{
  "id": 11392714,
  "title": "Read an extract from Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/read-an-extract-from-exit-party-by-emily-st-john-mandel",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-02T08:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Scientist",
    "slug": "new-scientist",
    "url": "https://www.newscientist.com/article/2591694-read-an-extract-from-exit-party-by-emily-st-john-mandel/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the spring of 2031, Ari found herself in Los Angeles for the first time in nearly two decades. The blossoming jacaranda trees cast a purple-blue hue on the streets, a spectacle that filled her with a sense of wonder. The convergence of the beautiful blossoms with the withdrawal of international peacekeeping troops from the city created a delirious feeling of hope amidst the uncertainty that lingered in the air. Despite the city's precarious state, the spring season felt more vivid and alive, as if each flower blooming was a reminder of the resilience of life.\n\nAri's roommate, Gloria, had a different perspective on the city's past. A refugee who had fled Tennessee, Gloria spent much of her time reading the news online, her eyes wide with the weight of the world. Ari and Gloria shared an apartment in Echo Park, with Gloria sleeping in the bedroom and Ari in the living room, separated by a sheet stapled to the door frame. As the curfew lifted, Ari and Gloria discussed the city's transformation over the past year, each with their own unique experiences and memories.",
  "summary": "In the opening to Emily St. John Mandel's new novel Exit Party, the October read for the New Scientist Book Club, we are introduced to Los Angeles in 2031, as a curfew lifts from the city",
  "key_points": [
    "Ari returns to Los Angeles after 2 decades.",
    "Jacaranda blossoms symbolize hope amidst uncertainty.",
    "Gloria, a Tennessee refugee, reads news online."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}