The Gone-Away World

Wow. Um, I kind of feel like I can't talk about all the reasons I love this book because they're MAJOR spoilers. I will say: hang in there. You're going to be introduced to a rowdy group, an intriguing set of circumstances and an imminent mission, and then that will be put on hold to tell the majority of someone's life story, get acquainted with those introduced, and then you pick up at where you left off and things get wild in a way I, at least, did not see coming. In that first half/two-thirds there are elements of war/dystopian novels from which I usually run a mile. The social commentary is exquisitely impactful. The last third (? reading this on ebook has mucked up my sense of page count) reads very different but still has something to say with a great conclusion. Again, SPOILERS! What I will say: there are ninjas, and nightmares, and love and loss, and incredible fight scenes and beloved characters. True warmth and humour and despair and hope and acceptance. Yeah, if there was any doubt, Nick Harkaway is now affirmed as a favourite author. And now I have to wait until his next novel is published! ⚠️animal death, (+ not quite sure, feel like body horror might fit best)