A review by trout_lily
A Beginning at the End, by Mike Chen

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Story about three individuals linked, but not friends or family, each with backstories of loss and and reinvention after a plague ravages the world. I liked all the characters and how their relationships developed toward a common purpose and towards friendship and love. It's set in post apocalyptic SF and then in Seattle. Unfortunately, it really suffered from a lack of world building. SF and Seattle seemed fuzzy to me as did the society working to stay alive and rebuild itself . I am from SF and I needed more distinct descriptions about that iconic city in that moment not to mention the West Coast of the US overall. This made me feel rather meh about their circumstances. I was detached from the overall apocalyptic situation and I didn't sense any urgency regarding the plot, nor any excitement about future for the future of these characters and their newly found sense of family or new beginning. This his first novel and I hope there are more. I would like to see the author craft a more layered world for the characters.