OMG!!!! I won't be able stop thinking about this book. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s a work of speculative sci-fi set in a dystopian world where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. Structured as a collection of 14 short stories, the book offers a series of snapshots into this world. The stories are easy to read, but each one leaves behind a fragment of a larger puzzle that gradually comes into focus (patience is the key.)

The final stories reveal a lot more, which is something the book has been criticized for—but I didn’t mind it. They helped clarify my theories and gave me the satisfaction of finally understanding everything. The last story is deeply metaphorical, and the ending felt philosophical. It left me with so many thoughts. As someone who likes to make sense of things, the ending kept me up at night—but when I finally understood the metaphors, they almost felt obvious in hindsight.

The only part that didn’t sit well with me was how the author seemed to simplify humanity’s extinction down to religion. But removing religion isn't the solution. It's like when kids fight over a toy and instead of teaching them to share, you just take the toy away. It sidesteps the real issue: helping people learn to coexist.

That said, this wasn’t a dominant theme in the book—it was only implied. I was able to look past it and still found the stories to be deeply human and thought-provoking.


Spoilers

The ending was metaphorical and i think i have finally figured it out.

Lama embodies "memory". Her recurring dreams of humanity’s destruction, along with her refusal to accept Eli’s creation—a bird—symbolize the weight she carries and her loyalty to the old world. These dreams aren't just nightmares; they’re warnings. By turning down Eli’s offering, she affirms her role: to remember the painful truths of the past. Because without memory, there’s no learning. And without learning, there’s no true evolution.

Eli, on the other hand, represents new beginnings and the next phase of human evolution. The new humans she raises appear to live in harmony with both nature and technology. But without memory, they are bound to repeat the same mistakes as their predecessors.

The Presence, as the consciousness of dead humanity, acts as a bridge between worlds. It stores collective memory and experience—linking what was with what might still be.

It may also be interpreted as representing the Holy Trinity in Christianity.