In a near-future, climate-ravaged Los Angeles, a wealthy gay couple’s extravagant baby shower is upended by an apocalyptic event, forcing them from privileged denial into the chaos of a collapsing society. Blending biting satire, dystopian horror, and queer family drama, the novel skewers the ultra-wealthy, interrogates complicity in societal collapse, and explores the search for hope amid disaster.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a near-future 2044 America ravaged by climate change, authoritarianism, and social collapse, the novel follows Mason Daunt, a wealthy Los Angeles resident, and his partner Yunho Kim as they prepare for an extravagant $100,000 baby shower while wildfires and political violence rage outside. The story begins with the couple’s refusal to cancel their celebration despite an apocalyptic event, thrusting Mason into chaos and forcing him to confront the realities he has tried to ignore. The narrative spans multiple settings and timeframes, including a dystopian LA under a false weather dome, a queer commune in Montana, and even a Mars colony, incorporating elements such as mysterious pink smoke, zombie-like creatures, cults, and advanced technology like brain implants and climate-engineering services. The book combines climate thriller, dystopian satire, queer family saga, and horror, with a focus on the intersection of privilege, capitalism, and queer identity, and includes explicit depictions of violence, sex, and social commentary.

Readers praised the book’s world-building, describing it as immersive, creative, and disturbingly plausible, with many noting how the near-future setting amplifies current social and political anxieties. The satirical critique of the ultra-wealthy, especially privileged liberal gay men, resonated with readers who appreciated the sharp dialogue, dark humor, and campy tone. The novel’s willingness to tackle complex themes—such as the ethics of having children in a collapsing world, the complicity of the rich in societal decline, and the intersections of queer futurity, climate change, and white supremacy—was frequently highlighted. Many found the plot’s wild twists, tonal shifts, and blend of genres (cli-fi, dystopia, horror, and found family saga) entertaining and thought-provoking, with some comparing it to works by Margaret Atwood or the series Black Mirror.

Criticisms centered on the book’s structure and style, with several readers finding the narrative chaotic, disjointed, or overstuffed with too many plot points and abrupt tonal shifts. The writing style, particularly the use of long or run-on sentences and heavy exposition, was divisive; some felt it detracted from the story and made the prose feel pretentious or difficult to follow. The characters, especially Mason, were often described as unlikable or insufferable, which some readers saw as intentional but others found off-putting. The political messaging was seen by some as overly didactic or preachy, with a few noting that the book sometimes felt like it was talking down to the reader or ticking off a diversity checklist. Elements such as the cult-like commune, zombie motifs, and inclusion of real-world figures and brands were also cited as distracting or unnecessary by some.

The book has generated a wide range of responses, with an average reader rating of 3.51 out of 5 from over 200 ratings and more than 70 full reviews. It is the author’s follow-up to 'Yes, Daddy' and is described as a significant departure in both style and subject matter. The novel is positioned as both a timely reflection of current anxieties and a speculative exploration of possible futures, with a blend of bleakness and hope. Its genre-blending approach, explicit content, and political focus have made it a polarizing read, with some readers finding it exhilarating and others frustrated by its ambition and execution.