An extract from Emily St. John Mandel's new novel Exit Party, published by New Scientist, opens in Los Angeles in 2031. The scene begins as a curfew lifts, a detail that immediately establishes a city emerging from a period of restriction.
The extract is the October read for the New Scientist Book Club. It offers only the opening of the novel, so the broader plot and themes are not yet visible, but the setting alone suggests a near-future society shaped by control and its aftermath.
Since there is only one source, there are no differing accounts to note. The extract stands on its own as a glimpse into Mandel's fictional Los Angeles, and the book club selection highlights the novel's appeal to readers interested in speculative near-future scenarios.