The light at the bottom of the world

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Title:

The light at the bottom of the world

Author:

Shah, London, author.

Series:

Light the abyss ;

Series Number:

Summary:

Great Britain, the last days of the twenty-first century. Sea creatures swim among the ruins of Big Ben and the Tower of London, and citizens waver between fear and hope; fear of what lurks in the abyss, and hope that humanity will soon discover a way to reclaim the Earth. Leyla McQueen is chosen to participate in the London Submersible Marathon, she sees it as an opportunity to save her father, who has been arrested on false charges. When the race takes an unexpected turn, Leyla will have to defy a corrupt government, deal with a hotheaded companion, and risk capture-- or worse.

General Note:

Series information from Goodreads.com.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

311 pages ; 24 cm

Genre:

Dystopian fiction.

Science fiction.

Subject Term:

Fathers and daughters -- Fiction.

Racing -- Fiction.

Political corruption -- Fiction.

Undersea colonies -- Fiction.

Submersibles -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

London (England) -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Hyperion,

Publication Date:

2019

ISBN:

9781368036887

Publication Information:

Los Angeles : Hyperion, 2019.

Call Number:

YA SHAH

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003454405	Young Adult	SHAH	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

From debut author London Shah, comes a thrilling futuristic Sci-Fi mystery perfect for fans of Illuminae and These Broken Stars.

In the last days of the twenty-first century, sea creatures swim through the ruins of London. Trapped in the abyss, humankind wavers between hope and fear of what lurks in the depths around them, and hope that they might one day find a way back to the surface.

When sixteen-year-old submersible racer Leyla McQueen is chosen to participate in the city's prestigious annual marathon, she sees an opportunity to save her father, who has been arrested on false charges. The Prime Minister promises the champion whatever their heart desires. But the race takes an unexpected turn, forcing Leyla to make an impossible choice.

Now she must brave unfathomable waters and defy a corrupt government determined to keep its secrets, all the while dealing with a guarded, hotheaded companion she never asked for in the first place. If Leyla fails to discover the truths at the heart of her world, or falls prey to her own fears, she risks capture-or worse. And her father will be lost to her forever.

Author Notes

London Shah is a British-born Muslim of Afghan descent. Shelives in London, via England's beautiful North. When she's not busy reimaginingthe past, plotting an alternate present, or dreaming up a surreal future, she'smost likely drinking copious amounts of tea, eating all the sweets and cakes, strolling through Richmond Park or along the Thames, getting lost on an eveningin the city's older, darker alleyways (preferably just after it's rained), listeningto punk rock, or losing herself in a fab sci-fi/fantasy film or book. If shecould have only one superpower, it would be to breathe underwater.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up--The year: 2099. The place: London. Only, this is a London completely unfamiliar to readers. After a devastating disaster 65 years ago, the entire world has been left under a thousand feet of water. All of surviving humanity has adjusted as well as possible, living inside air-tight homes, driving submarine vehicles, and hoping for the day they can return to the surface world. Enter 16-year-old Leyla McQueen, a British Muslim of Afghan descent desperately fighting to have her scientist father freed from a government prison. So when she wins a coveted spot in the London Submersible Marathon, the grand prize of which is the champion's greatest desire, Leyla knows this is her best shot. But when the events of the race lead to an adventure greater than Leyla could ever have imagined, will she be prepared to do whatever it takes to see her father again? Shah's debut is a fast-paced masterpiece from start to finish. Readers will fall in love with passionate, persistent Leyla as well as her secretive, swoon-worthy companion Ari. While the tropes of dystopian fiction--corrupt government, fear of the unknown--will be easily recognizable by fans of the genre, Shah has skillfully shaped a gorgeous world unlike any those fans have seen before. But be forewarned: the book ends on a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger, so a sequel is presumably forthcoming. VERDICT An #OwnVoices title for fans of Rhoda Belleza, Amie Kaufman, and Roshani Chokshi. Highly recommended.--Kaitlin Frick, New York Public Library

Publisher's Weekly Review

In this thrilling postapocalyptic tale set in 2099, after civilization was forced underwater by global flooding, a young Muslim woman searches for her unjustly imprisoned father amid the remnants of Great Britain. British-Afghan Leyla McQueen, 16, a champion submersible racer, hopes to free her father (jailed for "aiding and abetting citizen suicides" among sufferers of an underwater malaise called "the seasickness") by winning the prestigious London Submersible Marathon. When that hope doesn't pay off, she sets out into the treacherous ocean to find him herself, accompanied by Ari, a mysterious young man sent by her grandfather to protect her. Despite Leyla's insistence that she doesn't need any help, the waters are filled with enemies, including the genetically engineered Anthropoids who prey upon humans, and the authorities who want to prevent Leyla and Ari from discovering the truths hidden in the dark depths of a drowned world. Shah's strong debut, first in a planned duology, is vividly described and emotionally rich. Despite predictable plot points and an insufficiently explained underwater setting, the strong premise and underlying sense of excitement make this a fast-paced, wholly enjoyable adventure. Ages 12--up. Agent: Rebecca Podos, Rees Literary Agency. (Oct.)