by Edan Lepucki
First published 2014
Cal and Frida have escaped the collapse of Los Angeles. They live in a wilderness shack, working together to survive each day in isolation. They mourn their lost world and find comfort in each other. When Frida discovers she's pregnant, everything changes. The couple fears raising a child alone in the harsh wilderness. They decide to seek out the nearest settlement for help. The community they find offers security but demands a price. These settlers guard their secrets and view outsiders with suspicion. Cal and Frida must navigate this paranoid group while protecting themselves and their unborn child. They face impossible choices about whom to trust. The couple discovers that other people can be more dangerous than the wilderness they left behind. Their love for each other becomes their anchor as they confront the darkness in human nature that survives even after civilization crumbles.
Genres: dystopia, contemporary, 21st-century, apocalyptic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intimate
Setting: California, Los Angeles
Period: 21st Century
393 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: anxiety, depression