Strangelets
by Michelle Gagnon
Summary: 17-year-old Sophie lies on her deathbed in California, awaiting the inevitable loss of her battle with cancer…
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
17-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…
All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving.
Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light through the eyes of Sophie, Declan, and Anat, the reader is taken on a dark and unforgettable journey into the hearts of teens who must decide what to do with a second chance at life.
Source: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
Strangelets was a strange and fascinating read. I had no idea what to expect from the book and enjoyed following the characters as they found themselves in a strange hosptal.
What I liked most about the story is that I didn’t know the direction it was going. I understood that all of the characters were on the verge of death before they woke up in the strange hospital, but I didn’t know what it all meant. Lots of theories were tossed around by the characters and myself and honestly, all of them were plausible. Could they all be in some sort of purgatory or hell? Were they alive, dead, or somewhere in between? Where were they, what did they all have in common? Was this some sort of lesson? Or was it actually happening? WHAT was going on?!
Then, things around them started to get weird. There was no one in the hospital except other teenagers who were equally confused as to why they were there. No staff, no visitors, and no exit. As the story progressed, the world outside started to resemble a post apocalyptic world, but it didn’t make sense because not that much time had passed. There was all this overgrowth, dusty houses, rusted cars, no food, and ferocious animals, but only a day had passed. Or did it? Not all of the characters could agree on what day it was. I started to care about the characters as well. While some of them were harder to relate to, like Anat, I started to understand their motives and feelings. Declan and Sophie were my favorites and their connection was an enjoyable side note. But all of the characters had their own stories and secrets and had to work together to figure out what was going on.
Strangelets was such a fascinating read because I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages eagerly to find out what would happen next and waiting for the mystery to unravel. And when it did, I was really impressed with the direction it took. Strangelets had characters I started to care about and an adventure and mystery that captured all of my attention. I highly recommend it and I also enjoyed the fact that it doesn’t appear to be a part of a series, but a stand alone novel. It gets harder everyday to find a good YA non contemporary novel that isn’t part of a series, so I find that to be a major plus. A definite must read for fans of science fiction, thrillers, mystery, horror, and post apocalyptic YA novels with a touch of romance.
Strangelets releases April 9, 2013
Labels: Review, Science Fiction, YA
