Beautifully told in a voice that is simultaneously wise and childlike, this is one of the most realistic post-apocalyptic novels I’ve read. A patched-together family of survivors eking out an existence in a flooded world using timeless methods and tools. No zombies, aliens, or sentient AI, just everyday people creating community and building a life in the literal wake of climate change.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

All The Water In The World was a let down for me. I don't read a lot of dystopian books, but when I do, I usually love them. I'm usually stressed out when reading them (in a good way!), but this one I never connected to the characters. I was bored most of the time as the story felt repetitive and ready for it to be over.

This book is about survival and climate change, but it was more depressing than emotional. Sigh.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

setting: new York
rep: n/a

DNF @ 25%

Unfortunately I'm just bored. for a post apocalyptic dystopian about climate change (something I love to read) this is really dull and the characters all seem so flat and undeveloped; I don't care about anyone or anything.

***Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

All the Water in the World by Eireen Caffall is a well written, thought-provoking novel that’s a little hard to pin down—part post-apocalyptic survival story, part lyrical exploration of memory, evolution, and identity. Caffall’s writing style reminded me of Justin Cronin’s The Passage—minus the vampires*—with its atmospheric world-building and observations.

Told from the perspective of Nonie, the story takes place in a future where the glaciers have melted and her family, along with a group of researchers, now lives inside the Museum of Natural History. The setting alone is fascinating, and Caffall brings this flooded world to life with vivid detail and haunting imagery.

One of the novel’s most intriguing elements is Nonie herself—she possesses a kind of sixth sense, an ability to feel approaching storms. There's a mysterious, almost otherworldly quality to her, but unfortunately, this trait isn’t deeply explored. It surfaces only in a few scenes and feels like a missed opportunity for further development.

The plot picks up when a superstorm breaches the city's flood walls, forcing Nonie and her family to flee north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book of records—a symbolic remnant of what’s been lost. As they journey through this drowned world, navigating fragmented communities and harsh landscapes, the world-building remains rich and immersive. However, I found the character development lacking in comparison. While the setting is well fleshed out, the emotional arcs of the characters felt underdeveloped, especially given the intensity of their experiences.

Still, All the Water in the World is a poignant, imaginative novel that lingers in your mind. I only wish there had been more room to fully explore some of its most compelling ideas.

Just a haunting story that I partly hope never comes true but also if it does I hope people like the main characters in this book exist then to bring their nobility and knowledge into a desperate and changed world and society.

A beautiful post-apocalyptic novel reminiscent of The Last of Us, or The Walking Dead. Family, found family, and survival against impossible odds.

This is *exactly* the kind of book that keeps me feeling a low level of fear and unsettled throughout the entire story — and that’s just what it means to do. Climate fiction is scurry. Aside from that, this is a beautiful meditation on community and love and bravery.

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. THIS WAS SO GOOD. set in the city, at one of my favorite museums made it really easy to suspend disbelief and be engaged in the story. while i don't think i would purposely read another climate fiction, this was done well and the writing was excellent.

All the Water in the World is one of those haunting, lyrical reads that quietly floods your chest with feeling before you even realize it’s happening. It’s not a fast-paced dystopian thriller—it’s slower, dreamier, like floating through a memory of a world we’ve almost lost. The writing is gorgeous, seriously poetic, and the vibe is very “climate grief meets found family museum-core.” I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone—definitely more vibes than plot at times—but if you’re into post-apocalyptic stories that feel like elegies wrapped in hope, this one will absolutely stick with you. I’m still thinking about it.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The pacing dragged in several places, and I struggled to stay engaged. The characters felt underdeveloped, making it hard to connect with their journeys. While there were a few interesting moments, the overall execution left much to be desired. I can see how some readers might enjoy it, but it just wasn’t for me.

ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD really surprised me. I went in expecting a dystopian novel, but instead, I read a character based story that really explores how humans respond to a world that is constantly changing. It was a lot more insightful and lovely than I anticipated and I ended up feeling very close to the characters and the journey they endured.

The settings were fun- in a world destroyed with water, Nonie and her family are taking refuge places like the American Museum of Natural History. It offers such look at climate change and how humans will face this in the future. The world that Eiren Caffall created feels very real, and almost too frightening at times.

I enjoyed this one. It's an interesting world and a unique setting. I always enjoy museum based fiction and the climate change survival genre is a personal favorite.

What a heartfelt sad, but overall hopeful novel about the climate crisis. All The Water in the World is a unique story about a family and close friend who are living in NYC, the entire city has been abandoned due to huge floods and storms. Another huge storm comes and they are forced to evacuate and look for somewhere habitable. This post-apocalyptic / dystopian book felt almost in a similar vein to Severance which is one of my favorites. i'd say this was a bit more surface level writing wise, but also quicker to read. I really enjoyed the flashbacks during the book and learning Nonie's background and about her mom who we are not able to meet as readers. I'd recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I wanted to write a review for this work for my blog, Cobleskill Commentaries; however, I have not been able to write about it comprehensively, so I am going to provide a concise review here.

Eiren Caffall's new novel, All the Water in the World, is a nail-biter of a thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, a feat not easy to achieve in written form. The story revolves around Nonie (a great reference to The Poseidon Adventure), her older sister, her father, and several researchers, all survivors of a cataclysmic natural disaster that has put New York City underwater. The only places that are safe are on higher ground, which includes the roofs of buildings like the American Museum of Natural History, a place filled with cultural and natural artifacts that can hopefully be saved by whomever is left. Ultimately, the fated group has to leave the respite of the museum to find out if there is life outside of the confines of their watery prison, which leads to a perilous journey filled with significant dangers around every turn.

All the Water in the World works as a warning about climate change while also keeping the audience wondering what will happen next; Caffall's visualization of the waterworld is harrowing, frightening, and relevant; and, the relationship between the survivors provides a much-needed emotional shot to the arm as these characters traverse from one terrible situation to the next. The only issue this work : once there is major death about 3/4 of the way through, the rest of the novel loses some of its luster. With the subject matter the way that it is, readers are to expect death; however, in this case, the extraneous melodrama of the death unfortunately overshadows the real emotion we might have felt otherwise or later on, as the ending draws near.

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. It's not bad, but didn't quite make it to 4 stars. I loved the parts when they were living in New York and taking care of the museum, but their journey just didn't grab me. There is decent tension between humanity's worse traits and hope as they journey to find a place their mother told them about after having to abandon New York City after a storm breaches the storm wall protecting the city.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book for review.

When I read a book like this, I wish I could wipe my memory slate clean and read it all over again, enjoying it just as much time after time. What a beautiful, well-written story of a not so distant future when the earth is returning to one big ocean. This book reminds me of "The Light Pirate", which I also loved. It happened in the groves of Florida; this book happens in the steel and concrete world of New York. The author's perception of what could happen and how different personalities evolve is almost clairvoyant.
If you tire of your little world and want a respite, crawl into this sweet novel. Faith in humanity, stamina when needed, and the hope for good is always a welcome respite.
Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is January 7, 2025.

I was excited for this one based on the synopsis. I love a good dystopian novel. This was so incredibly slow and trying far too hard that I couldn't get into it though.

The premise of this book had me thinking “The Day After Tomorrow” vibes, but this book felt as though it actually was more heavily focused on the characters than the dystopian setting. We follow Nonie, her sister and parents as they travel from NYC to western Massachusetts for safety after the city’s walls flood. There’s also some flashbacks that give a bit more on how these characters got to where they are. I will say I had really high expectations for this one because it blended a lot of things that I really love - cli-fi, dystopia, a thrilling adventure and the location where I grew up - however, I don’t felt like it all came together enough for me to love it. I needed more on the political climate and how the transition from today to this new dystopia took place, and I really needed a stronger connection to the main character. Overall, I enjoyed this one, and will read this author again, but missed I needed a bit more to really love it.

I genuinely don't know how i feel about this. Loved Station Eleven but this just felt off. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I'm very annoyed that this was pegged as "for fans of Station Eleven." This felt simplistic and no where near that level, which made this book really hard to appreciate. Definitely a case of over hyped, under delivered.