On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis January 29, 2035.
That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit—the big one. Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter near their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time.
Then a last-minute encounter leads them to something better than a temporary shelter: a generation ship that’s scheduled to leave Earth behind and colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But each passenger must have a practical skill to contribute. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister?
When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?
On The Edge of Gone is exciting, different, and introspective. It is unlike any sci-fi book I have read and that is a high compliment. While, in my opinion, this book was not quite as amazing as Otherbound, an all-time favorite, I still loved the story and heartily recommend picking it up. This was on of my most anticipated 2016 releases and it didn't disappoint!
Similarly to Otherbound, On The Edge of Gone features amazing diversity that is written about with tact and care. Our amazing main character, Denise, is autistic and biracial. There are also many characters of different backgrounds and sexual orientations. I LOVED seeing so much representation and publisher/authors/readers should take note.
The book entirely takes place on Earth and focuses on Denise's quest to obtain a coveted spot on a generation ship after worldwide disaster (AKA the comet). Her life almost surely depends on it. The story itself is ingenious and presents with the readers with unsettling moral ambiguities. Is it right that, in the event of a terrible disaster, only a few of the most "valuable" people are saved. How can that be determined?
While the content checks all the right boxes, I also found the actual story and writing to be emotional and enthralling. The tense family bond and struggles between Denise and her mother were heartbreaking. The "ship" (relationship NOT space ship) was cute but didn't overtake the plot. There were also cats. And an evil chapter that broke me.
So far, Duyvis's books have been very different with a lot of variety, and I SO appreciate it! I highly recommend checking out On The Edge of Gone. The ending to this book was perfect: hopeful, real, and strong. This review is very late... but since I'm trying to start blogging again I knew this was review was on the TOP of my to-do list. A lesson to bloggers: better late than never (BUT still shame on me for my untimeliness!)
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
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