A review by mmmmmats
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is a story in which the common thread is a global pandemic on earth, and while I would say his depictions are not nearly as gruesome or violent as say, Octavia Butler, the pandemic, the climate crisis, lack of government support, etc feels too close at times. Once you can push past that, it reads like a collection of short stories that take place in the same world that I think are beautifully woven.

I think Nagamatsu focuses on technological and medical advances and financial entities and foregoes potential social advances as he makes it through an imagined future. He reinforces the poor will be poorer (and worse), everyone is alone with all that technology, everything is hetero narrative. Made me wonder, does the government stay in tact or is it all just privately funded? Weren’t there people who pushed back? Missed opportunities in my opinion, but I guess I get it, that would be one large book and one gets to write the world they imagine based on their life experiences, and Nagamatsu did that very well.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings