I recently read ‘The Stand’ by Stephen King and absolutely loved it from beginning to end! But one particular part has stood out to me, the first three-hundred or so pages which \[SPOILER\] cover the spread of superflu and how this leads to societal breakdown.
Ever since reading it I cannot stop thinking about it, and I desperately want to read a book that covers a societal breakdown in the same way, whether it be through a pandemic like in The Stand or zombies like in World War Z (another book I absolutely adore!)
by Chickenkingthe3th
6 Comments
Severance by Ling Ma might interest you. It’s about an office worker who manages to survive a pandemic that results in societal collapse. Throughout the book the timeline switches between pre- and post-collapse, and a good amount of the book is dedicated to her experience of civilization slowly wasting away. Don’t go in expecting a lot of action – it all feels very passive.
A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
The Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich shows how society reacts to biological catastrophe, though it doesn’t dig in very deep into the whys and hows of the biological event itself (it’s mainly the catalyst)
*The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton*
I just suggested this book in another thread.
It’s my favourite ever and I love being able to recommend it!
I’m not 100% sure this meets your brief, as at least half the book concerns the aftermath but I’d recommend checking out The Stranding by Kate Sawyer. I’m a huge fan of The Stand and loved this (very different books though of course…)
How about a combo? Station Eleven