Liz Loves Books.Com.

Publication Date: March 26th 2015 from Simon and Schuster Childrens

Source: Netgalley

Four high school seniors put their hopes, hearts, and humanity on the line as an asteroid hurtles toward Earth in this contemporary novel.

I loved this story – I’m a big fan of the post apocalyptic as long as there is heart to the drama, here we are “Pre possible apocalypse but no-one really knows” – its a genre all on its own. I’m sure that someone more creative than I can come up with a better word for it.

Anyway, here we have a fairly typical bunch of High School kids about to head out into the world, and as we meet them they all have plans even if some are a little disjointed. In perhaps one of the best opening scenes I have seen in a book for a while we meet them, one by one, “handing the baton” style – they are living life involved in various things, some at home, some out and about but all under the same sky, and at different moments watching the same shooting star. As a hook into the characters and story it was done with elegant perfection…by the end of the first little bit you have a feel for all of them. When that same shooting star they were all half wishing upon  turns into something more sinister, everything changes.

It is a clever story and an emotional one in a lot of ways – how do you plan for a future that may not even exist. Do you wait and see? Carry on regardless? An interesting question to ask anyway for those of us who like to ponder these things – what Tommy Wallach has done is give that notion a voice and a reality all of its own. How our main four react, to themselves, to each other, to the imminent disaster is beautifully drawn and really terribly addictive.

The tale has a musical heart – the fact that the author is also a musician shines through, there is a lyrical quality to the storytelling, a lilt and a flow to it that keeps you involved. As the world goes mad around them, each must decide what is important, there is “before ” and there is “after”  and both are explored within the thoughts and actions of the kids trying to make sense of it all. I found it absolutely fascinating, a tale of human resolve and action seen through the eyes of a group who still have a lot of growing up to do should they be given the chance.

Overall a really really good read – the ending was pitch perfect, the novel overall has a simple beauty to it and I can’t wait to see what this author brings us next. In a genius turn he has created the music found within the novel – there is an album I shall be buying for sure.

Highly Recommended.

Happy Reading Folks!