I really enjoyed this post-apocalyptic road trip novel. The two parents go out to find their daughter, who has joined a cult in the aftermath of a pandemic "Shark Flu." While the premise was a little silly, the themes of family, reconnection, and survival were all relatable.

An apocalyptic, on the road, novel, Chris Hood’s intimate, funny, and at times shocking novel has only the setting in common with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. While Cormac’s characters are shadow figures on a stage void of meaning, our narrator, Jim, and Penelope, his wife, seem like people we know, or even reflections of ourselves. Their concerns and reactions serve as distorting mirrors for us to imagine ourselves in a future where 70% of the population died, and the conveniences of modern life have mostly vanished. Jim, a psychologist, and his wife, Penelope, a genius fund manager, have experienced different stages of their marriage, including initial intimacy followed by the challenges of raising a willful daughter. Jim, easy-going, perhaps almost lethargic at times, is conflict averse, but Penelope, a Black woman who has fought for everything she’s ever had, is determined to steer her daughter in the right direction in life. When the pandemic separates parents and daughter on different sides of the continent, and they learn through the ham radio that their daughter is joining a dangerous cult, Penelope is galvanized into action, insistent that they must come to the rescue. There ensues an odyssey through the USA, and encounters with idealists and opportunists of varying ideologies, as well as the lonely or loony. A love story about two people with different dispositions, as well as the damaged people they come into contact with, The Revivalists is a meditation on how far we’re willing to go for someone we love, as well as an exploration of what happens when the fabric of society unravels

If you're looking for a page-turning post-apocalyptic thriller, The Revivalists might be the book for you. After the shark flu decimates more than 90% of the population, Bill and Penelope travel across the country to rescue their daughter from a cult. Along the way, they come across a multitude of obstacles. Fast paced and entertaining, even if it won't stick with me for a long time.

With a name like “The Revivalists” you’d expect this cult to be the center of the book, but that is not the case. Instead, we have two parents attempting a cross-country rescue attempt of their daughter. But since this is a post-apocalyptic world, where a devasting virus wiped out nearly everyone this is not an easy task.

The writing was good, and it kept up the moment where you want to keep reading, finding out what happens next. Although there are parts that bog down, with backstory and occasional social commentary. I had wanted more about the cult, was it formed before or after the devastating virus? How did their daughter get there?

Many questions remain, and the book ended a bit abruptly. Perhaps leaving and opening for a part two. If you’ve read a lot of cross-country travel in a post-apocalyptic world this book may not bring much new to that genre. I’ve not read a lot, but it felt familiar enough. There was enough here to say I’m glad I read it.

In Hood’s debut novel, the time is few years after the Covid-19 pandemic, and a new virus (absurdly named “shark flu”) born of melting permafrost in Iceland has struck with devastating effects. In a matter of several months, everything society relies on (cell phones, television, the internet) grinds to a halt as billions of people die. Interracial couple Bill and Penelope are among the lucky few who have “dipped,” meaning they caught the virus and survived it, but they fear for their daughter, Hannah, across the country in California at college. Bill, a psychologist, realizes that phone service will end soon, so he goes to the home of a former patient and takes a short-wave radio, then with only days to spare, gives Hannah the frequency so they can communicate. When she does, however, it’s to inform her parents that she has joined the Revivalist cult, news that spurs her parents to leave the safety of their home in a frantic attempt to rescue her. Their trip is incredibly dangerous and filled with uncertainty, jeopardizing Bill and Penelope’s marriage and sanity along with their physical welfare. This one gets hold of you on the first page and doesn’t let go. Thanks to #NetGalley for the arc!