DNF.

I enjoyed the idea of the book but unfortunately, I wasn't feeling it as I was reading. Maybe dystopian worlds are no longer for me.

I was not very interested in this book, and it was a struggle to get through. I wasn't captured by the characters or the plot, and considered stopping several times before getting to the end.

This book wasn’t for me. I didn’t find any attachment to the characters and I found the plot to be meh

I did not finish this book only because I was not really into the plot. The world that was created was very interesting; however, I just could not get into it. This was a me problem. Not a book problem. I may try to pick it up at another time when I am in a better mood to read a book like this.

2.4 stars
oh this is another book I wished I could have given a higher rate.

I was in love with the premise and the promise of the world. And it really started strong.

The world was indeed fascinating, a post apocalyptic London underwater, submersibles transportation, gigantic oceanic monsters, civil unrest... and 16 years old trying to survive it all

However, I had a hard time connecting with the MC due to many inconsistencies.

there was also the writing style. It wasn't for me I really struggle with it. The plot fell flat as well.

So much potential though!

3.75/5 stars

This book's story is honestly so fascinating. A futuristic world that's submerged underwater, a mystery, government corruption, interesting technology...all amazing!

The writing felt a little rushed for my tastes, like we were tripping along too fast.

But I loved Ari as well as the twins, and I'm excited to see/read the sequel!

Leyla McQueen lives in a world that was flooded as a result of an asteroid strike. Society has rebuilt itself, somewhat, under the water, despite the fact that living underwater isn’t exactly great for humans. I mean, just think of the mold! Euch. Or, well, in Leyla’s case, it’d be mold, because she lives in Underwater London which is either awesome or horrifying, depending on how you look at it. Leyla is a driving instructor by trade, teaching others how to pilot their submersibles, but in her free time, she loves a good race. In fact, we get our first introduction to Waterworld London via an unofficial road race which Leyla wins. Which is great, because she can really use the prize money to help pay for a lawyer to help her dad - see, Hashem McQueen has been arrested for supposedly helping depressed people suffering from an all-consuming sadness called the Seasickness kill themselves. Which is weird because I’m pretty sure that, even without his help, those people would’ve figured out a way to kill themselves anyway, but whatever. Either way, the charges are bullshit, and Leyla has been doing her damnedest to prove it, but keeps hitting roadblocks (waterblocks?) every step of the way.

Until she gets the chance to race in the London Marathon, the top prize of which includes a single personal request from the Prime Minister. If she wins the Marathon, she could ask for her dad’s freedom and it’d be granted, easy-peasy, right?

Right?

Yeah, it’s not that easy. Nothing is ever that easy when you live under the sea (under the sea!). Especially when there’s these weird, genetically modified humans called Anthropoids running around, committing acts of terrorism. Anthropoids were created to survive under the water, and survive they can - but apparently Anthropoids also went insane and hate normal people so much they just want to kill anyone who isn’t a fellow Anthropoid. London is supposedly safe from the Anthropoids, but this is a YA fantasy action/adventure novel so you know that won’t last long.

Anyway, Leyla competes in the London Marathon, but things absolutely do not go as easily as she’d hoped. I mean, the book would be pretty short if things went easily. After the race, Leyla is given a chance to leave the safe, familiar waters of London for the world beyond - and, possibly, a chance to rescue her father herself. Along with Ari, the infuriatingly handsome son of one of her grandfather’s friends, and her Maltese puppy, Jojo, Leyla leaves London and heads into the dangerous unknown. Under the sea. Under the sea. Darling it's better / Down where it's wetter / Take it from me...

Maybe it was just me, being a weird loner kid whose best friend was her imagination, but I loved imagining what life would be like if the world were entirely underwater. Getting to swim through your school, going from house to house on a canoe, diving for old-world treasures, riding a walrus to work, you know. All that fun stuff you can experience, unless Jasper Johns steals your boat. Because, seriously, life under the sea does sound awesome. Well, except for the cold. And the wet. And the pressure. And the dark. And the ability to, uh, breathe. And, I mean, we’d better get used to the idea as soon as Greenland and Antarctica melt. But anyway, the concept of an underwater London meant I was absolutely going to read this book. Shah brings the setting to life, with all the wonders/terrors of the sea. The writing is lovely, but story-wise, yeah, this is definitely the first book of a series, meaning: you have 10,000,000,000 questions, but this book won’t be answering all of them, so be prepared to wait.

Character-wise, Leyla has an optimism about her that borders on naiveté - but even as she goes through some pretty harrowing experiences and learns her world isn’t what she thought it is, she remains optimistic. I love this - it would be easy for a YA protagonist to become cynical and bitter (adolescents, am I right?) but Leyla perseveres, despite her fears. It’s pretty clear throughout the book that Leyla suffers from anxiety, and Shah’s descriptions of Leyla’s feelings of panic and stress are absolutely spot-on. How she can maintain such a positive attitude living under the sea with her father behind bars and an anxiety disorder without prozac is a mystery to me.

Ari, meanwhile, is much more of a cipher - he’s handsome, he annoys Leyla at first, but they grow on each other after a while, making eyes at one another...but pretty much all of Ari’s backstory is veiled, and I get the distinct sense that Shah is making us wait until the sequel to give us his full story. This is the problem of getting suckered into serieses instead of standalone books.

Also, and this is no offense to the action scenes of The Light at the Bottom of the World (which are awesome, by the way) but: how can you have flames and explosions underwater? I mean, you can definitely have an underwater explosion, but not with flames, right?

Eh, if they can do it on Spongebob and in the Aquaman movie then that’s fine with me

Creative, fascinating premise, with picturesque, colorful, and detailed world-building. I could really imagine the underwater society, with its old-world architecture and new world technology. I was easily pulled in and wanted to experience more.

I found it refreshing that Leyla was so naive and clueless; it was an interesting contrast to many of the snarky, kick-ass heroines you find in dystopian novels.

The dialog, however, seemed forced at times, and did not flow smoothly. Sometimes it was painfully boring. And the romance was excruciatingly predictable, although a few surprises arose along the way to spice things up a bit. But there was so little chemistry between Leyla and Ari -- I just didn't buy it. The romance seemed forced. It was little more than a "last man and last woman on earth" scenario, a case of making due because they were stuck in a sub together. Oh, ya, and Ari is hot. We got Ari's incredible hotness shoved down our throats throughout the book.

But the story had many strong redeeming factors: The manipulative government, which falsified scientific facts for political gain; the presentation and tearing down of stereotypes and prejudices; and Leyla's personal growth from a clueless, immature girl to a prison-breaking rebel.

Didn't appreciate the cliff-hanger, though, but I am anxious to read the next installment and find out what happens next!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I really wanted to like The Light at the Bottom of the World, but ughhh. I thought it had an interesting premise and the cover was intriguing (plus I love books that take place underwater), but the main character was impossible to like. Additionally, the pacing was slow and the secondary characters were dull. I DNFd the audiobook after two(ish) hours, because I felt like the story hadn't really gone anywhere (although the author did go into GREAT detail about Leyla's daily life). I wanted to know more about what happened before, and how the world started living in the ocean's depths. It seems like that would be something that's really hard to pull off, so I would have appreciated more information regarding their living conditions, but the setting was skimmed over and only briefly explained.

We quickly learn that Leyla's father has been arrested and she doesn't know why. She's been making inquiries and keeps getting ignored, and I hated how little we actually knew about her and her family. I thought her grandfather sounded interesting, but his interactions were brief and not at all enlightening. However, I do feel like she should have moved in with him when her father was taken away, since she's still a child and shouldn't be trying to "make it" on her own.

Basically, Leyla was a terrible protagonist. She wasn't likable, her actions rarely made sense, and my breakfast had more personality than she did. She's 16 and thinks she can take care of herself, which is ridiculous. People are dying from some sort of sickness (something that has to do with a lack of sunlight, or was related to them no longer being aboveground), yet this girl thinks she has everything under control. There are literal robot terrorists hunting humans, buildings collapsing from the pressure they're constantly under (how they were still standing and functioning is a mystery to me), but she thinks she can do everything alone (or at least with her rich friends just giving her everything she needs). The book and the main character were both constantly stating how dangerous the world was, which made her carefree attitude all the more exasperating. She also contradicted herself all the time, and everything seemed to happen exactly how she wanted it to.

I think the pacing suffered from too many unnecessary details, and the story suffered from ridiculous characters who behaved unrealistically. I wanted to like this book - truly - but too much eye-rolling is bad for your health. (★★☆☆☆)

This was a decent novel, but it wasn't of my taste. I struggled to make it over halfway and could not finish. I do believe that this is a well-written novel, just not to my taste!

In a strange twist of events, I read this purely because I was interested in the plotline and the world, while at the same time really disliking the characters and writing. I can't say I've ever been in this position before. The world-building in this was great. I'm a big fan of dystopian futures (particularly if they're given an actual date in the future, such as this one), and the planet Earth that exists in this book in 2099 is really intriguing. I can't say I've ever read anything like it, although my next statement will seem to contradict that. This book has vibes that feel like a combination of several of the books and/or series that I love dearly: Doctor Who, Star Wars, The Hunger Games, and the Uglies Trilogy are the first ones that came to mind. Perhaps its because of these things that I kept on reading despite a considerable lack of quality writing, or even proper character development. While I am disappointed in those aspects, the world is really what drew me in and kept me interested. (However I will say that those things seemed to be quite strong at the beginning, but unfortunately took a bit of a dive after the two main characters started on their journey, for some reason I can't really come up with an explanation for.)

In a nutshell, the Earth in 2099 is entirely underwater, which means that sea creatures regularly float on by, road vehicles have been entirely replaced by submarines, and somehow, the London Marathon has evolved into a submarine race where the winner gets whatever they want in the world. Except, apparently, to get their father out of jail, which is where Leyla and her story come in. The entire book revolves around her trying to escape the corrupt government who is now after her, as she tries to search an entire country for her father, while also trying not to fall in love with the boy her grandfather forced upon her as a sort of personal bodyguard. There are also humanoid robot things that apparently are committing terrorism throughout the land, a disease called "seasickness" which inflicts those who become too nostalgic for the the Old World and end up committing suicide, and also a healthy dose of scapegoating blame being placed on the previously mentioned humanoid robot things. Oh and the main character is Muslim and her family is from Afghanistan, which is pretty cool. One of the other things I really liked about this book is that it is a dystopian that doesn't take place in America, but in London, which I haven't seen a lot of.

From the first chapter, it's clear that you can't really trust anything at face value in this book, which is both fun and a bit disorienting, because sometimes you second-guess everything you are told, which can get exhausting. But mostly it's fun, and even though some of the plot twists could be seen coming pretty clearly, it still kept me interested. I don't know how many books are planned for this series, but I do know there's a second one. While I wouldn't necessarily call this book purely an introduction, a lot of this book is the characters escaping those who are after them, rather than learning more about the corrupt nature of the government. I hope the next book delves into that more, because I do think the future world that has been established here is the strongest part of this story. It's an intriguing take on the future and I'm pretty keen to know more.

This was a great dystopian that I have read in a while. The world is completely underwater, so I highly recommend that this NOT be read by people with fear of water, deep dark abysses, ocean creatures or drowning.

This takes place in London, England. The year is 2099, and they are entering the 22nd century. The British Government is hosting the London Marathon which has been converted into a submersible obstacle course. The main character Leyla, has just turned of age where she can enter. The winner gets the ultimate prize which is anything of their choosing. She gets chosen last and her goal is to free her father who was arrested by the government. He is guilty of aiding people committing suicide due to seasickness.

I was entranced from the very beginning and I was reminded of some aspects from The Hunger Games and the pod races from Star Wars. The one thing that I wasn't a fan of was the enemy to lover trope and how instant it was. She basically fell in love with his looks. I can not wait for the sequel.

I didn't realize how much government conspiracy was going to be in this and that we'd have an attempt at a prison break. This has a lot of elements that I enjoy but I think my favourite part was Leyla and her bodyguard. She was really likable and strong and not a stupid damsel. I loved that the conflict with the world pulls in some things from climate change. I also love that there's a big discussion about mental health. I also love that this is British Afghani Muslim own voices. I just loved it all.

If I had to describe this book in one sentence it would be:
A girl and her dog on a dangerous, epic adventure to save her dad in a dystopian, underwater future.
Yep, there is a lot going on in that sentence as well as in this book.


I absolutely adore the world building that brought this story to life. In a distant future, the survivors of a terrible disaster live deep underwater until the land can become inhabited again. The survivors created underwater skyscrapers and travel around in submarines, have real and hologram pets, AI butlers can be programmed to be anyone, and there is an epic transportation (submarine) race every year that the winner gets any prize they want- and humans live where all sorts of sea creatures can just pop up. There is also a dark side, where amphibian creatures were created to benefit society and now are rebellious and attack, as well as people suffering from a terrible sea sickness illness that can kill. The world was 100% unique and creative, I wanted to know more and I loved all the tiny little details that helped it all feel so real.

I did struggle a little bit with the pacing/plot though for the first half of the story. I had a hard time following what was going on and connecting to the main character, I kept finding my attention straying and then I had no idea what was happening. Some times, like during the super intense fantastic race at the beginning, I was 100% invested and could follow easily, but at other times I was lost and had to reread sections to try and get back into the plot. I feel a little bit like transitions were not super clear and there was a lot of internal reflection by the main character instead of conversation/action. The second half of the book picked up pacing and was much more engaging for me and I finally felt invested in the story.

Just when it seemed like the story was picking up for the main character, and all was currently right in her world, something terrible occurred and the book just ended. Talk about an abrupt cliff hanger! I will of course need to read the next book to see what will happen next and I hope for some more cool world building along the way.

Mini Book Review Monday: The Light at the Bottom of the World
I love when books ask “what if?” And this one asks a big what if: What if the oceans really do rise so much they cover the surface of the earth? Leyla lives in an underwater London, where civilization is doing the best it can to survive. Leyla, a Muslim immigrant, is trying to rescue her scientist dad, who has been arrested and imprisoned for inexplicable reasons, but she quickly realizes that freeing him will be even harder than she realized. As she sets off illegally in a tricked-out submarine, she discovers fringes of human civilization with surprising perspectives — and a conspiracy that she’ll have to risk her life to uncover.
This isn’t a perfect book — it definitely suffers from roller coaster plotting, and you know I hate the to-be-continued ending (though at least some important threads are resolved, it’s clear the book’s big story is waiting for Book Two.). But I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone looking for new YA speculative fiction. Bonus points for having a cool Muslim protagonist!

“There has to be something in [the scans] that can help prove Papa’s innocence – even though the things and connections I ask Jeeves to look out for have become increasingly vague. It’s been three whole months since Papa’s arrest, and I’ve found nothing to shed any light on the vile accusations against him.”

Ratings & Reviews

Book Grade: A

An underwater London, submarine races, a determined daughter, and futuristic technology. What is not to like? The Light at the Bottom of the World is part dystopian novel, part science fiction-adventure story, but is wholly likeable because of Leyla McQueen. This whip-smart teenager is set on having her father return from home, even if it means that she has to put her own life in danger. She is clever, but relatable, and focused, but just crazy enough to add some twists and turns to the story. Plus, the adorable British slang and homages to 19th and 20th century trends (Elvis and Oscar Wilde, for example), make this a witty read that you can really dive into.

Yes, there are a number of anachronisms – is it really possible that in only 89 years, the entire world has managed to be built underground and seemingly impossible technology is the norm? – but because of the clever plot, it is possible to look past these. Also, the central theme that the Prime Minister cannot be trusted makes it a bit more plausible that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than the Brits have been led to believe. All in all, while there are a few inconsistencies, or elements that are far-reaching, London Shah has crafted a clever multi-genre novel that is engaging and cinematic in scope.

Movie Rating: PG

The Light at the Bottom of the World has very little cause for concern. There is no noticeable swearing, there are threats of violence and action scenes, but no graphic descriptions of the bloodshed. There is an innocent kiss at one point in the book, but the romance is secondary to the rest of the plot, and Shah keeps it tame to allow the characters to slowly build a relationship. There is a lot of internal reflection with Leyla’s character, and she references being a practicing Muslim, weaving short prayer statements into the text as she heads from one adventure to the next. This book is not preachy at all, and largely remains apolitical, allowing the story to speak for itself.

Would I Buy This for My Library: Yes!

There are few books that pack action, adventure, romance, dystopian society, science fiction, and family relationships between the covers, but London Shah has managed to do that with The Light at the Bottom of the World. This book will appeal to males and females and has enough action to keep readers engaged, enough British slang to keep Anglophiles coming back, and enough twists and turns to keep YA fans on their toes. This is the first book in an anticipated series, and it absolutely leaves with a cliff hanger, but given how cleverly written it is, and the broad appeal of many of the messages – friendship, fitting in, fighting for what you believe in – this is sure to be a hit on your classroom or library bookshelf.

Summary:

Leyla McQueen is a sixteen-year-old street-submersible racer in an underwater turn-of-the 22nd century London. Her street-smarts and fearlessness have proven helpful over the years, but even she has grown increasingly fearful as her father fails to return home. Arrested on what Leyla is sure are false charges, she becomes determined to prove his innocence and set him free.

After many failed attempts, she realizes that her last hope is to win the London Marathon which will allow her to request a pardon from the Prime Minister. Unfortunately, after securing first place, she is denied her request. Quickly, Leyla realizes that there is more to the story and that what she assumed was an innocent mistake might actually be a dangerous government plot against her father. Armed only with a James Bond-style umbrella and a mysterious and handsome helper, Ari, she will need to risk it all – and deal with a threatening Prime Minister, blood-thirsty Anthropoids, and Blackwatch soldiers, among other obstacles – in an attempt to locate her father.

Book Talk Questions:

When Leyla returns from the London Marathon, what does she find at home? What does she suspect?
What does Leyla realize about Ari after he helps rescue her and escape from Bia’s workshop? Why does this confuse her?
What does Ari tell Leyla about the incident at the Faroe Islands?
When Leyla uncovers the secret documents about returning to the shore, what does she find?
What happens to Ari after Leyla hears the announcement that she is the number one fugitive in the United Kingdom? Why is she not able to help?

Politically charged sci-fi with an enemies to lovers subplot, which I enjoyed. Compelling characters that I would follow anywhere. I liked the world building in this. I really enjoyed this one in total.

'The Light at the Bottom of the World' is an mesmerizing new young adult science fiction novel that truly sets itself apart from everything else out right now. I was immediately intrigued after reading the description of the book. It sounded fresh and interesting - something I'd definitely want to read. I'm so glad that I did! There were some really amazing aspects to the book and the fact that it's the author's debut makes it all the more awesome.

What really got me caught up in this story was the world building. As we know from the description, it's in the not so far off future where there was a huge catastrophe and almost the entire world was submerged. The underwater setting that the story takes place in was fantastically described. I thought I might have a bit of trouble putting myself into Leyla's world, but the author did such an amazing job with all the vivid imagery and details of every little thing, that I couldn't help but be pulled in. It was all really interesting too and I loved learning about every single little piece that I could - the way they live now (how do they manage to live underwater?), the pieces of history we get throughout the story (they talk a lot about the "Old World" which is basically our time right now), and everything in between. I soaked it all up like a sponge and couldn't get enough.

The characters were all pretty well rounded, especially Leyla - our main character. She's obviously the focal point of the story and we get to know her very well. She has great qualities - a kind friend, smart, incredibly loving and loyal of her family (especially her dad) and determined to do whatever it takes to free her father and prove his innocence. It gets a lot more complex than that, but essentially that's her main focus. I found Leyla to be pretty realistic although she did seem a little flat at times. Looking back, I think the problem wasn't really with Leyla herself, but with the dialogue - both between characters and in Leyla's own mind. It felt forced and not authentic at times, which brought me out of the "bubble" the book had me in and made it a little hard to read and to connect more deeply with Leyla and the other major characters. The big thing for me was the writing style, which always plays a huge factor in my enjoyment of a book. The author wrote the story in the first person point of view from Leyla's perspective. I was so happy that she chose to do it this way! It's by far my favorite writing style because the reader gets to know the narrator on a much deeper and more personal level. We get to see everything that goes through Leyla's mind - her hopes and fears, memories, emotions, dreams and nightmares, and everything in between. I definitely think that this was the perfect choice for the story and I know it made me enjoy the book a lot more.

The plot was interesting, but not completely original. But it's really hard to find something unique anymore. I guessed a couple of things that were going to happen early on in the story, which turned out to be right, but it didn't bother me because this wasn't a mystery or thriller. Even though I saw some of the plot twists coming, I still enjoyed seeing them happen and the story unfold and play out. I'm glad this is just the first book in a duology because I would not have been able to let that ending be the finality of the story. I'm excited to see where the second book will take us and to learn more about this magical world the author has created for us. I definitely recommend this book for fans of YA fiction, science fiction, action and adventure, and fantasy.

Dystopian young adult fiction takes a deep dive underwater in London Shah’s debut, The Light at the Bottom of the World. Set in a not-to-distant future where our world has changed drastically, Shah envisions a world in which mankind must survive in re-built communities at the bottom of the ocean. The Light at the Bottom of the World follows a young woman named Leyla McQueen who has been forced to take care of herself following her father’s unexpected, wrongful arrest as she’s thrust into a death-defying adventure under the sea.

A hobbyist racer who has spent most of her time submersible racing using a friend’s craft, Leyla suddenly finds herself racing in the biggest event in her local London. It’s an opportunity she can’t pass up because it could mean her father’s freedom. But the world is a much different place and the waters are dangerous. Man-made Anthropoids and other creatures lurk below and there are even greater threats closer to home.

Leyla’s journey keeps the reader on edge and The Light at the Bottom of the World proves to be a great addition to the dystopian, post-apocalyptic genre. These days I’ve seen fewer and fewer of them as magical fantasy and high sci-fi seems to be all the rage. This story seemed almost directly aimed at older readers like me who grew up on these types of books which probably made me love it even more.

I loved Shah’s world-building and the high-concept setting works well with the story she’s told. There’s action, romance, and plenty of challenging authority. Shah’s world is unique and that’s a welcome reprieve from sometimes all too similar YA settings. Plus I love the nostalgia driven society she’s built that focuses so much on the past when they’re literally living in this crazy future.

The Light at the Bottom of the World is a great story that will certainly appeal to both fantasy and sci-fi fans – as well as old school dystopian/post-apocalyptic fans. Definitely worth checking out!

If you want to know more about the book or to enter a giveaway to win your very own copy, read on.

This book, y’all. Sometimes I get nervous about debuts. They’re usually good, a few steps away from great. But London Shah nailed this. Politically charged sci-fi with an enemies to lovers subplot. Compelling writing and characters I’d follow anywhere. And the worldbuilding. The worldbuilding was absolutely brilliant. I am so glad I got a chance to read and review this book. London Shah has a fan for life.