The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
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One part metaphysical, another part science fiction, "The Brief History of the Dead" offers an intriguing exploration of an afterlife that's more bureaucratic than heavenly. In Brockmeier's imagined cosmos, the deceased don't float up to clouds or descend into infernos; instead, they find themselves in a city that's as mundane as any earthly metropolis. People linger here as long as someone on Earth remembers them. The narrative follows Laura Byrd, a scientist stuck in Antarctica, as she realizes she might be the last living human. As the city in the afterlife starts to depopulate, its denizens become increasingly anxious, turning to paperwork to try to preserve their existence. If you've ever wondered what the limbo's city council meetings would be like, this is the book for you.