The DelugeThe Deluge
What it's about
Spanning 2013 to 2040, the novel follows a large cast of characters as climate change brings America to collapse: a scientist whose models warn of disaster, an activist leading a movement, a drug addict turned eco-terrorist, an ad executive, and others, as storms, wildfires and political violence break the country apart.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a huge, ambitious climate epic.
You'll love it if you liked
The Overstory
Parable of the Sower
Termination ShockGood to know
It's nearly 900 pages long.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller17 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Epic, Adventurous
If you like this, read next
The Tainted Cup
A Drop of Corruption
The Will of the Many
The Everlasting
Cloud Cuckoo Land
BabelExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Deluge worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 67.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Deluge about?
Spanning 2013 to 2040, the novel follows a large cast of characters as climate change brings America to collapse: a scientist whose models warn of disaster, an activist leading a movement, a drug addict turned eco-terrorist, an ad executive, and others, as storms, wildfires and political violence break the country apart.
How long does it take to read The Deluge?
About 22 hours (896 pages), or about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Deluge?
If you liked it, try The Overstory by Richard Powers, Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler or Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson.