A review by sarracenia
Severance by Ling Ma

adventurous challenging dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Severance was so different to what I expected. Less a dystopian apocalypse tale and more an account of the multicultural capitalist system we live under, it took a while for me to get over this. Once I had adjusted my expectations I started to really enjoy the author's spot-on observations of modern life. That so much of the book is framed around the death of her mother came as a shock and was triggering at first, partly because I found it so relatable, the way one's dead mother and memories of her continue to permeate life. I found the ending disappointing as I wanted more of a conclusion, either Candace arriving somewhere safe or even her becoming fevered, but this did not happen. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings