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A review by chrissie_whitley
The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag
4.0
4.5 stars
Set in a crumbling 1997 America, a runaway teen and her yellow toy robot head west through a landscape littered with abandoned battle drones and the wreckage of a once-thriving society. The population has become catatonic, addicted to high-tech devices that once promised connection but left the nation hollowed and decaying. As they near the Pacific, the disintegration of civilization looms ever closer, hinting at an ominous collapse waiting just beyond the horizon.
The story itself, which I took in through the audiobook, is gripping and sad — but the true star of this experience is the artwork. Haunting and gorgeous, it could almost stand on its own, no explanation needed.
Set in a crumbling 1997 America, a runaway teen and her yellow toy robot head west through a landscape littered with abandoned battle drones and the wreckage of a once-thriving society. The population has become catatonic, addicted to high-tech devices that once promised connection but left the nation hollowed and decaying. As they near the Pacific, the disintegration of civilization looms ever closer, hinting at an ominous collapse waiting just beyond the horizon.
The story itself, which I took in through the audiobook, is gripping and sad — but the true star of this experience is the artwork. Haunting and gorgeous, it could almost stand on its own, no explanation needed.