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A review by j_m_alexander
Severance by Ling Ma
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
On the surface this book could be described as a pandemic novel published prior to COVID-19 (2018) or even a zombie book (maybe?), but the heart of this book is about relationships, directionlessness, worth, autonomy, and big questions around purpose... at least that's my quick take on it - what is below is much more interesting than the surface-level.
This book is more focused on building out the main character and relationships than driving plot, not to say there isn't plot, it's just not the most important thing. I wonder if some people reading this book now will get too hung up on the pandemic details to appreciate the subtle relationships and character studies? I hope not. There is a back and forth in timeline and the slow cobbling together of details that I think was executed well. I don't think we are supposed to love our protagonist, Candace, but I can absolutely empathize with her, same with her mother, and ditto to other more minor characters. The writing itself was good, moody, restrained but had real feeling - Ling Ma knows how to build some quiet seething tension. Also, this feels very much a millennial book, I mean this as a compliment, I feel like we're just starting to get more quality books that get to the experiences and feelings of this generation - my generation. Ling Ma has a unique voice and in this book she lends it to feelings of powerfully bleak, barely controlled pointless rage and a questioning searching nature.
For many it may not be the time (or never be the time) to read a pandemic novel, with all the illness and death that goes along with that, but that is not the only trigger warning I feel should be mentioned, I will cut right to it - there are no quotation marks in this book, I repeat NO quotation marks. It is not necessary to use quotation marks in fiction, and in fact unquoting seems to be in fashion, but I know some readers still find this distressing when they come upon it on the page, so be forewarned - this book is devoid of quotation marks. I personally have gotten over this pet peeve, even find it can be make for a more seamless reading experience at times, but that's just me, you do you readers, if you "can't, JUST CAN'T", when it comes to the omission of these little marks well then just move right along, there are plenty of other books in the store/library.
This book is more focused on building out the main character and relationships than driving plot, not to say there isn't plot, it's just not the most important thing. I wonder if some people reading this book now will get too hung up on the pandemic details to appreciate the subtle relationships and character studies? I hope not. There is a back and forth in timeline and the slow cobbling together of details that I think was executed well. I don't think we are supposed to love our protagonist, Candace, but I can absolutely empathize with her, same with her mother, and ditto to other more minor characters. The writing itself was good, moody, restrained but had real feeling - Ling Ma knows how to build some quiet seething tension. Also, this feels very much a millennial book, I mean this as a compliment, I feel like we're just starting to get more quality books that get to the experiences and feelings of this generation - my generation. Ling Ma has a unique voice and in this book she lends it to feelings of powerfully bleak, barely controlled pointless rage and a questioning searching nature.
For many it may not be the time (or never be the time) to read a pandemic novel, with all the illness and death that goes along with that, but that is not the only trigger warning I feel should be mentioned, I will cut right to it - there are no quotation marks in this book, I repeat NO quotation marks. It is not necessary to use quotation marks in fiction, and in fact unquoting seems to be in fashion, but I know some readers still find this distressing when they come upon it on the page, so be forewarned - this book is devoid of quotation marks. I personally have gotten over this pet peeve, even find it can be make for a more seamless reading experience at times, but that's just me, you do you readers, if you "can't, JUST CAN'T", when it comes to the omission of these little marks well then just move right along, there are plenty of other books in the store/library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Body horror, and Suicide