Books › All the Birds in the Sky
Nebula Award for Best Novel 2017
All the Birds in the Sky
430 pages
A quirky, apocalyptic collision of magic and science that feels like a heartfelt love letter to the weird kids.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a quirky San Francisco coffee shop while the world quietly ends outside, armed with nothing but a spellbook and a soldering iron. It is a deeply empathetic, genre-bending experience that balances the whimsical wonder of childhood magic with the cynical, high-stakes anxiety of a tech-driven apocalypse. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, propelled by prose that is simultaneously witty, satirical, and achingly sincere. It captures the profound loneliness of growing up as an outsider and the messy, complicated joy of finding someone who finally understands you. Perfect for readers who love their apocalyptic showdowns served with a side of hipster satire, deep emotional resonance, and a stubborn, bittersweet hope for the future.
- Mood
- whimsical
- apocalyptic
- bittersweet
- anxious
- Tone
- wry
- earnest
- quirky
- melancholic
- playful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- coming of age as an outsider · nature versus technology · apocalyptic anxiety · finding your tribe · the burden of giftedness
- The writing
- Witty, empathetic, and effortlessly conversational, blending sharp satirical observations with moments of profound, lyrical sincerity.
- The arc
- Begins in the lonely, misunderstood trenches of childhood and expands into a chaotic, high-stakes struggle to save the world and each other, ending on a note of bittersweet synthesis.
- Who it's for
- Fans of genre-bending fiction who appreciate a mix of hipster satire, geeky sincerity, and apocalyptic stakes.
Content notes
- bullying
- childhood emotional abuse
- apocalyptic themes
- animal death
About the book
An ancient society of witches and a hipster technological startup go war as the world from tearing itself. To further complicate things, each of the groups’ most promising followers (Patricia, a brilliant witch and Laurence, an engineering “wunderkind”) may just be in love with each other.
As the battle between magic and science wages in San Francisco against the backdrop of international chaos, Laurence and Patricia are forced to choose sides. But their choices will determine the fate of the planet and all mankind.
In a fashion unique to Charlie Jane Anders, All the Birds in the Sky offers a humorous and, at times, heart-breaking exploration of growing up extraordinary in world filled with cruelty, scientific ingenuity, and magic.
Description from Open Library.
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