Set in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by climate change, All the Water in the World, is about a family struggling to not only survive but also to preserve as many artifacts and the knowledge in the Museum of Natural History in New York City as possible. Living on the roof of the museum with others, they know the water will continue to rise and they will have to leave eventually. But the group tries to eke out a living from their garden in Central Park and what can be scavenged and hunted. Disease is rampant among the survivors and medications are few.

The group's numbers have decreased to only Noni, her sister, her father, and one friend/co-worker when the mega-storm hits and they are forced to flee in an old Native American canoe they've tried to prepare for the journey. While they find some help and survivors along the way, there are also perils from the weather, the wildlife, and other survivors. When the girls' father is killed, they continue on, trying to get to the family's farm inland, It isn't an easy journey and Noni valiantly tries to protect the catalog of information about the materials they all tried to save and the knowledge they don't want lost.

It's a thoughtful look at frightening possibilities for the future, further fractures of society, and how people might cope. Author Eiren Caffall, inspired by curators of museums decimated by war in Iraq and other locations, has chosen a focus topic that not many consider--saving history. Narrator Eunice Wong authentically voices Noni, the main character.

Recommended for those who like Brin's The Postman or even Pfeffer's Life as We Knew It--possible apocalypse-possible fiction, if we want to invent a new genre.

Eerie near future story about a family that lives as keepers of the old knowledge in one of the old. New York museums, and the storyms that finally cause them to uproot themselves and try to make their way out of the slowly crumbling city. I like that Caffall decides to center this from the POV of a child, but you can still tell that thought has gone into how the adults around them react. Comes out this winter, and if you like escape tales combined with how knowledge is passed on in apocalypse, definitely preorder this.

Wow! While there are a lot of novels out there about post-apocalyptic life, I don’t think I’ve ever read one like this! I really loved All the Water in the World! The characters are interesting and complex-I found myself really invested in their journey and what was going to happen to them.

This book is both hopeful and sad- as loss inevitably happens, the characters are forever changed, but life (much like in the real world) has to carry on, and I think this was a really realistic portrayal of that. Even the apocalypse seems like something that could happen-rising seas and superstorms flooding coastal cities. However, the plot line was less about the apocalypse itself and more about the bonds between loved ones and how they navigate incredibly difficult situations. This was my last read of 2024, and I’m so happy it was such a good one! I highly recommend this book!

Absolutely beautiful distopian novel. Hope in a world of dispair. I couldn’t put this one down. I had to see what happened next and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending.

This book reminds me of an Emily St John Mandel novel. The writing is very passive a lot of the time so I’m not sure that all readers will enjoy it or feel immersed in the events. As other readers have noted, I was initially expecting something more like the day after tomorrow with people finding some sort of hope or light with a library or historical setting. There were moments of deep reflection, and a lot of excellent philosophical questions were posed by the characters, but the writing and pacing will certainly prove to be a barrier for some readers. I do think this type of literature is necessary in libraries and many patrons will be drawn in by the synopsis.. I am not sure exactly who I will recommend this book to, but perhaps readers who are patient looking for something related to climate change and questioning humanity.

What matters most must be saved

When the world is forever altered by climate change, how do people survive? In this intriguing novel, the glaciers have melted and cities are mostly uninhabitable and deserted. A young girl named Nonie and her family however stayed behind in New York City and together with her parents' researcher friends have created a settlement atop the American Museum of Natural History. Their lives then involved gathering food from nearby Central Park and doing everything they could to preserve the many treasures and collections within the museum which document human history before things changed. But another storm has arrived and the family escapes north on the Hudson River towards (they hope) safety, carrying with them the book that is their record of the collections they had to leave behind, lost now forever. They meet people along the way who have created their own communities, have chosen their own priorities and ways to survive. When mankind goes up against nature survival is not guaranteed...can they persevere and still maintain their humanity?
At times a post-apocalyptic survival story laced with philosophical and moral conundrums, in All the Water in the World the reader finds adventure, family bonds, the importance of remembering the past and a determination to survive from the point of view of Nonie, a girl who is wired differently than many but is acutely attuned to water. With beautiful writing and memorable characters, author Eiren Caffall has created an intriguing tale that grips the reader's mind and spirit as they accompany Nonie and family on the journey to survive not only the onslaught of nature but also the temptation to let go of civility and compassion in the face of destruction. As I read my thoughts turned to books by Cormac McCarthy, Emily St John and Tom Rob Smith, so those who have enjoyed similar authors may want to give this novel a try. Is mankind headed towards the devastation depicted here? I certainly hope not....but if we are, I hope that there will be among those who live in that time people who work to preserve all that has come before them even as they struggle to survive. My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for allowing me access to this thought-provoking work in exchange for my honest review.

After reading the description of this book, I was very interested in reading it. The concept of what our future can hold with climate change happening all around us and all the major weather events that have occurred more frequently. The writing was just not what I was expecting, I was thinking more along the lines of The Day After Tomorrow sort of story. I tried to push through in hopes of the story finally hooking me, but I only made it to Chapter 14, 14% of the book. I will definitely try to read this at another time and see if I have a change of heart. I sure the way this book was written will draw some people in, but it just did not do it for me at this time.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this eARC for my honest review.

All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they've saved.

Inspired by the stories of the curators in Iraq and Leningrad who worked to protect their collections from war, All the Water in the World is both a meditation on what we save from collapse and an adventure story—with danger, storms, and a fight for survival.

I had really high expectations with this one. I love the premise. I enjoyed it, but it was a little slow-paced for me. I really enjoy Caffall's writing, but the climate change narrative felt heavy-handed. I think dystopian stories are less appealing to me recently just because so much of the world is in chaos, my brain wants to escape that. Overall, I enjoyed this one, but I'd be selective about who I recommend it to. 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

This dystopian climate disaster novel follows the life of Nonie, a 13yo girl living on the roof of the Museum of Natural History in New York City. Told from multiple timelines, we learn how Nonie and her family were forced by rising sea levels and hypercanes to abandon their home and become keepers of artifacts and history records. As the climate crisis worsens, Nonie, sister Bix, father Allan, and community member Keller, are forced to flee the city. Headed for their late mother's farmhouse, Nonie & crew encounter a number of climate refugees who have adapted to their situation in vastly different ways than they are accustomed. Their journey is riddled with obstacles, difficult moments, and tragedy, despite Nonie's gift of sensing incoming storms. A dark look into how humans adapt in the face of disaster, and how easily humanity can be lost.

Let me start out by saying this book is goooooooood. I would have rated it higher than 3.5 stars, but I found myself wanting more at various points. For example, the story is told by Nonie, who has very little recollection of life before -- I would have loved more background. Specifically, how did she develop her sense of storms? Is there a family history there? All the details; I truly need an origin story, basically, for Nonie (and more on Sallie Ride + beyond). I also wanted more background on other characters, like Mary and Darling. Inexplicably, it is a bit of a slow burn but also so suspenseful that you don't want to put it down. I read it in one day, both wanting to get through the trauma as quickly as possible and also needing resolution for this family.

Full of tension and doom, with a little bit of hope sprinkled in, this book is a must-read for anyone who used to watch It Could Happen Tomorrow on the Weather Channel.

Content Warning: Sexual assault, death, displacement.

This dystopian climate fiction thriller is beautifully written. The story is told from the unique POV of a 13 year old girl, Nonie, using flashbacks to her childhood living in a refugee encampment on the roof of a Natural History Museum in a flooded NYC to her present day harrowing trek out of the city, up the Hudson to potential safe farmstead. With description imagery, haunting emotion, and pulse-pounding danger, this story is one I will remember for a long time. Readers who enjoy slower paced stories and are interested in how climate crises impact relationships, communities, and humanity will enjoy this story. Ensure that you check content warnings, as there is on page violence, death, and traumatic experiences.

#allthewaterintheworld comes out Jan. 7; thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the chance to read it a little early!

This story begins in a New York City that has been swallowed by storms. Nonie, along with her father and sister, are living with a group of people in the former American Museum of Natural History. Instead of fleeing, they stayed behind to protect the museum. But now a hypercane has arrived and they can no longer stay. They decide to journey up the Hudson to a family farm.

The story alternates between the present and scattered memories of the past. It took me a little bit to get adjusted to the format, but it was a beautiful way to tell the story, allowing us to see glimpses of the loved ones who didn’t make it. Through these flashbacks we also see life in this abandoned museum, which was so fascinating. And what I really loved was their journey up the Hudson was recognizing the landmarks and towns along the way.

There’s a very definitive midpoint in this book, and at that point the book really shifted for me, and became more plot-focused. Before, it was the characters’ interactions with their environment, and now it’s their interactions with other people - And it was here, during this story of survival for this family and the people they encounter on their way, that this book really grabbed my heart.

Thank you to Eiren Caffall, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of All the Water in the World. All opinions are my own.

As a big fan of dystopian novels and movies set in a post-apocalyptic weather scape (2012, The Day After Tomorrow, etc), I found the premise of ATWITW super interesting and was excited to read it. Unfortunately, it was just a solid “meh” and not anything more special. The writing wavered between far more pretentious than a 13 year old (the narrator) would sound and repetitive, relying more on long-winded metaphors rather than new and interesting language. The time jumps backwards were also a bit sudden and not done in a super coherent manner.

I enjoyed the emotions and relationships between the characters and the journey. But disliked mostly everything else.

POV: single first person

You can expect: dystopian, family and found family, journey, storm.

Rep: autistic-coded narrator, kidney disease (side character)

CW: attempted rape, death, violence, death of a parent, murder

I could not put this book down. I absolutely loved Nonie's story. It was thought provoking and heart wrenching.

The story follows Nonie, along with her father, sister, and friend as they must abandon their makeshift home atop the AMNH, which they have been living in and on since a major climate disaster that happened when Nonie was a small child, to try and make their way to a family farm in Massachusetts.

Readers quickly learn that Nonie has a special awareness that allows her to know when storms and water related weather are about to happen. We also learn that she is incredibly intelligent, with an almost hyperfocus on animals and the climate.

The story is skillfully written alternating between the past and the present, and explores the relationships between humanity and the earth, with each other, and what can happen should the world vastly change. There are times when the plot stalls a tiny bit, but it almost reflects the calm between the storms that the characters face as they seek refuge and seek to rebuild some form of normalcy in the face of hardship and heartbreak.


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

All the Water in the World is beautifully written, and I found the main character, Nonie, very compelling. Other aspects of the story, like the flashback chapters, didn't work quite as well for me. I also wish we got to know more about Nonie's gift for sensing storms and what her life when she left the farm would look like.

This book had a lot of similarities to The Light Pirate, which I read about a month ago, and it was hard for me to not have comparisons in the back of my head. I may have enjoyed this more had I not read The Light Pirate so recently.

4 5/5
I love dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. Not only because the vehicle of disaster is intriguing, but I am genuinely fascinated by the theories of how humans will react.

All the Water in the World has quickly moved to my list of favorite dystopian fiction. Part climate change, part thriller, Eiren Caffall has crafted a story of survival and a tale of how we honor those we lost while still forging ahead.

As a museum-goer, I love that part of this story takes place in a natural history museum. I love taking note of what we as humans determine is important enough to save, and I never considered the usefulness of this information in a post-apocalyptic situation.

With many topics for discussion, All the Water in the World would be a perfect book club selection!

Read this if you like:
~ dystopian fiction
~ multiple timelines
~ climate fiction

50/1o0 or 2.50 stars

I was excited about this story after reading the synopsis, as these types of books are my comfort read...which might sound odd, but Dystopian books usually hook me in quickly. That was not the case for this one, which was disappointing. I gathered quickly that the writing style within the story was not working for me. I wouldn't cross off this author overall, as perhaps this book just wasn't working and maybe another book by Caffall will work for me. I did my best to get as far as I could, but I did have to DNF at 11%. Hopefully I can try another by this author and enjoy it, because I always feel bad about not finishing books by lesser known authors, but I need to be honest with my reivew, so that is why I am giving it the 2.5 stars I am, as even if I did finish the book, I would have to take off points for the writing style.

Finding that I have enjoyed many post-apocalyptic stories previously, I was taken by the premise of one that results from rising sea levels. Yet in All the Water in the World, the impacts of the ocean displacing much of the novel's world - or at least the world as the characters know it, i.e., NYC - are not as intricately explored as I would have hoped. Beyond the obvious damage to existing infrastructures, increased water-borne and mosquito-borne illnesses, and lack of access to clean, potable water, the characters do not experience much else of being surrounded by floodwater. In fact, not much happens at all in this novel. It is damp, dark, and uninteresting for huge portions of it. Caffall spends more time telling than showing, describing the world - both as it was and as it is - through Nonie's scientific and rigid eyes rather than natural observation. There should have been more emphasis on the biases and mental models ingrained in the novel's characters due to the shifts they are forced to make, the differences between the two worlds implied in how they contrast with how the reader may respond in a similar situation given their inexperience. Even if this wasn't a very plot-driven book, it certainly wasn't character-driven. Each character did not feel like a real person: the main ensemble was generally stale and defined by their one-dimensional relationships while the minor characters just moved the story along. Dialogue serves more to explain the world than to create the atmosphere or understand the relationships between characters. Overall, it is messy and needs to be tightened way more.

All the Water in the World is an intense, post-apocalyptic novel from the perspective of Nonie, a young girl who can sense water.

The premise reminded me a bit of Sweet Tooth—in a world reshaped by climate change, a small family-like community must find safety beyond the place that has been their home and refuge for years. I was intrigued by the main characters having made their sanctuary atop the American Museum of Natural History, but I wish their lifestyle had been less passively recounted. There was a lot of reflection on Nonie’s part on her intellectual yet haphazard upbringing, but it still felt distant, muddled with recent deaths and impending catastrophes.

The author’s language is undoubtedly beautiful and fluid, much like the water that pervades the survivors’ day-to-day lives, but it felt repetitive. The constant sense of doom, although mediated by Nonie’s more tender memories, interfered with my connections to other characters, like Keller and Mary. I also wanted more hints as to the structure (or lack thereof) of the “Lost” and other survivor communities—I understand that Nonie may not have been aware of this information due to her age and isolation, but it seemed like such a critical element of their world.

Although I admire the author’s language, I think All the Water in the World could have been punchier, and I think Nonie’s coming-of-age could have been more prominent, especially regarding her special ability.

Nonie narrates this propulsive apocalyptic coming of age story that sees her fleeing New York Ciry with her father, sister Bix and family friend Keller after a hypercane destroys what's left of their home at the Museum of Natural History and then the city itself. This is chaotic at first (I had trouble figuring out the ups and downs) but that fits given what was happening although it didn't allow for character development or back story early on- these are parceled out over the length of the novel, which jumps around in time. It was a clever conceit to use the Museum and that the journey out of the city led the four to the Cloisters and then further up the Hudson. Who can they trust? Not everyone trusts them either. You will feel the water, the toxic standing water, the pouring rain. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is harrowing and unsettling.

All The Water In The World follows along the lines of dystopian novels like Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, where climate change and government failure has led to a breakdown in society. First, the characters are staying in a heavily protected place, in this case a natural history museum, while the world collapses outside. Then, they are forced to leave, and the reader follows their journey towards safety and a new home.

This story is told from the perspective of a tween girl, someone who does not remember anything from the time before the collapse. What she had gone through already and what she faced over the course of the book - wow. And yet, we find hope over and over again.

I was a little scared, going into this novel, to read about a world destroyed by climate change, as that seems like such a real threat now. This author, however, paced the novel in such a way that we not drown in the tragedy and find resilience and real hope throughout. I wanted to know what would happen and kept turning the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.