Member Reviews
I received "All the Water in the World" by Eiren Caffall from NetGalley, and it was my first time reading this author. This dystopian novel offers a hauntingly beautiful exploration of a world where water scarcity has reshaped society. Set in a near-future world devastated by climate change, the story follows the lives of several characters as they navigate the harsh realities of a society on the brink of collapse. Water, the most precious resource, is tightly controlled, and survival depends on one's ability to adapt to the new normal. The plot is both gripping and thought-provoking, weaving together the personal struggles of the characters with the larger societal issues they face. The narrative is well-paced, with moments of tension and introspection that keep the reader engaged. The author does an excellent job of building a world that feels both alien and eerily familiar, making the stakes feel incredibly real. For me, one of the standout aspects of this book is the character development. Each character is richly drawn, with their own unique motivations and backstories. As the story progresses, we see them grow and change in response to the challenges they face. Their journeys are compelling and emotionally resonant, making it easy to become invested in their fates. Overall, "All the Water in the World" is a powerful and evocative read that offers a fresh take on the dystopian genre. Eiren Caffall's writing is both lyrical and impactful, making this a memorable debut for me. I highly recommend it to fans of dystopian fiction and anyone looking for a thought-provoking read.
4.5 stars! As stressful as books in this vein are, they are just so good (almost) every time- and this is one of those times!!
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where hurricanes aren't just hurricanes anymore, young Nonie, her parents, her sister, and a small community of academics live on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The waters are rising, the storms are getting worse, and it may finally be time for the group to make their escape out of New York City and up to a family farm in the Berkshires- but how to get there safely? With dangerous waters, the constant threat of storms (that Nonie tracks and sorts in her logbook), and the Lost people wandering around, it is not going to be an easy journey.
This was so reminiscent of Station Eleven (complimentary). Nonie may be quite a bit younger and much less hardened to the world than Kirsten, but she still views the world around her with a lens of reflection- thinking of the past, the things lost, the new ways of life. She's young but so mature for her age, able to do what needs to be done to get the adults around her through their obstacles safely.
Thank you so much to Eiren Caffall and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!
Not my usual choice of genre, but the rave reviews peaked my interest and so here we are. I really enjoyed this story and it was fast-paced and apocalyptic. The only downside is that it alternated from the past to the present and it wasn't always clear to me which timeframe the story was in. This was a bit distracting as I was trying to figure it out. While the author did a great job at keeping the atmosphere of dread, I wanted more description of the physical atmosphere. At times it was difficult for me to visualize their setting. However, I still enjoyed this story and for anyone who is in to sci-fi with end of the world type things, this is for you!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie and her older sister and parents stayed behind in an almost deserted NYC, creating a settlement on the roof of the Museum of Natural History. When a massive hurricane breaches the city's flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. Racing on the river towards safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in different ways to their new reality.
This is a very slow paced somewhat dystopian novel of a flooded world. Chapters toggle back and forth between present day and the before times. The best parts of the book were about the community that they were building and how they were moving forward in the new normal. The 'past' story lines made the book a little boring and a little monotonous. It was an interesting look into what may happen if the oceans continue to rise and where we would all go.
Thank You NetGalley and Macmillan for the free e-galley.
Publication Date: 1/7/25
DNF -- I could not get into this one. If you like reading speculative fiction about our future due to climate change, you might like this. I just felt both anxious and disinterested.
Thank you Net Galley and Publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.
Wow, all I have to say is wow. This was a heartbreakingly beautiful book. I wanted to cry so many times during it. It's intense and sad and so powerful. I can't believe this is her first book ever, it's just so good. I wanted to read something different than I usually read and this was a great one. Each chapter is short and hard to put down. I loved that the intense and sad chapters were broken up with past memories, happier ones. This book raises alot of questions and what if's of today. What would you do if all the glaciers melted and the world was suddenly under water? That's what these people had to learn to live with. So much heart break and loss but also hope and life. The character development was great and I felt like I really got to know these people. All of the good and the bad. My heart breaks with this book.
I really wanted to like All the Water in the World because the story is a powerful addition to the climate fiction genre. However, the writing style was difficult for me to follow, and I wish there had been more backstory and explanations to set up the present day.
I think my timing was off with this book. All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall is beautifully written and is about a future America ravaged by water after the glaciers melt. The protagonist, Nonie, tells the story of her family and others who live in a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. When a superstorm overcomes the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family escape to the north using the Hudson River. Their journey, reminiscent of the travels in Station Eleven, takes them through dangers and, naturally, strains each traveler.
I thought Station Eleven was a brilliant book, and since it was used as a comp for this book, I had awfully high expectations. As I said, the writing was terrific—no complaints with the author’s descriptions or with the premise, which is strong. It just didn’t propel me as I hoped. The plot was water-logged. (I know. Forgive me.)
If you love plots with slow burns, are interested in climate change, and enjoy dystopian and post-apocalyptic themes, you may love this. I give it 3.5 stars but round it up to 4 because of the “It’s me, not you” relationship I had with it.
Thank you so much St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
All the Water in the World 🌊
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fiction, Post Apocalyptic
Pub Date: January 7, 2025
Nonie is a young girl living with her family on the top of the NY Museum of Natural History following the melting of the glaciers and severe flooding throughout the world. When a superstorm breaks barriers into NYC, her family is forced to flee and attempt to bring whatever records and history they can with them to hunt for safety and preserve the past.
This was marketed as a book that fans of Station Eleven would enjoy, and I totally agree with that statement. The post apocalyptic vibes were somewhat similar, and just the overall feeling of the book was the same. I do think this one wasn’t as good, in part because the choice of narrator as a young girl. Seeing the world and events through her eyes I think led to less clear storytelling. I did enjoy all the main characters, but I think it could have benefitted from an older narrator, or even multiple perspectives throughout the story.
I thought the premise of this book was so interesting and did enjoy reading and thinking about what the world could be like when the glaciers melt. The beginning was a little slow moving, and for me had too many flashbacks to “the world as it was before”. I wanted more about how things had gotten to this point, how the world and governments fell apart, all that crazy intense stuff that would happen after a huge event like this.
Once the family has to evacuate and they face several challenges and threats along the way, the pace definitely picked up and was more enjoyable. If you liked Station Eleven, I do think you would enjoy this book and style of writing. But do know it’s not quite the same.
I will be thinking about this one for a long time. Very intriguing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!
all the water in the world is like if station eleven and the road had a baby in a world destroyed by environmental damage and flooding.
the novel starts veryyyyy slow (hence my 3.25 rating) and follows main character nonie and a cast of characters fleeing from their rooftop shelter to head north in search of dry land. nonie is maybe 13 years old and, as other reviewers have guessed, is potentially neurodivergent, but i really enjoyed being in her head. she’s deeply devoted to her family (biological and chosen) and is drawn to all the water in the world.
the first 35% of this book was far too slow for me but picked up and hooked me enough to keep reading. i wish more things happened along the journey (similar vibes to the road, which some love but was NOT for me) but the ending was satisfying.
thanks to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A beautiful and interesting read.
Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.
I am equally fascinated by and deeply fearful of water. Aquariums and exhibits that open a window beneath the waves mesmerize me. At the same time, the mere thought of the depths and weight of so much water impenetrable by the naked eye makes my stomach drop and pulse race. Eiren Caffall's debut work of dystopian fiction is a captivating look at a possible world to come.
The narrator is Nonie, who lives with what remains of her natural and found families in The World As It Is. We call the setting New York City, but these residents no longer inhabit cities or towns. They seek refuge on rooftops and high ground, whatever remains out of the reach of the water. Rivers and streams have long since breached their banks, merging with lakes, seas, and oceans. Entire neighborhoods are drowned; the tallest skyscrapers resemble one- or two-story buildings.
Nonie has a special ability to feel and sense water. She can predict storms and knows how severe they will be. But even she couldn't know the power of a hypercane that destroyed the only home she remembers and forced her, her father, her sister, and the only other surviving member of their community out on the open water in a canoe.
All the Water in the World is part dystopian story, part adventure, part family drama. The level of visionary detail is staggering and awe-inspiring. This is a story worth reading--and one that will haunt my imagination for quite a while.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
All the Water in the World breathes new life into the post apocalyptic genre, which is one of my favorite genres. The lyrical writing, the strong plot line, the dark foreboding warnings of a world where climate change is irreversible, all combine to make this one of the best books I have read in a very long time.
I highly recommend this book to all readers. There is something in this one for everyone and it is a story that will live with you long after you finish reading it.
Sad, depressing and beautifully written, All the Water in the World is a blueprint for a dystopian future in a world horribly altered by climate change. The seas have risen and Nonie, her sister, parents and some coworkers have taken refuge on the roof of The Museum of Natural History. Rising water, hurricanes, disease and starvation have ravaged New York. Nonie and the survivors of her family use a Native American canoe from a museum exhibit to begin a perilous journey out of the city and up the Hudson River, hoping to find a family farm in the Berkshires. What they find are the remnants of society. There are the Lost who ravage the land using violence to take what they need, and a sprinkling of organized small gatherings echoing the behaviors of The World As It Was.
This atmospheric, apocalyptic climate change thriller, told through the eyes of an adolescent, is frightening. Could it be true? If horrific weather changes tear us apart, what is left? Nonie and her family believe in “…hope thrown hard at the darkness.” Thank you for that hope in the darkness, Eiren Caffall. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Eiren Caffall for this ARC.
This book was a bit slow to start, with so much back story information and switching timeframes it dragged and became a bit tedious to read. About a third of the way in, it picked up considerably and was much more interesting and easier. The characters were well developed and the story held my attention after that tedious jaunt, but it was a very good read after that point. I'd actually give it 3.5 stars overall and would likely read another book from this author. Her words flowed well and the book held my interest fairly well. It was obvious the author had devoted a lot of time in the writing and I hope to see Nonie's story continue. Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
This was an excellent debut novel from Eiren Caffall. It is very well written and I liked the main character of young Nonie a lot. If you are a fan of end of the world and dystopian stories, you will definitely enjoy this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
This was a post-apocalyptic story that felt very possible. It was definitely a commentary on global warming and the state of the world right now, which made it feel ominous and very timely. I had some difficulty following along with the story sometimes, but I appreciate how much the author put into the book.
Thank you again for the ARC!
3.5 stars
There's a lot to like about this book, especially if you're super into dystopian novels. In this novel's world, there's water and a lot of it. NYC is flooded, there are no more computers so no one knows what's going on, and we assume there's no government. Everyone is left to fend for themselves and Nonie and her family travel north on the Hudson to safety. It's a pretty standard plot but the character of Nonie is well-crafted and I became invested in her journey. I thought the last chapter was unnecessary and I wish that the author had let the reader's imagination fill in the blanks for the After.
I would recommend this to others, particularly if you enjoyed Station Eleven.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!
A dystopian tale of the “World as It Was” before the oceans flooded the land. At times this read was absolutely frightening. So glad that the “farm” was reachable. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.