A great many post-apocalyptic novels have been published in recent decades. Only a few of them show us how humankind will face the curtain—true, honest books without zombies or implausible mini-societies or far-fetched ease of survival. This is one of them—possibly the best ever in the genre—a heart-wrenching story of a man’s determination to carry the fire of humanity by saving his young son from starvation, cannibalism and, worst of all, the appeal of giving up and dying.
The book ain’t no picnic. It takes the fun out of the end of the world, but it also does what only brilliant writers can do: it defines our best human instincts by showing us the very worst that humankind has to offer. Reviewed on March 11, 2021