Electric State
The Electric State is a 2018 dystopian science fiction illustrated novel by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. It depicts an alternate reality of the year 1997, where a teenage girl named Michelle and her small yellow robot companion embark on a cross-country journey through a technologically ravaged and post-apocalyptic landscape of the Southwestern United States. The story is presented through Stålenhag's signature blend of realistic paintings and narrative text.
It follows Michelle as she travels west, encountering the ruins of gigantic battle drones and discarded remnants of a consumerist society addicted to virtual reality. As they approach the edge of the continent, the world outside their car window seems to unravel at an accelerating pace, hinting at a civilization on the brink of collapse.
The Electric State received widespread critical acclaim, with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist praising its haunting visuals and bleak yet compelling narrative. It was named one of the best books of 2018 by NPR and has been adapted into an upcoming Netflix film directed by the Russo brothers and starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt