ALL BETTER NOW is a pandemic sci-fi full of questions. It makes you think so much, and I loved that.

The idea at the centre of this book is about what to do if a disease could change people's perspectives. On the surface, crown royale makes people happier, more content with life. They forgive and want to protect the planet, getting along with neighbours and selflessly helping out. It seems great, but the book examines this from many angles.

Naturally, there is a very capitalist, billionaires-afraid-of-money loss side of things. If people are buying less, then capitalism fails. So they throw their money at trying to stop it, crossing all sorts of lines. I really liked Morgan's character in this. She's ambitious and smart and unashamed of it. I like characters with that sort of confidence who don't care that others think they are the villains.

However, the book doesn't just show this side - which would still make it very black and white. Instead, it asks about consent and personality. If this virus changes your outlook, are you still you? If such a virus did change things, and overall maybe for the better, would it be right to infect people? Consent is a grey area with a virus - even if you asked for one person's consent, they might accidentally infect others who hadn't consented.

These questions occur alongside a pacy story told from four (main) perspectives - Morgan trying to stop the cure, Ron who has the disease, Mariel who is immune, and Gladys who gave over control to Morgan when she knew she had the disease. It's a nice mix of characters and roles to play in the fight for the future of the virus.

Another fabulous concept and execution from Shusterman.

Every title the author releases is worth a look. And All Better Now is definitely at the top of the pile, the 500 pages don’t drag, there is enough story for its running length.

Briefly, a new post-COVID pandemic is sweeping the planet, with a mortality rate of 4%, but the symptoms post-recovery for the majority causing huge rifts in society. Those who catch Crown Royale and survive are now… happier. They no longer feel jealousy, anger, depression. They are content, want to help others.

For many this is good news. For others, horrifying. The story breaks off into shards that link one of the world’s richest men and his son, a homeless girl and her mother, a commune for recoverees, a wealthy businesswoman and the young protégée taking over her empire, and the worldwide attempts to label and categorise the virus and those catching it in various lights.

The reader will soon find themselves asking questions about the nature of such a pandemic - would YOU want to risk it for the chance to no longer feel negative emotions? Would you still be you? What are the implications for humanity?

I loved the directions and journeys Shusterman took his characters in, there is a wonderful range of people here to exemplify different aspects of human traits and foibles and how Crown Royale would affect these.

This was a fantastic read for both teens and adults. Not graphic but quite deep in its coverage of some of mankind’s worst and best attributes, all highlighted by the mere thought of Crown Royale.

Great standalone story.

For ages 14 and above.

With thanks to NetGalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Wow! What a story. This is covid #2 called Crown Royale. Survivors become different. They don't change completely, they're more positive, forgiving, empathetic. What happens when a super spreader thinks that everyone needs to contract it but a scientist thinks she can create a vaccine that will stop people contracting it? And what happens when the super spreader's girlfriend becomes involved? Whole economies could be wiped out by this virus unless something is done about it. Or, on the other hand, whole countries could reinvent themselves and their beliefs. Who's right? There is a lot to think about! Is it right/wrong to infect people against their will if it's for 'the greater good'? Should the virus be allowed to run its course?

This was a fascinating premise. A virus which, if you survive, leaves you with a lasting contentment certainly sounds like a good thing but for the businesses in our commercial world it spells disaster. So the scene is set for battle. This is where the book fails to fulfil its promise as the characters never really come to life. Morgan is such a 'bad guy' that she's almost cartoonish. Rón and Mariel are slightly more realistic but don't have a great deal of depth and the book is just too long. It gets more interesting towards the end but it doesn't have the grab that Scythe or Unwind had.