Author: Sequoia Nagamatsu
Quality Rating: 9/10
Enjoyment Rating: 9/10
Posted Rating: 5/5 (Goodreads)
You ever pick up what you think is going to be an average plague story and instead end up with a thoughtful speculative fiction about humanity in the face of catastrophe?
I read this one in January when it was released and it is so far the best thing I've read this year. I don't know if I will ever be able to fully communicate my thoughts on it. This is essentially a collection of short stories about the good, the bad, the ugly and the heart wrenchingly beautiful way that humans react when dealing with disaster. Normally as a character driven reader I have a hard time with books written in this style. The author, however, does such an excellent job of depicting humanity from many different perspectives that I found it fascinating right from the start. What sets this book apart is the depth the author is able to give to the characters despite how little time we spend with each one. The way he uses this disease to depicts the layers of human emotion and connection is absolutely astonishing.
I would definitely recommend giving this one a try, but just a warning it is quite a tough read emotionally.
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