I’m going to step out on a limb and make a bold pronouncement: the fourth section of Charles Yu’s novelette
The Only Living Girl on Earth is the most beautiful and true summation of what it means to be mortal. The fact that it is also surrounded by a poignant and wry story about Jane, the titular girl, and what has become of Earth in 3020 is merely a bonus.
It shouldn’t be a shock that National Book Award Winner Yu, whose
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe remains a title I force into the hands of just about anyone who asks for a book recommendation, is able to distill so much into a short story, but this particular story hasn’t quite broken though the noise of early 2021, and it’s worth loudly calling out.
Ian Mond Reviews The Only Living Girl on Earth by Charles Yu locusmag.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from locusmag.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.