Okay, imagine New York is underwater, you’re paddling through it in a birchbark canoe, and your survival kit includes… a book of history. That’s the vibe of All the Water in the World, and honestly? It’s weirdly beautiful.

Nonie, the main character, is this thoughtful, water-loving teen who’s trying to make sense of a world that’s literally sinking. Her family’s rooftop hideout on the Museum of Natural History? Iconic. The writing? Dreamy and haunting in the best way.

It’s part dystopian adventure, part love letter to memory and storytelling. If you’re into poetic vibes with a splash of apocalypse, this one’s a gem. Think Station Eleven meets canoe-core.

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD but it captivated me from the start. Set in a dystopian world where the future is flooded and life is uncertain, the story follows the POV of a girl named Nonie.

I listened and read and loved this dual style of reading and would recommend both formats.

*many thanks to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall is a quiet, haunting novel set in a flooded future where a family clings to purpose and memory amid environmental collapse. Told through the voice of Nonie, a girl deeply attuned to water, the story unfolds slowly and deliberately, mirroring the family’s daily struggle for survival on the roof of New York’s Museum of Natural History and then on the water. I appreciated the book’s measured, almost meditative pace, which offered a powerful contrast to the chaos of the superstorms and the uncertain journey north. A thoughtful and atmospheric read that blends dystopia with a deep reverence for science, memory, and hope. Fans of Emily St. John Mandel will appreciate this novel.

All the Water in the World was a super interesting read. I loved the character study and the writing felt propulsive. I'd read more from the author.

3.5 rounded up to a four.

I didn't love this nor did I hate it. Overall it was just okay. I feel like it could have been better if the tone and pace was different. Honestly the premise is fantastic and I love dystopian, so maybe my expectations were just too high.

My biggest complaint was that it moved pretty slowly for the majority of the book. And then towards the very end, events unravel too quickly and it sort of wraps up a bit too conveniently for me personally.

The narration was enjoyable. So I don't have any complaints about that

This book is a journey. It is a bit slower paced than I envisioned, but it drags you down in the depths of this story and the panic and heartbreaks they encounter.

Overall a fascinating read with perspective on a world of water.

Eunice Wong did a wonderful job giving this story a voice.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this audio book production.

Major thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this Audio Arc.

I really enjoyed this book and in its best parts it reminded me of some of my favorite Dystopian lit. The main character's connection to the water sometimes felt a bit over the top to me and the MC felt very adult for a child and her ignorance of some parts of history felt like an excuse to include less world building. Overall though I felt connected to the characters and I enjoyed the whole ride with this book.

Bittersweet, as much climate fiction is. Hopeful but devastating. I loved the characters, loved their imperfections and their humanity and the love they had for each other.

I really liked this one! The writing was beautiful and the story had such a haunting vibe. It was moving and explored some heavy themes like family and climate change in a really natural way. It did slow down a bit for me in the middle, but overall, I was hooked. Totally worth picking up!

- ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD combines climate fiction with a dash of thriller as you follow this group trying to escape a flooded New York.
- I loved that the characters were museum employees, and they’d holed up at the AMNH, which they take to calling Amen. It brings a historical view to the story, and emphasizes the importance of preservation and memory.
- To be honest, I felt kind of medium on this book when I finished listening to it, but since then I find myself still thinking about certain scenes and feeling more and more positively about it as time goes on.

This is a post-climate apocalypse stunner that is both a fast paced adventure as well as an allegory for the things we protect. I'm am tiring of the new climate change apocalypse genre, but found this one entertaining and thought provoking. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall.
This post-apocalyptic climate disaster story follows Nonie and her family as they escape from a submerged New York City. Told in present tense and flashbacks, the story gives the reader details that lead to this dystopian scenario. I like a good climate disaster, but this one fell flat for me. I had trouble falling in love with the characters and the storyline just didn't bring it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest rating.

Timely and prescient, this novel follows a family on a journey of survival. Dealing with themes of environmental disasters and climate change as well as societal questions of us versus them and inclusive communities versus isolationism, this title is suggested for fans of speculative fiction and authors like Octavia Butler. After reading this book, you'll be challenged to ask yourself what you would do to survive in a changing world where basic things we take for granted like food and medicine are scarce and nothing is guaranteed.

Climate change has affected the world to a dystopian like existence. Storms now are supersized called hypercanes.
The rooftop of the American Museum of Natural History has become home to Bix, Nonie their father and friend Keller. Nonie had a remarkable sense of feeling when storms will come.
The world is a dangerous place, flooded, water far and wide, land and places to live are dangerously hard to locate. Food, medicine, drinking water and nice people are scarce. Through all these obstacles the group we follow doesn’t give up and does their best.

4 stars
This book is out now. Published January 7

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this audio ARC copy for an honest review.

I want to thank the publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of CliFi, I was excited to dive into All the Water in the World. The premise had me intrigued, especially with its setting in a future where rising waters have transformed New York City, and Puerto Rico, my homeland, is mentioned as having long been underwater. The story centers on a group of survivors living atop the American Museum of Natural History, affectionately called "Amen," who are determined to preserve remnants of human history despite the encroaching floodwaters.

The detail and care put into the depiction of life in "Amen" were impressive. I enjoyed reading about their efforts to save what they could from the rising tides. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when a hypercane causes a storm surge that forces them to flee, embarking on a perilous journey to a farm. This part of the story had a Western vibe, which isn't my favorite genre, but it still held my interest. It also reminded me of [book:Station Eleven|20170404], a book I love, with its focus on survival and preserving culture amidst chaos.

Despite these elements, I couldn't really connect with All the Water in the World. As I reflect on the journey and the characters, there isn’t a specific aspect that I didn’t enjoy, but the book as a whole didn’t move me as I had hoped. I’ve read other reviews mentioning pacing issues, but that wasn’t a problem for me. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why I didn’t love it, but I liked it enough to appreciate its merits.

In the end, All the Water in the World is a good read with a thoughtful premise and vivid storytelling. It just didn’t strike a deep chord for me personally. If you’re a fan of CliFi and stories about preserving history in the face of environmental collapse, it’s definitely worth checking out.

For fans of
- Water world lol

I really like the concept behind this book and was eager to give it a try. Unfortunately, my existential dread about environmental apocalypse killed my ability to finish the book. Mea culpa - its not the book's fault. "All the Water in the World" was well written, engaging, and so so life like (too life like for me it seems). This book was breathtaking and left me with nightmares, which is compliment to incredible world building.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Eiren Caffall, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/
and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

This literary post-apocalyptic stories are your thing, then I think you’ll really enjoy this book. Set in the not-too-distant future, the novel follows two sisters trying to make their way out of a drowned and decimated New York City after a “hypercane” wipes out the shelter their parents (along with a group of other academics) built off the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The NYC fallen to climate change and rising sea levels is really powerful, and Caffall does an amazing job of immersing you in this once-mighty city, now submerged underneath toxic and deadly seawater. The novel is told in the present day, as the sisters make their way north, and in flashbacks to the past, growing up in their apartment on 10th street. It’s a fast read with enough tension to keep you turning the pages, and some really gorgeous writing that makes you stop and reread a passage to appreciate it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my audioarc to preview !

All the glaciers have melted in this dystopian novel, and Noni and her family has survived great flooding, disease, and death. After fleeing the flooded museum they called home for some time, they strive to stay together as they navigate their way through the waters and unstable land to find their way to a farm that Nonie's mother has told them about.

Nonie was a compelling character, as the depth of knowledge she has about water and survival has been built by the fact that this is the only world she knows. Nonie has a unique skill, and is able to sense when water is coming and to what extent. This could have been such a powerful part of the story, but it was touched on a few times throughout and passed over quickly. Generally, this book was quite slow moving. I often had a hard time keeping track of the characters, like who was related, the ages of each/birth order, etc. As the book went on, the story felt redundant. The narrator was quite monotone and didn't have much emotion for all the tragedies that were happening. It was harder to stay engaged with the way it was delivered.

I had high hopes for this book, but it didn't deliver the way I anticipated. 3 stars.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such an interesting take on what the world could look like after the glaciers melt. It’s like a post-apocalyptic setting, but not. The writing is very intelligent, although seen from the point of view of a young girl, and the plot is very slow, although filled with tons of drama and heartbreak. My only complaint is that it was a bit confusing at times the way the past and present were written together. But overall still a very well written story, and well narrated audiobook. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.