Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
In a Nutshell: Dystopian without a love triangle
Would suit fans of: Grace McCleen, Patrick Ness
Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie CoyleMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the best kind of Young Adult book because it is asking readers to question the world around you, appreciate and cherish your friendships and be confident and true to yourself.
Vivian Apple lives in an alternative America where there are constant natural disasters and disease and the world is dying. Along comes a new religion, "The Church of America" which convinces people the Rapture is coming and will save them. Vivian doesn't belive, but her parents do, and on the night of the Rapture her parents and thousands of other believers disappear.
Although Vivian starts as meek and compliant, as the book progresses her character develops and she becomes a confident heroine who is easy to like. Her and her friend Harp, and later Peter, embark on a road trip across America trying to decide what is true. Is the world really dying in a few months? Should they have believed in "The Church of America"?
There is no love triangle and no whiny teenage monologues which already catapaults this above three stars for me. I really liked the theme of the book too, which really isn't about religion, per se, but about how and why we believe in things.
I was surprised to see when I finished that there is a sequel, because it could have ended with this book (although there is a little bit of a cliff-hanger ending which may have annoyed some!), and I will seek it out.
The audio narration is extremely good, thanks to www.audiobooksync.com for providing a free copy.
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