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Postscript
From Stonewall Honoree Cory McCarthy, joyful, affectionate, read-in-one-sitting novel about letting go of the things we can’t change and holding on to the passion of our instincts.
On the far side of a swift and unknowable apocalypse, a few sapiens are surviving off the last scraps of humanity. No longer recognizable as Cape Cod, the dunes of their archipelago are empty apart from regrets and ruins—until West blows in like a storm.
West is a prophet of instinct, the last amateur anthropologist, ever aware of being present in life. He can’t help but move through Ani’s rage, Karen’s anxiety, and Emil’s immense longing with curiosity and care. West’s unbridled love and grief challenge the survivors to defy extinction with the most beautifully human thing imaginable: a family.
He may even impress Death.
★ “Simultaneously tragic, existentially terrifying, heartwarming, and sensual."—Kirkus, starred review
On the far side of a swift and unknowable apocalypse, a few sapiens are surviving off the last scraps of humanity. No longer recognizable as Cape Cod, the dunes of their archipelago are empty apart from regrets and ruins—until West blows in like a storm.
West is a prophet of instinct, the last amateur anthropologist, ever aware of being present in life. He can’t help but move through Ani’s rage, Karen’s anxiety, and Emil’s immense longing with curiosity and care. West’s unbridled love and grief challenge the survivors to defy extinction with the most beautifully human thing imaginable: a family.
He may even impress Death.
★ “Simultaneously tragic, existentially terrifying, heartwarming, and sensual."—Kirkus, starred review
240 pages, Hardcover
Published February 17, 2026
11 people are currently reading
3463 people want to read
About the author
Cory McCarthy
21 books376 followersCORY (previously Cori)
…earned degrees in poetry and screenwriting before falling in love with writing for children and young adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. They have authored four acclaimed YA novels, with a middle grade series, young adult contemporary, and nonfiction picture book forthcoming. Cory coauthored the bestselling ONCE & FUTURE, a finalist for the New England Book Award, with their spouse A.R. Capetta.
…earned degrees in poetry and screenwriting before falling in love with writing for children and young adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. They have authored four acclaimed YA novels, with a middle grade series, young adult contemporary, and nonfiction picture book forthcoming. Cory coauthored the bestselling ONCE & FUTURE, a finalist for the New England Book Award, with their spouse A.R. Capetta.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 7, 2025
ARC for review. To be published February 17, 2026.
4.3 stars
It is the Post, the name for the time after the apocalypse and very few people are left. West is sold to Emil who has a dog. Emil introduces West to Ani and Kay. These are the survivors, eking out an existence on Cape Cod. What’s the use of going on? Is it different for each person?
This short book was interesting, and haunting, and also comes with a powerful anti-gun message. Well done characters and a rich sense of place.
****Edited to add: I did not realize this was YA. Me Bing up to the full 4 stars and would really move to something like a 4.3. This is a great YA book.
4.3 stars
It is the Post, the name for the time after the apocalypse and very few people are left. West is sold to Emil who has a dog. Emil introduces West to Ani and Kay. These are the survivors, eking out an existence on Cape Cod. What’s the use of going on? Is it different for each person?
This short book was interesting, and haunting, and also comes with a powerful anti-gun message. Well done characters and a rich sense of place.
****Edited to add: I did not realize this was YA. Me Bing up to the full 4 stars and would really move to something like a 4.3. This is a great YA book.
did-not-finish
December 3, 2025DNF @ 32%
Reading this novella felt like being at a modern art museum. I honestly had no idea what was happening and I had no idea what I was reading more than half of the time. The details, characterization, and worldbuilding were very bare minimum and you pretty much fill in the blanks.
The post-apocalyptic vibes were more like The Road than The Last of Us. So if you're a fan of the Cormac McCarthy novel, then this might work for you.
Thank you to Dutton Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
Reading this novella felt like being at a modern art museum. I honestly had no idea what was happening and I had no idea what I was reading more than half of the time. The details, characterization, and worldbuilding were very bare minimum and you pretty much fill in the blanks.
The post-apocalyptic vibes were more like The Road than The Last of Us. So if you're a fan of the Cormac McCarthy novel, then this might work for you.
Thank you to Dutton Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
Read
February 20, 2026A sad, slow post-apocalyptic YA novel-- an introspective one, sorta along the lines of The Road. I wished it'd been longer because I wanted to get to know the characters more! It probably won't be for every reader, but that's okay. I listened to the audiobook and am looking forward to picking up a physical copy to flip through and see the illustrations.
March 1, 2026
thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin for the advanced digital copy.
this gem is out now.
--
postscript by cory mccarthy is the kind of book that feels less like a novel and more like a hand extended across the end of the world. man o' war is one of my favorite books of all time, so my expectations were high, and i am relieved to say that mccarthy's writing remains as lush, interesting, and carefully crafted as ever. reading this felt like watching a painter create art out of nothing, brushstroke by brushstroke, each line deliberate and alive.
the premise is spare. the world has ended in some swift and unknowable way. cape cod is no longer cape cod but an archipelago of dunes and ruins. a handful of survivors drift through what remains. and then there is west, who arrives like weather, like hope, like a question mark. he is curious, instinctive, and almost painfully open in a world that has calcified around grief and rage.
what struck me most is how little mccarthy relies on heavy description. the world building is intentionally sparse. we are not handed a detailed map of the apocalypse, nor do we get pages of explanation about what went wrong. instead, we are given feeling. atmosphere. presence. the writing gestures rather than declares, which feels exactly right. this is not a story about the mechanics of extinction but about what remains human after it.
the book is short, and part of me desperately wished it had been longer. i wanted to stay with these characters, to linger in their strange, fragile family. and yet the brevity feels purposeful. it mirrors the precariousness of their existence, the sense that nothing is guaranteed. the smallness of the text somehow amplifies the largeness of its questions.
because postscript is quietly philosophical. it asks what we cling to when the world offers no promises. it nudges at nihilism without surrendering to it. if everything has already fallen apart, what is the point of tenderness, of sex, of love, of building a family out of scraps? mccarthy does not answer this directly, but the novel itself becomes the answer. the point is instinct. the point is connection. the point is choosing to care even when extinction looms.
west, in particular, feels like a thesis in motion. he is not naive, exactly, but he is unguarded. he moves through other people’s pain with curiosity rather than fear. in another writer’s hands, that could feel cloying, but here it feels radical. there is something defiant about maintaining softness in a brutal world.
i also appreciated how the prose never becomes overwrought despite its lyricism. there is beauty in the language, yes, but it is controlled. mccarthy trusts white space, trusts implication. the result is a book that feels almost like a long poem, or a series of meditations stitched together by longing.
postscript made me think about purpose in the face of nothingness. it made me consider what it means to be human when society has dissolved. it is melancholy, yes, but also strangely joyful. it insists that even at the far edge of the world, love is still possible. and sometimes, that is enough.
this gem is out now.
--
postscript by cory mccarthy is the kind of book that feels less like a novel and more like a hand extended across the end of the world. man o' war is one of my favorite books of all time, so my expectations were high, and i am relieved to say that mccarthy's writing remains as lush, interesting, and carefully crafted as ever. reading this felt like watching a painter create art out of nothing, brushstroke by brushstroke, each line deliberate and alive.
the premise is spare. the world has ended in some swift and unknowable way. cape cod is no longer cape cod but an archipelago of dunes and ruins. a handful of survivors drift through what remains. and then there is west, who arrives like weather, like hope, like a question mark. he is curious, instinctive, and almost painfully open in a world that has calcified around grief and rage.
what struck me most is how little mccarthy relies on heavy description. the world building is intentionally sparse. we are not handed a detailed map of the apocalypse, nor do we get pages of explanation about what went wrong. instead, we are given feeling. atmosphere. presence. the writing gestures rather than declares, which feels exactly right. this is not a story about the mechanics of extinction but about what remains human after it.
the book is short, and part of me desperately wished it had been longer. i wanted to stay with these characters, to linger in their strange, fragile family. and yet the brevity feels purposeful. it mirrors the precariousness of their existence, the sense that nothing is guaranteed. the smallness of the text somehow amplifies the largeness of its questions.
because postscript is quietly philosophical. it asks what we cling to when the world offers no promises. it nudges at nihilism without surrendering to it. if everything has already fallen apart, what is the point of tenderness, of sex, of love, of building a family out of scraps? mccarthy does not answer this directly, but the novel itself becomes the answer. the point is instinct. the point is connection. the point is choosing to care even when extinction looms.
west, in particular, feels like a thesis in motion. he is not naive, exactly, but he is unguarded. he moves through other people’s pain with curiosity rather than fear. in another writer’s hands, that could feel cloying, but here it feels radical. there is something defiant about maintaining softness in a brutal world.
i also appreciated how the prose never becomes overwrought despite its lyricism. there is beauty in the language, yes, but it is controlled. mccarthy trusts white space, trusts implication. the result is a book that feels almost like a long poem, or a series of meditations stitched together by longing.
postscript made me think about purpose in the face of nothingness. it made me consider what it means to be human when society has dissolved. it is melancholy, yes, but also strangely joyful. it insists that even at the far edge of the world, love is still possible. and sometimes, that is enough.
February 24, 2026
A really lovely story of found family and joy in the face of devastation that I think is more adult literary fiction than YA. Publishers Weekly called it "luminous" and they're not wrong, though it's also heartbreaking and philosophical. A couple of explicit scenes place it at the upper bound of YA, while the overall narrative feels more akin to adult novels like Station Eleven.
Pair with the aforementioned Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel or The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold for other moving, character-driven stories of post-apocalyptic survivors.
My thanks to Penguin Random House for giving me access to this audiobook for review.
Pair with the aforementioned Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel or The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold for other moving, character-driven stories of post-apocalyptic survivors.
My thanks to Penguin Random House for giving me access to this audiobook for review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This book was short but filled with emotion, each of the characters were so well written. The ending was rough, but it kind of tied everything together.
September 26, 2025
I am so entirely lucky to have a friend who got me an eARC of this book sent to my email. I am so entirely lucky to be the first person to leave a review of this book on here.
My heart has latched onto this story so thoroughly. Postscript is found family. Postscript is humanity facing consequences. Postscript is forgiveness. Postscript is falling so deeply and tenderly in love. Postscript is holding on for dear life to old love. Postscript is reflecting on humanity's failings. Postscript is loss.
It took me a moment to get into the motion of McCarthy's writing style for this book. But even before I did, I was continuously filled with emotions. I'm sure there are some who this story won't reach and impact as deeply. Not every story made to touch every person. But Postscript is absolutely a new favorite book of mine. I cannot wait to have a physical copy to annotate in my hands.
From the characters to the post-apocalyptic setting to the natural commentary on humanity and the things we got/did wrong, all of which are things that need to be addressed and called out. I was fully committed to it all and didn't want to be done with this book.
And West.... West is such a special character. He will remain with me for a long time.
My heart has latched onto this story so thoroughly. Postscript is found family. Postscript is humanity facing consequences. Postscript is forgiveness. Postscript is falling so deeply and tenderly in love. Postscript is holding on for dear life to old love. Postscript is reflecting on humanity's failings. Postscript is loss.
It took me a moment to get into the motion of McCarthy's writing style for this book. But even before I did, I was continuously filled with emotions. I'm sure there are some who this story won't reach and impact as deeply. Not every story made to touch every person. But Postscript is absolutely a new favorite book of mine. I cannot wait to have a physical copy to annotate in my hands.
From the characters to the post-apocalyptic setting to the natural commentary on humanity and the things we got/did wrong, all of which are things that need to be addressed and called out. I was fully committed to it all and didn't want to be done with this book.
And West.... West is such a special character. He will remain with me for a long time.
February 26, 2026
4.5*
Postscript is a melancholic yet beautiful take on the apocalypse. Weird sentence, sure, but let's go with it. The vibe is spot on- you can really feel the isolation, and the desperation, at the end of the world. The author does not sugar coat that things are bad, and that people can be bad, but they also can be really great too. It's all in how the characters choose to live and what they live for. The world-building is sparse, but I feel like that was kind of the point- it didn't quite matter to the characters why things got this way, they just had to live with it. There was a lot of character growth in this tiny book, and I absolutely adored the found family aspect. Main character West is wonderful, and it's impossible to not like him. He has a sort of childlike wonder that is hard to keep in tact in any time, but I imagine especially so at the end of the world. The only thing I felt a little iffy on was that West seemed quite a bit younger than Emil- was he? Perhaps not, perhaps Emil just seemed older, and maybe it doesn't quite matter when there are only a handful of people left, but I did kind of wish that was explained a bit better, mostly for my own peace of mind. But, a small gripe in an otherwise really lovely story. I could not put it down- when the synopsis tells you "read-it-in-one-sitting", it isn't lying.
Bottom Line: Heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once, this short novel packed a big punch.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Postscript is a melancholic yet beautiful take on the apocalypse. Weird sentence, sure, but let's go with it. The vibe is spot on- you can really feel the isolation, and the desperation, at the end of the world. The author does not sugar coat that things are bad, and that people can be bad, but they also can be really great too. It's all in how the characters choose to live and what they live for. The world-building is sparse, but I feel like that was kind of the point- it didn't quite matter to the characters why things got this way, they just had to live with it. There was a lot of character growth in this tiny book, and I absolutely adored the found family aspect. Main character West is wonderful, and it's impossible to not like him. He has a sort of childlike wonder that is hard to keep in tact in any time, but I imagine especially so at the end of the world. The only thing I felt a little iffy on was that West seemed quite a bit younger than Emil- was he? Perhaps not, perhaps Emil just seemed older, and maybe it doesn't quite matter when there are only a handful of people left, but I did kind of wish that was explained a bit better, mostly for my own peace of mind. But, a small gripe in an otherwise really lovely story. I could not put it down- when the synopsis tells you "read-it-in-one-sitting", it isn't lying.
Bottom Line: Heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once, this short novel packed a big punch.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"Sapiens are not meant to survive alone."
It's been several years since an apocalyptic disaster destroyed the earth's population, and now only a handful of people ("sapiens") are left, eking out their lives in what used to be Cape Cod. West joins the tiny group after being trafficked and traded by a lone wolf he called Captain. Now West finds home in Karen's stable (she is trying to atone for the way she treated her queer child after they came out), a friend in Ani (who is desperate to find the bones of her dead partner), and a lover in Emil. Together, they try to make sense of the senseless, looking for sparks of hope and joy in a postapocalyptic world.
I love what apocalyptic books can teach us about humanity (see also: Station Eleven, Moon of the Crusted Snow). This is really poignantly written with some beautiful parts. I liked Karen's character arc and the imagery of Jasper watching out for Ani from the tree near his grave.
The emphasis on Emil's and West's sexual relationship was problematic for me. I get that their sexual experiences are evidence of joy in a joyless world, and I get that they felt safe and at home with each other, but it also felt like there was a power imbalance: Emil was much older and it's clear that West is still a teen, and Emil basically traded for West's life based on, I don't know, looks I guess. But then again, are the rules different when you're the last people on earth? Maybe. I just thought that, with the brevity of this novel, there didn't need to be as many sexual encounters as there were.
Ultimately this is a pretty emotional book; consider yourself warned.
Multiple cracked/open door sexual scenes
Profanity, including the f-word
Thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC.
It's been several years since an apocalyptic disaster destroyed the earth's population, and now only a handful of people ("sapiens") are left, eking out their lives in what used to be Cape Cod. West joins the tiny group after being trafficked and traded by a lone wolf he called Captain. Now West finds home in Karen's stable (she is trying to atone for the way she treated her queer child after they came out), a friend in Ani (who is desperate to find the bones of her dead partner), and a lover in Emil. Together, they try to make sense of the senseless, looking for sparks of hope and joy in a postapocalyptic world.
I love what apocalyptic books can teach us about humanity (see also: Station Eleven, Moon of the Crusted Snow). This is really poignantly written with some beautiful parts. I liked Karen's character arc and the imagery of Jasper watching out for Ani from the tree near his grave.
The emphasis on Emil's and West's sexual relationship was problematic for me. I get that their sexual experiences are evidence of joy in a joyless world, and I get that they felt safe and at home with each other, but it also felt like there was a power imbalance: Emil was much older and it's clear that West is still a teen, and Emil basically traded for West's life based on, I don't know, looks I guess. But then again, are the rules different when you're the last people on earth? Maybe. I just thought that, with the brevity of this novel, there didn't need to be as many sexual encounters as there were.
Ultimately this is a pretty emotional book; consider yourself warned.
Multiple cracked/open door sexual scenes
Profanity, including the f-word
Thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a copy of this book as an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest review.
This book is very different from anything I've read in awhile. West is the main character - a teenage boy who was about 11 or 12 when the apocalypse happened, so he's about 18 now. He has been living on a boat with an old, drunk named Captain, who one day trades West for a bullet. West meets Emil, who is a few years older than West, and through Emil he meets some other sapiens - Karen and Ani - and a dog named Mort.
The writing style plays on brevity and straightforward language, leaving the world building a bit sparse, and at times feeling almost poetic instead of prose. I did like how the chapters were built on concepts like Grief, Rage, Sex, etc. It's a very short book, and I probably could have finished it in one sitting if I had had the uninterrupted time. I think what drives this book is the motley crew of characters coming together trying to survive, as well as the commentary on what it means to be human. Can you have humanity if there are only a few stragglers left? What about society? What are innate parts of being human versus the things we learn? How much of what we do, think, say, act, desire, despise is because it's needed versus wanted? What came first - the guns or the desire to be violent?
I really liked the aphorisms West shared (passed down from his mother). For a YA book, I didn't love the mention of some of the sex acts - maybe also because West seems younger than he is given his optimistic, childlike view of the world.
There is depth to this short book, but if you're reading it at the surface level it'll probably get lost. 3 to 3.5 stars for me.
This book is very different from anything I've read in awhile. West is the main character - a teenage boy who was about 11 or 12 when the apocalypse happened, so he's about 18 now. He has been living on a boat with an old, drunk named Captain, who one day trades West for a bullet. West meets Emil, who is a few years older than West, and through Emil he meets some other sapiens - Karen and Ani - and a dog named Mort.
The writing style plays on brevity and straightforward language, leaving the world building a bit sparse, and at times feeling almost poetic instead of prose. I did like how the chapters were built on concepts like Grief, Rage, Sex, etc. It's a very short book, and I probably could have finished it in one sitting if I had had the uninterrupted time. I think what drives this book is the motley crew of characters coming together trying to survive, as well as the commentary on what it means to be human. Can you have humanity if there are only a few stragglers left? What about society? What are innate parts of being human versus the things we learn? How much of what we do, think, say, act, desire, despise is because it's needed versus wanted? What came first - the guns or the desire to be violent?
I really liked the aphorisms West shared (passed down from his mother). For a YA book, I didn't love the mention of some of the sex acts - maybe also because West seems younger than he is given his optimistic, childlike view of the world.
There is depth to this short book, but if you're reading it at the surface level it'll probably get lost. 3 to 3.5 stars for me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Years ago, a mass extinction event threw the world into chaos, with only a limited number of human survivors attempting to rebuild a life in the aftermath. West was only twelve when disaster struck, so he remains boundlessly curious about the world even as he is passed from one caregiver to another. Every person West encounters has a different story and a unique way of looking at this new world, and though not everyone agrees on everything, they must embrace one another’s strengths if they wish to see another day. This contemplative young adult novel reads like a blend between a novel in verse and a traditional narrative. Limited amounts of text give readers just enough information to visualize each scene, and the writing often feels as though it is providing the stage directions to a play. Brief scenes subdivide the novel, painting memorable vignettes as the characters move from one moment to the next. While desperation and anger are certainly present within many of the characters, hope and love also appear despite the bleak circumstances in which they find themselves. This dichotomy is palpable, and it invites readers to consider just what might happen if the world really were to come to an end. Occasional strong language and a LGBTQ romance effectively illustrate these emotions, as well. Thought-provoking and unnervingly relevant, this speculative story is a standout addition to library collections for mature young adult readers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
This post apocalyptic story was so very different. At times, it was difficult to follow, but it was beautiful and haunting and I never wanted to put it down. West is living on a boat with The Captain and is essentially traded to Emil for a bullet. While this makes him a bit angry, I believe the Captain did it out of love, as he no longer wanted to live, and he wanted to see West with someone to care for him. West is an 18 year old with such a marvelous lookout on life. In this 'post' world, where everything is grey and there is no hope of rebuilding the population, he looks at the world with hope and love, bringing his little community together in a way that they weren't before. Everyone changes with him around. He and Emil have an immediate bond, and it's beautiful to see it flourish.
Such a different book, and certainly not for everyone, but I thought it was lovely.
This post apocalyptic story was so very different. At times, it was difficult to follow, but it was beautiful and haunting and I never wanted to put it down. West is living on a boat with The Captain and is essentially traded to Emil for a bullet. While this makes him a bit angry, I believe the Captain did it out of love, as he no longer wanted to live, and he wanted to see West with someone to care for him. West is an 18 year old with such a marvelous lookout on life. In this 'post' world, where everything is grey and there is no hope of rebuilding the population, he looks at the world with hope and love, bringing his little community together in a way that they weren't before. Everyone changes with him around. He and Emil have an immediate bond, and it's beautiful to see it flourish.
Such a different book, and certainly not for everyone, but I thought it was lovely.
February 18, 2026
I wanted so badly for this to capture the same magic as Man O’ War, which I genuinely believe is one of the best YA books ever written. Postscript is such sweet pathos, so much like Plato’s creation myth (think Origin of Love from Hedwig & the Angry Inch). The author’s block printing/linocuts add to this short and accessible novel. A really beautiful post-apocalyptic story for people who want something between the myth of Pyramus and Thisbe and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Hornier than I’d expected. And don’t forget to keep your tissues nearby. Death is the occasionally appearing Greek chorus/narrator in this novel about the final people on earth, and the joy of celebrating everything as it comes. I’d almost nominate it for Mock Printz, but I feel like the quality is too variable—on the fence. Much stronger towards the end.
October 5, 2025
Post-apocalyse. There are only a few left. How do the few spend what time they have left? Read to find out.
"How can you have this many feelings left?"
"Feelings grow back."
I wasn't sure what to expect from this little book, but what I got were moments of happiness where there shouldn't have been. A found family filled with hope and love when you would least expect it.
West. What a beautiful human. ♥️
I read this story in just a few short hours, but it will stay with me for much, much longer.
"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." - East of Eden
"How can you have this many feelings left?"
"Feelings grow back."
I wasn't sure what to expect from this little book, but what I got were moments of happiness where there shouldn't have been. A found family filled with hope and love when you would least expect it.
West. What a beautiful human. ♥️
I read this story in just a few short hours, but it will stay with me for much, much longer.
"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." - East of Eden
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this was really amazing and it did hurt my feelings. the thought of being the last is so tragic but the way these characters make it beautiful fills me with so much hope. i hope this becomes a stand out in apocalyptic fiction because it swept me in so quickly and filled me with hope and sadness all the way to the end. truly recommend this to fans of the end of the world, gay people, sadness, and new england.
February 21, 2026
Usually I'm a fan of Cory McCarthy's books, but this one didn't quite hit for me. You're dropped into a post-apocalyptic world, which is normally fine for me, but I had a hard time finding my footing in this story. It does have some strong character work, and reminisces about what humanity looks like once the world ends. Being on the shorter side, it doesn't feel like you get to spend enough time with the characteres. It's not a bad story, just one that didn't resonate with me.
February 24, 2026
Short but powerful novel following a few survivors of an unspecified climate disaster as the arrival of a newcomer makes them reconsider their attitudes towards life and survival. Filled with beautiful images and poetic language, this makes a case for love and hope in the midst of tragedy. Just lovely.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
[arc review]
Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Postscript releases February 17, 2026
3.5
“Isn’t it funny how much we shaped our days in fear of a future no one had?”
Civilization has collapsed by way of mass extinction, and the world no longer has direct sunlight. On what remains of Cape Cod are four souls, a feral kid, and a dog.
I’ve never read a post-apocalyptic novel quite like this one. West was a really interesting character to analyze and spend time with simply because he was so wise beyond his years, yet still carried this childlike optimism. Though the worldbuilding was a bit too limited for me to fully appreciate, I could still recognize the intentionality behind the whole fleeting postscript mentality, which was a very clever way to approach this genre.
Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Postscript releases February 17, 2026
3.5
“Isn’t it funny how much we shaped our days in fear of a future no one had?”
Civilization has collapsed by way of mass extinction, and the world no longer has direct sunlight. On what remains of Cape Cod are four souls, a feral kid, and a dog.
I’ve never read a post-apocalyptic novel quite like this one. West was a really interesting character to analyze and spend time with simply because he was so wise beyond his years, yet still carried this childlike optimism. Though the worldbuilding was a bit too limited for me to fully appreciate, I could still recognize the intentionality behind the whole fleeting postscript mentality, which was a very clever way to approach this genre.
November 25, 2025
Very haunting story. Emotional and very well-written. I'm also a sucker for found family stories. Definitely recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
heartbreaking but at the same time felt a little bit rough sketched, like there was one more draft needed before publication? 4 stars. tysm for the arc.
February 17, 2026
Post apocalypse story of a small group of survivors who become a sort of family
February 19, 2026
this made me feel something.
February 25, 2026
Quick read, well developed characters for a novella. A little bit of a twink version of manic pixie fever dream and it felt like we stayed above the darker elements of the story. But cute.
March 4, 2026
Interesting, but I know I'm not in the target audience.
December 8, 2025
This review is based on an ARC. Thank you for the opportunity to read this story.
I was not expecting to sob so early on a Saturday morning.. this book had me in the feels. West made me want to wrap him up in tight hugs and save him from Post. It took a bit to get into the prose of the story, but once I was in, I could not put it down. This post-apocalyptic world was immersive and well-conceived. Such a great story to add to the Dystopian genre. It had heart, and the introduction of characters was so well developed and intentional that it added to the depth of the story. A must read.
I was not expecting to sob so early on a Saturday morning.. this book had me in the feels. West made me want to wrap him up in tight hugs and save him from Post. It took a bit to get into the prose of the story, but once I was in, I could not put it down. This post-apocalyptic world was immersive and well-conceived. Such a great story to add to the Dystopian genre. It had heart, and the introduction of characters was so well developed and intentional that it added to the depth of the story. A must read.
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