Severance is a 2018 satirical science fiction novel by the Chinese-American author Ling Ma. It follows Candace Chen, an unfulfilled Bible designer, before and after Shen Fever slowly obliterates global civilization. Severance explores themes of nostalgia, modern office culture, monotony, and intimate relationships. Severance was awarded the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Fiction, and the 2019 NYPL Young Lions Prize. It was a finalist for 2019 the PEN/Hemingway award.