A difficult one – as an apocalyptic novel it was lacking in conflict and associated resolution to be a truly great read. Read instead as a set of interconnecting short stories set in the same world I found it much more enjoyable.
First we only want to be seen, but once we’re seen, that’s not enough anymore. After that, we want to be remembered.
Plot in a Nutshell
On the day that Arthur Leander collapse and dies on stage in Toronto a deadly virus arrives in the city. Through the novel we see snapshots of Arthur’s life and the people he loved as well as exploring what happens to them after the pandemic sweeps the globe. Alongside Arthur’s story we follow 20 years later Kirsten, a young actress who had worked with Arthur, and her troupe of Shakespearean actors who travel performing.
Thoughts
To begin with it’s important to note that there is no single storyline or plot in a conventional sense. Whilst the Travelling Symphony are moving they are not questing or necessarily looking to stop and put down roots and there is no neatly tied up ending. As such despite the backdrop of the novel being such a horrific experience with 99% of mankind wiped out in a matter of days, there is not a great deal of action in the novel.
What there is, is a slow, but beautifully written exploration of how the events impact the main characters alongside a study of what before and after means to each of them and how delicate our world is and how easy it is for it to crumble. In this I think Mandel is mostly successful although at times it falls down due to the high number of secondary characters and a set of somewhat farfetched scenarios that create perhaps unnecessary connections between them all plus being stuffed full of themes.
I particularly enjoyed the chapters that explored Arthur’s early life with his wife Miranda, and those that fleshed out the first hours of the arrival of the flu via the eyes and experiences of Javeen. Of less interest to me was the Travelling Symphony and their experiences. This may be possibly because of the ambiguity of the missing time Kristen as the main protagonist of this section experiences.
The world building of the post flu sections were excellent, the technique of flipping between the immediacy of the arrival of the virus and 15 plus years on was effective and highlighted just how hard life was and how scared people were which goes some way to debunk the criticism that people would immediately look to recreate life pre-virus. The debate about the importance or relevance of history was telling and could easily have been fleshed out a little more.
Ultimately one that will stay with me for the themes and language rather than the characters or story.