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Awake in the Floating City
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An utterly transporting debut novel about the unexpected relationship between an artist and the 130-year-old woman she cares for—two of the last people living in a flooded San Francisco of the future, the home neither is ready to leave.
“An astonishing work of art…This is the kind of book that changes you, that leaves you seeing more vividly, and living more fully, in its wake.” —Rachel Khong, author of Real Americans
Bo knows she should go. Years of rain have drowned the city and almost everyone else has fled. Her mother was carried away in a storm surge and ever since, Bo has been alone. She is stalled: an artist unable to make art, a daughter unable to give up the hope that her mother may still be alive. Half-heartedly, she allows her cousin to plan for her escape—but as the departure day approaches, she finds a note slipped under her door from Mia, an elderly woman who lives in her building and wants to hire Bo to be her caregiver. Suddenly, Bo has a reason to stay.
Mia can be prickly, and yet still she and Bo forge a connection deeper than any Bo has had with a client. Mia shares stories of her life that pull Bo back toward art, toward the practice she thought she’d abandoned. Listening to Mia, allowing her memories to become entangled with Bo’s own, she’s struck by how much history will be lost as the city gives way to water. Then Mia’s health turns, and Bo determines to honor their disappearing world and this woman who’s brought her back to it, a project that teaches her the lessons that matter most: how to care, how to be present, how to commemorate a life and a place, soon to be lost forever.
“An astonishing work of art…This is the kind of book that changes you, that leaves you seeing more vividly, and living more fully, in its wake.” —Rachel Khong, author of Real Americans
Bo knows she should go. Years of rain have drowned the city and almost everyone else has fled. Her mother was carried away in a storm surge and ever since, Bo has been alone. She is stalled: an artist unable to make art, a daughter unable to give up the hope that her mother may still be alive. Half-heartedly, she allows her cousin to plan for her escape—but as the departure day approaches, she finds a note slipped under her door from Mia, an elderly woman who lives in her building and wants to hire Bo to be her caregiver. Suddenly, Bo has a reason to stay.
Mia can be prickly, and yet still she and Bo forge a connection deeper than any Bo has had with a client. Mia shares stories of her life that pull Bo back toward art, toward the practice she thought she’d abandoned. Listening to Mia, allowing her memories to become entangled with Bo’s own, she’s struck by how much history will be lost as the city gives way to water. Then Mia’s health turns, and Bo determines to honor their disappearing world and this woman who’s brought her back to it, a project that teaches her the lessons that matter most: how to care, how to be present, how to commemorate a life and a place, soon to be lost forever.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 13, 2025
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15.7k people want to read
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November 25, 2024This was on the most anticipated books of 2025 by authors. I personally shelled out $28 and pre-ordered this, because the premise sounds so good!
In a future San Francisco, two people are left living in the flooded ruins of the city. As one prepares to finally leave, she is pulled back when an elderly woman requires a caretaker. How will they "honor their disappearing world and a project that teaches the lessons that matter most: how to care, how to be present, how to commemorate a life and a place, soon to be lost forever?"
In a future San Francisco, two people are left living in the flooded ruins of the city. As one prepares to finally leave, she is pulled back when an elderly woman requires a caretaker. How will they "honor their disappearing world and a project that teaches the lessons that matter most: how to care, how to be present, how to commemorate a life and a place, soon to be lost forever?"
April 14, 2025
I won't lie. This was a 2 star read for me, but I'm bumping it to 3 stars because it was well-written and I really liked the ending.
This wasn't what I expected it to be. I thought it'd be more about survival in a climate ravaged dystopian San Francisco, but it was mostly about human relationships and the importance of family history.
This story would've worked on its own without the cli-fi setting. While it was cool to read about people surviving on the top floors of buildings and skyscrapers, I didn't think it was all that necessary to the story.
I admired the caregiver relationship between the FMC, Bo, and Mia. It's a found family type of story with a younger character and an elderly character. I really thought it was well done and showed the strength of human connection, even in the face of a climate apocalypse.
And if you're a lover of modern art, the ending with its very detailed descriptions of Bo's very moving artwork was perfection. I wish I could say the same for the rest of the novel, but it is what it is.
I'd recommend if you're into lit fic about human relationships. Not so much if you're more of a SFF reader like I am.
Thank you to Pantheon and NetGalley for this arc.
This wasn't what I expected it to be. I thought it'd be more about survival in a climate ravaged dystopian San Francisco, but it was mostly about human relationships and the importance of family history.
This story would've worked on its own without the cli-fi setting. While it was cool to read about people surviving on the top floors of buildings and skyscrapers, I didn't think it was all that necessary to the story.
I admired the caregiver relationship between the FMC, Bo, and Mia. It's a found family type of story with a younger character and an elderly character. I really thought it was well done and showed the strength of human connection, even in the face of a climate apocalypse.
And if you're a lover of modern art, the ending with its very detailed descriptions of Bo's very moving artwork was perfection. I wish I could say the same for the rest of the novel, but it is what it is.
I'd recommend if you're into lit fic about human relationships. Not so much if you're more of a SFF reader like I am.
Thank you to Pantheon and NetGalley for this arc.
September 23, 2024
The setting of this story is so unique. I knew I had to read this.
Perpetual rainfall has flooded future San Francisco. Many have fled north but the inhabitants that remain, have adapted to the torrent downpour and the elevated water levels that have deemed land a thing of the past. Habitation has been reserved for the higher levels of apartment buildings, with all commerce happening on the roof of these structures, connecting each together by series of bridges.
This novel explores the relationship between Mia and her caregiver, Bo. At times, the pacing was slow but I understand the author’s decision. It was nice to subtly see the two women grow into each other. The relationship between the two characters matures to a touching conclusion.
I understand Bo’s regret after the loss of her mother and her desire to record Mia’s history. I wish I could sit with my late father and transcribe his life from his own words. I utterly yearn for that. I understand being drained creatively and also the grief of losing a parent.
“I guess,” she began slowly, “I guess I’ve been missing my mother.” “Hmm.” Mia sounded skeptical. But then after a minute she said, “You wanted her for longer.” “Yes,” Bo said, and time crowded her. “But you get the time you get.”
Thank you, NetGalley, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Perpetual rainfall has flooded future San Francisco. Many have fled north but the inhabitants that remain, have adapted to the torrent downpour and the elevated water levels that have deemed land a thing of the past. Habitation has been reserved for the higher levels of apartment buildings, with all commerce happening on the roof of these structures, connecting each together by series of bridges.
This novel explores the relationship between Mia and her caregiver, Bo. At times, the pacing was slow but I understand the author’s decision. It was nice to subtly see the two women grow into each other. The relationship between the two characters matures to a touching conclusion.
I understand Bo’s regret after the loss of her mother and her desire to record Mia’s history. I wish I could sit with my late father and transcribe his life from his own words. I utterly yearn for that. I understand being drained creatively and also the grief of losing a parent.
“I guess,” she began slowly, “I guess I’ve been missing my mother.” “Hmm.” Mia sounded skeptical. But then after a minute she said, “You wanted her for longer.” “Yes,” Bo said, and time crowded her. “But you get the time you get.”
Thank you, NetGalley, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2025
This is basically a story about a loaner with no real purpose in life who ends up taking care of an old woman who needs help. Throw in a little science fiction about a world slowly becoming covered with water and the fact that Bo will eventually need to evacuate. I liked the story overall, but it does ramble around a bit.
When Bo decides to use her art to create a tribute for Mia it initially seemed like a fine thing because Bo was an artist who no longer produced art after her mother went missing. The problem is that so much time is spent on this it made the book drag out so much that I was so happy to finally finish it. On the whole this probably would have been better as a very short story.
Thanks to Knopf Books for the Uncorrected Bound Proof of the novel to read and review.
When Bo decides to use her art to create a tribute for Mia it initially seemed like a fine thing because Bo was an artist who no longer produced art after her mother went missing. The problem is that so much time is spent on this it made the book drag out so much that I was so happy to finally finish it. On the whole this probably would have been better as a very short story.
Thanks to Knopf Books for the Uncorrected Bound Proof of the novel to read and review.
April 3, 2025
Awake In The Floating City by Susanna Kwan, This book is about Artist bo who has lost her passion for her art, since the death of her mother, until she starts taking care of Ms. Mya. they live in the future time while medical advancement has made it possible for Miss Maya to live well over 150 IDK exactly how old but through Miss Mya’s stories bow gets inspired and says she’s going to make something about her life. At the same time we get to learn about the place they love and don’t want to leave a floating city who most are moving away from. Bo cousin pleads with her to leave but she doesn’t want to and now that she has started doing art again and through her friendship with Maya she starts to see she may have a lot of life left but will she finish her peace before Miss Maya expires and will she make it to Canada to start again? this book was not only original it was truly interesting in a book I absolutely recommend. I have found myself reading a lot of literary fiction lately and this one set in a futuristic universe is absolutely my favorite. I loved Bo’s casual attitude although I am not going to lie I could not picture the art she was creating and although I’m sure some people did, I myself did not but I’m sure it was pretty. Having said that I think this is a great book and one everyone should read. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #SusannaKwan, #AwakeInTheFloatingCity,
September 5, 2024
This is a beautiful novel that is deeply thematic.
It’s very much in the literary fiction genre, which I don’t normally read. The story is simple yet moving.
I would’ve loved to see a bit more dialogue. There would be pages upon pages of writing with no dialogue and I found my mind wandering.
Overall, this is a fantastic debut novel, and I would recommend it to people who frequently read the literary fiction genre.
Thank you to the publishers and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s very much in the literary fiction genre, which I don’t normally read. The story is simple yet moving.
I would’ve loved to see a bit more dialogue. There would be pages upon pages of writing with no dialogue and I found my mind wandering.
Overall, this is a fantastic debut novel, and I would recommend it to people who frequently read the literary fiction genre.
Thank you to the publishers and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2024
This debut book scheduled to publish in May 2025 was such a delight to read. People are living to be 100+ while the city is quickly becoming harder to live in. Bo’s family wants her to leave, but she chooses to stay and care for Mia. They form a bond as they get to know one another, and it’s bittersweet to learn about each of their regrets if you will. Bo missing her art and Mia missing her youth, and possibly her daughter. Recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy
September 13, 2024
I was given access to an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley!
I went back and forth on whether to give this book four or five stars, but ended up choosing five because I know that it will make me think - about caregiving, climate change, family structures, death, burial, art - for so long. There isn't much love more than a book that opens up little parts of the world for me that I've never considered.
This book takes place at some point in the future as unprecedented rain has left San Fransisco uninhabitable. With her family and friends gone to other countries and states, Bo still cannot leave. She cannot bring herself to let go of the only home she's ever known, even if she can't recognize it anymore. To pay the bills and keep her busy, she signs a contract to be a caretaker for Mia, a 130-year-old woman who lives in her building.
As their friendship grows, Bo gets a glimpse into Mia's past, her marriage, her interests, and her relationship with her daughter. Mia's life inspires Bo to work on a project to serve as a memorial for Mia when she is gone. But as it turns out, the project is much bigger. It's a way to bring those still left in the city together and grieve everything they have lost.
_____________________________________________
"Awake in The Floating City" is such a moving and yet simplistic book. It reads almost like an essay, without too much flourish and too many subplots. It feels raw and real, although parts of the story give off almost a dystopian feel. Of the 41 books I have read this year, often full of love and sadness, this is only the second one to bring me to tears.
I ABSOLUTELY encourage you to add this to your TBR list for its release on May 13,2025. If you're a fan of contemporary fiction and endearing friendships, you're sure to enjoy.
I went back and forth on whether to give this book four or five stars, but ended up choosing five because I know that it will make me think - about caregiving, climate change, family structures, death, burial, art - for so long. There isn't much love more than a book that opens up little parts of the world for me that I've never considered.
This book takes place at some point in the future as unprecedented rain has left San Fransisco uninhabitable. With her family and friends gone to other countries and states, Bo still cannot leave. She cannot bring herself to let go of the only home she's ever known, even if she can't recognize it anymore. To pay the bills and keep her busy, she signs a contract to be a caretaker for Mia, a 130-year-old woman who lives in her building.
As their friendship grows, Bo gets a glimpse into Mia's past, her marriage, her interests, and her relationship with her daughter. Mia's life inspires Bo to work on a project to serve as a memorial for Mia when she is gone. But as it turns out, the project is much bigger. It's a way to bring those still left in the city together and grieve everything they have lost.
_____________________________________________
"Awake in The Floating City" is such a moving and yet simplistic book. It reads almost like an essay, without too much flourish and too many subplots. It feels raw and real, although parts of the story give off almost a dystopian feel. Of the 41 books I have read this year, often full of love and sadness, this is only the second one to bring me to tears.
I ABSOLUTELY encourage you to add this to your TBR list for its release on May 13,2025. If you're a fan of contemporary fiction and endearing friendships, you're sure to enjoy.
January 8, 2025
I hate to rate this so low, but this just did not do anything for me. I spent about 80% of this book waiting for something, anything, interesting to happen. It's not that the writing was bad per se, I just found it so boring. I couldn't bring myself to care about what Bo was doing. I guess I thought it'd be more about living in and trying to escape the drowning city. Really this should have been a DNF for me but the fantastic reviews kept me trudging on. I wish I had more positive things to say.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
January 30, 2025
Awake in the Floating City is the quietly heart wrenching tale of an unlikely friendship between a centenarian and the woman tasked to care for her, in a near-future San Francisco ravaged by constant rain. The book is presented as cli-fi, but I’d advise not to go into it expecting to find much of that genre. The dramatic change in weather, and its consequences, stand more as a metaphor for changing times and isolation than an important premise of the story.
Don’t expect a fast-paced plot either. The writing is deep and contemplative, focused on description and the inner life of the narrator, a woman named Bo who used to be a painter but now works as a social worker and caregiver to pay her bills. Her friendship with Mia, the old woman she’s hired to care for, takes a whole year to develop. It gives you time to get to know them, their environment, and the people that come and go in their lives.
At first, the very slow pace bothered me. But soon I was totally won over. I was looking forward to spending time with that story every evening. Sometimes Bo’s choices baffled or irritated me (let’s just say if I was stuck in a city where it rained non stop for years, I’d be gone by the second week) but in the end I was empathizing with her and happy she stayed. I also really appreciated the representation of very old age via Mia’s character. In our modern Western cultures where very old people tend to be erased, or old age treated as an uncomfortable inconvenience, it felt powerful and unique to read a story centered around a hundred year old woman. Mia’s age and all the ailments that come with it were addressed with respect and profound love for the character.
A recommended read if you enjoy thoughtful, slow-paced stories that delve deep into the characters’ daily lives and emotions. The writing is gorgeous - Susanna Kwan is clearly in commend of her skill despite this book being a debut.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!**
Don’t expect a fast-paced plot either. The writing is deep and contemplative, focused on description and the inner life of the narrator, a woman named Bo who used to be a painter but now works as a social worker and caregiver to pay her bills. Her friendship with Mia, the old woman she’s hired to care for, takes a whole year to develop. It gives you time to get to know them, their environment, and the people that come and go in their lives.
At first, the very slow pace bothered me. But soon I was totally won over. I was looking forward to spending time with that story every evening. Sometimes Bo’s choices baffled or irritated me (let’s just say if I was stuck in a city where it rained non stop for years, I’d be gone by the second week) but in the end I was empathizing with her and happy she stayed. I also really appreciated the representation of very old age via Mia’s character. In our modern Western cultures where very old people tend to be erased, or old age treated as an uncomfortable inconvenience, it felt powerful and unique to read a story centered around a hundred year old woman. Mia’s age and all the ailments that come with it were addressed with respect and profound love for the character.
A recommended read if you enjoy thoughtful, slow-paced stories that delve deep into the characters’ daily lives and emotions. The writing is gorgeous - Susanna Kwan is clearly in commend of her skill despite this book being a debut.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!**
January 28, 2025
Cool cool cool. Love bawling my eyes out at 7:45am on a random Tuesday. This was entirely way too close to my own current life and made me cry some tears I’ve been avoiding so there’s that. This story has lot of random elements that I wouldn’t expect to fit together but somehow they do to create a beautiful story that feels so real. The author has a very lyrical style so it seemed like some lines floated straight over my head but it felt okay, like those lines weren’t meant for me but for someone else. I won’t be forgetting this book anytime soon.
Would definitely recommend for fans of The Light Pirate and This Impossible Brightness. And I’ll also throw in Shark Heart for a similarly oddly beautiful structure.
Would definitely recommend for fans of The Light Pirate and This Impossible Brightness. And I’ll also throw in Shark Heart for a similarly oddly beautiful structure.
Shelved as '2025'
August 19, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon
September 30, 2024
The cover of this debut (!!) novel drew me in, but the story kept me!
This story happens sometime in the future in San Francisco (or what was San Francisco). Given the recent happenings with the horrendous flooding in North Carolina and surrounding areas... this dystopian novel does not seem so far fetched. A San Francisco that is underwater, it rains frequently, and those "left" live in high rises, with roof top markets and "sketchy" bridges from one roof to another. But the real story is about Bo and Mia... Bo, a person in limbo... not wanting to leave and go with the family she has left but really not wanting to be "entirely present" in SF either, and she is in limbo about her ability to be an artist (which she absolutely is!) So she takes a job caring for people in at the end of life... it might seem like a job no one would want to do, but there you have it.
And so the relationship between Bo and 130 year old Mia begins. This relationship seems rocky at first, but as time passes, Mia begins to share her life story with Bo. Where that story takes both Mia and Bo is really amazing... heartwarming... liberating. And yes, I shed more than a few tears as I read this beautiful story.
I am stunned that this is a debut novel, Kwan knocks this story out of the park! It will be a story that I will be thinking about for a very long time and I really want everyone to read it so I can talk about it! Yes, I highly recommend it!
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this advanced digital copy. Awake in the Floating City: A Novel will be published May 13, 2025.
This story happens sometime in the future in San Francisco (or what was San Francisco). Given the recent happenings with the horrendous flooding in North Carolina and surrounding areas... this dystopian novel does not seem so far fetched. A San Francisco that is underwater, it rains frequently, and those "left" live in high rises, with roof top markets and "sketchy" bridges from one roof to another. But the real story is about Bo and Mia... Bo, a person in limbo... not wanting to leave and go with the family she has left but really not wanting to be "entirely present" in SF either, and she is in limbo about her ability to be an artist (which she absolutely is!) So she takes a job caring for people in at the end of life... it might seem like a job no one would want to do, but there you have it.
And so the relationship between Bo and 130 year old Mia begins. This relationship seems rocky at first, but as time passes, Mia begins to share her life story with Bo. Where that story takes both Mia and Bo is really amazing... heartwarming... liberating. And yes, I shed more than a few tears as I read this beautiful story.
I am stunned that this is a debut novel, Kwan knocks this story out of the park! It will be a story that I will be thinking about for a very long time and I really want everyone to read it so I can talk about it! Yes, I highly recommend it!
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this advanced digital copy. Awake in the Floating City: A Novel will be published May 13, 2025.
December 10, 2024
This probably would have been a good short story.
This is the most boring novel. It wanders hither and thither, in no hurry to get to a point, any point. Bo’s reasons for staying in the flooded city make no sense when she can barely find food to eat, and the option to move north with her family is right there for her. I became very angry with her for not leaving, especially the second time. Her poor cousin bent over backwards to help her, and she basically spit in his face each time.
I kept confusing "Bo" and "Mia" for some reason. This is set in the near future, and Mia spent a lot of time reminiscing about the way things used to be, and I wished she was actually from my generation so that I could recognize the world she described, but it didn't seem that way.
Because of the amount of detail given to Bo's art, I suspect that artwork was the actual impetus for writing this novel. Sadly, it was the least interesting part of the story. It's a neat idea, and if I saw an art installation like that I might be spellbound, but it's not very interesting to read about. At some point I just started skimming pages when it was describing Bo's art. I feel bad about that, because I can tell a lot of heart went into it, but it just didn't connect with me.
I couldn't help comparing this book to Private Rites, which I just finished (I didn’t like that book much either, but it was better than this one). Both are books set in the near future, with endless rain, in flooded cities. Is endless rain really scientifically possible?
My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the gift of this free e-book for my review. I'm sorry I don't have a better review to write.
This is the most boring novel. It wanders hither and thither, in no hurry to get to a point, any point. Bo’s reasons for staying in the flooded city make no sense when she can barely find food to eat, and the option to move north with her family is right there for her. I became very angry with her for not leaving, especially the second time. Her poor cousin bent over backwards to help her, and she basically spit in his face each time.
I kept confusing "Bo" and "Mia" for some reason. This is set in the near future, and Mia spent a lot of time reminiscing about the way things used to be, and I wished she was actually from my generation so that I could recognize the world she described, but it didn't seem that way.
Because of the amount of detail given to Bo's art, I suspect that artwork was the actual impetus for writing this novel. Sadly, it was the least interesting part of the story. It's a neat idea, and if I saw an art installation like that I might be spellbound, but it's not very interesting to read about. At some point I just started skimming pages when it was describing Bo's art. I feel bad about that, because I can tell a lot of heart went into it, but it just didn't connect with me.
I couldn't help comparing this book to Private Rites, which I just finished (I didn’t like that book much either, but it was better than this one). Both are books set in the near future, with endless rain, in flooded cities. Is endless rain really scientifically possible?
My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the gift of this free e-book for my review. I'm sorry I don't have a better review to write.
August 25, 2024
Wow...wow a beautiful novel. Sometimes simplicity is key and yet as simplistic this review is I want you to know the this novel itself is quite complex with well loved characters and vivid descriptions. The writing is thoughtful and lyrical in a sense that carries you through the pages as if you are gliding through the narrative alongside our main character Bo, where we examine a world that she lives in so believable and well constructed it makes you look out the window and almost picture it like a painting. I absolutely loved this novel and will talk about it with all my reading friends.
#AwakeintheFloatingCity #NetGalley.
#AwakeintheFloatingCity #NetGalley.
December 31, 2024
4-1/2 stars, rounded up. This book turned out to be different than I expected, but in a good way. It's still a dystopian novel, set in a future San Francisco at a time when constant rains have created massive floods, forcing residents who haven't fled the city to live on upper floors of high rise buildings, traveling from one building to the next via shaky rooftop bridges. But the primary focus of the novel is the relationships that develop among the characters.
The main character is Bo, a Chinese-American female artist, who has found her artistic vision and energy stalled since her mother disappeared in a flood some three years earlier. She supports herself by taking on caregiver positions for elderly clients in need of in-home care. Her newest patient is Mia, who finds herself alone and increasingly frail at the age of 130, and reluctantly welcomes Bo as a part-time assistant. Both Bo and Mia have been living rather isolated lives, and though they are both slow to warm up and open up to others, they gradually develop a warm relationship that benefits both of them.
Included in the narrative are vivid descriptions of the changes to the environment wrought by constant rain, as well as descriptions of a major art project on which Bo is working. I wish there were a way the author could have included some visual representations of Bo's work, which sounds both fantastical and amazing. Kwan's writing is both straightforward and lyrical, and her characters and their environs come vividly to live in her writing.
Thank you to the publisher, Pantheon, and #NetGalley for providing a complimentary eARC in exchange for an objective review. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and recommend it highly. I love Kwan's final dedication: "To caregivers everywhere, tending to people, places, and planet, in generations gone, here, and to come: thank you."
The main character is Bo, a Chinese-American female artist, who has found her artistic vision and energy stalled since her mother disappeared in a flood some three years earlier. She supports herself by taking on caregiver positions for elderly clients in need of in-home care. Her newest patient is Mia, who finds herself alone and increasingly frail at the age of 130, and reluctantly welcomes Bo as a part-time assistant. Both Bo and Mia have been living rather isolated lives, and though they are both slow to warm up and open up to others, they gradually develop a warm relationship that benefits both of them.
Included in the narrative are vivid descriptions of the changes to the environment wrought by constant rain, as well as descriptions of a major art project on which Bo is working. I wish there were a way the author could have included some visual representations of Bo's work, which sounds both fantastical and amazing. Kwan's writing is both straightforward and lyrical, and her characters and their environs come vividly to live in her writing.
Thank you to the publisher, Pantheon, and #NetGalley for providing a complimentary eARC in exchange for an objective review. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and recommend it highly. I love Kwan's final dedication: "To caregivers everywhere, tending to people, places, and planet, in generations gone, here, and to come: thank you."
October 21, 2024
In the not-so-distant future, San Francisco has become a place where it rains all the time, where the water has washed away much of the city (taking with it plenty of people) and where those who remain live in high-rise apartment buildings with market places and pathways to other buildings on their roofs. Medicine has allowed people to live much longer, but humanity has not been able to stop climate change. Our main character, Bo, feels adrift in her life. A onetime visual artist, she is grieving the disappearance and presumed death of her mother in a flood yet cannot seem to bring herself to leave and join her cousin and uncle -- her only remaining family -- in the relative safety in Canada. She agrees to take on the role of caretaker to Mia, a supercentenarian living in her building, putting off at least temporarily the decision to leave. The two soon form a bond, allowing Bo to reexamine her relationship with her mother and find inspiration to create art again.
Some might call this a dystopian novel due to the environmental setting, but the relationships at its core make it timeless. This is a beautiful novel about relationships between mothers and daughters; the need to create art and memorials, even at a time when it might be considered superfluous and even wasteful; and the selfless beauty in the act of one human being caring for the physical needs of another. It asks the reader to ponder what connects us to a place, even when the place no longer looks as it once did, and to consider what we leave behind when we leave a place, either to go somewhere else or by the ending of our life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in return for an honest review. This book will be published May 13, 2025.
Some might call this a dystopian novel due to the environmental setting, but the relationships at its core make it timeless. This is a beautiful novel about relationships between mothers and daughters; the need to create art and memorials, even at a time when it might be considered superfluous and even wasteful; and the selfless beauty in the act of one human being caring for the physical needs of another. It asks the reader to ponder what connects us to a place, even when the place no longer looks as it once did, and to consider what we leave behind when we leave a place, either to go somewhere else or by the ending of our life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in return for an honest review. This book will be published May 13, 2025.
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April 7, 2025This novel is quite slow-moving, which for the story it's telling would have been appropriate and even required. In some chapters I even liked the slowness. Don't get me wrong, i love introspective stories and non-linear narratives, but I think the slowness I'm talking about here might also have been the main culprit of why I'd been unable to connect with the characters. I liked the premise though, and Bo is compelling enough to make me stay for a bit longer, which is why halfway through instead of DNFing this book i simply skimmed it. I like the ending, it ties Bo's navel-gazing together (although let's be real, her navel-gazing has been going on the same circles throughout the novel anyway).
I think if you're either a) patient in engaging with introspective stories; b) gracious enough to find circular/obsessive introspection compelling enough; c) don't mind slower narrative structures; or d) all of the above, you may find yourself enjoying this one in very specific places. i was in the d) all of the above boat and am indeed able to enjoy specific parts only but unfortunately i ran out of patience, graciousness, and endurance towards the middle. if you have very consistent energy levels you may even find yourself enjoying the entire novel. maybe when i'm retired i'll pick this back up, but lbr, in this economy that may never happen
Thank you NetGalley and Pantheon for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think if you're either a) patient in engaging with introspective stories; b) gracious enough to find circular/obsessive introspection compelling enough; c) don't mind slower narrative structures; or d) all of the above, you may find yourself enjoying this one in very specific places. i was in the d) all of the above boat and am indeed able to enjoy specific parts only but unfortunately i ran out of patience, graciousness, and endurance towards the middle. if you have very consistent energy levels you may even find yourself enjoying the entire novel. maybe when i'm retired i'll pick this back up, but lbr, in this economy that may never happen
Thank you NetGalley and Pantheon for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2024
Awake in the Floating City is an extremely well written debut novel by Susana Kwan. I loved her beautiful writing style that was full of poetic imagery. It is set in a futuristic (around 2050) San Francisco where there is extreme climate change so the city is flooded by a never ending rain. I really loved the snippets of the world we got, like how they had mycelium walls to grow mushrooms in their houses and had rooftop markets.
Plot - Bo is an artist, who is suffering from depression and art block, while also trying to move past the death of her mother. When her cousin arranges transportation to leave her only home, she begins taking care of Mia, a 130 year old in her building, as an excuse to stay. As Bo gets closer to Mia she rediscovers herself and her love for art.
Characters:
Bo - she had a strong tie to the city as her home. Through Mia opening up about her past, Bo is able to reawaken her love for art.
Mia - a very capable elderly woman who no longer has no family left in the city. As her health declines Mia hires Bo to help take care of her. Mia pretends she doesn't care that she is alone, but through her interactions with Bo, she opens up, sharing what the past was like. This results in Bo wanting to find a way to remember things that will eventually be forgotten.
While I did enjoy this book, I didn’t feel like I was the right audience/age group for the book. The main characters are in a completely different stage of life than me, so while I could relate to them, I don't think I was as impacted as I could have been. It’s definitely the type of book I can see myself rereading when I’m older. This is an extremely character driven novel with heartwarming relationships. Overall it was a lovely journey that shows realistic struggles of trying to reset one's life without forgetting one's past. I would consider reading another book by Susana Kwan.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing a ARC.
Plot - Bo is an artist, who is suffering from depression and art block, while also trying to move past the death of her mother. When her cousin arranges transportation to leave her only home, she begins taking care of Mia, a 130 year old in her building, as an excuse to stay. As Bo gets closer to Mia she rediscovers herself and her love for art.
Characters:
Bo - she had a strong tie to the city as her home. Through Mia opening up about her past, Bo is able to reawaken her love for art.
Mia - a very capable elderly woman who no longer has no family left in the city. As her health declines Mia hires Bo to help take care of her. Mia pretends she doesn't care that she is alone, but through her interactions with Bo, she opens up, sharing what the past was like. This results in Bo wanting to find a way to remember things that will eventually be forgotten.
While I did enjoy this book, I didn’t feel like I was the right audience/age group for the book. The main characters are in a completely different stage of life than me, so while I could relate to them, I don't think I was as impacted as I could have been. It’s definitely the type of book I can see myself rereading when I’m older. This is an extremely character driven novel with heartwarming relationships. Overall it was a lovely journey that shows realistic struggles of trying to reset one's life without forgetting one's past. I would consider reading another book by Susana Kwan.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing a ARC.
December 6, 2024
This book delves into human nature of what happens when a person gets old. And how a relationship can develop between the client and the caregiver, in this case an elderly woman and a young woman. The young woman gives up her personal life until the elderly woman passes away. You see how much affection can truly develop between caregiver and client. And this happens almost right away. If you want a touching, emotional book, this is the one for you. I give this book 3 stars.
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March 3, 2025
I know there are a lot of dystopian books out there right now, and I know that may make for some eye rolls, but Susanna Kwan’s novel Awake in the Floating City is not your typical dystopian novel, and I think it’s better because of that.
Years of rain have made for a submerged city, but one that still has residents that decided to stay and are living life as best as they can. (This isn't one of those books that focuses on how that's possible or how it's done.) Bo is one of those residents. An artist whose mother had been carried away in a storm, leaving her alone and unaware if her mother is still alive. Bo is planning an escape, has the date picked out, and is getting ready to go. Things change when a note is slid under her door by Mia, an elderly woman who lives in her building and wants to hire Bo to be her caretaker.
I can best describe the relationship between the two as rough to begin with. Stories are shared, lives mix and in some ways, Mia fills in as the mother that Bo no longer has, and Bo is often treated as a daughter. There’s a particular scene involving the cleaning of a pan that just felt SO very real to me in how it plays out. You’ll have to read it and see..
As the two share their memories, Bo comes to a realization about the lost history that will occur once the city is gone, and is inspired to create art again and makes one epic piece, which I can’t give away here, but it is detailed so wonderfully in Kwans writing.
This book is beautifully written and feels like a love letter to home healthcare provider, especially family taking care of family. Created family, our histories, and our legacies. It really hit home with me on many pages.
Years of rain have made for a submerged city, but one that still has residents that decided to stay and are living life as best as they can. (This isn't one of those books that focuses on how that's possible or how it's done.) Bo is one of those residents. An artist whose mother had been carried away in a storm, leaving her alone and unaware if her mother is still alive. Bo is planning an escape, has the date picked out, and is getting ready to go. Things change when a note is slid under her door by Mia, an elderly woman who lives in her building and wants to hire Bo to be her caretaker.
I can best describe the relationship between the two as rough to begin with. Stories are shared, lives mix and in some ways, Mia fills in as the mother that Bo no longer has, and Bo is often treated as a daughter. There’s a particular scene involving the cleaning of a pan that just felt SO very real to me in how it plays out. You’ll have to read it and see..
As the two share their memories, Bo comes to a realization about the lost history that will occur once the city is gone, and is inspired to create art again and makes one epic piece, which I can’t give away here, but it is detailed so wonderfully in Kwans writing.
This book is beautifully written and feels like a love letter to home healthcare provider, especially family taking care of family. Created family, our histories, and our legacies. It really hit home with me on many pages.
February 9, 2025
Thanks to Pantheon and NetGalley for providing an advance copy!
This debut novel is the type of story I normally really enjoy: nearish future, sort of dystopic, climate fiction, focus on people who are adapting to how to live on a changed planet. In this book, protagonist Bo lives in San Francisco, the titular "floating city" whose streets are now rivers thanks to climate change. Most residents have left for places with more stable climates, but Bo is plagued by inertia and stays. She lost her mother to a flood and that pulls her to stay in her home city. She is also an artist who has been blocked for years and can't produce. She is "stuck" on many levels.
When Bo intermittently needs to earn money to survive, she works as a "support worker" - what today we might call a personal health care worker. She works with a placement agency and provides in-home care to aging people. And "aging" means life spans of 150 years or so, thanks to advances in health care.
Near the start of the novel, Bo sabotages yet another arrangement her cousin (settled in safer Canada) has made to get her out of San Francisco. She takes an assignment with an elderly women who lives in the same high-rise building as Bo. Mia and Bo share Chinese ancestry and some cultural practices. Bo forms an attachment to Mia.
The "awake" in the title refers to Bo's slow awakening to her reality and how it compares to life in the city in different time periods. The climax of the book comes when Bo realizes an ambitious art project that combines source material from her and Mia's personal pasts, as well as the history of San Francisco, with modern technology that allows her to create a temporary piece viewable from throughout the city. It's sort of like performance art in that it's time-bound. For me, this was the strongest part of the book (and I especially loved the part with the Antonia the librarian who is preserving physical and digital history against all odds!).
In the end, I gave 3 stars for "liked it." There were things I didn't like so much, though. Early in the book, I had a hard time distinguishing the dialogue between Bo and Mia - their written voices are much too similar and could have been better differentiated. I also did not enjoy reading much of this book, but I think that's because the atmospheric ennui and climate doom are hitting too close to home (context: USA, early 2025).
In the end, this is a passage that resonates for me: "Everyone wanted Bo to believe that there were better places out there, places that weren't under relentless threat. They called this city a death trap. But she knew the truth: it was terrible, sometimes, everywhere" (89% ebook). And that is the terrible truth of this world. It is terrible, sometimes, everywhere. And it's coming for all of us, and quickly.
This debut novel is the type of story I normally really enjoy: nearish future, sort of dystopic, climate fiction, focus on people who are adapting to how to live on a changed planet. In this book, protagonist Bo lives in San Francisco, the titular "floating city" whose streets are now rivers thanks to climate change. Most residents have left for places with more stable climates, but Bo is plagued by inertia and stays. She lost her mother to a flood and that pulls her to stay in her home city. She is also an artist who has been blocked for years and can't produce. She is "stuck" on many levels.
When Bo intermittently needs to earn money to survive, she works as a "support worker" - what today we might call a personal health care worker. She works with a placement agency and provides in-home care to aging people. And "aging" means life spans of 150 years or so, thanks to advances in health care.
Near the start of the novel, Bo sabotages yet another arrangement her cousin (settled in safer Canada) has made to get her out of San Francisco. She takes an assignment with an elderly women who lives in the same high-rise building as Bo. Mia and Bo share Chinese ancestry and some cultural practices. Bo forms an attachment to Mia.
The "awake" in the title refers to Bo's slow awakening to her reality and how it compares to life in the city in different time periods. The climax of the book comes when Bo realizes an ambitious art project that combines source material from her and Mia's personal pasts, as well as the history of San Francisco, with modern technology that allows her to create a temporary piece viewable from throughout the city. It's sort of like performance art in that it's time-bound. For me, this was the strongest part of the book (and I especially loved the part with the Antonia the librarian who is preserving physical and digital history against all odds!).
In the end, I gave 3 stars for "liked it." There were things I didn't like so much, though. Early in the book, I had a hard time distinguishing the dialogue between Bo and Mia - their written voices are much too similar and could have been better differentiated. I also did not enjoy reading much of this book, but I think that's because the atmospheric ennui and climate doom are hitting too close to home (context: USA, early 2025).
In the end, this is a passage that resonates for me: "Everyone wanted Bo to believe that there were better places out there, places that weren't under relentless threat. They called this city a death trap. But she knew the truth: it was terrible, sometimes, everywhere" (89% ebook). And that is the terrible truth of this world. It is terrible, sometimes, everywhere. And it's coming for all of us, and quickly.
December 30, 2024
4.5 stars. (i might change this to 5 stars after sitting with it for a bit.)
in the flooded san francisco of the not so far future, we meet an artist, bo, who has let her creativity fall to the wayside. bo recently lost her mother and is adrift in a lonely, hopeless world…deep in the depths of a depression that is brought on by the tremendous loss. she works as a caregiver in her high-rise apartment building that sits in the murky depths of the ocean/rain water that never recedes. the third floor is the lowest they can now visit. the rain never ceases. city dwellers have mostly abandoned the area and those who stayed behind travel from rooftop to rooftop using a highway of bridges. everything that was once on the ground has moved up - marketplace stalls with vendors, travel paths, and basic socializing (what little is left).
one day, a note appears under her door. a neighbor, one hundred and thirty year old mia, is looking for help with life tasks. after a break since her last client died, bo’s caregiving hat is put back on and she starts to build a bond with mia that will see them through her final days here on this damp, gray earth.
bo is encouraged and inspired by mia and her life and tries desperately to finish a work in mia’s honor before she dies. she wants to give mia a preview before she releases the entire project into the world. i enjoyed watching bo’s “creative block” move out and her full process move back in. even in a world where everything seems hopeless, the artists will still find a way to create.
there is a section of this book where mia and bo are open and vulnerable with each other in a way they hadn’t been before. their relationship shifts from caretaker and client to a much more intimate, familial one. “i’m glad you answered my note.” “me, too.” when i read those lines, the lump in my throat expanded and caught my breath.
this fabulous work by susanna kwan reminds readers that kindness and care in the smallest of microcosms can have a tremendous impact on our immediate worlds and the greater environment. we may not be able to fix everything around us but honoring and tending to those we coexist with can repair our hearts…and theirs.
thank you to knopf, pantheon, vintage for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.
in the flooded san francisco of the not so far future, we meet an artist, bo, who has let her creativity fall to the wayside. bo recently lost her mother and is adrift in a lonely, hopeless world…deep in the depths of a depression that is brought on by the tremendous loss. she works as a caregiver in her high-rise apartment building that sits in the murky depths of the ocean/rain water that never recedes. the third floor is the lowest they can now visit. the rain never ceases. city dwellers have mostly abandoned the area and those who stayed behind travel from rooftop to rooftop using a highway of bridges. everything that was once on the ground has moved up - marketplace stalls with vendors, travel paths, and basic socializing (what little is left).
one day, a note appears under her door. a neighbor, one hundred and thirty year old mia, is looking for help with life tasks. after a break since her last client died, bo’s caregiving hat is put back on and she starts to build a bond with mia that will see them through her final days here on this damp, gray earth.
bo is encouraged and inspired by mia and her life and tries desperately to finish a work in mia’s honor before she dies. she wants to give mia a preview before she releases the entire project into the world. i enjoyed watching bo’s “creative block” move out and her full process move back in. even in a world where everything seems hopeless, the artists will still find a way to create.
there is a section of this book where mia and bo are open and vulnerable with each other in a way they hadn’t been before. their relationship shifts from caretaker and client to a much more intimate, familial one. “i’m glad you answered my note.” “me, too.” when i read those lines, the lump in my throat expanded and caught my breath.
this fabulous work by susanna kwan reminds readers that kindness and care in the smallest of microcosms can have a tremendous impact on our immediate worlds and the greater environment. we may not be able to fix everything around us but honoring and tending to those we coexist with can repair our hearts…and theirs.
thank you to knopf, pantheon, vintage for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.
October 5, 2024
(3.5) Okay, so imagine this: you're floating down a lazy river. It's outside, and it's kinda chilly and grey and drizzling slightly. The river water is warm but the rain is cold, and you're feeling a little existential, but it's a calm existentiality, 'cause your on this calm-ass lazy river. That's the experience of this book.
To be honest, I thought this was a totally different kind of book upon reading the synopsis. I figured it'd be more about Bo trying to escape this "floating city," which I also thought was a fictional place instead of a future version of a real place (i.e., a fantasy). This was a really dumb assumption, but I frequently skim synopses because I like to go into books as blind as I can. Sue me! ANYway. It's kind of a weird mix between a contemporary, interpersonal drama and a cli-fi. It's a very interesting version of a cli-fi, as the future here is dreary rather than threatening (not to say it's not dangerous, but it's very infrequently presented this way here). Our heroines find themselves working mostly through discontentment and depression and not, say, starvation or oppressive heat or anything. There's a lot of flooding, but it's not really treated as a huge threat. This book is moreso interested in dealing with the effects of the flooding--the personal (loneliness, isolation, depression) and the cultural (how do we remember what we have lost once it's washed away?).
As an environmental geography student, I really enjoyed the themes and ideas presented in this book, but I also think the story just didn't 100% work for me. It's a really interesting book, and almost kind of cozy, in a weird way. Calm. But... there's basically zero action. Like I said, lazy river! I prefer a bit more pushing and pulling in my books, you know, cool ass shit! But that's just not what this book is, right? so I can't fault it for that. It's a neat book no matter what. And the writing is PHENOMONAL. So effective. Susanna Kwan knows what she's doing. Some people just let words tell their stories, while others let words help build upon their stories, and Kwan definitely does the latter. If that makes any sense at all. o.O
Thanks bundles and bundles to Netgalley and Pantheon for the free e-arc of this book!! <3<3
To be honest, I thought this was a totally different kind of book upon reading the synopsis. I figured it'd be more about Bo trying to escape this "floating city," which I also thought was a fictional place instead of a future version of a real place (i.e., a fantasy). This was a really dumb assumption, but I frequently skim synopses because I like to go into books as blind as I can. Sue me! ANYway. It's kind of a weird mix between a contemporary, interpersonal drama and a cli-fi. It's a very interesting version of a cli-fi, as the future here is dreary rather than threatening (not to say it's not dangerous, but it's very infrequently presented this way here). Our heroines find themselves working mostly through discontentment and depression and not, say, starvation or oppressive heat or anything. There's a lot of flooding, but it's not really treated as a huge threat. This book is moreso interested in dealing with the effects of the flooding--the personal (loneliness, isolation, depression) and the cultural (how do we remember what we have lost once it's washed away?).
As an environmental geography student, I really enjoyed the themes and ideas presented in this book, but I also think the story just didn't 100% work for me. It's a really interesting book, and almost kind of cozy, in a weird way. Calm. But... there's basically zero action. Like I said, lazy river! I prefer a bit more pushing and pulling in my books, you know, cool ass shit! But that's just not what this book is, right? so I can't fault it for that. It's a neat book no matter what. And the writing is PHENOMONAL. So effective. Susanna Kwan knows what she's doing. Some people just let words tell their stories, while others let words help build upon their stories, and Kwan definitely does the latter. If that makes any sense at all. o.O
Thanks bundles and bundles to Netgalley and Pantheon for the free e-arc of this book!! <3<3
November 20, 2024
3.5/5 stars
this was a slow but sweet read. my one critique that stops me from giving this a higher rating is that so much of the setting, context, and plot feel like they’d lend themselves better to a visual storytelling format than to a novel. i rarely say that, i love getting to use my imagination to picture a place, and i love when visually-complex descriptions are used in writing, but i was having trouble getting myself to visualize some things in this book. namely the setting (a future flooded san francisco, with rooftop vendors and markets and floating art galleries and abandoned libraries, whole floors of housing flooded out) and the culminating art piece created by our main character (). would love to see this made into a beautiful, different take on a coming-of-age film.
i liked:
-themes of grief and mother-daughter relationships
(“to a daughter, a mother was an entity to vast to know”)
-discussion of history and how we remember, who decides what we collectively remember, and how we can impact that
-descriptive in regards to setting and how people are feeling
i disliked:
-a bit slow for me, had difficulty getting invested until i was further along
-some of the descriptions of our main character’s art journey felt a little tacky. perhaps it’s because i’ve read multiple art-related books lately, but some of the things intended to be bo’s meaningful artistic choice to the reader just felt blasé to me.
overall a simple but enjoyable read! thank you to netgalley & the publisher for this eARC.
this was a slow but sweet read. my one critique that stops me from giving this a higher rating is that so much of the setting, context, and plot feel like they’d lend themselves better to a visual storytelling format than to a novel. i rarely say that, i love getting to use my imagination to picture a place, and i love when visually-complex descriptions are used in writing, but i was having trouble getting myself to visualize some things in this book. namely the setting (a future flooded san francisco, with rooftop vendors and markets and floating art galleries and abandoned libraries, whole floors of housing flooded out) and the culminating art piece created by our main character (). would love to see this made into a beautiful, different take on a coming-of-age film.
i liked:
-themes of grief and mother-daughter relationships
(“to a daughter, a mother was an entity to vast to know”)
-discussion of history and how we remember, who decides what we collectively remember, and how we can impact that
-descriptive in regards to setting and how people are feeling
i disliked:
-a bit slow for me, had difficulty getting invested until i was further along
-some of the descriptions of our main character’s art journey felt a little tacky. perhaps it’s because i’ve read multiple art-related books lately, but some of the things intended to be bo’s meaningful artistic choice to the reader just felt blasé to me.
overall a simple but enjoyable read! thank you to netgalley & the publisher for this eARC.
April 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Awake in the Floating City is a speculative novel set in San Francisco some decades in the future. Years of extraordinarily heavy rains have caused the city to flood. Most citizens have fled, but those that remain behind are left in a strange limbo – attempting to go about their lives when everything around them has changed.
The novel follows Bo, a middle-aged woman who has remained in the city for years following her mother’s death in a flash flood. She is preparing to finally leave the city and join her extended family members in Canada when she receives a letter from an elderly neighbor hoping to find in-home help. When Bo meets Mia, she decides to cancel her plans to leave and remain in the flooded city to help.
The story was much more focused on Bo’s relationship with Mia and other secondary characters, such as her love interest, Eddie, and memories of Bo’s mother before her passing, than on the science fiction aspect of the world. It also explores the relationships Mia had/still has with her extended family, all of whom are dead or left her for an easier life in Europe. After caring for Mia for a number of months, Bo decides to re-instate her plans to depart for British Columbia. Before she does so, she completes a modern art installation as a memorial for Mia, whose life is coming to an end.
I’d recommend this to those who are looking for a well-written novel focused on found family and human relationships. For those seeking more SFF vibes, read elsewhere.
Awake in the Floating City is a speculative novel set in San Francisco some decades in the future. Years of extraordinarily heavy rains have caused the city to flood. Most citizens have fled, but those that remain behind are left in a strange limbo – attempting to go about their lives when everything around them has changed.
The novel follows Bo, a middle-aged woman who has remained in the city for years following her mother’s death in a flash flood. She is preparing to finally leave the city and join her extended family members in Canada when she receives a letter from an elderly neighbor hoping to find in-home help. When Bo meets Mia, she decides to cancel her plans to leave and remain in the flooded city to help.
The story was much more focused on Bo’s relationship with Mia and other secondary characters, such as her love interest, Eddie, and memories of Bo’s mother before her passing, than on the science fiction aspect of the world. It also explores the relationships Mia had/still has with her extended family, all of whom are dead or left her for an easier life in Europe. After caring for Mia for a number of months, Bo decides to re-instate her plans to depart for British Columbia. Before she does so, she completes a modern art installation as a memorial for Mia, whose life is coming to an end.
I’d recommend this to those who are looking for a well-written novel focused on found family and human relationships. For those seeking more SFF vibes, read elsewhere.
November 25, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“She felt a rippling under her lungs, wishful and terrified. The cool light seemed to touch every surface of the city—the buildings silver, her hands on the ledge aglow.
For a moment she felt the tides holding all their lives in place. For that one illuminated moment she knew her exact position in the great net of things.”
Awake in the Sleeping City is a book about a young woman named Bo who lives a detached, quiet existence in the remnants of what once was San Francisco, wallowing in the grief and guilt of the death of her mother some time prior. It isn’t until the day she’s meant to leave to start a new life in Vancouver that she takes on the decision to become a caretaker for a “supersenior” in her complex, an ancient Chinese woman named Mia whose roots in the city run deep. Over time they build a friendship and as Mia’s health takes a turn for the worse, Bo begins to realize it may be time for her own roots to seek out a new home.
This was a treasure of a book. It was quiet, reflective, and sad, but so, so hopeful. The setting was immaculate. San Francisco has become a place where rain never stops, not even for a few minutes; the city has been lost to the ocean and the only way to traverse the land is by rooftop bridges. History has been lost in a lot of ways, left to mold or to be washed out to sea (there’s a tidbit about a memorial for Chinese immigrants being washed out to sea and lost forever that made me cry).
In a lot of ways, this was an extremely depressing book. I spent a lot of my time reading it, in tears lol. It’s a grim look at what our near future might look like and how things might change. So that scares me. But I found this book healing in a lot of ways too. I’m not sure what else to say about it beyond the fact that I’ll be buying a copy the minute it releases to the public.
Also, the cover is beyond gorgeous.
“To honor Mia was to honor their shared city, too—their home.”
“She felt a rippling under her lungs, wishful and terrified. The cool light seemed to touch every surface of the city—the buildings silver, her hands on the ledge aglow.
For a moment she felt the tides holding all their lives in place. For that one illuminated moment she knew her exact position in the great net of things.”
Awake in the Sleeping City is a book about a young woman named Bo who lives a detached, quiet existence in the remnants of what once was San Francisco, wallowing in the grief and guilt of the death of her mother some time prior. It isn’t until the day she’s meant to leave to start a new life in Vancouver that she takes on the decision to become a caretaker for a “supersenior” in her complex, an ancient Chinese woman named Mia whose roots in the city run deep. Over time they build a friendship and as Mia’s health takes a turn for the worse, Bo begins to realize it may be time for her own roots to seek out a new home.
This was a treasure of a book. It was quiet, reflective, and sad, but so, so hopeful. The setting was immaculate. San Francisco has become a place where rain never stops, not even for a few minutes; the city has been lost to the ocean and the only way to traverse the land is by rooftop bridges. History has been lost in a lot of ways, left to mold or to be washed out to sea (there’s a tidbit about a memorial for Chinese immigrants being washed out to sea and lost forever that made me cry).
In a lot of ways, this was an extremely depressing book. I spent a lot of my time reading it, in tears lol. It’s a grim look at what our near future might look like and how things might change. So that scares me. But I found this book healing in a lot of ways too. I’m not sure what else to say about it beyond the fact that I’ll be buying a copy the minute it releases to the public.
Also, the cover is beyond gorgeous.
“To honor Mia was to honor their shared city, too—their home.”
December 9, 2024
This book is one of those stories that creeps up on you and stays in your heart long after you’ve closed the book. It’s set in a future San Francisco that’s been swallowed by endless rain and rising waters. The streets are gone, the ground doesn’t exist anymore—people live on rooftops, connected by rickety bridges, surviving in this strange, drenched world.
At its core, though, this isn’t really a story about climate change or dystopia. It’s about two women: Bo, a lost artist drowning in her grief, and Mia, a fiercely independent 130-year-old who needs someone to help her in her final days. When Bo takes a job as Mia’s caregiver, at the beginning of their relationship it starts out pretty awkward and tense, but over time of Mia’s employment, they find something deeply meaningful in each other. As Mia begins to share her life story, Bo starts to find herself again.
This isn’t a fast-paced book—it’s quiet and slow, like a rainy day. But that feels intentional, almost like the story is
asking you to sit with it, to feel the weight of loss, regret, and hope. And when the moments of connection hit—when Bo and Mia’s relationship deepens—they hit hard.
The writing is simple but beautiful, and the world Kwan creates is hauntingly real. It’s not just a story about survival, but about art, memory, and how even in a sinking world, people can still find a way to hold each other up. It’s not a flashy novel, but it’s one that lingers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor.
At its core, though, this isn’t really a story about climate change or dystopia. It’s about two women: Bo, a lost artist drowning in her grief, and Mia, a fiercely independent 130-year-old who needs someone to help her in her final days. When Bo takes a job as Mia’s caregiver, at the beginning of their relationship it starts out pretty awkward and tense, but over time of Mia’s employment, they find something deeply meaningful in each other. As Mia begins to share her life story, Bo starts to find herself again.
This isn’t a fast-paced book—it’s quiet and slow, like a rainy day. But that feels intentional, almost like the story is
asking you to sit with it, to feel the weight of loss, regret, and hope. And when the moments of connection hit—when Bo and Mia’s relationship deepens—they hit hard.
The writing is simple but beautiful, and the world Kwan creates is hauntingly real. It’s not just a story about survival, but about art, memory, and how even in a sinking world, people can still find a way to hold each other up. It’s not a flashy novel, but it’s one that lingers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor.
October 28, 2024
Awake in the Floating City by Susanna Kwan is a debut novel set in a flooded, near-future San Francisco. The story centers around Bo, a struggling artist living in isolation in an abandoned, waterlogged city after most residents have fled due to relentless storms. Just as Bo plans her escape, she receives a note from Mia, her 130-year-old neighbor, requesting her help as a caregiver. Though initially reluctant, Bo's relationship with Mia deepens, drawing her back to her art and connecting her to the past and the fragments of history threatened by the city's imminent erasure. Bo also decides to stay because she believes her mother may someday return home. As the city tries to literally 'stay afloat', Bo and Mia's bond is tightened, illustrating how human connection can spark purpose, even in the direst of circumstances
The novel poignantly explores themes of memory, loss, and resilience, as Bo is torn between preserving a vanishing way of life and confronting the inevitability of change. This was marketed as 'if you liked Station 11, you'll like this', but it's a much slower paced story, and the characters just don't draw you in as much. Plus, how is Mia 130 years old? In the future, are people living longer, if so this is not explained. Bo decides to make a document of the city's history and incorporating Mia's story into that, which is interesting, but just didn't grab me.
The novel poignantly explores themes of memory, loss, and resilience, as Bo is torn between preserving a vanishing way of life and confronting the inevitability of change. This was marketed as 'if you liked Station 11, you'll like this', but it's a much slower paced story, and the characters just don't draw you in as much. Plus, how is Mia 130 years old? In the future, are people living longer, if so this is not explained. Bo decides to make a document of the city's history and incorporating Mia's story into that, which is interesting, but just didn't grab me.
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