What is the title of this climate-focused, near-future novel?

August 13, 2024 2:17 PM

I’ve been looking for this book after reading it around 2012. It was a relatively recent novel, with a father and son escaping on a crowded steamboat along a river in the US. They were traveling to the father’s childhood home, where his sister was waiting; after arriving, she immediately leaves to follow her own path. The setting is after the climate has shifted to be warmer and wetter, with an emphasis on how much plants grow and the smell of overripe vegetables.The pair travel through various communities. The US government has basically dissolved. There’s rumors of a superstorm coming to wipe out everyone, but it’s unclear if this exists or are just rumors. That’s all I can remember, and these details might be incorrect! Thanks!

Note: It’s definitely not The Road.

posted by Peter Petridish to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

The Days After (Big River): Adventure on the river in dystopian America by J. Richardson ?
posted by slipthought at 2:44 PM on August 13

Although there's a steamboat, doesn't sound much like Mississippi Blues by Kathleen Ann Goonan.
posted by Rash at 7:28 PM on August 13

It's been a long time since I read Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling, but I do recall it has a brother-sister pair, and a rumor of a superstorm (that the sister is actually chasing).
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:04 AM on August 14

Response by poster: I do not think it's any of the above answers. The title (or story) might involve the protagonist's wife dying while planting a bomb on a bridge to help with the war, although this event occurred right before the start of the novel. I kept on thinking that the title involved the bridge in someway, like "After the Bridge" or something. I could also be getting this from what I remember of the cover image, perhaps of a ruined, metal bridge. Apologies for the fragments of memories on this!
posted by Peter Petridish at 9:40 AM on August 19

Best answer: Lost Everything by Brian Francis Slattery?
posted by paperback version at 12:46 AM on August 27

Response by poster: Yes, that is it! Thank you paperback version! This has been bugging me for years and year!
posted by Peter Petridish at 2:06 PM on September 1

Yay!
posted by paperback version at 2:11 PM on September 2