
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.
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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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