The Descent of The Drowned

She is bound to serve. He is meant to kill. Survival is their prison. Choice is their weapon.

As the sacred slave of a goddess, Roma is of a lower caste that serves patrons to sustain the balance between gods and men. What she wants is her freedom, but deserters are hunted and hanged, and Roma only knows how to survive in her village where women are vessels without a voice. When her younger brother is condemned to the same wretched fate as hers, Roma must choose between silence and rebellion.

Leviathan is the bastard son of an immortal tyrant. Raised in a military city where everyone knows of his blood relation to the persecuted clans, Leviathan is considered casteless. Lowest of the low. Graduating as one of the deadliest soldiers, he executes in his father's name, displaying his worth. When he faces judgement from his mother's people—the clans—Leviathan must confront his demons and forge his own path, if he ever hopes to reclaim his soul.

But in the struggle to protect the people they love and rebuild their identities, Roma's and Leviathan's destinies interlock as the tyrant hunts an ancient treasure that will doom humankind should it come into his possession—a living treasure to which Roma and Leviathan are the ultimate key.

Set in a colonised Indo-Persian world and inspired by pre-Islamic Arabian mythology, The Descent of the Drowned is a tale about power, identity, and redemption, and what it takes to hold on to one's humanity in the face of devastation.

Title: The Descent of The Drowned

Author: Ana Lal Din

Genre: Fantasy

Hardcover:  360 pages

Publication Date: 03/15/2021

Publisher: White Tigress Press

Language: English

ISBN: 9781838046507

My Review

This novel is an Indo-Persian #ownvoices novel inspired by Pre-Islamic Arabian mythology and it is as ravishing as it is terrifyingly thrilling. With poignant prose, The Descent of The Drowned reads strikingly evocative of identity redemption and lends to an intensely vivid plot for the senses. Fans of dark embellished word choices, multicultural elements, and mythology, will enjoy this amazing debut novel by Ana Lal Din.

Roma, one of the main characters in this novel is a devadasi slave to a God. As an abandoned babe, she was dropped off on the temple steps of Lamiapur like an orphan after she was born under the full moon. At age 4, she was dedicated to Mother Lamia, with many other girls and she must live as a chosen one. Considered vessels to the gods, refusal to abandon her patrons is the worst crime she could commit. Yet, she is tormented in her devotions to the divine, the belief system she was brought up with and the many wounds inflicted on her physically and mentally.

“Patrons are vessels of Lord Biran just like we’re vessels of Mother Lamia. And we should be grateful for our sacred zaat because we’re safe. If we didn’t worship-“
“Safety is an illusion,” Roma interrupted. Meriel and Goldie turned their heads toward her. “And the nature of an illusion is to deceive.”

Leviathan is a soldier of the highest brutality. Son of an immortal tyrant and a mother of the clans, he is torn between two worlds. He wants to be free of what the controlling Firawn made him, but when his mother died, his identity burned with her.

There are tensions in the land between the higher and lower zaats and the two main protagonists find themselves torn in opposing directions of their upbringing. When they meet, it is not at first a serious matter, when Roma’s brother disappears for one of the highest crimes, Leviathan’s mission is to uncover a children’s and organ smuggle trading ring, their paths take dramatic turns. Roma will have to fight for her life, while Leviathan uses her to aid in his cause.

As Roma becomes a fierce fighter filled with hatred and redemption, it is Leviathan who must see past his Firawn control to do the one and humane thing there is to do. At that point, it could be too late and a full-on war between the zaats at hand. Will Roma and Levi be able to unite in the same cause?

A story that tethers at the brink of darkness becomes the question of good and evil only our main protagonists can stir. Their personal struggles and fates will collide in immeasurable consequences so devastating, it commences in the most thrilling and darkest of ways as the plot nears the end.

***

I had the pleasure of reading an excerpt of this novel when the publisher approached me about a review. I was immediately riveted by the striking writing and exotic foreign setting to me. An Indo-Persian novel is such an excellent example of what is missing in most big publishing. I know it is gaining some momentum through diversity awareness etc, so I think it is the perfect time for this book to hit the shelves in March.

I absolutely loved this book. I was trying not to give away too much in my review, yet the story is so rich and textured, filled with a mother tongue that’s new to me and a flair I can only imagine that brought me to the streets and Persian markets.

Roma is such an amazing and enduring character. All her energy is both pain and love wrapped into a bundle of mind, feist and beauty. I so admired her strength and vulnerabilities simultaneously and I think the author did an amazing job creating her.

Leviathan is equally amazing and his struggle goes deep. He is this absolute power-house with a façade unbreakable but he fights those demons inside on a daily basis. While he is in need of finding peace to his inner conflicts, Roma is trying to break the chains that bind her physically.
The writing of this debut is strikingly stark and beautiful. Completely on par with my taste. I’m happy to say my hunch on the excerpt did fully hold up. What an amazing book. If there is one little part that I wished for, it would have been that the solution at the end should have been more clear vs. left to interpretation, though I know many readers enjoy it just like that.

Do not miss this debut novel. I have a feeling we will be reading much more from this author in the near future. And what is there not to love about the cover art? It is amazing.

Put this on your tbr. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of strong female protagonists. Roma will not disappoint!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

All opinions are my own.

Thank you!