Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I did not think that I would be finding a 5 star read so early in the year but here we are. I cannot fully express how much I loved this book. Set in the (near?) future the glaciers have melted and ocean levels have risen. Much of the population has died with the exception of a few pockets of people here and there. This is a startling glimpse into what could/will happen due to our climate crisis. We follow Nonie and her family as they evacuate their camp to safer ground. Its a story of trials, danger, love, and ultimately, hope.

3.5 The cover of this one immediately piqued my interest, followed by the premise: the glaciers have melted and the world has flooded, including the majority of NYC. Young Nonie and her family live on the room of the Natural History Museum until a deadly hypercane storm forced them to seek shelter up the Hudson Valley. It took me a while to settle into the writing style; it borderline felt like it was trying too hard to sound profound or stylized. The pacing in general was also a bit hard for me—I wanted to really stay in the present storyline, particularly once it got to the 50% point or so, versus dipping back in time almost every other chapter, even though I understand the author was trying to slowly provide context along the way. Still, I did eventually become engrossed in their journey and what was going to happen—I think this one is more intense at moments than some may expect (which I fully enjoyed). Overall a really interesting one that I’m glad I picked up!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this novel.

When the floods came, Nonie and her family ended up in an unlikely place - the Museum of Natural History in New York City, where her mom worked. As civilization falters, they tried to build a community with other people who found themselves there. After her mom dies of kidney disease and their temporarily home is flooded out, Nonie, her sister, another survivor and their dad set out to try to find safety up north at her maternal family's farm. '

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall is a sobering tale about the consequences of climate change and the fall of basic humanity. It was entertaining and well written but very, very sad.

Thank you to NetGalley, McMillan Publishing, and Eiren Caffall for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Living in NY during a time of torrential, unending rains, and rapidly rising waters, a family takes refuge in a museum, moving from floor to floor until they finally have to take apart an ancient canoe from an exhibit to help them reach safety. Their journey is one of sadness, hunger and thirst, illness and death; but, their beliefs, courage, and knowledge of water carries them their journey to a relative’s farm, where hope for new life can grow.

This is a very interesting j Book How many people survived the glacier S m e l t. They were trapped in new york city and living in the national history museum. This was going really well for them.But then they decided to take an adventure. A lot of weird things happened in this book.But the best part was when they were on the hudson river trying to go upstate to Is cold spring. They had a lot.
Of difficult problems but they all seemed to manage to survive but there was a lot of tragedy as well. Things can really happen when climate change takes over the world. Very interesting book I like it.

A literary futuristic tale of water, an apocalypse told through the eyes of a young girl on a journey of survival.

New York City is practically abandoned, Nonie and her family are living on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History in an effort to protect the collections from recurring storm surges, but when a major storm hits and breaks the floodgates, everything becomes inhabitable. Where to go and how to get there? How to survive?

“The world as it was” vs “The world that it is”….

It took me a few chapters to get into the structure and style of the story, but the chapters were short so the book moved along easily. Aside from it having a great story line, it lacked substance for me. Things moved along so quickly that I never felt the depth of situation. There was talk of Nonie having a gift of weather premonition in the synopsis, but it wasn’t really explored – it just kept moving along and I didn't feel any connections.

Although I didn’t love the execution of it, this was a good story, it got me thinking (and slightly concerned) about the state of our climate. Perfect for those are looking for a quick dystopian/apocalyptic type read.

I don’t want to be pedantic, but the description is somewhat misleading. Yes, some of the story does take place at the Natural History museum that the characters have lived at for 8 years, but the devastating storm comes at the very beginning of the narrative. That being said, the chapters shift between vignettes of life at the museum and the present-day survival story as the small group travels north to an uncertain future.

So, if you’re expecting a linear story of a community rebuilding itself in a post-apocalyptic world only to be met with a second reckoning, then this isn’t it.

But I really hope you stay for one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Narrator Nonie offers such a fresh and original voice. She’s a young teen; she doesn’t present as precocious or preternaturally intelligent, but there is such a weariness to her voice, likely due to her entire worldview being shaped by growing up in the “after” of climate change.

Speaking of which, the book doesn’t have to be heavy-handed with the dire future to get its point across. But I digress…

Nonie has very few memories of her life in NYC before they moved to the museum. She seems to adapt much more quickly to changes in circumstance than her sister who is only three years older. I’m not a psychologist, but this is probably because Bix spent three more years living a “normal” life before they had to move to the museum. So Bix had more adapting to a new life, as opposed to Nonie, who was only around six when her life changed. Naturally, individual personalities also affect adaptability.

I would absolutely recommend All the Water in the World. This book had me riveted for every step of the journey the characters undertake. I was nervous about situations like the ones in The Road, which I am too much of a scaredy-cat to read. While there is certainly a lot to be wary of, it’s not horror after horror for our intrepid band. I was equally fascinated by the vignettes of museum life, although those are mostly bittersweet.I hope Caffall writes more fiction in the future.




I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley.

ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD
BY: EIREN CAFFALL

The book starts out with a young girl named Nonie as the narrator. She is telling the story of what ends up happening when she speaks of what she calls a "Hypercane." Which is a huge storm stronger than any tornado or hurricane that I've ever seen happen in my lifetime. She has a natural affinity for water and I think it's because her mother taught her not to be afraid of heavy storms when she was a child when she and her family all lived back at their home on Tenth Street. Although Nonie tells of a time when she stopped talking, it is evident that she is an intelligent girl. Her older sister Beatrice (Bix) is scared to death of the flooding waters that had forced them to flee their home and live on the rooftop of the American Museum of Natural History with her father, mother (at first), her older sister Bix, and another man who blames Bix, but not Nonie responsible for a tragic loss.

All the Glaciers have melted and the flooding, and storms have made it necessary for them to leave their safe refuge in a Birch made boat that that their father and Keller have taken behind a wall of glass with three paddles that they also shatter the glass where they were stored. They have a rule which is not to take anything from the exhibits unless it's a necessity. This is the time to take from the museum if there ever was since it's flooding. There are alternating chapters that are very short that made this book allow me to feel as though I flew through it, where (for example) Noni tells of their mother dying while they sheltered at AMEN which is their nickname for the museum that's short for it, in New York City. The example I started giving is I think what was Kidney failure.

They take the boat after Nonie coaxes her older sister Bix to leave the fast flooding AMEN and head north up the Hudson River to Massachusetts where there is hope. The barriers had broken that held the water back had broken, and they are on their way to the farm. It's heartbreaking at times to read about such a young child explaining to the reader about the process about when her mother was dying. It also felt like Nonie was too young to be tasked with the job of explaining the events. She kept a log book of all of the lost or hidden museum items that is a meditation and reflective nod to how in Leningrad and Iraq the art was protected during both wars.

Publication Date: January 7, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Eiren Caffall, and St. Martin's Press for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#AlltheWaterintheWorld #EirenCaffall #StMartinsOress #NetGalley

All The Water in The World is a wonderful debut novel by Eiren Caffall. It tells the story of a group of survivors from a flood that covers all of Manhattan, living on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History (AMEN). The main character is a 13 year old girl named Nonie. She and her family came to the museum not only to live, but to also find a way to preserve the collections. Now Nonie, her sister Bix, their father and a friend need to leave to survive the next major weather event.

They are fleeing to find a farm that was once in their mother's family in Massachusetts. They are relying on faith that the farm still exists and will be a safe haven. Along the way, there are many perils and adventures. Nonie learns who she can actually trust, and the true meaning of family- both the one we are born into and the chosen family we create.

Faced with overwhelming odds, the group refuse to give up. As resources dwindle and fear escalates, they must learn to trust each other, to share their burdens, and to rely on the collective wisdom of the group. They meet others along the way, some they can trust, and some they can not. All the while staying focused on their ultimate goal of reaching the farm and hopefully creating a new life.

The novel is beautifully written. The descriptions of the world around the characters are captivating and compelling. You will cheer for Nonie and her group as they make their pilgrimage. Their journey is a testament to the power of the human spirit, the importance of community and the unwavering belief in a brighter future.

It is a definitely a page turner that will leave you on the edge on your seat. I can;t wait to read more by Eiren Caffall.

All the Water in the World offers a unique perspective on climate change, narrated through the eyes of Nonie, a girl with a profound connection to water. While the premise of a post-apocalyptic New York City and a family’s journey for survival is compelling, the novel's pacing often feels sluggish, with repetitive plot points that dilute its potential for tension. The world-building, although creative, sometimes lacks the urgency needed to fully capture the peril of a climate-ravaged future.

I wish Nonie's connection to the water had been explored more. Their time spent in the museum was my favorite part of the story bringing the central themes of preservation and resilience to the forefront, particularly in the family's dedication to safeguarding humanity’s knowledge. Overall, while the book’s heart is in the right place, its slower rhythm may leave readers craving more emotional depth and conflict.

All the Water in the Word is not a feel-good novel, but it isn’t meant to be. It’s a bleak tale with dark turns and horrific events. It deals with loss on many levels. It also details the reliance of the human spirit. Caffall ably navigates the waters of the story with strong writing and excellent character development. Nix is a reliable narrator, an interesting character and makes the novel successful. I’m not sure the story would be as compelling if told through the eyes of another person.

This is not a book for anyone looking for a light, happy read. It is a moving novel that is well plotted and written.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for an early

this was far too sci fi for me and got kind of boring in the middle, not sure id recommend unless you like end of the world kind of fiction

The polar glaciers have melted. History has been divided into The World as it Was and The World as It Is. Puerto Rico and Florida do not exist anymore. New York managed to build floodgates that kept the ocean out for a while. Bix and her sister, Nonie, live with their father and a few other employees of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Their mother dies of kidney disease; there are no more hospitals, no more medicine, a few antibiotics can be scourged from looted pharmacies. When the hypercane hits, the floodgates are inundated and the girls, their father and Keller take a birchbark canoe from one of the museum displays and head north on the Hudson River to find Tyringham, where they hoped to find a farm that had been in mother's family. It is a harrowing journey, full of attacks and survival. They meet people who are determined to keep them prisoners and people who want to kill them. This book is a meditation on what humankind might become following a disaster of such dimensions that we cannot comprehend it. Is it too late to survive? If you liked Station Eleven, you will enjoy this book, too.

Nonie lives in the remnants of a museum in New York City after The World As It Was has passed. She and her father and sister, as well as several friends and former museum employees - historians and scientists - have made it their refuge. But the storms keep coming, buildings keep flooding, and it's only a matter of time before this home of theirs will be destroyed, too.

This was an interesting book. It had a strong emphasis on characters while also including some serious plot. There is a survival element to it, but at the same time, it explored ideas of hope, grief, loss, family, and what matters most. I appreciated Nonie's want for adventure even in the face of cataclysmic events; she hasn't stopped dreaming for something more. Coupled with that is her sister Bix, who is fearless on land, but paralyzed in water (an unfortunate fear in this flooded future world). The novel also subtly explores the issue of race and imagines that in the face of disaster, factions and prejudice would become extreme. It's a dismal thought, but the found-family of the museum staff and our main characters stand apart from The World As It Is in their unity and diversity. There were times that I felt emotionally disconnected while reading, probably because Nonie is portrayed as such. It also has a non-linear timeline, moving between the current world and looking back at the world before such torrential flooding. I struggled a bit with this.

The bottom line: I left feeling hopeful and enjoyed this overall, but it wasn't something I felt compelled to pick up or rush through.

This was a moving survival story set in a post-climate change apocalyptic world that sees a group of travelers trying to find a place where they can live in peace. Very much along the lines of The road or Station Eleven, this was good on audio and pairs perfectly with The last bookstore on Earth, another 2025 new release climate change dystopia. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

All the Water in the World (Hardcover)
by Eiren Caffall
A realistic look at what would happen after the Environmental catastrophe of ocean water rise. The book looks at the reality of abandoned cities, left treasures, and social struggles. The book shows the divisions of society are just barely tenuous. That we are just one catastrophe away from collapse of civilization. We would be divided on race, on social income, psychology. Human behavior shows that we will become barbaric, divided by lines of have and have not, on race, and morality. How we survive is finding others, and making anew connections that are not subject to prejudice, and hate.

In Eiren Caffall's haunting debut novel "All the Water in the World," climate fiction meets coming-of-age narrative in a masterfully crafted tale of survival and resilience. Set in a near-future New York City ravaged by climate change, the story follows young Nonie, a remarkable protagonist with an almost supernatural connection to approaching storms. The American Museum of Natural History, dubbed "Amen" by its inhabitants, serves as both sanctuary and symbol – a fortress of knowledge preservation amid environmental collapse.

While the novel's opening chapters require some patience as they establish the unique world and its characters, the narrative gains powerful momentum when a catastrophic superstorm forces Nonie, her sister Bix, their father, and curator Keller to flee their museum refuge. Caffall's decision to alternate between their harrowing journey north and Nonie's memories of life at Amen creates a rich tapestry that reveals not just what was lost, but what remains worth preserving. The author's prose strikes a delicate balance between stark realism and poetic reflection, particularly evident in observations like "Greed and hope aren't opposites. Greed and hope are twins grabbing for the same thing, one in fear and one in faith."
What distinguishes this novel from other entries in the climate fiction genre is its unique perspective through a child's eyes and its focus on cultural preservation. Nonie's voice carries the narrative with a wisdom beyond her years, while never losing the vulnerability of youth facing an unimaginable future. The relationship between Nonie and Bix adds emotional depth, grounding the apocalyptic elements in very human connections. The museum itself becomes a character, representing humanity's desperate attempt to maintain a bridge between "The World As It Was" and what might be salvaged for future generations.

Comparisons to Emily St. John Mandel's "Station Eleven" and Octavia Butler's "Parable of the Sower" are well-earned, as all three works find glimmers of hope in the preservation of culture amid catastrophe. However, Caffall carves out her own territory by making water – in all its forms – a central character. The ocean becomes both destroyer and potential savior, a force that shapes not only the physical landscape but the psychological terrain of the survivors. The author's unflinching portrayal of climate disaster feels unnervingly prescient without falling into didacticism.

Despite dealing with catastrophic events, Caffall manages to infuse the narrative with moments of grace and resilience that feel earned rather than forced. Lines like "You never know in the darkness, who's holding the light" and "A building is just a body through which you live a life. What mattered was the people we found and lost" showcase the author's ability to find profound truth in devastation. While the novel's deliberate early pacing may challenge some readers, the investment pays off handsomely as the story builds to its compelling conclusion.

"All the Water in the World" earns 3.75 stars for its innovative approach to climate fiction, strong character development, and powerful imagery. Thanks St. Martins Press and netgalley for me eARC!

Caffall's first novel sends us into a damaged world, where climate changes continue to escalate. After a series of increasingly horrific storms and other challenges, New York City is considered too fragile to save, but a small community continues to take refuge at the Museum of Natural History (known as Amen). They continue to care for and preserve the remaining exhibits and knowledge even as they work to survive. Nonie, our narrator, is one of the youngest community members, a child whose alignment with the oceans makes her aware not only of approaching storms, but of their severity. The novel begins though as a storm hits Amen beyond any scale they've seen before, breaking the storm gates and drowning the city and most of Amen's residents. Only four survive the initial impact: Nonie, her older sister Bix, her father, and Keller, a fellow curator, and Amen is uninhabitable. The novel proceeds with chapters alternating their hazardous journey to find a new refuge and Nonie's memories of how Amen came to be (and who they lost along the way). It's a grief-streaked but eventually hopeful journey, tense but engaging. The comparisons to Station Eleven, another strangely-hopeful dystopian novel, are completely deserved--I loved them both.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

I struggled to get into this one, but admittedly, dystopian fiction isn’t my forte. My husband, however, has already preordered it. Seems like a great book just not for me.

An unflinching and sparsely emotive look at the inner world of a child living in an apocalyptic NYC, on an earth plagued by massive storms and flooding. This is a deeply character driven story, with vivid world building and literary prose, that although gripping in theme, didn't bring me into as close a connection with the protagonist as I could have been (and needed to be for me to want to know the end of her story). For me, the writing itself kept me reading, rather than my own need to experience the unfolding events along with Nonie, but even that didn't see me to the end of the story.