This novel is narrated by a psychopath, and his own peculiar voice is what makes the story interesting as a piece of experimental writing. I can’t say that I cared much about the story itself, though.

What if the powerful countries of the world waged a nuclear war so catastrophic that all life was destroyed, and you were stuck in southern Australia, watching the deadly radiation move slowly, inexorably your way? That is the question posed by this classic post-apocalyptic novel. The inevitable conclusion is rather dreary. However, the characters seem a bit too 1950s, and therefore not quite realistic. Still, it’s an interesting, if bleak, what-if scenario.

My review is here.

This is one of Chabon’s more forgettable books, written in the style of an old-fashioned adventure story. It is entertaining enough during the reading but doesn’t have sticking power once the book is put down.