Severance

In *Severance*, Ling Ma tells the story of Candace Chen, a millennial who works as a Senior Product Coordinator for the Bibles Division at a Manhattan-based publishing company.

The narrative shifts between Candace's life before and after the Shen Fever pandemic, which slowly obliterates global civilization.

The book delves into themes of nostalgia, the monotony of modern office culture, and the complexities of intimate relationships.

As Candace joins a group of survivors led by the power-hungry IT tech Bob, she must confront her own secrets and the challenges of starting anew in a post-apocalyptic world.

The novel is a satire that critiques contemporary life, consumerism, and the global economic system, while also being a heartfelt tribute to the connections that drive human survival and meaning.