Ultimately I decided on a 3 star rating, when I asked myself why…z.i had a few reasons. The chapters are told in non-chronological order. And the chapter titles don’t even help you figure out when the scene happened. Normally if I heard a dead person say anything at all then I knew it was probably a flashback chapter.
Then the characters……they all felt very one dimensional. I really wanted to be cheering. Then on but honestly found that to me the outcome didn’t matter.
What I did enjoy:
Found family
World building (a lot of time is spent explaining the surroundings.
Dystopian future related to climate change
I received an ARC of the title, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy to read and review! This book is one I'm already recommending.

Nonie lives on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Her family and a couple close friends are all that's left after the collapse of the world as they knew it. When a storm floods what is left, their escape North up the Hudson River exposes them to what others have done to survive. Can they traverse safely to their next destination?

I love a good post-apocalyptic tale, and this one really delivered. Eiren Caffall has a way with words. Water itself became a character, and I could visualize everything. The ominous feeling as the main characters traveled across a flooded land kept me turning pages to find out what happened next. And the flashbacks really helped drive the plot forward as I grew in the knowledge of both how the world worked and the characters related to it. I have already told my husband he needs to read this, and I fully believe that a quick rec like that means a book is gold.

If you like high concept descriptive novels, this is a book for you!

CW: attempted rape, death, racism, medical descriptions/procedures

All the Water in the World is a meditation on climate change, but it does not lecture. Instead, it invites us into the discussion by showing us the lives of a family trying to survive the devastating consequences of climate change. The family’s journey to finding a new home in a flooded future invokes emotions such as fear, hope, and empathy. The novel is narrated by a thirteen-year-old girl, Nonie, who is simultaneously wise and childlike. At times, the lyricism of the narration belies her age. And yet, as the story progresses, it becomes more believable that these words could have come from such a young person. Her description of the world is beautiful at times and her interpretation is nuanced. However, there were times it was difficult to imagine what the world looked like. Not only must she help her family survive, Nonie must also protect her documents of “the world as it was" before the floods. As they encounter scary situations and people, her desire to safeguard her books becomes a metaphor for protecting what it means to be human. The novel is told in flashbacks and a present storyline. Because of this, the first act of the book is slowly placed. There is very little momentum in the plot until the family heads north and starts encountering people who have survived not only the floods but also diseases. The last act does have moments of high suspense. What I would have liked to see is a balanced pacing throughout the novel. In conclusion, All the Water in the World is a quietly thought-provoking book that encourages us to think about our roles as stewards of the Earth.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read an e-ARC of All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall! I’ve rated this book 3.5 stars, but for the purposes of this review have rounded it up to 4 stars.

In a world ravaged and drowned by climate disaster, Nonie and her family must abandon the life they knew and find a new way to survive the world as it has become. They start a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH for short, pronounced like “Amen”) and live in relative harmony and safety, never letting in strangers, hunting and growing food in Central Park, and trying to preserve the massive collections of human history and science. Nonie, in particular, keeps her own records of life, the collections, and much more. When they must abandon the place they’ve come to call home, they take a boat and ride the swollen Hudson river hoping to make it to her mother’s old home in the north. As one would expect in a post-apocalyptic/climate disaster story, they encounter all types of unsavory characters who have found other ways of surviving. Readers are sure to encounter themes of grief, coming of age, community, love, the importance of history and knowledge, and question the ways in which humans choose to survive (perhaps one of the most intriguing parts of books like these).

I really really wanted this to be a 5-star read (especially since it’s compared to some of my favorite dystopian stories like “Parable of the Sower” and “Station Eleven”), but this missed the mark. I found it slow-paced, occasionally repetitive, and at times a little *too* much like the aforementioned comparison titles. That being said, if you want an atmospheric, post-climate-disaster drowned world, slow-burn read – this is a great option! I, perhaps, had too high of expectations for the contents, but that doesn’t make it not a great read for others. I really enjoyed Caffall’s writing style and tone as they brought her story to life. I genuinely look forward to seeing what else she crafts in the future!

(3.75 stars)
The cover art of All The Water in the World immediately grabbed my attention. It shows famous landmarks of New York City (e.g., The Empire State Building) mostly submerged in water. And when I read the publisher’s blurb, I knew I had to read it.

Set in an unknown number of years in the future (but not too far in the future, I think), the story is told by a young teen girl, Nonie. She has a special relationship with water, can feel storms coming, for example. As the story opens, she and her older sister, Bix, and their father are living on the roof of what used to be the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in Manhattan. They have a small community, living in a longhouse structure on the roof but able to go inside the former museum for shelter. They call it AMEN, sort of an abbreviation of the museum’s abbreviation. The people of Amen have tried to save important things from the museum. They recall how the people in Leningrad and France and Italy and Iraq tried to save art and other priceless items, and also the monks of the Middle Ages, who transcribed ancient texts, to preserve them for the future. They tend a garden and hunt deer in Central Park. Their former home on 10th Street, downtown, is gone, completely under water. (Miami is gone, among other coastal places.) Their mother has died of a disease that once was treatable, but medicines are extremely scarce, along with many other things we all take for granted. Then a humongous storm upends even their current “normal” lives - it’s so big, it’s called a hypercane! NYC had built flood walls, but those were now overtaken by the storm. Water rises and rises. The rest of the story is how this small family plus a friend, Keller, handle their perilous new reality. Interspersed with their adventure/journey, are lots of flashbacks and entries from Nonie’s “water log.”

While I really loved the story, I found it to be a bit slow-paced, making it seem much longer than its 304 pages/8 hours and 12 minutes of audio. It was very reflective in nature, with it being told by Nonie. The whole thing was disturbing, discombobulating, as it covers so many landscapes and places that I know so well in “the world as it was,” as Nonie calls what we think of as present day.

I mainly listened to the audiobook version of All The Water in The World. It was beautifully narrated by a new-to-me narrator, Eunice Wong.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

DNF this was hard for me to get into just wasn't for me. Would always recommend someone give it a try just a miss for me. I want to thank NetGalley for the arc.

I can’t quite pin down what didn’t work for me in this one. The description is very much something I would enjoy and want to read but as I got into the book, it just didn’t grab me. I think maybe it was a bit too slow paced. I also don’t think the flashbacks worked well.

Unfortunately, this book just did not hit for me. I found the writing style too choppy and confusing, which made it hard to stay engaged with the story. I couldn’t grasp what kind of world the story was taking place in or what point in time it was set. The lack of clarity in the world-building made it difficult to visualize the setting or connect with the narrative.

Going into this, I was expecting something similar to the movie The Day After Tomorrow (one of my favorite movies), with a gripping and vividly depicted environment that enhanced the storyline. However, All the Water in the World fell short of those expectations. I struggled to understand the world-building, which left me feeling disconnected and frustrated.

Additionally, I didn’t enjoy the narration style, which felt distant and failed to draw me into the story. Overall, this book just wasn’t for me. That being said, I can see how others might appreciate its unique style and approach. If you’re intrigued by experimental storytelling and are willing to piece together the narrative yourself, this might be worth a read.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this on eGalley from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I ended up absolutely loving this book. The characters, the way the story was put together, and the subject matter were amazing. I love that there's just a touch of magical realism in here as well.

Nonie and her family have been eking out a living in the American Museum of Natural History after the rising of the ocean and the desertion of New York City. Things aren't perfect, but they are making it work. That is until a hypercane (a hurricane on steroids) causes them to flee on to the water and to the north. Now Nonie, her sister, and her father must make their way through literally unknown waters to the farm they believe is waiting for them in the north. The dangers they encounter are both forces of nature and of the more human variety.

I ended up absolutely loving this book and struggling to put it down. The short chapters are well done and alternate between the time right after the flooding of NYC and the current time. Nonie is a bit different (it seemed like she was autistic) and sees the world in a different way from her family. She also has the ability to sense what water is going to be (a gentle rain or a horrible storm). Her father and his friends want to have a peaceful community where everyone helps out and is striving to save what history they can. The rest of the world has different ideas, though.

This book did an amazing job of putting you right in the middle of all the action and making things feel very real and urgent. However, the chapters from the past were also very introspective and gave you a lot of background on the characters and how the world got to this point. It was an addictive combination that I loved.

The majority of the characters in here strive to help each other survive in this world, but this book also doesn't shy away from the characters that try to take advantage of the situation. The combination gives this book portions that are desperate survival scenarios that alternate with cozy portions of people enjoying the simple pleasures of life and family.

This was so easy to read, entertaining, and insightful. It really makes you think while at the same time drawing you in to an engaging, fasdt-paced story.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I absolutely loved this book. I loved the format of the story, the amazing characters, and the urgency speckled with spots of calm. This was both though-provoking and entertaining and I stayed up way too late trying to finish this. I eagerly await future books by Caffall.

All the Water in the World is an allegory about what happens after climate change has flooded New York City and broken down civilization as we know it. It also is a coming-of-age tale for Nonie, the teenage female protagonist.

I think it may have just been me but this tale was slow, very slow. It works much better as a plot synopsis than as an actual novel. I didn’t connect to any of the characters and so I didn’t feel compelled to find out what happened to them. The setting and what ifs of the world after climate change were nicely done. However, that was not enough to hold my interest. Obviously, this is a minority opinion so I’ll still give it 3 stars. The book’s pacing, plot, and characterizations will probably please climate change activists and literary fiction junkies. All the Water in the World just didn’t hit the spot for this thriller fan.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced review copy.

This was a new and interesting take on natural disasters hitting the world and ending it as we know it.

My favorite piece was the knowledge given to us and shown through these characters. It is something we wonder about when things happen, who will remember them? Having human history honored and examined and used the way these characters did was a great addition.

I really enjoyed this story, it was heartbreaking and hopeful. It was written so beautifully with descriptions that evoked emotion and relatability in a world that seemed almost far fetched.

Stories like these always have me wondering about the before and how something happened. How did the world end and what was that time like through the eyes of those who lived it.

A dystopian novel which gives us a glimpse into the future of our planet. With global warming and the eventual melting of the glaciers, our world could very much be like the one described in this novel. A small group of survivors struggles to find a safe haven and must maintain hope and work together on their journey. I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book! The alternative storylines between the world as it is and the world as it was are told by Nonie, a young teen who has the ability to sense storms and other water-related events before they happen. While on the journey to a safe haven with her sister, father and a friend, she moves the story forward while remembering events that led up to the current crisis that forces the group to leave NYC. The story is informative, engaging and action packed and also offers good character development. All the elements of a good dystopian novel are included in this book - dangerous natural conditions, rogue marauders, not knowing who to trust and a tight group who remain hopeful plus much more! A really enjoyable read, especially for lovers of dystopian science fiction.

I was really excited for the plot of this one. The idea of a world after a climate change disaster where the ocean takes over should be right up my alley, but the writing was way too lyrical for me.

I found myself lost in the first few chapters between the writing and the POV of the teenager?

Just like 2024 releases, I’m tired of adult sci-fi books from the POV of a teen or what seems to be the POV teen if the reader is not informed

I think I could’ve stuck out with this one if we could have had a bit more of an introduction into the scenario from another character’s POV.

A gripping speculative fiction novel set just after the apocalyptic rise of sea levels around the world and catastrophic changes in weather patterns. Nonie is a child of this new reality, one where water is everywhere but almost always dangerous, where people are precious but hard to know, and where memory is sacred but dreams are mist. I really loved the literary feel of the prose and the way her POV felt so detached from the mindset of a child only a few years her senior because of the isolation she’s experienced since the floods. There’s a naïveté mixed with a spiritual wisdom that makes her so compelling. Such a captivating read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Excellent. I wasn’t sure at first if I would like this - it’s not my usual thing. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. Equal parts terrifying and hopeful - there are lessons here. I loved it and highly recommend for everyone. 5 stars from me!

This had the set up of a book right in my wheelhouse...dystopian/climate-change/family. The good: I loved the way the author described the water and the rain and the devastation surrounding the characters - I could FEEL and smell the wet and wind. The bummer: The characters, to me, weren't flushed out enough to make me care much for them. At times, the flashbacks (I love a good flashback) were confusing and took me out of the thrill of this ride. Other times, the story dragged and I wasn't interested in the details. All in all, great idea and evocative descriptions enough meat about characters in the story. Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy.

All the Water in the World is a dystopian science fiction following Nonie and her family after the world falls into disarray due to massive flooding and climate disaster. For such a depressing book, I was still left me with a feeling of hope by the end.

This is a pretty quick read, but I found it difficult to get through as I never felt super compelled to pick it up. The story is pretty slow moving and switches between the current timeline and flashbacks chapter by chapter. Although I found the flashbacks necessary, I would've liked to see them take place around the time the world was changing. I really enjoy all sort of disaster stories and we really only saw the aftermath of it all.

I had only read a few pages of All the Water In the World when I realized it was going to be an emotional read for me. It’s a devastating, inspiring, and all too realistic depiction of the effects of climate change on our world. Nonie’s story shows us that there’s always reason to hope, even after the world has ended.

The pacing is slow, which added to the tension and stress I felt as 13-year-old Nonie and her family struggled through the dangers of the world to make their way to a safe place. While there wasn’t a ton of action, there were a couple scenes that had my heart pounding out of my chest and though I could have torn through the book in a couple sittings, it took me longer than usual because I had to take breaks to sit with my thoughts (or distract myself from them).

As for the writing: fantastic. Because I have aphantasia, I always rely on authors to provide excellent descriptions and Eiren Caffall did a beautiful job painting a picture of a world ravaged by climate change. And I think the choice to tell the story through the eyes of a child was an excellent one.

I love that some chapters were flashbacks to Nonie’s time living at the museum with all the other survivors. Nonie was the only one among them who was too young to remember much about the time before the city was flooded and it was interesting to see how her experience differed from theirs. Honestly, everything was interesting. Even with the slow pacing, I was never bored.

Eiren Caffall doesn’t sugarcoat the possible disastrous future that awaits us and I can’t recommend All the Water In the World enough to anyone looking for a serious, thought-provoking read.

The premise of this book grabbed me then I started reading. It's so confusing at first and repetitive without going anywhere. By the time it finally picked up in pace I really did not care anymore.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

I had a failry good time listening to this book! There were some spots where I felt confused and would have to go back and relisten but otherwise enjoyed the story!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.