Orleans

“Orleans itself is a compelling intersection of environmental chaos and human politics. Smith repeatedly reminds readers that this was once a vibrant, stunningly alive place that suffered the ill effects of global warming and yet has still managed to eke out a kind of survival, as grim and unappealing as that survival looks. This version of NOLA reads like a twisted love letter to the original as Smith mines its famous landmarks and traditions for a dark revision . . . Smith’s vision of the future is terrifying because it scarily matches reality in a world where the Doomsday clock moves closer and closer to midnight.”—BCCB, starred review

“In Smith’s compelling and disturbing novel, the Gulf Coast has been formally separated from the U.S. since 2025, after a deadly plague called Delta Fever emerges from the horrific conditions following years of increasingly destructive hurricanes. . . . Alternating chapters of Fen’s strong and often lyrical voice and a third-person account from Daniel’s point of view move the complicated plot briskly. . . . powerful, relevant themes: global warming, racism, political corruption, and the complexity of human nature.”—Booklist, starred review

“Gritty and dark, with plenty of glimmers of humanity, this book screams for a sequel, a trilogy, maybe even a prequel. Chapters written in the well-crafted first-person of Fen’s tribal dialect clash with Daniel’s third-person narrative chapters, but perhaps that was part of Smith’s plan. It is a minor flaw in a book that will fly off the shelves and thrill readers of realistic, as well as science, fiction.”—VOYA

“Smith imagines a captivating and truly frightening future for the United States, one in which six devastating hurricanes follow Katrina’s path right into the heart of the crippled Gulf Coast. . . . the richly textured worldbuilding and the complicated relationship between Fen and Daniel, as well as the constant and varied dangers they face, will keep readers up long past their bedtimes. A harrowing and memorable ride.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Smith effectively tells their stories through both voices: his idealistic, naive, and grammatically perfect; hers, street-wise, in the dialect of the tribes of Orleans. Carefully crafted backstories, revealed throughout the novel, allow readers initially to form opinions and later have these either confirmed, denied, or altered. The bleak, austere setting becomes a tableau for life’s basics: survival and sacrifice, compassion and greed.”—The Horn Book