Aqueous
Jade Shyback
Xeno
In the not-so-far future, the world’s ecosystem collapsed. Earth’s surface is untenable. Seeing the writing on the wall, governments around the globe cooperated in building humanity’s last refuges in the shape of three massive undersea habitats. Marisol Blaise lives in Aqueous, a disciplined Utopian society located deep off the coast of California. She was taken from her birth mother on the day the last surface refuges were abandoned: Now she has to live up to the trust placed in her by her adoptive parents, the commanders of Aqueous.
… an all-too-believable future with a consummate eye for detail and realism in this, her debut novel.
She and her companions undergo aptitude assessment and training virtually their whole lives. The multi-discipline training is tough and thorough, because life at such depths is hostile and mistakes are usually fatal for the individual and the community. Only the best effort from all is good enough, and only the best of the best get to choose their life’s work. Marisol wants to join the cuviers, an elite all-male diving team, ready to take on anything that threatens the safety of Aqueous. Even budding romance with the all-star Creighton and edgy Felix can’t distract Marisol… much. As the assessment program gets under way Marisol is anxious. Can she overcome the rivalries to make it to the top? Will she be allowed her life’s desire? Betrayal and an overwhelming secret await her, and Marisol’s life will never be the same again.
Shyback has created an all-too-believable future with a consummate eye for detail and realism in this, her debut novel. Marisol and her companions are terrific characters, and the reader will cheer them on as they go through the angst-ridden years of young adulthood in a strange environment.
