Trigger warnings: Death of a child, blood depiction, pandemic
Read this review for context: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5223459775

6/10, when I first saw this in my library I thought it was an epic post apocalyptic tale that is fresh and original so I headed into this one with high expectations however it turned out that I didn't enjoy this one and it kind of irritated me when I found out that this had the same issues as the last book, I just didn't enjoy it, where do I even begin. It starts off with three interesting main characters living in what's left of Earth after a flu swept through the population and killed almost everyone and they are Nico, Kit and a character called the Deliverer who has lived lives before this one. They live separately during the first few pages of the book but eventually Nico and Kit meet each other. The middle of the book is bulky to say the least and could've been shortened since all that happens is Nico and Kit contemplate about serious and light subjects and just what happened to the world. The book went on a downward spiral when Kit was killed by another character whose name I forgot and I wondered why would the author do this to him when he was one of the main characters, I still don't know who the Deliverer actually is but maybe that's intentional and the only thing about them is that they live lives over and over to make the world better??? Nico eventually finds the weird portal her father told her ending this on a high note. ( )

Well I think this was a case of just not for me.

Enough said. ( )

Well I think this was a case of just not for me.

Enough said. ( )

Wow! What a cool book. It's a post-apocalyptic story, with lots of layers to digest, both an action story and a discussion of philosophical ideas. I think the blurb on the cover says it perfectly: "a nesting doll" of a plot. The story gets more and more complex and then comes around again. The reason for the elimination of people worldwide, the cause of the apocalypse, is pretty gross: swarms of "flu flies" that are like carnivorous bees. They cover you up and carry you off to eat you while also infecting with a deadly virus. If you can stomach that, you'll be okay with this book! The characters are so well drawn; the main two are Nico, the girl who grew up in an isolated farmhouse with just her parents, anticipating the supply deliveries from a mysterious person known as The Deliverer, and Ki,t the sensitive artistic boy who lives in an abandoned movie theater with his mom and best friends and who has read all of the books in the elementary school library so he's got a head full of esoteric facts he likes to spout all the time. These characters will be in my head for a long time. They both start out as separate stories but meet on their journey to a safer land and to fulfill a parental quest. And then it gets even more complicated but it all works out to a really nifty ending. There's way too much plot to begin to summarize. There are legends told by firelight, and art, and friendship, and love of friends and of children and parents; a loyal dog and evil fanatical people too. Just a really neat book. Very well written. ( )

In this post apocalyptic world, hope and love still exist.

This book was written in a different way than I've seen before, but I found it successful. You meet these young band of characters, feel their emotions, root for them. They have to navigate a world alone, a world they don't know, to follow the stories they grew up with.

I don't really think there were any main characters I could do without. They all had a naivete and hopefulness that made you root for them.

Its a different take on the apocalypse, but well written and gripping. It was actually a rather quick read once I had the time to sit down and read it. I've never read this author before, but if his other books are like this, I'd definitely give it a read. If you like books about the apocalypse ( I mean, who doesn't), then you should read this one.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this! ( )