A book about the grind. Relentless, not necessarily finite, outside of the “fair or not fair” space. When your problems are bigger than you, bigger than your whole city — what do you do? When people die around you — what do you do? When it just does not end, month after month — what do you do?

The story follows several characters who choose their paths through a plague. There’s quite some philosophising but it doesn’t sound like a lecture. Maybe because the author argues from a real, down-to-earth, accepting place, and not from some theoretical pedestal of greatness. And that makes the argument truly great.

Short book, heavy footprints. I don’t read fiction that often, but Ted’s review flipped some switch. Thanks Ted.

★★★★☆

(249 pages, ISBN:9780141185132, Worldcat, Open Library)