory, but it’s still a heck of a lot of fun, and the oceanic setting provides plenty of opportunities for unique additions, including impressive alt-tech weapons and an amorous octopus (not to mention the sub’s talented orangutan chef). Explanations of Ana’s and HP’s connection to Verne’s literary works occasionally bog down the pace, but thrilling underwater battles and hints at further secrets more than make up for it. Savvy readers might spot a betrayal coming, but its revelation is still a heartbreaker; fortunately, however, it also sets the stage for more installments and readers will eagerly take a deeper dive with this crew.