A Beginning At The End by Mike Chen is a tale of humanity’s survival following a slatewiper pandemic that killed off over two-thirds of the population. Those left either live in Metros (remnants of large cities), or out in ‘Reclaimed Territory’ (more like homesteaders, reclaiming areas away from the Metros). There are piratical gangs that prey on travellers too. Nearly a decade after the initial outbreak, a new evolution of the virus is threatening another pandemic. 

In the midst of this, peoples’ lives go on. Rob struggles to prove he is ‘socially normal’ or risks losing his daughter, Sunny. Moira has doubts about her upcoming wedding, that her deepest secret may be revealed, and her overbearing father may find her. Rob and Moira become acquainted with each other through Krista, the event planner working with Moira on her wedding. As the threat of a new pandemic begins to loom over them all, each begins to grow and change, learning who they really are, who they can trust, and what they value most. Each learns to accept their past and forgive themselves and others. 

I adored Sunny! She’s a very intelligent child, and certainly can be sure of herself. That leads her to some trouble later, as she’s determined to find Krista’s doctor uncle who she thinks has made/can make her mother better. She serves as a glue that begins binding this small group together. Her relationship with her da is great, and Sunny quickly wins over Moira and even Krista. I liked that, despite this being a post-apocalypse story, it’s very much more people driven. It’s just these few characters and how they are coping, as opposed to the much broader, less personal scope I’ve found in other post-apocalyptic fiction I’ve read. Not that I dislike those types of stories, but seeing the more personal impact was nice.

I felt the pacing was slow at times, especially for the first third to half of the book, but it wasn’t a deterrent to me. Once they have to find Sunny, things really pick up, and we get a broader look at how society is functioning after the initial pandemic. I quite enjoyed visiting the campus reclaimed territory run by Narc, one of Moira’s friends. I admit, I was confused by the MoJo story thread, as it really seemed minor key, overall. It didn’t detract from the overall tale though! 

Recommended, especially if you enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction! 

***Many thanks to the Netgalley & Harlequin/Mira for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.