All Better Now

Starred review from October 28, 2024
This epic biological thriller by Shusterman (Break to You) finds three teens grappling for world-changing power
during a post-Covid-19 pandemic of
an evolved coronavirus. While Crown Royale, an airborne “disease of mindless euphoria,” outpaces Covid’s mortality rate, those fortunate enough to recover report rejuvenated senses and “a newfound sense of completion.” In San Francisco, unhoused Mariel Mudroch’s natural immunity to Crown Royale makes her the perfect sidekick for wealthy Rón Tigre Escobedo, an alpha spreader on a “humanity-saving mission” of intentionally infecting others—until 19-year-old Morgan Willmon-Wu inherits plans to eradicate Crown Royale and learns that Mariel’s immunity is the missing link to the purported cure’s success. But how does one destroy a joy-spreading virus from which the world claims it doesn’t want—or need—to be saved? Shusterman’s cerebral third-person narration deftly unspools globe-trotting medical drama from
multiple perspectives as Crown Royale’s threat to economic and political stability ensnares the intersectionally diverse cast in morally gray dilemmas. The plot twists keep coming all the way to the enigmatic, jaw-dropping conclusion in this exquisitely rendered work. Ages 12–up. Agent: Andrea Brown, Andrea Brown Literary.

December 1, 2024
A virus that kills some but leaves those who recover utterly happy and filled with empathy is at the center of this dystopian science-fiction thriller. In a post-Covid-19 society, the fates of three teens become intertwined when the new Crown Royale virus breaks out. Despite the 4% mortality rate, its positive effects on those who survive quickly make it desirable, and some people purposefully try to catch it. Using third-person narration, Shusterman introduces Mariel Mudroch, who at the story's opening is living in a car with her mom; Mariel turns out to be immune to the virus. The boy she falls for, R�n Escobedo, is from an extraordinarily wealthy family and has suffered from persistent depression. When he recovers from the virus, he learns that he's an alpha-spreader, someone who continues shedding the virus even after they're healthy. Finally, ambitious Morgan Willmon-Wu is approached by the rich and powerful Hungarian-born Dame Havilland, who leaves her money to Morgan, stipulating that she use it to "eradicate Crown Royale from the face of the Earth." In his trademark darkly witty, wonderfully over-the-top style, the author meanders through interesting ethical questions as the action plays out globally with a cast of diverse background characters, eventually leading to a conclusion that leaves things wide open for a sequel. Mariel presents white, R�n is cued Latine, and Morgan, who's interested in both girls and boys, is biracial (Chinese and white). A thought-provoking and grimly enjoyable tale exploring a strange future.(Dystopian. 13-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2025
Grades 9-12 Shusterman, known well for the Scythe and Unwind series, shows what post-pandemic narratives might look like in this contemporary dystopia. The world is once again in the throes of another global pandemic--Crown Royale. Some succumb to the virus and pass on. Others, who survive, remain, though afflicted with noxious serenity and blocked inhibitions. The narrative follows three teens whose experiences with the virus are as disparate as their lives, eventually intertwining. Mariel is independent, pragmatic, and living out of her car. R�n is the insecure, restless son of a tech billionaire. Morgan, cunning and driven, is given the opportunity of a lifetime to concoct a vaccine. The ensemble contend with privilege, consent, and ethics as they navigate the fine line between illness and wellness. Readers will likely contend as well on which situation they identify with, which characters they root for, or those which they abhor. There are brief mentions of suicide that should be handled with care, but otherwise, Shusterman has crafted a good fit for contemporary thriller fans.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 28, 2025

Gr 7 Up-In a post COVID-19 world, an unprecedented, highly contagious virus is sweeping the globe. Anyone who catches and recovers from Crown Royale enters a state of utter contentment, free from the sorrows that used to add pain and stress to their lives. Although potentially fatal, the effects it has on survivors intrigues some of the uninfected to intentionally catch the virus. As a result, the world is divided on whether Crown Royale is the answer to all of humanity's woes, or the beginning of the world's downfall. At the heart of it are four very different people, whose choices will shape the future of the human race. There's Mariel, a homeless teen who discovers she is immune to Crown Royale; R�n, son of a billionaire, a recoveree who plans to spread the virus; Morgan, a young woman who, after inheriting a fortune, vows to eradicate Crown Royale; and Dame Glynis Havilland, who after losing her wealth, plans to stop Morgan at all costs. Shusterman has made a name for himself in postapocalyptic fiction, and this might be one of his most clever works yet. Pandemic fiction that still manages to be unique with compelling characters and a propulsive plot that intertwines their stories seamlessly, it is a truly thought-provoking exploration of moral dilemmas and the real meaning of life and death. VERDICT Dystopian and Shusterman fans are not going to want to miss this one.-Amanda Harding

Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2025
In the near future, the Crown Royale virus is wreaking havoc on the world. One in every twenty-five people who contract it will die from it, but those who recover experience a blissful, euphoric state. This has advantages and disadvantages, both for individuals and for society. These fertile conditions allow Shusterman to leverage his prodigious imaginative and storytelling skills, as well as the inherent moral ambiguity of the premise, to tell the tales of three young adults. Mariel Mudroch and her mother, perpetually down on their luck, treat themselves to a luxury rental in San Francisco for one night. They are ushered into it by Ron Escobedo, sixteen-year-old son of the third richest man in the world, who owns the property. Meanwhile, in London, Morgan Willmon-Wu, nineteen, has been handpicked by elderly curmudgeon Dame Havilland for her resourcefulness. Morgan will inherit a considerable estate and the charge to eradicate the virus from the Earth. Gradually, their stories begin to converge -- and before the expansive plot reaches its denouement, there will be twists and turns, surprises and revelations, intriguing characters and far-flung settings, and plenty of food for thought. Jonathan Hunt

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2025
In the near future, the Crown Royale virus is wreaking havoc on the world. One in every twenty-five people who contract it will die from it, but those who recover experience a blissful, euphoric state. This has advantages and disadvantages, both for individuals and for society. These fertile conditions allow Shusterman to leverage his prodigious imaginative and storytelling skills, as well as the inherent moral ambiguity of the premise, to tell the tales of three young adults. Mariel Mudroch and her mother, perpetually down on their luck, treat themselves to a luxury rental in San Francisco for one night. They are ushered into it by Ron Escobedo, sixteen-year-old son of the third richest man in the world, who owns the property. Meanwhile, in London, Morgan Willmon-Wu, nineteen, has been handpicked by elderly curmudgeon Dame Havilland for her resourcefulness. Morgan will inherit a considerable estate and the charge to eradicate the virus from the Earth. Gradually, their stories begin to converge -- and before the expansive plot reaches its denouement, there will be twists and turns, surprises and revelations, intriguing characters and far-flung settings, and plenty of food for thought.

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)