Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood

As far as Snowman knows, he is the last human left on the earth.  The blazing sun—hotter now that the atmosphere has thinned—burns his skin, even in the shade of the tree in which he lives.  His only companions are the human-like Children of Crake, a tribe of genetic experiments of whom Snowman was made guardian, before the known world came to an end. 

Unlike the Children of Crake, who survive by consuming raw vegetation, Snowman must forage for more nourishing food.  He braves a dangerous trail, crawling with vicious Pigoons, to find supplies in the ruins of a nearby city.  Haunted on his journey by the memories of the brilliant, cunning Crake, his enigmatic lover Oryx, and Jimmy, the unremarkable boy who Snowman used to be, Snowman relives the series of seemingly inconsequential events that led to the destruction of his world.  Slowly, the true cause of the apocalypse is revealed.  

Oryx and Crake has particularly strong resonances with modern American society in a framework which is more action-filled than some of Margaret Atwood's other works.  The book is both exciting and thought-provoking--forcing readers to speculate on the future of genetic engineering, cyber-stalking, global warming, and biochemical warfare.  As in most post-apocalyptic tales, Snowman’s story is intense and tragic.  It isn't a light read, but it is an engaging one.  This book is hard to put down!