The first line in the synopsis of this book caught my attention - - The world has killed itself, but a nameless man survives.

The Great Depression was definitely an interesting read. It's the first book I have read from this author and hope to read more in the future.

Synopsis:

From the confines of his Uncle’s farm, he watched on as suicide and depression ravaged the globe, snuffing out everyone around him and casting society into primitive darkness. Forced out of his isolation by hunger, the man leaves the farm behind and aims for Houston, Texas, choosing to brave the untold dangers of an abandoned, feral city in an attempt to find his parents and piece together the mystery of a people that inexplicably took their own lives.

Throughout his journey, he finds comfort in the words of a few unusual survivors and forms an unexpected friendship with a tenacious Biologist named Lauren. Together, the pair navigate a land bathed in death, finding renewed purpose in the liberation of trapped animals and forming a greater understanding of their intended role in Nature.

The Great Depression is a darkly introspective tour through a world of unchecked despair, offering a warning for a civilization that has fallen out of balance with its environment and, most importantly, itself.

Did We fail Mother Nature or did Mother Nature fail Us? This is just one of the many assumptions kicked around as an unknown teenager journeys through Texas to find his family during the brink of a post-apocalyptic devastation where the human race has mysteriously committed mass suicide. Few remain (there’s not even a sitting POTUS), and this lone survivor finds plenty dead bodies along the way as he searches for his parents near Houston.

He also finds hope and beauty as civilization continues to deteriorate. Why did he not succumb to suicide and why was he left to live? He finds various answers and theories from some interesting characters. A homeless man who once lived in poverty now lives a lavishing lifestyle. A stubborn zookeeper who never really interacted well with others or clutch a serious relationship for that matter, is on a crusade to free all living animals from their cages or former life of captivity. I mention animals because they are a big part of this peculiar and uncanny read. The symbolism they represented as a whole was uplifting and even spiritual in certain ways.

I highly recommend this book and thanks to NetGalley for the free copy.

I just couldn't seem to get into the story - and I typically love 'the world is ending' type of scenarios. It felt clunky, like it didn't flow well, and I couldn't seem to get in to the dialogue or the story line. It was short and fascinating at times, but I didn't love it.

Weird and sad opening premise- and not sure it gets better from there. The narrator's voice is interesting, a bit deep sometimes, with an interesting perspective about the catastrophe surrounding them.

I confess to being ambivalent about the book, conceptually it is a fascinating story, but the actual read can get murky and there were parts I had to force myself through,while others were a pleasure.

Not an in bed at night thriller, but it will get you thinking.

This has such an interesting premise but the novel's language is too dense and convoluted, so much so that I gave up after only a chapter. The author found a dictionary and a thesaurus, it seems, and was determined to use every word they contained. Self-editing would be helpful.

I liked the "voice" of this book. An examination of what it is to be human. The character wanders the world, exploring the reason why most of the population has committed suicide. Not quite dystopian, more existential...interesting read.

The premise for this book is that the world is decimated by the 'Great Depression' - swathes of people commit suicide, leaving a world with only a handful of survivors. We follow 'Buddy' who was living with his aunt and uncle on their farm, having fought his own emotional demons for years. When they kill themselves, he leaves the farm to find his parents in the city.

Parts of the book are gripping, with horrific scenes of a possible world in freefall. Other sections are very introspective, reflecting on the meaning of life and death and what we do with ourselves inbetween the two events.

I found it interesting and thought-provoking, if a little wordy in parts, and overall I enjoyed reading it although I think it could have been longer and allowed their travels to be expanded. It didn't move me perhaps as much as I thought it would, but Buddy and Lauren come over as rounded characters - although we don't hear much backstory from Lauren.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me by how wonderfully it was written. I was shocked at how thoughtful the commentary was on society and what the problem is with modern society.
Buddy is on the farm when the world slowly disintegrates and he must find out if his parents are still alive.
Yet, most of the human race has committed suicide. Those who are left, may not be that friendly.
This is a great post apocalyptic book and the mindset of people who constantly want/need physical things to satisfy their egos.
The surprising will leave you SHOCKED!
Overall a great book that should be a must read for every high school student!

This book was thought provoking and raised a lot of issues pertinent in society today. At times I found the dialogue rather clunky and obvious.

I liked the central character and cared about his journey. Although I felt the ending was disappointing, a bizarre conclusion that came out of nowhere.

The book was easy to read though I felt overall that the author came across as inexperienced. The exposition was very transparent at times. Also, the incorrect use of "where" instead of "were" was persistently annoying!

Wow. This book is special.

On paper (wow, can I be more funny), this book is pretty dull. We get to know our main character. He doesn't like names so yeah, no name for him. After a suicide epidemic, he eventually decides to leave his small farm and start exploring the world after most of its people have committed suicide.

The best part about this book is the narrative voice. It really makes this book unique. Our MC is so prominent in the way he tells his story. From the get go, I felt so much sympathy. He's so open to new ideas, so good at balancing through this new world. I loved how he felt like a clear page, he listened to everyone and kept learning while still being himself. It was done beautifully.

This book reminded me of The Bunker Diary because like that book, it's not a horror or a thriller. It's a psychological test. It asks who we are as humans, what drives us, where are we compared to nature, what do we do when it all goes down. It's like a dystopian novel but in the philosophical sense of the style.

I did have an issue with the discussion about mental health. In the book, from some mysterious reason, everyone gets depressed and kills themselves. There's a conversation about this but I didn't feel it was good enough. Some characters suggest some theories that struck me as simplistic and inaccurate. Mental health issues aren't just for rich people. Leading a simple life won't mean you won't deal with suicidal thoughts. Mental health isn't that far from physical health and no one is asking if only the rich get cancer.

Despite this, the conversation about life here is excellent. It's very existential, you've got to have a meaning to your life and find a new one once the old is achieved. You've got to just do it, to face life. I feel like Max and his "let's sleep under the sky" type of life is really important.

The ending is fantastic. It caught me off guard in such a way that I could never even imagine. I am so happy that this is the ending the author chose because it is just so special. Read this book just for the ending.

<b> What I'm Taking With Me </b>
- Honestly, I wouldn't have survived the suicide epidemic.
- Lions are such a symbolic choice.
- This book plays around with faith in a way that feels almost graceful and somehow mischievous.
- I would write an article on how Buddy is Nietzsche's Ubermensch and that the entire book is the dystopian version of Nietzsche's 3 Metamorphosis.