Cover Image: How High We Go in the Dark

How High We Go in the Dark

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Member Reviews

It's not easy to review this book because it made me feel so many different emotions that I had to stop reading and start again after a bit.
There's heartbreak, some dark humour, and there're all the possible type of grief.
It's a set of short stories bound by a a pandemic caused by an unknown virus. It may seem dystopia but there's a real possibility that the the melting permafrost will release unknown virus.
The author did an excellent job in writing the different stories and creating some of the most heartbreaking scenario I've ever read.
I loved it and kept on thinking about it: bleak, dark, somehow related to our time. But there's also hope and positive emotions.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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This is such a beautiful book! It's sad but hopefull... It broke my heart but I'm buying a physical copy.
Loved the way the stories, the caracteres were connected.
I'll be following this autor in the future.

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I was absolutely blown away by this book, I think it's definitely one of my favourite books in recent years. I found the second chapter quite harrowing, but I also found a lot of solace and even comfort in facing some of my fears (that have been heightened in the last two years) about mortality through reading this book.

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Rating: 4/5 stars

Blurbing a book to be “Station Eleven meets Cloud Atlas” guarantees two things for me: first, an immediate addition to my most-anticipated-list. Second, a high likelihood of disappointment that comes with being compared to giants… Somehow, Sequoia Nagamatsu managed to subvert that second expectation, and completely live up to my hype with his melancholic collection of tales of loss and connection.

It all begins when a grieving archaeologist unearths the subject of his deceased daughters research; the body of a girl, and the virus that killed her ages ago. From there on out, we follow this virus, now dubbed “the Arctic Plague” as it multiplies and fans out across the globe. Through a mosaic of stories, touching but never quite overlapping, we witness its effects on a variety of people spread out over both distance and time.
There are few books that live up to Station Eleven for me, but the way Nagamatsu captured the sorrowful, contemplative and intimate atmosphere of his post-pandemic world completely warrants that comparison to me. Nagamatsu proves himself a skilled wordsmith, with a particular eye for those small, quiet moments of human connection and intimacy, amids a world filled with insecurities. When it comes to the themes discussed in this book (grief,“moving on” and the desire to hold on to what you have, against the knowledge you may lose it all), that is the best way to tackle them, in my opinion. As a medical professional, these scenes resonated deeply with the way I witnessed and experienced this pandemic, and I have nothing but praise for the author for capturing this so perfectly.

My only critique of the book may be in part due to the marketing, as it’s presented to be a “novel”, while I felt it to be more of a short-story collection. This impacted my expectations going into it, and my overall enjoyment of the book as a whole. Throughout the first few chapters, this was a 5-star read for me, and I kept hoping the story would somehow loop back to those first protagonists once more, so I could see their story developed a little more. Had this choice been made, this would’ve probably been my perfect book. (view spoiler)
Instead, each chapter introduces a new set of characters, and although the lines all touch on each other, they never completely converge. As a set up to a short- story collection, that would’ve been perfect to me, but since I went in with the expectations of a novel I felt the connections to be a little to slim for my taste.
Overall: an ambitious and deeply impressive work of fiction that never sacrificed its sense of intimacy with its wide scope. I have a feeling this will be one of “The Great” of 2022, that will stick with me for a long time after to come.

Many thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It truly felt like an honour to read this one early.

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How High We Go In The Dark is a mosaic novel, with each chapter focusing on new (albeit tangentially related) characters to provide snapshots of a high-fatality pandemic from the first discovery of a deadly virus in Siberia through to reintegration of the sick into society when a cure is eventually found.

While I enjoyed the background world-building and the set-up of each personal story, These are delicate depictions of grief and the ways it messes us up, but I found the outcomes frustratingly samey - people resolving their relationship issues by responding to death. It's telling that I loved the chapters where this _wasn't_ the case - if there had been more like City of Laughter and Songs Of Your Decay, this was set to be a five star read. I outright hated the final chapter, which reframed the novel and the stories with a cheap conclusion that put some weird earlier choices in context, without making them better choices.

In retrospect, I think I’d have got more out of it if I had approached it as a collection of interconnected short stories – reading one here and there, rather than reading them back to back. However, that last chapter would still have had me dock it a star; I could tolerate that story as a transparent plot from the outset, but as a big reveal at the end it just makes me rage.

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Nobody really knows what is lurking beneath them - not even Dr Cliff Miyashiro. When he arrives at the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his late daughter, he finds that underneath the melting ice a virus is waiting to take hold of the world above.

The consequences spread further than anyone could have imagined - it doesn't just ravage through the continents, but throughout time as humanity try to fight this plague. Whether a scientist, a comedian, a mother, a teenager or an astronaut, humanity tries, fails and tries again to survive and thrive in the face of danger.

This beautifully moving collection of carefully interlaced short stories from across time and space manages to show thousands of years of life and death in a totally mesmerising way.

Nagamatsu creates an engrossing universe with euthanasia rollercoasters, unbelievable virtual reality and interstellar voyages juxtaposed with the sobering and very timely reality of living with a virus looming over the world at all times.

The writing is clear, simple, it doesn't describe or detail the characters or places but still invokes beauty and emotion throughout. Each character is masterfully created to show the resilience and complexity of the human condition, keeping us just out of reach and isolating the reader while still creating a sense of kinship with each and every one.

Each characters story weaves into another in a rich tapestry that grows as each page turns and flows seamlessly despite the sheer force of this novel. Make no mistake, this story takes you to the darkest depths of humanity but then reminds you to look up and realise how high we can really go, even in the dark

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.



CW: Euthanasia, death, pandemics, viruses, child death, terminal illness.

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An Arctic plague is released at the beginning of How High We Go in the Dark - yay...timely! Although the concept of Nagamatsu's sci-fi thriller cuts a little close to the bone in our current circumstances, it doesn't take away from the fact this is an energetic, adventure-filled romp that has real heart. Delving not only into the global-scale issues that such a pandemic might present, How High We Go in the Dark also examines grief and humanity, and the pivotal role both play in this bleak future. I loved the range of genres Nagamatsu tackled - from sci-fi to thriller, even magical realism in places.

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How High We Go in the Dark is a series of interconnecting short stories over future centuries, weaving a narrative of the Arctic Plague pandemic, the way the world and individual characters cope with the impact and how humanity moves on, even into deep space. The structure really allowed the reader to focus on the here-and-now of each character while gradually filling in the bigger picture.

I found this to be a deeply moving and beautiful book, which really made me consider how humanity copes with death, family relationships, personal interactions and grief. A thoroughly recommended read, although it might be a bit too intense for the recently bereaved. I will definitely look out for more by this author in the future.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

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This is an absolutely fantastic science fiction story that begins with the discovery of a plague in permafrost melt up in the Arctic Circle.  The book consists of around a dozen short stories that are all interlinked, showing how the world deals with the awful new virus.  The world building and characterisation in this novel are mind blowing, and incredibly thought provoking, making for a deeply immersive, if somewhat disturbing read.

I said I would not be reading anymore pandemic fiction published after 2019 but somehow this book slipped through the net, and I am really glad it did.

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A unique, imaginative and emotional tapestry of wide-ranging stories reflecting on what would happen if the global pandemic hit (sounds familiar?).

I very much enjoy how Sequoia Nagamatsu structured his novel. Each chapter focuses on a different character, but every story takes place in the same reality and everything is connected in subtle, intricate ways. It reminded me of a TV series with an overarching theme, but with each episode having a different protagonist and plot. We also get a blend of genres and ideas, from speculative and almost fantastical (hotels for the dead) through heavy science-fiction (spaceship travel) to literary (dying patient falling in love with his doctor).

This was a very quick read for me, despite (or maybe because) the variety of genres and themes.
I loved how Nagamatsu used this novel to reflect on an impact of the pandemic on our lives, but also to explore what new institutions and innovations it could spark, how the society would change under such dire circumstances.
Another thing I highly appreciated were the characters - no unbelievable acts of heroism or chivalry, everyone was ordinary and relatable. We had people who were selfish, scared, cheating, distant, compassionate, lonely, broken-hearted and brave. It made the stories more plausible and more impactful.

All in all, it was such an interesting, original and creative work - you could never guess what the next chapter will bring. I can't believe it's a debut novel!

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I found equally fascinating and terrifying. Personally, I am not a big fan of multiple narrators (more than two), but with How High We Go in the Dark I found myself immersed in the story so much I didn’t care. Transitions between character voices are effortless. The story mirrors the pandemic but puts an unexpected twist on it. It’s a kind of anthology on the topic. I got somewhat confused as to what was going on quarter into the story, but wasn’t deterred from reading on. In fact, I found it intriguing. Highly imaginative. Imbued with dark humour. Explores the themes of love and loss and survival, the extension of self in inanimate objects as a way of dealing with grief. It’s very human, very real. One of the best books of the year.

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Absolutely astonishing. Just utterly fell in love with this book. It’s a set of tales starting with a virus being accidentally transmitted across the world (don’t worry, it’s not yet another covid type story- I’ve read far too many of those in 2021, yada yada…)

Each story is beautifully written, about basically how high humans can go, despite being in the depths of a pandemic. The stories intertwine, and a story you think is standalone isn’t really because all of a sudden you realise it’s about someone you read about earlier.

I’m explaining it badly…..just buy it and read it, it’s just utterly wonderful.

My thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was both a smooth and difficult read, very difficult because as you probably know a plague sweeps across in the globe in several waves - except being science fiction the virus mutates organs to other organs.. there’s also a telepathic pig and in the future a spaceship. I’ve seen some comparisons to Cloud Atlas - it’s closer to Bone Clocks or, Old Drift - probably because it’s mostly in first person with different narrators vaguely connected to what has gone before across America and Japan. It’s very well written but gut wrenching, especially in the earlier segments where children are most susceptible. This is plague literature, and climate literature, and further down the line science fiction but very much about humans trying to live (as people rather than desperate to survive at all costs which is in a way rather nice). The narrators all feel differentiated enough (whether it’s their situation or tone I wasn’t sure) and each are short enough enough if what is going on is too hard (stylistically or narratively!) - I didn’t always like them or almost couldn’t stand what was happening on the page but that doesn’t necessarily detract from the novel. I can’t recommend it to everyone as the almost excerpt-from-a-life style may not be your cup of tea or the sheer grief that appears here, but it is written very well and doesn’t leave on a miserable note if that helps you make a decision.

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I need a minute..... That was...... Beautiful, but in an emotional way. Small personal snapshots of the world, during the worst of times. There was so much sadness and so many things that made me angry, especially the way that a certain element of society will always look to monetise and profit from tragedy. But there was such hope, tenderness and possiblity that it renewed some of my faith in humanity. I actually broke down and cried after reading about Fitch, and was horrified to discover that the blueprints for such a hellish device actually exist. "God" help us if anyone actually builds it such a thing.
Humans are such messy creatures and we really seem to struggle with an entitled sense of........ morality (not sure if that's the right word), yet we worship at the alter of wealth and perceived success. Maybe one day we will get it right.

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This book goes full circle on itself.


The finding of an acient virus, in siberia. One that should never have been uncovered. But due to global warming and the thaw of the permafrost.



Post pandemic, a global plague that has killed off most of the population.


A space race to find the next goldilocks planet, capable of supporting human life. Some 60,000 years in the future. With seeds for new planets. Without going more indepth, it would give to much away.


Really didn't know what to expect, when I picked this up. The cast, and the plotline interweave seamlessly. What I thought was going to be difficult to read, infact passed easily. With me losing slightly more time than I had allowed for.



I seem to have developed quite a liking for Japanese authors. The more I come across, my TBR list grows.


Status: Complete

Rating: 4.4/5.0

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How high we go in the dark is a unique novel that will appeal to fans of David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas. It's a breath taking novel set in the future where global warming releases an ancient plague upon mankind. We're given short snap shots of different characters various experiences of how the plague affects them and their life. All the characters are very loosely connected and their lives intertwine as the narrative flows.

I was impressed by how each character's experience was unique to them and yet somehow we were given a small link. The initial viewpoints all feel chillingly realistic, based on predictions of global warming and the impact we're having on our environment. The later chapters become quite science fictiony (if that's a word!) and personally, I started to feel a bit lost towards the end of the book.

This book deals primarily with death. As you would imagine with a book about a deadly plague we can't control, there is a depressing amount of death and grief in this novel. At times it felt a bit too sad to read and I hoped for a few more happy ever afters for some of the characters! That said, there were moments that demonstrated sincere humanity and hope for the future.
I was provided an arc courtesy of the publishers and netgalley.

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I was really interested to read the introduction to this novel which explains it was written before the COVID-19 pandemic began - if not for this I would definitely have thought it was written in response to the pandemic - it's eerie how many similarities there are, especially in terms of how characters go about their everyday lives. How High... is just the kind of sci-fi novel that has the potential for lots of crossover appeal - it's gorgeously written, full of ideas and compelling. I loved it.

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How High We Go in the Dark is one of the most beautiful words I have had the pleasure to read in my life. I picked it up because it was sci-fi and it sounded dystopia-ish, but it was so much more than that and I believe everyone can find something to like (or even love) in it. Something else that I want to mention is that now that we have faced a few unexpected years, we have perhaps come to realize how important human connections are and how resilient we are amidst the crazy, the sad, and the angering things happening around us. Sequoia Nagamatsu's book is a collection of short stories discovering a disease and then we jump, from person to person, to see the reverberations it has in human society.

How High We Go in the Dark surprised me. I remember laughing at myself because I was ugly sobbing in the second chapter with what at the end of the day was a short story. I thought it was remarkable that I had become so emotionally invested in one character when I usually need chunky books (and series) to actually give a dang about anybody, but there it was - Nagamatsu had done it. He did it once, and then he did it two more times. Interestingly, one of them was with the one story I knew I'd hate but I ended up sobbing (again) because I related to a talking pig (I cannot believe I just wrote this, but I did. And I think if you know me and you ever read this story, you'll know why I related to it/he).

The focus of the book is on people, but most stories have humanity's coping with the disease and its aftermath in the background. We see euthanasia parks for children who are sick; death becomes an actual business and the diseased invest in ways to go that will represent them; holographic recordings of those who pass away; robo-pets that keep recordings of your dead and living family; generational ships attempting to find a habitable planet without the disease; a VR world were people interact without risk of contagion; cults; and a big etcetera. Every story is plagued with really interesting ideas that help 'world-building' but do not become relevant to the story and part of me wishes this was a series just so I could see more of it. It made me wonder about what happens in these funeral homes with 30 floors, who would memorials be? Would people physically go to the memorial, even?

I read this book a while ago and forgot to review it, but I do want to stress that I think about a couple of stories very often (the one with the little space commander and the one with the A-Z song thingy). Besides how touched I was by everything (I am a sucker for character-focused stories after all), I also adored that all of the main characters were either Japanese or Japanese American. It was certainly refreshing after encountering so many collections of stories by (only) white authors writing white characters (or adding a token BIPOC character as a secondary/background character).

Anyhow, 10/10. Keep an eye out for it y'all.

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The novel is a series of connected chapters linked by the spread of a devastating pandemic. From the initial chapter, where scientists discover a virus released from the melting permafrost, and each subsequent, the author explores different approaches to dealing with death and coping with loss.
In the last third of the book, the tone changes and looks towards renewal and hope.
The answer to interstellar travel comes as a result of someone with a mutation and a spearhead of humans go in search of a new planet. The journey and its initial lack of success highlights just how valuable life on Earth is.
Survivors back on Earth rebuild and reconnect.
How you react to this book probably depends on your mental health and whether you have personal stories of loss connected with the current pandemic. For some I can see that this might be too raw but this book has a death positive outlook and provides philosophy and hope.

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I don't know how to talk about this book. Told in vignettes across many years, it follows different characters before, during, and after an epidemic. Despite the short amount of time you spend with these characters I was very emotionally invested. It's surreal, heartbreaking, odd, and upsetting and despite the difficult nature of the story, I couldn't put it down. I'll be thinking about the second section of the book (set at the park) for a long time - it was beautifully written and absolutely gut-wrenching. The last section of the book is why its a 4.5 and not a 5 star rating. It answered many questions but did little for me emotionally and narratively. In this case I guess I preferred the mystery.

A must read for 2022.

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