The Endless Variations of American Collapse Emily St.
John Mandel's latest novel, Exit Party, explores the fragility of human identity and reality through two parallel universes: one where the United States has fractured into regional nations, and another where it remains intact but in a disturbing form.
This setup poses a question increasingly relevant today: what happens to us when our society unravels? Mandel's central premise is not new – alternate histories have long been a staple of science fiction.