I didn't believe other reader's reviews when they said this was simplistic and simply a bunch of people in a high-rise devolving into cavepeople, with no deeper meaning or development. I should have, because that's all this book is.

Generally, I like books that focus on the darker side of human nature and how civility breaks down. But this book was really flat, and unbelievable. Humans can potentially go to extreme levels of depravity--but they don't break down into face-painting barbarians for utterly no reason. The actions/behavior changes of characters in this book were just too unbelievable, too inaccurate when one knows even the slightest about human psychology (in fact, I would say even the most uninformed person would be aware that humans do not act like that.)

For instance, one character, Laing, forgetting what washing machines do. Okay, that's just not going to happen for no reason.

Anyway, I can't recommend this book. It's readable, but incredibly flat and rather a waste of time. It goes nowhere ultimately.