Spoiler alert, this is perhaps not a book one should read during the present emergency, as major elements of the plot are perhaps a little too relevant to our current situation. But I had seen several recommendations, and I was able to borrow the ebook from my local (currently closed) library via the Libby app, so I checked it out and started reading before I really knew any details of the plot. And by the time the story revealed itself it was too late, I was hooked.

As with other books I’ve read recently the central theme is the family, starting with a scattering of literal families disrupted by the central event of the wandering, but quickly consolidating into two opposed found families, that of the wanderers and the opposing forces of, well, we can only call it evil. In fact, the opposition seems almost too evil, with no redeeming features, identifying the forces of death and destruction with right-wing gun-worshipping racist bigots.

By contrast the wanderers and their companion shepherds are a set of interesting and engaging characters, thrown together by events beyond anybody’s ability to explain or comprehend, with various strengths and weaknesses. This is the main strength of the book, following the point of views of several of these people, seeing how they change and evolve as the world is convulsed around them. That convulsion is much more extreme than what is happening out here in the “real world” (we hope) and keeps adding new layers all the way to the apocolyptic end.

Next up, The Stand.