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

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Told through a series of interconnected vignettes, How High We Go in the Dark is about the power of human connection in the face of deadly and unprecedented circumstances. An incredibly contagious virus has swept the globe and communities everywhere are irreparably fractured. A predatory funeral industry arises to give people strange and creative ways to honor their dead. Scientists work to not only address the virus but to make intergalactic plans for the future of humanity. Essentially, the scope of this novel is enormous. And yet, Nagamatsu navigates it all seamlessly. The characters in this book are distinct, genuine, and flawed. Each of their journeys and each of their approaches feels true to life and joyously human. There are plenty of dystopian novels out there - and pandemic-oriented ones at that. However, How High We Go in the Dark stands on its own as one of the most imaginative and hopeful dystopian novels that I've ever experienced.
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