Review Detail

ALL BETTER NOW is an interesting YA sci-fi/dystopian novel about a pandemic that changes personalities. Following a few years in the wake of COVID, the Crown Royale virus has a high mortality rate, but it also makes people who survive erased of emotions other than contentment, with the wealthy giving away all their money and possessions. The story contains many perspectives but focuses on a few teens, primarily Mariel whose circumstances have led her to be homeless with her mother, Ron whose father is the second wealthiest man in the world, and Morgan whose ruthlessness led a wealthy woman to leave everything to her when she caught the virus.

What I loved: This was an unexpected journey through learning about the virus and the world changed in the wake of it, much like that during COVID but with very different consequences. A personality-altering virus is really novel and this worked well somehow. The varied points-of-view added to the interest in the story, capturing different aspects of the world and experiences during the virus. The journey takes a lot of twists and turns, and it hooked me a bit of the way through with some surprising reveals later in the story.

Themes around wealth disparity, homelessness, what we leave behind, loss/grief, selfishness and selflessness, and government/industrial lies were all really thought-provoking and some seen throughout history but also in our modern day. In some ways, it almost felt more like speculative fiction or a twist on the contemporary rather than a dystopian. The treatment of wealth and its value were played out in unique ways with the effects of the virus that seems to remove negative emotions, and this could create some really great discussions - good for a book group!

What left me wanting more: There are a lot of perspectives in the story, so it took a while to really connect with them and get into the story. For that reason, it felt a bit slow at first, but it did pick up later in the story once it really got going.

Final verdict: ALL BETTER NOW is a thought-provoking and intriguing YA sci-fi/dystopian that I would recommend for people who enjoy multiple perspectives, twisty plots, and solid themes.