A review by julesthebookdragon417
The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

4.0

Elison does an good job of taking the current cultural variations and power dynamics that exist in today's society and asking how those elements would interact with the collapse of modern civilization. She raises questions of what drives people to carry on, and what intrinsic motivations are strong enough to keep a person moving forward when there's no sign of anything worth going toward. The protagonist is smart, conflicted, and determined, and I appreciate that the book addresses serious, practical questions about how life goes on when technology is upended. This book set itself apart within the post-apocalyptic genre with its candor, practicality, and examination of how sociological influences continue to impact people event after that society is gone.