Etiquette for an Apocalypse [Paperback]

Fresh take on apocalypse that is driven by humor as much as action.
But once you get into the book and grow into the world of its post-apocalyptic challenges
you begin asking yourself questions, whether they are reasonable or paranoid - well, it depends on who you are, I guess.
Like - what do I know about my neighbors? vs. What do they have in their garage, I wonder?

My favorite things about the book
- Things that remind you to appreciate what we have.
- Not a typical take on typical characters. Some are so sharply drawn you feel like they are just like someone you know.
Some you'll have a really hard time of letting go of, in my case Lulu, which is an instant classic.

- A fine mix of poignant and comical is Sophie's reminiscence about the pre-apocalyptic world,
her mind wonders, you might say, from serial killer to cereal killer - "That poor Lucky Charms leprechaun."

Read it, you'll love it!

That which made me want to try this book was the cover, I mean look at it! So cool and weird, I love it.

It's the end of the world but some are struggling to survive (it helps having a genius for a brother who can make painkillers:) It's a new world where those with a skill has survived. Sophie sells drugs, but even in this bleak bleak world the book itself does not feel overly bleak. Because the book is so much more than just another dystopic apocalyptic story. It's a story about a mother trying to do right by her daughter, a girl becoming a teenager in this kind of world. Oh yes she is not happy. About a marriage that is not as passionate as it used to be. And it's not easy to be loving when you have nothing to eat and people die around you left and right. And last, dealing with a mother who does not want to accept that the world has changed.

But the family drama and issues aside the book is also a bit of a mystery as women are being murdered and Sophie wants to find out who is doing it. Because no one else care. And by digging around in things she should not more happens, I can't go into details but it gets exciting.

A bleak world about a family trying to cope. It has this certain feel to it, bleak yet so normal. Many apocalyptic books are awesome, but in the end they are just so freaking big. So much happened, the world has changed too much. Here it feels like this could happen. A supervolcano would just have to explode and that would send ripples through out the world. This is how people would try to get by.

Conclusion:
I have said it before, but a different sort of end of the world book, one that I enjoyed and one that felt like it was happening right now.

The title of his book struck me funny because how would someone be expected to act after the "End of the World." What would be the proper etiquette on how to survive in a world that might be almost completely unlivable. Do you still go on dates? Does it matter if women wear make up or does it matter if people shower anymore?

The book introduces us to the Sophie Cohen and her family. Bertrand is Sophie's husband and one of few doctors, Sasha is her 13 year old rebellious daughter, then there is her brilliant brother Mitchell who is autistic, and finally, Lulu her crazy mother who trains show dogs and pretends to live in the past but is, in reality, very aware of what is going on around her.

Anne Mendel created the character Sophie, a mother, who is trying to keep her family alive while dealing with death all around her. The author depicts Sophie as someone people could identify with and make the reader question "What would I do if I were put in this situation."

The author made me genuinely laugh when Sophie talked about how people prepared or didn't prepare for the end of the world. "The Christan Left-Behinders are now tiptoeing around their own special basement of shame, thinking the righteous ones have been called up. Jewish mothers have spent thousands of years perfecting emergency preparedness, but alas, not for the end of the world. Mormons -- well, they prepared." The humor in the book was snarky but most of the time it was what was going through Sophie's head but rarely did she verbalize it.

The author also introduced us to Axe. A gang leader who might be trying to save what is left of the human population still left on earth, Athena Wonder, a Palm\Tarot reader, and Smiley, the man who holds the secret to everyone's survival. The only problem is Smiley thinks he is King Arthur. He has already killed everyone who knows anything about his "stash" and will kill anyone who tries to take it away. Sophie is left trying to solve the question, "How do you get a man who is crazy to give up his stash?" Why of course! Pretend Sophie can talk to Merlin.

The author illustrates a group of very colorful characters throughout the book. Gypsies, gay men, doctors, mercenaries, prostitutes and just plain old crazies to keep the reader intrigued.

At the beginning of each chapter the author has quotes from movies, authors, actors, and even Sun Tzu, the author of Art of War. I enjoyed how the author incorporated the quotes to match the chapter for example Chapter 36's quote: "Perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who... have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well. J.K. Rowling" Perhaps another question I feel the author has the reader pondering, "What would I do if I was put into power without wanting to be there?"

The humor in the book makes it a fun to read even though the topic in general can be, at times, depressing and sad. Who would've thought someone could make termite soup sound almost edible. The author ends the book with one important question, "If the world was coming to an end in minutes who would you call? Why Wait?"

My answer would be my stock broker. Just kidding. It would be my family because I would want them to know I loved them no matter how much they drive me crazy in life... and yes I have recently talked to my family.

I gave this book five stars, but I know this book isn't for everyone...so be warned there's quite a bit of language and violence.

I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author.