This story is well-crafted. The diary format allows for trim, economic description of critical scenes while the narrative flow tells a story in a clear, strong 1st person voice.
I once kept a multi-page-per-day travel diary at one point in my life, so the pacing makes sense to me.
I appreciated that the earlier events are quiet and numb with a small focus while later events get detailed and tense as Rachel adapts and becomes ever more resourceful. (1/2)
This novella sets up a post-catastrophe world which has a lot more room to explore (there is a full-length book in this same setting, "The Unrecovered," which is encouraging!).
And by the end we see a clear direction for Rachel in the next volume. Looking forward to seeing what happens next! (2/2)
@bookstodon Still thinking about a remarkable book, like nothing I've ever read: I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN, by Jacqueline Harpman. It's speculative and post-apocalyptic, but also eerily psychological, examining what makes us human, what we need to form an identity, and the importance of friendship and intimacy.