At the Bottom of New Lake

Warmer collection

By: Sonya Larson

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A girl growing up in Cape Cod explores the collectible debris of a once-perfect world she’s too young to remember. But as the past resurfaces, so do old questions about her place in society.

To Chinese American teenager Chuntao, New Lake is a beautiful haven where she can hunt for treasures once swallowed up by a big flood. But when she’s caught scavenging by her biology teacher, a woman whose own past has been swept away, Chuntao is faced with an imponderable question: Which world was better - the ideal one she never knew or the destroyed one that now belongs to her?

Sonya Larson’s At the Bottom of New Lake is part of Warmer, a collection of seven visions of a conceivable tomorrow by today’s most thought-provoking authors. Alarming, inventive, intimate, and frightening, each story can be read, or listened to, in a single breathtaking sitting.

©2018 Sonya Larson (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Too much teenage angst

Lake idea was interesting, but found story hard to listen to because it was heavy on the angst (exacerbated by narrator).

Yup

Very visual aided by the narrators clear, emotional voice. And the story is spot on with generational perspectives, relatable educational criticisms and ethnic and economic consequences in context of climate change, Basically - it quickly and effectively captures the horror story in which we are living. Would be a good resource for a classroom.

Great Story, of era Actually Quite similar to now

It is an interesting concept, how will high school aged students address Climate Change after the main flood of the apocalypse. (I assume these characters are in high school, though they could have just as likely been younger.) Our world as we know it lies at the bottom of New Lake. It's heading that way, and we who are alive in 2018 are to blame, not so much those who make it as living teens in 2050 when our world lies under water. Maybe if we had fewer fur coats and fancy things, our carbon footprint would be smaller and we could last longer?

Interesting concept, failed to deliver

The story felt undeveloped. It wasn't really clear what the differences or positions of the various characters were, and why they acted the way they did. On the other hand, I don't get why some of the reviews slam the narrator, she was perfectly fine.

Good story.

This was something that I don't normally read but I enjoyed it. I recommend it!
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Great concept

The bitter teenage angst is hard to endure. By the end of the story, I understand why she doesn’t care about climate change. It could have been a 5 star story, but whiny teenagers are insufferable.

Tells It Like It Is

Very well-placed story showing how people react to climate change based on socioeconomic class. Long, slow reveal. The two main characters were very well-developed . Excellent narration carried me right along.

Yeah, not much to say about this one...

Can't say that I enjoyed this short story. To be fair short stories and me are always gonna be iffy, and this one didn't cut it.
As always Emily Woo Zeller's nuanced performance was exemplary!

Was not ready for this "girl loves girl" storyline

I stopped listening just a few minutes in, as I was not prepared for this storyline, of girl loves girl. Wish this had been in the description. I don't know if this is a good or bad author or speaker, I just don't choose to listen to stories like this.

Leave at the Bottom!

A very sad, depressing storyline with no plot excitement. Luckily it was short. The narrator was great though.