Earth abides
Ratings49
Average rating3.7
The story of rebuilding civilization after a plague nearly wipes out the human race.
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Well written and compelling story. Though it was written in 1949, there is little to give that fact away.
Absolutely beautiful.
I'd read some years ago that Earth Abides was Stephen King's inspiration for The Stand. Considering the novel follows the collapse of civilization after a virus kills 99% of the American population, inspiration might be an understatement.
I found it to be profoundly moving. I may be in the minority, I've read some very harsh reviews of it. The book was written in 1947 and it shows, both in misogynistic tendencies and one racist episode. Let's call that the Dumbo Outlier and be done with it. The scope of Earth Abides is broad, and there's little in the way of cohesive plot. Less a novel than a memoir of man observing the death and rebirth of society.
The further you get into the story, the better it gets. I've never read such a convincing depiction of the way time can slip by as one ages. Bear in mind that it was written in 1949, and is shaded by the gender ideas and roles of the time.
