A review by bookwormlukas
Severance by Ling Ma

dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

It’s ironic that the first pandemic themed book I read during the pandemic is the one I’m reading while I myself catch covid. As depressing as that could actually be, ‘Severance’ isn’t really a serious pandemic book, instead using the genre as more of a satire on capitalism, our relationship to work and the aimlessness that we all sometimes experience in relation to that. 

The book itself comes in two parts, pre Shen fever and post Shen fever - and this is where I really wavered between giving the book 3 or 4 stars. The post pandemic/apocalyptic stuff is fine, but expected, and it’s in the pre pandemic sections, where Candace is thrust into the corporate world of office work, where the novel (and character development) really shines.

In truth, Candace herself isn’t necessarily a likeable protagonist - but she is a relatable one. I think Ma actually does a great job here simply in bringing an accurate representation of a millennial to the page, and she does this by focusing specifically on Candace’s state of mind, while referencing millennial obsessions that (for Candace) will soon be a thing of the past, like the internet, social media and the inevitability of climbing the career ladder.

Overall, I can see this book being quite divisive (in the best way). Goodreads itself shows me that people especially aren’t happy with the ending - which I personally found quite hauntingly appropriate, but I can see a lot to recommend here. I think you’ll generally know from the first page if this is a book for you or not, so give a page or two a read at the bookshop and you’ll know if it’s something to pick up.