The Dead and Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer: Review

The Dead and Gone

By: Susan Beth Pfeffer

This book is a companion/sequel to Life as We Knew It. Check out my review.

 

Synopsis (From Goodreads): Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

 

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities. 

My Review: Hats off to Susan Beth Pfeffer. I thought no book could freak me out as much as Life as We Knew It. I was totally wrong.  When I started reading this book I braced myself for what I knew was coming. Lots of death, destruction and despair. But, even though I was prepared for it, I still felt incredibly emotionally involved in this novel. 
 
Alex was a great main character. I was just commenting on a post the other day about cliche's and things missing from YA novels. One of the things I mentioned that I'd like to see more of is a main character with a religion. But, not in a religious book. Alex definitely had that. His religion was a huge part of the book, but it wasn't in a way that was overbearing or annoying. Very well done. His religion was important to the story as he had to challenge some of the beliefs that he had his whole life. (Looting bodies, cremation, etc.)

This book was much sadder than Life as We Knew It. People very close to the main character died. The descriptions of death were much more gruesome. Everything in this book was so horrible that I could not put it down.  I had to keep reading to make sure that everything ended up okay.

I think that Pfeffer has nailed the survival instincts of humans. Everything in the novel is totally plausible to me, and that's what made the book so real.

Anyway, despite what it sounds like in this review, I loved this book. This is about as good as it gets in post-apocalyptic fiction.

My Rating:
I gave this book 5 stars

Book-a-likes:
If you like post-apocalyptic fiction, you'll like this one.

Profanity: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild. Brief mentioning of vodka a few times.
Sexuality: Mild. Mentioned once
Violence:Mild. Not so much violence as just a lot of death.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner: Review

The Maze Runner

By: James Dashner

Blurb from back:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Review:

This book definitely kept me on my toes. Similar to Jason Borne in The Bourne Identity and other amnesia-plagued characters, you find yourself trying so hard to piece together the little information given to you by the author into a back story for the character.

Post-apocalyptic fiction is some of my favorite to read, because I really enjoy the aspect of human survival. Every book has its own flavor of how people survive when situations aren't ideal. What I liked about The Maze Runner was the many different conflicts that contributed to the story. Thomas is conflicted about his past, he wants to know who he is and where he came from. But, once the truth begins to come out, he is rightly conflicted about wanting to know more. Thomas is also conflicted about the information that he gives to the leaders of the group, and the information he's holding in his thoughts. There are of course environmental conflicts as would be expected with a group of boys governing themselves. This is increased with the addition of a girl to the Glade.

I liked the characters in the books. Even though there were quite a few to keep track of, I felt like they were all easily distinguishable from each other. Each contributed to the story in an important way. I especially felt a connection to Thomas' first roommate Chuck. It gives a little bit of a softer edge to the otherwise hardened life at the Glade.

I only had a couple things I didn't like about the book, and they definitely weren't deal breakers. The first was the made up slang. I also didn't like it in Ender's Game.  I felt like it really clogged up the dialogue sometimes, and regular slang words would do.

Also, I felt like not enough was done with the female character in the story. This can be easily remedied in the sequel; however, and I'm sure she'll make a bigger impact.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I highly recommend this book for boys, especially ones that don't especially like to read. It's a fast-paced, easy read that will leave you thinking about it for days. I gave it four stars.

Rating:

Profanity: Mild, and it's not actual swear words used in every-day English, but made up slang

Drugs and Alcohol: None

Sexuality: Mildly hinted at when the girl first arrives

Violence: Mild. People do die in the book, but it's not overly graphic.

Books similar to this one: Ender's Game, Lord of the Flies

In accordance with FTC guidelines please note that I received a review copy from Delacorte Press for Young Readers. I was not compensated for this review.

The Uglies by Scott Westerfield: Review

The Uglies

By: Scott Westerfield

Post Apocolyptic Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Tally Youngblood can't wait for her 16th birthday. She's not anticipating a driver's license, but the chance to become "pretty." Her best friend Peris has already had his surgery, and Tally can't wait to join him in New Pretty Town. A few weeks before her birthday, she meets up with another ugly, Shay, who happens to have the same birthday as Tally. When Shay disappears before her surgery, Tally's own chance to become pretty is in jeopardy.

Well, this book hits at the heart of a common teenage issue: being pretty and the consequences. I liked Tally and Shay and especially the character development that occurs within Tally. She really does grow up. I kind of wished that the reasons why Pretty Town and the surgeries had begun in the first place had been explored a little more. But, it's part of a series, so I imagine they will explain it later. Other things I liked about this book were the lack of sex and vulgarity and the smartness of the characters. I'd recommend it for anyone who likes post-apocolyptic or end of the world type books.

I gave it 3/5 stars. This book was part of It's the End of the World Challenge

It's the End of the World as We Know It

This is probably my favorite genre of Young Adult Fiction. Post-Apocolypse or otherwise the end of the world. I seriously can't get enough. This challenge is hosted by Becky's Book Reviews. Here are the details of the challenge.

Read at least four books about the end of the world.

My list (with links to my reviews):

1. City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
2. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
   
3. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
4. Gone by Michael Grant