Using the simulation hypothesis as a hook (see also Emily St.John Michael's Sea of Tranquility) this keeps away from the sci-fi future stuff to explain what's going one but plays around with the consequences in our own time-line.

The question remains though as to whether it really would be that bad to discover we are in a simulation - would people really react that badly. The ending is arbitary - why would destroying the replication that was created by the anaomaly cause the simulation to shut down (if that is what happened?).

Overall a good read and engrossing with the multiple story lines for dopplganger characters.