What do you think?
Rate this book
Aquantis #1
The Drowning World
This new YA crossover fantasy novel is like The Hunger Games, set underwater in a future of rising seas, floating cities, and Flood Lands. The DROWNING WORLD is a haunting and mesmerizing story of two different people from two very different worlds. Can a mermaid and a human boy find love? Can they survive in his world and hers?
A regal and highly trained young mermaid, Marina, is on her first spy mission to Skyeworld in 2020. She comes ashore on Siesta Key, Florida where she meets feisty Lukas, a proud Cuban refugee. Marina will have to choose between the advanced civilization of Aquantis, where she has been chosen as a High Priestess, and her love for Lukas and his dangerously polluted SkyeWorld.
Marina's magic and skill save Lukas' life. But can she save her own against a lifelong nemesis from her world?
A regal and highly trained young mermaid, Marina, is on her first spy mission to Skyeworld in 2020. She comes ashore on Siesta Key, Florida where she meets feisty Lukas, a proud Cuban refugee. Marina will have to choose between the advanced civilization of Aquantis, where she has been chosen as a High Priestess, and her love for Lukas and his dangerously polluted SkyeWorld.
Marina's magic and skill save Lukas' life. But can she save her own against a lifelong nemesis from her world?
- GenresMermaids
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
3 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Peterson
56 books81 followersBrenda Peterson is the author of over 20 books, including the recently released murder mystery, Stiletto. Her first memoir Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals, chosen as a “Best Spiritual Book of 2001,” to three novels, one of which, Duck and Cover, was chosen by New York Times as a Notable Book of the Year. Her second memoir, a dark comedy of family and faith, is I Want To Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth; it was selected by The Christian Science Monitor among the Top Ten Best Non-Fiction Books and chosen by independent bookstores as an Indie Next and a Great Read.
Her non-fiction has appeared in numerous national newspapers, journals, and magazines, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, Reader’s Digest, Christian Science Monitor, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Utne Reader. Oprah.com featured her Your Life is a Book: How to Craft and Publish Your Memoir. Her new kid’s are Wild Orca and Lobo: A Wolf Family Returns Home.
Her non-fiction has appeared in numerous national newspapers, journals, and magazines, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, Reader’s Digest, Christian Science Monitor, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Utne Reader. Oprah.com featured her Your Life is a Book: How to Craft and Publish Your Memoir. Her new kid’s are Wild Orca and Lobo: A Wolf Family Returns Home.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 26, 2013
BOOK REVIEW: THE DROWNING WORLD BY BRENDA PETERSON
OK, before you start even reading, this is a book about Mermaids. If you, like me, are not a fan of Mermaids, you are going to struggle with getting into this book. Usually, I read young adult novels because I write young adult novels and I am very picky with what I choose to read for the simple fact that most of them follow a certain blueprint. There are just so many ways to you can tell the same story over and over again, so I thought I’d step out of my comfort zone and read something that I was not too familiar with, nor was I normally drawn to. This is that book! Surprisingly, I enjoyed it.
It’s not to say that I am Mermaid prejudice. I mean, I didn’t grow up in a bubble and I could not miss the success train that The Little Mermaid was. But singing and dancing under the sea was just not my cup of tea; especially with talking crabs and pretty fish. I did however appreciate the love story elements of Ariel and the dashing hero. Thankfully, in Brenda Peterson’s novel (the first in a series) there are neither dancing crabs nor singing dolphins. There are however, talking dolphins and turtles. Peterson excelled at creating a world all her own (Aquantis) where Mer-people dwell and utilize fancy technology to navigate the sea and communicate. I appreciated her attention to detail, even down to the telepathic form of communication and tattooing. The Drowning World tells a story of future Earth in which Hurricanes have a finally put a butt whipping on the entire Eastern Sea Coast of the USA and a young Mermaid named Marina ventures on to dry land and befriends and young boy named Lukas.
Over time, she brings him to her home world of Aquantis, where he finds out that he too have special abilities. Without spoiling it, they are unknowingly flung through a whirl pool/worm whole ten years in the future where Lukas is in a desperate search to find his father and return back through the whole. There’s couple of love triangles to keep the reader involved along the way, along with some small action scenes.
As a writer, there’s nothing like playing in your own fictional world and Peterson flexes her imaginative muscle, enough to keep me interested. The problem is I felt more drawn to the environment, technology and elements, rather than the characters. Peterson switches POV from Marina and Lukas from a first person perspective and while she nailed Marina, I found it hard to distinguish between Lukas and her. Gender references like calling other characters handsome just didn’t come off too believable. Sometimes the conversations came off a little stiff and scripted. The ending of the book leaves the book wide open for the sequel and I’m sure that as the series progresses; there will be time to dive more into the psyche of each character. If you are a huge fan of marine life and love stories, you need to grab this one quick. If not, there is still much to be found beneath the sea in The Drowning World. I give it a 3.5/5 Stars.
OK, before you start even reading, this is a book about Mermaids. If you, like me, are not a fan of Mermaids, you are going to struggle with getting into this book. Usually, I read young adult novels because I write young adult novels and I am very picky with what I choose to read for the simple fact that most of them follow a certain blueprint. There are just so many ways to you can tell the same story over and over again, so I thought I’d step out of my comfort zone and read something that I was not too familiar with, nor was I normally drawn to. This is that book! Surprisingly, I enjoyed it.
It’s not to say that I am Mermaid prejudice. I mean, I didn’t grow up in a bubble and I could not miss the success train that The Little Mermaid was. But singing and dancing under the sea was just not my cup of tea; especially with talking crabs and pretty fish. I did however appreciate the love story elements of Ariel and the dashing hero. Thankfully, in Brenda Peterson’s novel (the first in a series) there are neither dancing crabs nor singing dolphins. There are however, talking dolphins and turtles. Peterson excelled at creating a world all her own (Aquantis) where Mer-people dwell and utilize fancy technology to navigate the sea and communicate. I appreciated her attention to detail, even down to the telepathic form of communication and tattooing. The Drowning World tells a story of future Earth in which Hurricanes have a finally put a butt whipping on the entire Eastern Sea Coast of the USA and a young Mermaid named Marina ventures on to dry land and befriends and young boy named Lukas.
Over time, she brings him to her home world of Aquantis, where he finds out that he too have special abilities. Without spoiling it, they are unknowingly flung through a whirl pool/worm whole ten years in the future where Lukas is in a desperate search to find his father and return back through the whole. There’s couple of love triangles to keep the reader involved along the way, along with some small action scenes.
As a writer, there’s nothing like playing in your own fictional world and Peterson flexes her imaginative muscle, enough to keep me interested. The problem is I felt more drawn to the environment, technology and elements, rather than the characters. Peterson switches POV from Marina and Lukas from a first person perspective and while she nailed Marina, I found it hard to distinguish between Lukas and her. Gender references like calling other characters handsome just didn’t come off too believable. Sometimes the conversations came off a little stiff and scripted. The ending of the book leaves the book wide open for the sequel and I’m sure that as the series progresses; there will be time to dive more into the psyche of each character. If you are a huge fan of marine life and love stories, you need to grab this one quick. If not, there is still much to be found beneath the sea in The Drowning World. I give it a 3.5/5 Stars.
March 31, 2013
"This underwater world is so believable and vivid and fascinating. It's a page-turner. Irresistible!"
--Sy Montgomery, bestselling author The Good, Good Pig
"The merpeople and their resplendent undersea setting are so full and rich. Amazing and haunting, The Drowning World exceeds the grasp of The Golden Compass in its themes and imaginative reach. A wonderful novel."
--Marion Copeland, book critic Nature in Legend and Story
"The Drowning World is a rollicking good tale of shape-shifting, time travel, mermaids, the secret world of Aquantis, and other dreams of Peterson's glorious imagination--all set against the backdrop of powerful forces--the fate of the seas, human turmoil, young love, and what everyone feels at some point in their life: The sense of being an alien in an alien land. Its pull is oceanic--it quickly lures you deep beneath its waves while time evaporates."
--Diane Ackerman, The Zookeeper's Wife
From the Author
Brenda Peterson is an acclaimed novelist, author of 17 books including DUCK AND COVER, a New York Times "Notable Book of the Year," and the recent memoir, I WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, named among "Top Ten Best Non-Fiction Books of the Year." This is her fifth novel. For more: brendapetersonbooks.com/
For the first Drowning World interview and feature by renown Mermaid author, Carolyn Turgeon, please visit her blog at I am a Mermaid: iamamermaid.com/2012/09/04/brenda-pet...
March 31, 2013
REVIEWS
"This underwater world is so believable and vivid and fascinating. It's a page-turner. Irresistible!"
--Sy Montgomery, bestselling author The Good, Good Pig
"The merpeople and their resplendent undersea setting are so full and rich. Amazing and haunting, The Drowning World exceeds the grasp of The Golden Compass in its themes and imaginative reach. A wonderful novel."
--Marion Copeland, book critic Nature in Legend and Story
"The Drowning World is a rollicking good tale of shape-shifting, time travel, mermaids, the secret world of Aquantis, and other dreams of Peterson's glorious imagination--all set against the backdrop of powerful forces--the fate of the seas, human turmoil, young love, and what everyone feels at some point in their life: The sense of being an alien in an alien land. Its pull is oceanic--it quickly lures you deep beneath its waves while time evaporates."
--Diane Ackerman, The Zookeeper's Wife
From the Author
Brenda Peterson is an acclaimed novelist, author of 17 books including DUCK AND COVER, a New York Times "Notable Book of the Year," and the recent memoir, I WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, named among "Top Ten Best Non-Fiction Books of the Year." This is her fifth novel. For more: BrendaPetersonBooks.com
January 15, 2013
Whoa. This book is a winner, sure to catch on and captivate and ensnare readers of all ages, especially young people. Brenda Peterson has created a richly imagined underwater world called “Aquantis,” complete with mer-people who can shift between one tail and two legs, mind-talking communication with dolphins and sea turtles, a Hogwarts-like training school, and even a dark underside of exploited workers in the sea gardens. Part of the story is set in the year 2030, and the author gives us a vivid portrayal of what global warming might do to the low-lying lands of south Florida, swept by frequent hurricanes, covered with mud, and its residents, doomed to a life offshore on Eco-Arks. But what kept me turning pages were the adventures of the main characters: sixteen-year-old Marina, assigned to explore the “SkyeWorld” as a spy-ambassador, and Lukas, a sexy young human drawn into the underwater world while trying to save turtles from an oil spill. Can’t wait for the sequel!
September 8, 2014
You can practically taste the salt on these pages - the author's love for, and knowledge of, the ocean comes through clearly and brings the novel to life. I liked that it kept its own path throughout: although a YA paranormal with a romance element, it wasn't sappy or cliched; although ecologically slanted, it was balanced and not preachy (indeed, anyone would come away with a stronger love for nature and humanity's place in it); although set in the future, it's the near future and thus doesn't feel remote and alien. It's the type of future we could easily see our present shifting into, and might, in some particulars, if we aren't more careful. The underwater world of Aquantis was especially cool, and I can't help wishing it was really down there, waiting to help us humans with our mistakes.
It's a "Book One" and leaves several points unresolved until later installments, so I hope Brenda's writing those! Looking forward to it.
It's a "Book One" and leaves several points unresolved until later installments, so I hope Brenda's writing those! Looking forward to it.
September 20, 2013
I received a copy of this from the author herself, and must admit I was blown away. Considering this genre of book is not something I normally read. I highly recommend this book, as it will grab you into a world of fantasy and make believe that will leave you wanting more. Kudos to Brenda Peterson for making me a part of another world!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews