Emily St. John Mandel is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her style of science fiction is so grounded in the human experience of the setting and doesn’t get lost in the scene setting that happens to some authors. In this one we get a deeply personal view of what the end looks like and potential rebirth of civilization. Even with that bleak premise Mandel pushes us to hope against hope. Developing characters and plot lines that lure you in deeper and deeper. Through these protagonists and antagonists we see how you can lose parts of yourself in order to survive. Mandel prompts us to think of where we go for hope when the foundations of what we understand crumble? The answer I took away lies in the power of community to create belonging. That conclusion is portrayed to us through clever use of time shifting and perspective swapping that feels like a jigsaw puzzle coming together. Mandel also subtly shows us how the creations we put out create permanence even if their meanings change. Much like her own marvelous books.

I’m not a great writer but all I need to say is read it and you won’t be disappointed.

Good thing COVID didn’t hit us like the virus in this story! Very well-written. The story could definitely be a series…

This book caught me completely. Not the happiest story but one on the best in a long time.

This story is very very very good. O kept thinking while I read, “Wow... What If?”

There’s something in the prosody that feels like home.

Usually I enjoy a book more than the movie or series but in this instance I feel the series was more enjoyable than the book. If I have question or need more info I read the book but in this instance they were nothing alike.

So the sample pages were pretty interesting. It seemed like after that everything went down hill. Don’t waste your $$$

Yes, it’s post-apocalyptic sci-fi, but it’s soooo much more. Great characters, great story, couldn’t put it down.

Recommended.