As an autistic scholarship student at the prestigious Webber Academy in New York City, Waverly is used to masking to fit in—in more ways than one. While her classmates are the children of the one percent, Waverly is getting by on tutoring gigs and the generosity of the school’s charming and enigmatic dean. So when her tutoring student and resident “it girl” asks Waverly to attend the school’s annual fundraising Masquerade disguised as her, Waverly jumps at the chance—especially once she finds out that Ash, the dean’s daughter and her secret ex-girlfriend, will be there.
The Masquerade is everything Waverly dreamed of, complete with extravagant gowns, wealthy parents writing checks, and flowing champagne. Most importantly, there’s Ash. All Waverly wants to do is shed her mask and be with her, but the evening takes a sinister turn when Waverly stumbles into a secret meeting between the dean and the school’s top donors—and witnesses a brutal murder. This gala is harboring far more malevolent plots than just opening parents’ pocketbooks. Before she can escape or contact the authorities, a mysterious global blackout puts the entire party on lockdown. Waverly’s fairy tale has turned into a nightmare, and she, Ash, and her friends must navigate through a dizzying maze of freight elevators, secret passageways, and back rooms if they’re going to survive the night.
And even if they manage to escape the Masquerade, with technology wiped out all over the planet, what kind of world will they find waiting for them beyond the doors?
I love the fact that the 'most likely way the world to end' has become a massive power cut, most likely by a solar flare. Experts do think it's likely to happen - we're too reliant on tech, especially in our cities - and novels are a great way to explore that.
However, this novel doesn't do that. It's a good read, but it's not about the blackout the way the blurb would have you believe; the blackout is the reason for what's happening, but nothing else. The blurb even leads you to believe that the story will continue once they escape, but in fact that's exactly where it ends, with our group of heroes walking into the devasted city. Now, with any luck, this is because Jen is planning another novel set in this universe, which I'll be first in line to read! But if this is where it's ending, it's a bit unsatisfying.
I enjoyed the read very much, but it felt like the blackout could have been anything else; it could as easily have been a nuclear war or a terrible plague or an invasion. Nothing was unique to 'blackout' about it. However, it's still a really good read that I found very hard to put down!
Here's hoping for more in this universe from Jen.
This is the Way the World Ends publishes on the 9th May, 2023, in both the US and UK. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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