Peng Shepherd, "The Book of M" (William Morrow, 2018)

New Books in Literature · Jan 3, 2019 · 25m

The pandemic in Peng Shepherd’s debut novel, The Book of M, starts with magic—the disappearance of a man’s shadow. The occurrence, broadcast worldwide, is greeted with delight until more and more people lose their shadows. People start losing their memories as well—while gaining an ability to change the world with the power of their imaginations. As society collapses, the landscape becomes as beautiful as it is terrifying: deers have wings, clouds tinkle like bells, lakes appear overnight, flowers bloom in winter. The Book of M has garnered widespread praise, earning recommendations from The…