A beautifully written, haunting apocalyptic journey

The Electric Kingdom tells the story of a world in the near future ravaged by a pandemic that makes coronavirus look like a walk in the park. This pandemic is apocalyptic. Carnivorous flies, carrying a deadly Fly Flu, have devastated the world, leaving behind few survivors. The story is about a group of young survivors in New England whose parents have succumbed to the the flies or fly flu. Nico and her dog have lived in a remote farmhouse and are now on a quest assigned by her father to find a enigmatic portal in Manchester. Kit is a twelve year-old artist who has been raised in an abandoned cinema with his friends Lakie and Monty, who are trying to reach an island refuge. Loretta and Lennon were raised in the forest by two women they met in a campground, after their parents were taken by the flies. Then there is the mysterious Deliverer, who lives over and over again trying to save, or at least help, the world. These young survivors cross paths in the woods and small towns, attempting to evade the deadly swarms of flies, in their quest for safety, love and answers. The Electric Kingdom is beautifully written, mesmerizing, dark, sad, thought-provoking and strangely hopeful. The characters are wonderful and this book will haunt you.