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45 pages 1 hour read

Paolo Bacigalupi

The Water Knife

Paolo BacigalupiFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015

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Book Brief

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Paolo Bacigalupi

The Water Knife

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015
Book Details
Pages

384

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Southwestern United States • Near Future

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi is a near-future thriller where Angel Velasquez, a "water knife" for Nevada, tries to sabotage Arizona's water and investigate senior water rights amid a parched, dystopian American Southwest. The narrative follows Angel, Texas refugee Maria Villarosa, and journalist Lucy Monroe, highlighting brutal survival amid inter-state conflicts over dwindling water resources. Torture and graphic violence occur.

Dark

Suspenseful

Gritty

Unnerving

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

4.0

31,584 ratings

71%

Loved it

22%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi captivates with its intense, dystopian vision, meticulously weaving environmental and political themes into its narrative. Praised for its thrilling pace and stark relevance, the story's richness, however, feels occasionally burdened by heavy-handed world-building and grim tone. Overall, it succeeds as an engaging, thought-provoking read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Water Knife?

Readers who enjoy dystopian thrillers with environmental themes, such as The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, will likely be captivated by Paolo Bacigalupi's The Water Knife. The novel's exploration of water rights in a near-future America will appeal to fans of speculative fiction and socio-political narratives.

4.0

31,584 ratings

71%

Loved it

22%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

384

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Southwestern United States • Near Future

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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