NOVEMBER'S DAWN

A teenage girl races to uncover a conspiracy in a submerged ark that harbors the remnants of humanity in Moshage’s YA thriller.

The ark, named November’s Dawn, is 1,000 meters long and walks along the floor of the ocean on “over two hundred legs”; the world above is “just raging waves and endless storms.” Josie Owens, born and raised on the ark, has been educated only by its ruling faction, the Order of Scientific Discovery. On her 16th birthday, Josie finds her life transformed by a “holomessage” from her late father, a respected engineer. He reveals a startling secret: The ark was always intended to rise again and return to the surface of the Earth, “but there are some who would never let this happen because it threatens their power.” In addition to the message, Josie is left with a necklace with a mysterious meaning she must uncover. The stakes escalate when Felix, her father’s loyal engineer friend, is fatally shot by a Commandant soon after sharing the message. Thrust into a quest, Josie seeks to unravel the secrets of the Order of Scientific Discovery. Her adventure, with a setting reminiscent of the class-divided, train-bound society in the film Snowpiercer, takes her through the various levels of the ark. She soon discovers a shadowy resistance group and is recruited to their cause. Broadening the scope, Moshage intercuts Josie’s adventure with the activities of the villain, the First Vicar of the Order, who’s determined to thwart Josie’s efforts. This narrative back-and-forth maintains suspense during some occasional lulls devoted to worldbuilding details, including an extended sequence set at a fictional “fetterball” sports match. Though the story beats may feel familiar to readers of the genre, the novel’s unusual setting, well-drawn central character, and carefully structured twists make it a worthwhile addition to the teen dystopian shelf.

A thrilling underwater adventure for fans of dystopian drama.