Sequoia Nagamatsu builds the narrative through interconnected stories of discovery and grief, weaving the story of a reawakened milennia old plague.
It is a story of resilience in the face of overwhelming uncertainty and grief and an interesting thought experiment exploring how the plague might drive industry: hotels and amusement parks for the dead, dying, and their families. It is also a rather humbling reminder that we are, perhaps, more susceptible to natural disasters than we like to believe. In the story, it is an unknown virus buried with its victims milennia ago. In real life, it might be viruses like the one unearthed by melting permafrost which causes smallpox.
Rather than focusing on a single character, this book explores the many stories of how society might respond to a reawakened milennia old plague.
Overall, an enjoyable read, despite its focus on a pandemic—which I thought would be too much too soon, but wasn’t—with dreamy writing reminiscent of Impressionistic paintings.