Only Lovers Left Alive - Dave Wallis

 Kind of ironic that I'm reading this one after Killing Williamsburg as mass suicides are the theme in both. This novel I am certain I discovered via Ugly Things, as it is set in the swingin' 60's, and it's possible that once I bought this, KW was recommended due to the similar concepts. In any case...

While never becoming a best seller, this book became a cult classic due to it's teenage-centric narrative. The kids are pretty realistic, hip, teens who have to deal with the all-too-real phenomenon of the vanishing adults, that hits their own homes sooner than later. The suicides spread quickly and soon society is left without gas or electricity and the barter system rules the day - I guess the kids never had the time or desire to learn how to run things like utilities or actual businesses. The gangs - we follow teens that were in gangs even before the pandemic - become more violent, as they have no other ideas as to how to survive in this new world.

Of course, they devolve into warring sections, just like "the oldies" and have the same kinds of problems, violence and obsessions, although they try to play it cool and say that they're not like them at all, particularly because they are freer sexually. Of course, the changing world changes the teens, as well, and despite themselves, out of necessity, they grow up, while hoping that they don't end up like the oldies.

Maybe it's just that the characters here are more relatable to this old man than the annoying hipsters of Killing Williamsburg, but I enjoyed this one and it's a fairly quick, easy read. Worth checking out, for sure!