All better now by Neal Shusterman

Mariel and her mother Gena have fallen on hard times. Gena lost her job after COVID and the pair were living out of their car until it was impounded and now a new strain of the corona virus named Crown Royale, with an even higher death rate, is spreading. Practical realist, Mariel, reasons that they should mix with people and risk getting the virus while the hospitals can still cope. There could be an added benefit; recoverees of this virus are happy, they become content and selfless. Gena is in denial, believing their situation just a temporary setback and a stolen credit card gets them a room. In a strange twist of fate they meet Ron, or Tiburon Tigre Escobedo, the son of the third richest man in the world, Blas Escobedo. Blas is fearful of the virus which could cause him to give away his money and power. Also Ron’s colour blindness is likely to make him more vulnerable to the virus so Blas keeps him doing menial tasks away from risks like managing the B&B Mariel and Gena rent. Ron feels his life is meaningless but is drawn to Mariel and two become friends.

In a parallel story Dame Havilland has for many years used her fortune to exercise her spite and ego from her lush English estate. She uses charities and tax breaks to build wealth and now wants to eradicate Crown Royale before she becomes infected and loses her entrepreneurial agency or her life. To ensure continuity she finds Morgan Willmot Wu, young, brilliant and ruthless, to take over the Havilland Consortium in the event of her becoming infected.

The story follows the three main characters, Mariel, Ron and Morgan, as well as multiple other minor characters and stories, mapping different ways the virus affects them. The premise is original and interesting but in considering the many ways such a threat would disrupt social interaction and the world economy, the narrative loses its way. The many characters are not well developed and the fragmentation of the various strands lost me before I was halfway through the book. Billed as a thriller, there was little pace or excitement; it really would have worked better as a collection of short stories.Neal Shusterman has a strong following and no doubt those readers will enjoy this addition.

Themes: Pandemic, Science fiction, Fantasy.

Sue Speck