What is identity? What makes you a person? What makes you you?
There are two stories that start the novel, first that of Ian, a stereotypical emo 20-something. He’s trying to find his place in the world but mostly wandering through the same patterns day after day. Until he realizes that it really is the same day, over and over, and he’s stuck in a dome that is protecting Seattle from … something.
The second story is of Kylie, survivor of the apocalypse and life in general, fleeing certain death for a chance at something, anything else.
This book really defies category. There are zombies and aliens and androids, cyberpunk theology meets metaphysical physics. Just when I think I’ve got a handle on it, it swoops to the left and down to the side a bit.
From the very first page I was hooked, with the whirlwind tour of some of my favorite spots in Seattle, obviously written by a native – the love shines through. I was able to visualize scenes inside the dome with clarity, though that experience is most likely just due to having been to the Lava Lounge, walking down Post Alley or prowling the bookstores on Capital Hill in person. But there were enough truly original ideas that I couldn’t pop a pre-drawn image in, I’d have to think. It transcended the hook of the repeating day motif, and doesn’t bog down in the survival aspect outside. It’s in turns cerebral and silly, monotonous and entirely fresh. The author completely nailed the ending which left me satisfied and pleased to add this to my list of books that get Seattle right.
It’s one of the nominees for the Philip K Dick award, which makes all the PKD quotes and homages a clever in joke. (http://www.philipkdickaward.org/)
