A review by plumdustsuns
Severance by Ling Ma

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

I think this is a book I’d need to reread in the future. There’s so much explored in terms of global economics, immigration, capitalism, identity, religion and group think. I found Candace’s struggles in relation to the capitalistic lifestyle and the droll it pushes against creativity extremely relatable. She gets her job contract’s money in the end, but simultaneously, it is also the end of the world, bananas and pastries browned. What good would this money do her now?

I need to think more about why Candace decided to keep the baby, and what it served to the plot beyond Bob’s importance to it and differences contrasted against Jonathan.  I wonder if Luna served more for her and her mom’s relationship as well, her mom coming to her ti help her escape. 
I was initially not happy about Bob being fevered and her escape being so easy, almost dues ex machine esque.  But now that I think more about it, maybe it was indicative with the Shen fever’s metaphor, of doing daily tasks and routines and being stuck in it and what Bob was forcing upon the group and himself, triggered or exacerbated by childhood memories/nostalgia as was done for Ashley as well. Which I also need to think more about/figure out, what about the routines of childhood specifically, worsened the fever.

I also see the covers for the other languages are so beautiful. Why are we stuck with the plain pink cover for the English ones?