Lepucki, Edan

Those who enjoy reading about California counterculture and cults may be intrigued.

Those with a high tolerance for unlikable women or an interest in the artistic process may be intrigued enough to read to the end. [See Prepub Alert, 11/27/16.]

While this debut novel has some potential as a disturbing postapocalyptic thriller, it stumbles in its execution. The characters don't evoke a lot of sympathy and the ambiguous ending leaves readers hanging. [A July LibraryReads pick; Stephen Colbert promoted the book as a response to the Amazon-Hachette dispute (ow.ly/y71R0).—Ed.]