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A Beginning at the End

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A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen is a post-apocalyptic novel set in 2025 San Francisco, following the aftermath of a deadly pandemic that wiped out a large portion of the population. The story revolves around three main characters - Moira, a former teen rock star; Krista, a wedding planner; and Rob, a single dad trying to prove his ability to care for his daughter. As they navigate their individual struggles in a world reshaped by the pandemic, their lives intertwine, leading them on a journey to find a missing child amidst personal crises and societal challenges.

Characters:

Character development is central, featuring interconnected protagonists, but they may lack depth and complexity.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is direct and readable but exhibits some amateurish elements and editing inconsistencies.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative unfolds in a post-apocalyptic setting where characters cope with life after a pandemic, exploring themes of survival and personal growth.

Setting:

The setting features a ruined San Francisco where society is attempting to rebuild with remnants of the past.

Pacing:

The novel experiences slow pacing in its early chapters but builds tension effectively as it progresses.
Rob Donelly sneezed as he considered the latest headline out of the Miami Metro. In surrounding cubicles, keyboards paused and conversations hesitated. It wasn’t a giant interruption; work didn’t grin...

Notes:

The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic world after a pandemic wipes out over two-thirds of the population.
It was published on January 14, 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Characters deal with Post Apocalyptic Stress Disorder (PASD) and seek help in self-help groups.
The story focuses on personal connections and character development rather than broad societal issues.
Sunny, a seven-year-old girl, is described as intelligent and strong-willed.
Moira, a former rock star, struggles with her identity and family issues.
Rob, a widowed father, fears losing his daughter due to her acting out at school.
The novel reflects on old technologies making a comeback, like CDs, in a struggling society.
There are themes of family, both biological and chosen, running throughout the story.
The world in the book has reverted to using more analog technologies due to infrastructure collapse.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of trauma, loss, and the psychological impact of surviving a pandemic.

Has Romance?

There is a moderate level of romance within the story, ensuring it plays a significant but not overwhelming role in the narrative.

From The Publisher:

Featured in Polygon's Best of 2020

"The best kind of dystopian novel: one rooted deeply in the hearts of his characters and emphasizing hope and connection over fear.… Compelling, realistic, and impossible to put down." -Booklist

Four survivors come together as the country rebuilds in the aftermath of a devastating pandemic. A character-driven postapocalyptic suspense with an intimate, hopeful look at how people can move forward by creating something better.

Six years after a virus wiped out most of the planet's population, former pop star Moira is living under a new identity to escape her past-until her domineering father launches a sweeping public search to track her down. Desperate for a fresh start herself, jaded event planner Krista navigates the world for those still too traumatized to go outside, but she never reaches out on her own behalf. Rob has tried to protect his daughter, Sunny, by keeping a heartbreaking secret, but when strict government rules threaten to separate parent and child, Rob needs to prove himself worthy in the city's eyes by connecting with people again.

Krista, Moira, Rob and Sunny meet by circumstance and their lives begin to twine together. When reports of another outbreak throw the fragile society into panic, the friends are forced to finally face everything that came before-and everything they still stand to lose. Because sometimes having one person is enough to keep the world going.

"A slice-of-life at the end of the world, tender, character-driven, and gentle-which makes it feel all the more terrifyingly plausible…. profoundly subversive and honest… This book is never bleak. Instead, hope reverberates through every character and plotline." -Tor.com on A Beginning at the End

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