If the US Collapses Soon, Don’t Blame Emily St. John Mandel

Fictional explorations of societal collapse and resilience are now arriving that feel uncomfortably close to present-day anxieties.

Emily St. John Mandel's new novel, "Exit Party," published on September 15, explores two near-future versions of the United States: one fractured by civil war and another under a totalitarian surveillance state. Mandel began writing the book in 2022, observing rising political polarization and extremism. The novel, which she describes as a story about crime, resilience, and hope, contrasts the country's present state with these imagined futures. Mandel noted that while the book's scenarios feel disturbingly plausible, they stem from observing current trends rather than specific clairvoyance. The narrative follows interwoven lives, prompting readers to consider their own actions in times of societal collapse, with a focus on community and hope.

Mandel's "Exit Party" arrives at a moment when anxieties about political division and the potential for societal breakdown in the US are high, making its speculative scenarios resonate with contemporary concerns. The novel's depiction of both a post-civil-war free-for-all and a totalitarian surveillance state reflects and amplifies existing fears about the nation's trajectory.

The book's exploration of identity through parallel "counter lives" of individuals and the state offers a new lens for understanding how environmental and political forces shape personal and collective destinies. By contrasting these potential futures with the current reality, Mandel's work prompts readers to consider their own agency and the choices that define humanity during periods of intense societal stress.