 | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2016 An approaching comet jeopardizes the Earth, but residents such as sixteen-year-old, autistic Denise Lichtveld, her transgender older sister, and their drug-addict mother didn’t rate a place on the rockets departing for distant planets. Instead, Denise and her mom are grateful for the opportunity to ride out the initial impact in the one ship in Amsterdam that hasn’t left yet. Denise pitches in as the passengers work to save the ship from debris, tsunamis, and the resulting flood, and she eventually earns a place for herself and the sister she feared lost. A happy family reunion brings more than she bargained for when her sister pushes for the ship to abandon escape plans and instead help earthbound survivors. With its strong post-apocalyptic storyline, this novel offers an edge-of-your-seat survival plot and a compelling narrative. It subtly raises questions about the value of a human life without didacticism or easy answers, and the diverse cast, including a biracial heroine and characters of various races, religions, and sexualities, gives the novel real-world authenticity and impact. Duyvis deftly balances broader social elements with a powerful family story, as Denise navigates fraught relationships with both her mother and sister, and a moving coming-of-age story, as she manages not just to survive but to flourish. Denise is a sympathetic character, who comes to terms with her limitations without giving others room to pity her, and readers will appreciate her snarky attitude toward those who seek to define her by her autism. A worthy readalike for North’s Starglass (BCCB 10/13), this near-future scifi will gain fans amongst those who want a story that is simultaneously heartbreaking and thought-provoking. AM - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
 |