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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Apocalyptic violence in the novel's second half; the end of the world depicted with surreal restraint
Language
Some
Adult language in Coupland's Generation X register
Sexual Content
Barely any
Minimal sexual content
Substance Use
Some
Drug use in the 1970s setting and some drinking throughout
Emotional Intensity
Some
The psychological weight of a coma, lost years, and a generation trying to find meaning — and then facing apocalypse — gives the novel its distinctive spiritual dimension
What this book is about
Douglas Coupland's novel follows Richard, whose girlfriend Karen fell into a coma after a party, and the group of friends who navigate the intervening years — and then Karen's return, and the bizarre apocalypse that follows. Coupland writes with his characteristic Generation X voice and genuine philosophical ambition; the novel's ending is strange and spiritual. Adult content including drug use and the surreal apocalyptic elements.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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