From its very first episode, Severance established itself as a high concept show that seamlessly blurred styles and genres. Viewers were riveted by its unique take on work-life balance, biting corporate satire, and often absurd, near-Lynchian visual imagery (waffle parties, anyone?). While a second season has been confirmed, a release date remains far from sight. Luckily there’s a long list of books clamoring to fill the void. In the interminable interim, check out some of these notable reads that draw from Severance’s key moods and themes.Whether you’re craving workplace satires, technological horror stories, memory-bending mysteries, or all of the above, this list speaks to all facets of the show. Some of these reads take place in our current capitalist hellscape, while others posit futures ranging from slightly speculative to full-on dystopian. But regardless of when they take place, they all shed ample insight not only into the way we live and work now, but how we make meaning from the memory of it all. 1 Tell Me an Ending, by Jo Harkin When a slew of people are legally notified that they’ve had a major memory removed and can now regain access to it, they are faced with a harrowing dilemma. Tell Me an Ending follows the lives of Finn, Mei, William, and Oscar as they grapple with whether or not they should reclaim an unknown trauma. It’s only the psychologists at the Nepenthe memory removal clinic who literally hold the key to their pasts. Much like Severance’s season one… Click below to read the full story from Esquire
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What to Read If You Miss Severance
