I am soooo disappointed with The Light at the Bottom of the World! I adore apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction, and with the current Climate Crisis, this book should have been exciting and topical and basically just something I would love. Unfortunately, my only take away from this book is that it is SUCH  a boring book.

The setting of underwater London had so much potential, and I was very excited to dive in (lol) to this world and see how the country had changed. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough description, and the characters just flitted from one place to another without really talking about it. I didn’t get a feel for the setting at all, and to be honest I got a bit confused about exactly where everyone was.

The characters also had ideas that came out of nowhere, with no build up or suspense, and it was as though I, as the reader, was supposed to be following along the whole time. Except I was unable to follow along because the writing was so chaotic and disjointed.

In addition to all of that, nothing really happened, and for some reason the story has been dragged into a duology. I feel like this could have been a strong standalone if the writing had been tightened up, but The Light at the Bottom of the World ended up being a whole lot of missed potential.

This was a really interesting story. I loved the underwater setting of the book and all of the sci-fi elements that were worked in. I was surprised by how much the government conspiracy angle played a role in the book but it worked to move the plot along. The thing I didn't love was the main character. She seemed immature and naive at quite a few points in the book and that bothered me. I also didn't love the dog character in this book, while I normally love mischievous animals in books that add to the story, this one might as well have been a stuffed dog. Despite that she is mentioned and talked about a lot. Overall this was a good story, with fantastic world building but lack luster characters. I may still give book two a chance to see where things go though.

A post-environmental disaster story about a world decimated by global warming and rising oceans. Leyla lives in the depths of the ocean: London. After rising sea levels flooded the planet, humanity was forced to adapt. Submersible racing and attacks from Anthropoids--genetically modified humans--are all Leyla has ever known. And when she's selected to participate in the prestigious London Marathon, she sees an opportunity to finally help her father--arrested on false charges--if she wins the grand prize which promises to grant the winner's greatest desire. But the more she digs into her father's arrest, the more she begins to realize the government has been lying about almost everything. It takes a surprising new friendship and all her courage and racing skills to take on the establishment she thought was there to keep her safe. 


I expected this book to focus more on the submersible races, but the plot advances beyond that about a fourth of the way into the story. Nonetheless, the story t hat developed afterward was really fast-paced and exciting, if occasionally predictable. Loved that there was a British Muslim MC and the environmental sci-fi elements. Definitely a fun read overall with important messages about abuse of power and xenophobia.

I'm gonna be honest - I didn't finish this, and that's why I'm not giving it 1 star. I don't think that's fair. Besides, it was very imaginative and the setting was intriguing. However, I absolutely could not get around the dialogue. I'm hoping it might be different in the final version, because everything about it felt stilted and unnatural. There were huge blocks of it with very little variation, and a lot of it felt a lot like *obvious dialogue* and not like anything somebody would actually say. It was driving me nuts, and I couldn't continue when I read this about 25% of the way in: 

'He takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "I'm sorry, Queenie. I should have told you. I will try and explain, child. But first let me remind you that in the absence of your father, I'm your guardian. You must understand that whatever I do, I do it with your interests at heart. You're in danger, and you need protecting. You refuse to move in with anyone. You left me with no choice. When someone started following you a few weeks ago, I turned to my old friend Ben for help. He agreed to send his son to ensure you're keeping safe."' 

I don't know WHY this feels so stilted and awkward to me. Maybe because it should be emotive, but just isn't, at all. It also made it clear the story was going to turn into a romance between the MC and this "boy sent to protect her" (I could be wrong, but alas), and I'm just not interested. I might have kept going if I could have connected to the MC, but I didn't. I never felt like I was IN the story, and for this type of intriguing setting, that was very disappointing. 

In conclusion, I thought this was going to be about the submersible race, but that part was over in the first 20% of the book, and I honestly just want to move onto something else. I'm sure the book will appeal to other people, though.

The concept of this book, while a little far fetched, is really intriguing. It took a little while for me to really get hooked on the story, but come the end of the book I found myself not wanting it to end. I am highly anticipating book two to find out what happens with Leyla, Hashem, and Ari.

Kind of surprised this one seems to have flown under the radar. As far as YA fantasy goes, it’s one of the better ones I’ve read this year. The characters aren’t that revelatory, but the setting is absolutely exceptional. 

When I read that it took place in completely underwater version of London, I assumed the inhabitants were all going to be mermaids. Or something similar at least, but nope! In this post-apocalyptic future the surviving civilization lives in airtight dwellings and travels in personal submarines among the other creatures that inhabit the ocean. The author is a little vague on what exactly caused this calamity and how the people pulled off this great underwater escape, but the events of the novel happen about 70 years after it happened, so it’s not entirely relevant to the main plot. And speaking of that...

The first third felt like a cross between The Hunger Games and podracing in Star Wars, but then takes a turn towards something more like an undersea adventure. Our main character, Leyla, is your classic YA heroine, for better or worse. She even gets to yell “I can take care of myself!” at various authority figures in her life before eventually realizing that she, in fact, cannot take care of herself at all. Her hunky, brooding ‘protector’ who’s perpetually clenching his jaw fulfills the love interest role in the YA way of starting as a mortal enemy before embracing one another as lovers in less than a day. My biggest issue, though? The freaking dog. Shut up about the dog. Nobody cares about the dog. I don’t know why book-dogs annoy me so much, but I never enjoy reading anything with them, and this one is mentioned on nearly every page. Also Jojo is a dumb dog name. 

The tropes are redundant, and the symbolism is a little heavy-handed, but I was able to read through it without wanting to go back in time and murder a teenaged version of myself, so I consider that a win. In all seriousness, it’s a solid start to an apparent series set to pick up some time again in 2020. I’ll be looking out for it along with whatever London Shah puts out next!

I’ve been excited to read Ms. Shah’s debut for quite some time. I love the idea of humans having to live underwater because of catastrophic climate events (that is, I love the idea in the abstract, not hoping it happens anytime soon!). Ms. Shah’s vision of such a world is definitely creative and interesting. I did find while I was reading that I just had a lot of questions about how society was able to make all of this actually work. I like Ari’s character, but I was a bit iffy on Leyla herself, only because she was both a bit of a Mary Sue (really naive) and also extremely stubborn and reckless. Things that should’ve been near impossible for her somehow always worked out, too, which can be frustrating. I will say I didn’t realize going in that this was a series, and the ending is indeed a serious cliffhanger that has me wanting to grab the next book asap!

If you enjoy YA science fiction and are looking for a really unique setting -- there aren’t many books set wholly underwater! -- you should give this one a try. Anyone looking for a diverse main character, or specifically for a Muslim lead, should grab this one, too. If you read it, let me know your thoughts! I look forward to seeing where the adventure leads next.

RATING: 3.5 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

This was such a fun, interesting concept!

The underwater world was so fun to explore between the main characters, their unique society, and the obstacles they face under the sea.

It encompasses everything you’re looking for in a YA Fantasy from the high-stakes to the captivating, storytelling techniques. The writing was subversive and made you turn page after page until the ending. Which is why I finished it in one night!

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars, and I highly recommend it. There’s a clear-cut motive and it was so fun to see how she runs around trying to achieve it.

It’ll be interesting to see how this epic series will continue!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.  This book is literally all of my favorite books combines into one new series... Shah gives us a world that is terrifying, amazing, and beautiful all at once.  It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so connected to a character.  Simply beautiful storytelling!  I can’t wait for book 2!

Scheduled to post 12/3/19.

Where did I stop reading? 11% in

Why? Looks like I blew right past the "end of the 21st century" part of the blurb because I just couldn't suspend my disbelief enough for me to accept that the world changed so drastically in such a short amount of time yet we had fully functioning underwater worlds with the technology to go along with it. On top of that it wasn't really holding my attention. Nothing really that I could point to specifically that I wasn't liking. Just all around. I think I was roped in by the gorgeous cover more than anything else, and the premise came secondary. But this one was on my meh list.

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 57%

Most of the time, I DNF a book b/c something is inherently offensive or wrong with it. That's not the case with this book. I just wasn't enjoying myself. This book has strengths in the world being something I haven't read before, but the plot didn't keep me engaged. That's a me problem, not a book problem. I firmly believe that if this plot sounds interesting to you then you will likely enjoy the book,

I've been holding off on this review for several months now. After finishing this book, I had a lot of mixed feelings about it. First off, the premise is absolutely brilliant. It reminded me of Bioshock, a 2000s video game I love. I was desperate to know how the author would develop the worldbuilding to such a unique setting. In this instance, I considered the setting to be a character itself and I wanted to know how the characters thrived and interacted with it. Needless to say, I began the book with a set of expectations and the execution was a surprising letdown. It wasn't what I expected and I was left with more questions than answers. 

I did, however, like Leyla and her journey. She was a flawed character who didn't always make the best decisions, but I loved that. Not every main teenaged character is a street smart genius with the maturity of a 30-year-old. Sometimes, as adults, we forget that teens are still developing their decision-making skills. I don't think we should expect every main character can be a Kaz Bekker. Leyla was a realistic teen in a fantasy world and I appreciate that a lot. 

All of which left me on the fence because I specifically requested this book for the setting/worldbuilding, but I only ended up liking the characters. I'll rate it 2.5 rates, which rounds to 3 stars. Like always, I do want to see what London Shah does next. I hope I fall in love with her sophomore novel.

Thank you to Disney Hyperion for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard great things about this book and I was so excited to be able to read it early and be part of the street team! This book was amazing and I cannot wait for the second book!

I am so happy I was able to read this book and you all need to go buy it too! It is a phenomenal debut and I am so looking forward to reading everything London writes.

Light is an ownvoices book with a British Pashtun Muslim main character. I absolutely loved seeing her in this book and that she was so very British! There was some very British references especially her love for tea! It was such a great thing to see, it felt like home.

I also loved how much of her Pashtun culture was included in the book. The food references especially had me craving everything! This book is full of wonderfully diverse characters from Leyla and Ari to others they meet along their journey. Even in London the community is so diverse and it was just normal to them, I really loved seeing that.

"Hope is all I have right now; it’s as unending as the oceans – and I must hold on to it."

I really loved Leyla, she is smart, resourceful and courageous yet she still feels afraid when she fears for her life and freezes which made her so much more real to me. But she doesn’t let her fear control her life which I loved seeing. She is determined to find her dad no matter the danger.

Ari is other main character who is Leyla’s companion on her journey to find her dad. He is broody and angsty and I fell in love with him immediately! He is such a complex character and there is so much more to him than what we initially see. He is patient and kind and brave and protects Leyla and helps her to overcome her fears. I really loved them both together and how their friendship grows and of course their banter and bickering!

This book has some incredible world building, we first get to explore London with Leyla and how it is recognisable as our London yet so different as everyone now lives underwater. When Leyla leaves London to find her dad we get to explore more of the UK with her and the world that London has created was so intricate and detailed and SO BEAUTIFUL. While I am not a fan of going in open water, I did make me want to be able to see that world.

"People always find a way to keep from losing one another – from losing themselves."

The story is full of mystery and intrigue and as the story goes on we realise that not everything we know about the world is true, it made me want to read just one more chapter because I needed to know what was happening! Also the mind blowing plot twists! I did not see them coming! They left me in shock and wandering what else that Leyla believed to be true wasn’t. The ending also left me reeling, it’s one hell of a cliffhanger and 
I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive the wait for the next book!

One of the things that I loved was how despite there being some very heavy topics and intense parts of the book, London wove humour through it so well and the lighter moments had me cracking up! The way that the people thought we lived before everyone lived underwater, nostalgia with rose tinted glasses. It was such funny moments and I loved it so much!

"Old world trains were spotless, and everyone chatted, knew one another. It was safe as houses. And they never broke down – not once. Zero delays!"

I could go on forever about all the things I loved about this book and I highly recommend you all read it!

Set in a dystopian underwater world about 100 years in the future, The Light at the Bottom of the World pits a talented young woman against the entirety of the British government. The seas rose and the people adapted. They waterproofed their dwellings and learned to travel in tunnels and submersibles. Yet, all these precautions cannot keep them safe from the things that dwell in the deep, things derived from nature and the evil Anthropoids who were created by man. These half man-half beast fish creatures were spliced up to help the populace adapt to the watery conditions, but they developed a rage and weren’t able to be trusted. They are now banished and hunted, only to become terrorists.

Leyla McQueen is trying to make it through the day-to-day existence at the bottom of the sea. She and her friends like to race their submersibles, test new tech, and play jokes on their virtual maids. Things were going well until her father went to work one day and didn’t come back home. Leyla has tried repeatedly to contact the police and get any sort of attention to his case, but she has been stonewalled. She sees a chance when she is picked to race in the annual London Submersible Marathon where the winner gets to ask the PM for one wish… Will she be able to win against the one hundred other racers? What are her chances?

And that’s just in the first quarter of the book… Shah flips the “big race” trope and puts it at the beginning of the book. What if the main character wins the race and still doesn’t get the golden prize? Leyla has her friends to help her see through the conspiracy of her father’s arrest, and her grandfather to remind her of her Muslim faith and give her the protection she needs. An independent investigation. There goes Leyla.

This is a quality YA read. An imaginative setting that allows for so much room to explore with technology and a cultural shift. Leyla is a fully-formed character who is fun to follow along. She is forced to grow up fast and use all the strength and love her parents have given her. A great character who Shah writes a nonstop plot for.

I had a small problem with the rounded-corner science, but the reveals were good. I was happy to hang on to the propeller and go for the ride! Augmented dolphins, an Oscar Wilde hologram navigator, and love for family that won’t be denied.

4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney-Hyperion, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

[Review will be posted on Reader Voracious Blog on 11/5/19.]

“Hope had abandoned them to the wrath of all the waters. The great Old Floods had done more than exile humanity to the depths of the oceanic abyss. They had also ravaged humankind of all faith and, like expiring pockets of air, sucked out any belief they would ever again live in peace.”

The Light at the Bottom of the World is set in the year 2099, about sixty-five years after a cataclysmic climate event made the ocean’s waters rise and the surface of the Earth uninhabitable. What remains of humanity lives 1,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, stuck in the past and afraid of the unknown.

Shah absolutely nails the atmosphere. Even though I have never done more than snorkeling, I could envision the world that she created. Dark and mysterious, a never-ending expanse for exploration but danger in every crevice. The world-building is fantastic and the tone of writing captures the anxiety and fear of what lurks outside of safety. Because while humanity has continued, it’s as dangerous as ever.

“Beneath us, the undergrowth is an endless expanse of ancient trees, all uprooted and toppled over one another. The mass of plants – a mixture of long dead and evolved new life – ripples as if the ground itself is alive, whispering, plotting.”

The writing is descriptive without being over-burdened, and as a result the book is a fast-paced read. I suffered from quite a reading slump in October, but I found myself breezing through the book when I picked it up. I did find the plot’s pacing to be a little uneven in the middle compared to the beginning and end of the book, but I never thought the plot dragged.

“All I see is a vast and terrible unknown ahead of me. An endless abyss of monstrous creatures and earthquakes and the all-destructive Anthropoids.”

Leyla McQueen is a sixteen-year-old British Muslim girl who enjoys punk rock and racing submersibles. I am not going to lie, I loved that she was blaring The Clash when we first meet her! Leyla’s parents are both of Afghan descent and I love how much her heritage means to her and her family. She’s been living alone for the past three months since her father was arrested, but no one will tell her exactly where he is. Which isn’t shady at all.

Light is told in Leyla’s first-person perspective, and like how it feels like she’s just narrating the story to her diary in a way, though. Her anxiousness and Virgo nature really come through in how the story is told. I also appreciated Leyla’s character development in the course of the book, which I can’t discuss because of spoilers.

While I absolutely loved the plot and world-building, I struggled a bit connecting with Leyla. I love her strength and courage to do whatever it takes to find and rescue her beloved papa, but this is a book that nails the sixteen-year-old perspective. This isn’t a bad thing at all – on the contrary, I think teenagers acting like teens need to be more prevalent in YA – but this is the case of right character, wrong reader.

“No past. No future.”

Other than the atmosphere itself, I think my favorite part of the book is the underlying social and political commentary. Light is set in a society which is steeped in nostalgia – they revere everything “ancient” to the point that they would rather restore historic buildings rather than deal with current social issues.

“A group of off-duty train drivers in the nearby booth discuss ancient transport over a pint. ‘I’m telling you,’ a woman says, ‘Old World trains were spotless, and everyone chatted, knew one another. It was safe as houses. And they never broke down – not once. Zero delays!'”

Revisionist history is one of the dangers of nostalgia, and you can see it across all sectors of the population in Light. People hold the time before as the Golden Age, helpfully forgetting all of the flaws. Spotless trains? Zero delays? On what planet? But besides that, an undercurrent of this book is the fact that history is written by the victors and we should always question everything.

Unfortunately, my reading experience was definitely hampered by spoilers in someone’s Goodreads updates. Can we all just agree not to put spoilers in Goodreads updates? I was assured the spoiler wasn’t real (“you’ll see”), but real or not it actually permanently and irreparably colored my opinion of a character. To the point that I don’t know if any of my feelings about this character are based on what I read or not. And that kind of sucks.

Overall, I found The Light at the Bottom of the World to be a solid debut fantasy story and I am looking forward to finding out what happens next. While I didn’t connect with the characters as much as other readers, this is very much a Me Being in My 30s Thing. I found the atmosphere amazing and thought London did a good job describing the setting, which made up my lack of character connection.

Representation: anxiety (and possible panic attacks, not explicit), Muslim rep, Pashtun rep
Content warnings: death of a parent, loss of a parent, mention of suicide, a dog is thrown by a Bad Guy (but is okay)

eARC provided by Disney-Hyperion via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion. Quotations were compared against the finished copy that I purchased.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book. This story is fantastic! It original and yet follows a current trend. Good Dystopian novels are not being written often these days but here is one I can’t wait to buy for students!

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Debut novels have really been impressing me lately and this one is no exception. Man, what a captivating story. I don't think I have ever read anything quite like this.
Set at the end of the 21st-century, the world is now underwater. Our protagonist, 16-year old Leyla McQueen is living on her own in London. Her Father has been arrested and spirited away by government officials, although no one will tell her exactly where.
Leyla knows he is innocent of the crimes for which he is accused and now her whole life is focused on trying to find him and get him back. When the opportunity arises for her to compete in a government-sanctioned auto race, with the prize being anything the winner desires, she puts her whole heart into winning. 
The marathon doesn’t turn out to be what she expected, however, and Leyla finds herself fleeing the perceived safety of London and heading out to lesser chartered waters for the first time in her life.
Now in her own submarine with her sweet pup, Jojo, virtual domestic help, Oscar, and a new body guard, Ari, she sets out to finally solve the mystery of what happened to her Father.
This book is so intriguing, you guys. Once I got into it, I could not put it down and pretty much read it in two days. There is a an enemies-to-lovers plot element which I enjoyed. It was very mild though so if romance isn't you thing, I would say it never overpowered the rest of the storyline.
For me the elements of the story that I was picking up the most were the politically-charged social commentary. That may not be the greatest way to describe it. The story itself isn't of a political nature but the topics explored definitely were and are poignant for a lot happening in the world right now.
Topics I noticed would include the idea that it is okay to question authority, to question the official story. It explored the idea of governments molding citizens viewpoints on 'others' and how individuals can be punished if they speak up or against such sanctioned ideas. There were elements of 'terrorism', domestic and otherwise, explored, as well as an us-versus-them mentality.
While all these topics were threaded throughout the narrative, to me, they never felt forced or like the author was championing and agenda. It was all very natural and organic to the plot progression. I was impressed with how the author was able to do that. 
It's also important to note this is Own Voices representation for a Muslim main character. Both of Leyla's parents were of Afghan descent. So if you are looking for more stories with Muslim main characters, I think this would be a great one for you to check out!
I thought the scifi elements in here were excellent. Very forward thinking and unique as far as the whole world being underwater. I think the concepts are very approachable for all readers, so even if you don't read a lot of scifi, maybe you are afraid you won't necessarily understand it all, I don't think that would be the case here. 
Finally, there are very cool 'monsters' in this story! They were honestly one of my favorite parts. They are called anthropoids and are basically genetically-modified humans that can breathe underwater. So, think the evil mermaids from Harry Potter -- very well done.
Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Disney Book Group, and to NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I was so impressed and cannot wait for the next book to be released!

All  really knew about this book going in was that it takes place entirely under the ocean and honestly I haven't read a book with submarines ever?! (I guess other than that one Series of Unfortunate Events book)


The world building was really fun and unique. I especially loved the whole idea behind it being a post apocalyptic society because of global warming. You gotta love the political stuff! I haven't read dystopia in a while, so that was great! Plus, creepy Anthropoids that are terrorizing the city... very intriguing indeed!


Leyla McQueen was a really fun MUSLIM main character (I always get really excited with Muslim characters, okay?!)! She was an adorable little nerd who also loved to race submarines which is pretty epic! PLUS SHE HAS AN ADORABLE LITTLE PUPPY NAMED JOJO WHO MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.


I really enjoyed reading about the technology and the underwater life, though for a while I was a little confused as to what Anthropoids even were, but eventually I figured that out! I liked the slow build of the story because it gave this air of mystery. Plus, our narrator was in the dark about a lot of things so it was equally frustrating and intriguing trying to figure out what had happened to Leyla's father and what everyone was hiding.


The second half of the book is when it gets really fun in my opinion. There's more action and dramaaaaa!!!! I am a sucker for dramatic situations, especially emotional ones. I love seeing how different characters react to situations and Leyla had SUCH GREAT REACTIONS.


If you love underwater racing in cities, really passionate characters determined to save their family, a brooding male character you can't help but be attracted to, CUTE LITTLE PUPPIES, sea monsters, Oscar Wilde, and adventure you should definitely pick this up! I would recommend this to anyone who wants something unique and fun!

Everything I LOVED: We didn't get a lot of overt political conspiracy in this book, but there was some amazing foreshadowing, and I'm really looking forward to seeing more of it in book two! It's a very different post-apocalyptic/dystopian book than what we usually get! I'd say it reminds me more of The Giver than anything that came after. Seeing everything that humanity went through and what they're still doing was really cool! I also LOVED the pace that the romance moved at!!! It's definitely a slow burn, so just be aware of that! The characters in this book were overall a super amazing cast. I do believe that the twins were my favorite, and I really hope that we see more of them in book two!
And things I wish were different: This book is very British, which isn't always my favorite thing. Because it was so British, there were things that the author would talk about (especially locations!) where I would just be completely lost. The dialogue was also clunky in places, but that could simply be that it wasn't American English. Definitely little things that didn't take away from my enjoyment at all!
5 Stars!!! See link below for more details.

This book was very atmospheric and beautifully written. Before going into this, I was intrigued by the idea of an underwater Atlantis version of London and I was not disappointed. The plot itself, however, I found to be a little underwhelming. I didn't fully care for the characters, and some of the drama felt a little contrived. Additionally, the pacing was a little slow for my liking. However, I do very much appreciate the rep and the original setting of the story. Rounded up, this was a solid 4 star read and I would definitely recommend this to people if they're looking for an awesome, atmospheric, and diverse read!