The Light at the Bottom of the World - (Light the Abyss) by London Shah

About the Book

Teenaged Leyla McQueen, who lives beneath the ruins of a submerged London in 2099, joins a prestigious submersible race in the hope of clearing her father's name before encountering government corruption and a hidden world.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"A breathtaking, hope-filled underwater adventure that always leaves room for wonder. The story is pacy, the setting lush and original, but it's Leyla and her positive, determined spirit that will really steal your heart."--Laura Weymouth, author of The Light Between Worlds and A Treason of Thorns

"Expertly pairing catastrophe and courage, Shah tells the story of intensely personal problems in a truly perilous world. I love this book."--E.K. Johnston, #1 NYT bestselling author of Star Wars: Queen's Shadow

"A heart-racing adventure that reveals compelling and necessary truths about several critical issues of our times, while delivering all the thrills and twists of an epic quest. A stand-out, must-read book that engulfed me in its enthralling world and characters. Leyla McQueen is queen of the (under)seas!"--S.K. ALi, New York Times bestselling author of The Proudest Blue, Saints & Misfits, and Love From A to Z

"A work of fathomless imagination."--Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Season and Priory of the Orange Tree

"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. Shah has skillfully shaped a gorgeous world unlike any those fans [of dystopian fiction] have seen before. But be forewarned: the book ends on a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger. Highly recommended."--School Library Journal

Praise for The Light at the Bottom of the World:

About the Author

London Shah is a British-born Muslim of Pashtun ethnicity. She has lived in Britain's capital for most of her life, via England's beautiful North. When she's not busy re-imagining the past, plotting an alternate present or dreaming up a surreal future, she's most likely drinking copious amounts of tea, eating allthe sweets and cakes, strolling through Richmond Park or along the Thames, getting lost on an evening in the city's older, darker alleyways-preferably just after it's rained-listening to punk rock, or losing herself in a fab SFF book or film.