Did the pandemic radicalize you?

Malavika Kannan’s debut novel, *Unprecedented Times*, examines the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic, generational shifts, and the search for identity among Gen Z. The narrative follows 18-year-old Rishika, whose transition to university is disrupted by the pandemic, mirroring Kannan’s own experiences. The discussion highlights the pandemic as a radicalizing event that exposed systemic failures and economic precarity, forcing young people to confront the limitations of traditional democratic engagement. Kannan explores the complexities of South Asian identity, the disintegration of old social structures, and the intense, often fragile nature of friendships formed during isolation. By blending personal history with fiction, the work challenges the "ivory tower" perception of higher education and reflects on the difficulty of finding collective meaning in an era defined by digital fragmentation and political disillusionment.