3 out of 4 stars
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"So if you're still out there, in whispers echoing from better days, I could tell you the story of The Last City of America.”
These words from The Last City of America by Matthew Tysz will stick with me for a while. This is a book that explores the unending possibilities of the scientific revolution. It puts a spin on our own fears and anxieties, and therein lies its beauty. While this book explores the seemingly trite theme of apocalypse, it does so with a new and unique take. The narrative of this story is quite beautiful. The author takes the reader on an exciting but devastating journey, questioning the possibilities that lie ahead.
This book is set in a new United States America, but not the United States of America that you would want to see. It chronicles the tale of scientists who have come up with a virus that affects the general population by affecting their ability to produce.There is a sharp decline in the youth of the country and this heavily affects the country’s productivity and social conditions. Merely seven cities are left in a condition that is a little less than deplorable. Now the people must choose from these cities, but it is clear that they barely have a choice.
Despite the genre, this book seems to have been extensively researched. It has beautiful character development, and the characters come with their own baggage. Their pasts are entwined with the larger narrative, and this adds to the beauty of the novel. It is also interesting that in many ways, this book is character-driven and there is a heavy emphasis on that particular element of the novel. This makes the book a very intense read. It explores a dystopian reality in a from the perspective of the characters.
This novel essentially delineates the Good vs Evil theme in a more or less traditional way, and this might make it a drag sometimes. The author has explored human depravity at its finest and has come up with certain conclusions about humanity. However, the characters are colored in grey, and this makes the reader wonder what good and evil really are.
I felt that this book followed a strong narrative, even though there were certain errors here and there. For this reason, I would give this book 3 out of 4 stars. That being said, I strongly suggest this book to everyone who loves Sci-Fi, and even those who don’t.
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The Last City of America
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