 | |
| Author | Simon Stålenhag |
|---|---|
| Original title | Passagen |
| Genre | Dystopian science fiction |
| Published | September 25, 2018 (Skybound Books) (English) |
Publication date | September 25, 2018 |
| ISBN | 978-1-501-18141-2 |
The Electric State (Swedish:Passagen,lit. 'The Passage') is a 2018dystopianscience fiction illustrated novel by Swedish artistSimon Stålenhag. Set in analternate technologically ravaged 1990s, it follows a teenage girl and her robot on a journey to theWest Coast of the United States in search of her long-lost brother.
In 2017, theRusso brothers acquired film rights to the book.[1] They directed and produced aNetflix film of the same title.[2]
The book is told through a series of paragraphs, linked to large artworks. The principal plotline follows Michelle, a teenage orphan travelling to the West Coast with a robot companion, Skip, to find her long-lost brother. Flashbacks gradually reveal Michelle's past and the reason for her separation.
Along her journey, the book shows numerous robots scattered throughout the landscape either sentient or destroyed while living in a wasteland. Meanwhile, humans live peacefully in a futuristic utopia while using virtual headsets called Neurocasters that were created by the Sentre corporation. However things take a dark turn when Michelle gets closer to finding her brother.
The Electric State was well-received by critics with a "Rave" rating from the book review aggregatorBook Marks based on five independent reviews.[3] Critics atNPR andNew York Journal of Books gave positive reviews.[4][5]
It received starred reviews from bothBooklist andPublishers Weekly, where it was praised for the illustrations, writing, and structure of the graphic novel.[6][7]
NPR named it one of the best books of 2018.[8]