2018
WISE Score
Amazon
Office Space meets the apocalypse, where the zombies aren't biting you—they're just stuck in an infinite loop of folding laundry.
4.1
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Don't confuse this with the Apple TV show (though they share a name and a vibe). Ling Ma’s 2018 novel is a dry, biting, and incredibly smart look at the end of the world.
It’s not a 'fun' read in the traditional sense, but it’s a 'must-read' for anyone who has ever felt like they’re on autopilot at school or work. It’s a bit grim, but it’s the kind of book that stays with you and makes you look at your morning routine with a healthy dose of suspicion.
This is strictly for the 16+ crowd. It’s a sophisticated, slow-burn literary novel that deals with adult burnout, isolation, and pregnancy in a dying world.
It's a post-apocalyptic story about a global plague (Shen Fever) that turns people into mindless drones. While it's not 'gritty' in a cheap way, the tone is inherently bleak and focuses on isolation and the collapse of society.
Ling Ma’s concept of 'stalkers'—people who repeat their mundane daily routines until they rot—is a brilliant and haunting metaphor for consumerism and office culture.
As a literary novel for adults, it contains descriptions of bodily decay, some violence, and adult themes including pregnancy and sexual content. It's not 'unsafe' for its target audience, but it's not for children.
It offers a profound look at immigrant identity, the psychology of work, and how we cling to familiar structures even when they no longer serve us. It's a high-level social critique.
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