Actual rating 4.5 stars.

I have read a slew of post-apocalyptic novels in which a deadly virus has wreaked havoc and culled the majority of our species. What ordinarily happens is that a portion of humanity devolves into zombie-like creatures, another into opportunistic gangs, and a lone few are left to somehow save the world. That is exactly what this novel does. But where as many of the other titles I have read perform to their stereotypes and deviate little from this generic outline, this managed to deliver something different.

Whilst I have read the basic premise for this novel before, Suvada managed to make it appear fresh. And she does that by making it feel believable. The scientific whys and hows to this novel are explored from every angle. Instead of just allowing an unexplained and unknowable phenomenon to befall us, an understandable and functioning explanation is provided. The reader is given an authentic-feeling insight into computer coding, DNA sequencing, and gene mutating. Now I know little about any of these things so maybe someone with a background in these topics would be able to call bullshit, but to the uninitiated this felt like a very real exploration of the potential future of our species.

In addition to this authenticity were the characters, I initially feared the dreaded insta-love trope was once again going to rear its ugly head, but this, fortunately, managed to remain trope free! Each of the characters felt like well-rounded and real individuals and so I believed in each of the chaotic episodes they found themselves in.

Whilst I enjoyed every portion of this novel, the ending was its phenomenal crowning glory. Twist after twist mutated the plot until it was unrecognisable from its original conception and transformed into something truly unforgettable. If I wasn't sold by the rest of it, this ending would keep me reading an eternity's worth of instalments in this series. So with that said, when is the next one due?