Just After the Wave - Sandrine Collette

Surviving the environmental apocalypse has its own consequences in this novel of "tense, tightly controlled, and genuinely devastating prose" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

When a volcano collapses in the ocean and generates a tidal wave of biblical proportions, the world disappears around Louie, his parents and his eight siblings. Their house, perched on what was once the top of a hill, now stands on a tiny island. As far as the eye can see there is only silver water. Their survival is nothing short of miraculous. But with that miracle come devastating new dilemmas.

The vast waters around them are routinely shaken by violent storms, like jolts of rage. As the waters continue to rise. Higher ground must be found, and calculations must be made: How much longer until their little island is gone? How far is the next refuge? And how many members of the family can fit in their tiny rowboat?

From the acclaimed author of Nothing But Dust comes "a breathtaking novel that tells a tale of resilience, love, and all the invisible but powerful ties that bind a family together" (France Bleu).