Reviews with content warning for Self harm - How High We Go in the Dark

This #PlagueNovelPals book was surprisingly uplifting and in many ways a balm for our current world. It is super dark and sad - it is about a plague brought on by climate change - but it is also about humanity’s ability to persevere, to invent and to eventually overcome. It’s an epic story built through small human interactions. My friend Meg described it as a combination of Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy and Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves and I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment. I would also sprinkle a little bit of Chuck Palahniuk’s macabre zaniness and unlikeable narrators to the mix.

I enjoyed the format for this book - it’s a series of short narratives that are loosely connected rather than a straight through plot. In that way it is quiet and helps you experience the world Nagamatsu built in a very relatable way, through each character’s eyes. The stories end up being more connected than they initially seem but the end and that speaks to a beautiful restraint from Nagamatsu. The writing is impeccable. Each of the characters is interesting and understandable, and you visit many locations and situations on Earth and throughout the universe. I liked that this book was emotionally impactful and dealt heavily with grief and death but it wasn’t gory in the way some books like this are. It’s an emotional sledgehammer but it also puts you back together when it’s done.

👍🏻Recommended! Plague novel/science fiction fans will love this book. Please mind the CW, it is heavy content but in the end it is very hopeful.

Content Warnings

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challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Goodness, where to begin with this book. I loved it and felt so sad when reading it. I was fascinated by the concept and in awe of the way the author painted such a vivid image yet bothered that I could so easily see this world in my mind.

This science fiction novel is set in 2030 and tells the story of an Artic plague that reshapes life on Earth in a very death-centered way. Specifically, the death of children which got very heavy (for me) at some points. As the story expands and we meet characters, and the story expands across time and across the universe and it’s a unique journey.

If you’ve considered reading this book, I would suggest doing do when you’re in the mindset for something emotional with beautiful writing and depth to the characters. There may be a point where it feels a little chaotic, maybe 60% in, and it’s worth it to keep going for the ending. It’s science fiction where you can see the resemblance to real life, but there are elements that push it past realism.

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