Emily St. John Mandel
Imagine a world 20 years after a global pandemic flu that kills billions. In this world, in central Michigan, a traveling troupe of performers (Shakespeare and an orchestra) moves from town to town in an effort to live their motto "Survival is not sufficient". In addition, we are treated to backstory for several characters from either before the flu some intermediate years, slowly developing connections between them. I found myself constantly evaluating the "reality" of the story. Is this how it would really happen? Is this how life would be after a catastrophic global event? I was surprised by the lack of technology (I mean, we didn't forget how to wind coils to generate electricity) but, in this version at least, it took longer than I would expect to return. I suppose compare to A Canticle for Leibowitz, where it took generations and Mandel's version is much more likely. I also found myself observing the portrayal of violence and how it affected individuals. Really one of the best post-apocalyptic, near term worlds I have read.
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