Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel

3/5 stars

What's it about? A house party in a politically tense Los Angeles of 2031 reveals a layered reality in which versions of people play out alternate lives.

How’d I find it? I’ve been following Emily St. John Mandel’s works for awhile—can’t resist a multiverse. Sea of Tranquility remains my favorite.

Who will enjoy this book? Try Hervé Le Tellier’s The Anomaly for a similar read.

What stood out? Mandel channels the bleakness of our current times into dual Americas, both dangerous and unstable, where life nonetheless has meaning. While Exit Party contains callbacks to Mandel’s previous books, the new faces assert themselves and overcome unbearable circumstances, urging the reader to build resilience. The book is cleverly divided into two parts, one for each world, and delivers a satisfying end.

Which line made me feel something? Some wisdom from Nico, who would know: “I think if you live long enough,” Nico said, “you become a migrant from another timeline. There’s the world you learn to navigate as you enter adulthood, and then that world slips away from you by degrees, and after a while there’s nothing left of it, but you’re still here…”