The Apocalypse Gene Book Review

Author: Suki Michelle & Carlyle Clark. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Moxie. ISBN: 9781600430954.

Annotation: Olivya and Mikah are two very different teens living in a world gripped with a horrendous cancer pandemic. After meeting in cyber school, the pair begin a chain of events that could mean the end of the world, or the arrival of a new beginning.

Personal thoughts: I feel like I need to apologize in advance, but, simply put, this was probably the strangest book I’ve ever read, and not in a fun, quirky way. I just did not get it. I tried really hard as I was reading it to get it, but I never did. There were just too many ideas that the authors tried to stuff into this one story. I also never got the slang the characters used, and was especially confused by the little cyber beings that stepped out of the computers. I don’t think that if I tried to explain the entire plot of this novel to someone that I could do it, even though I read it from start to finish. I’m sorry, but this novel just did not resonate with me in any way whatsoever.  

Plot summary: In the not-too-distant future, the world is in the grips of a deadly cancer pandemic that has left society in shambles. What were once residential streets have now become row upon row of hospices set up to care for the sick and dying. Olivya and her mother run their own hospice, trying to make ends meet after Olivya’s father’s death years earlier. Olivya has struggled since she was a little girl to cope with a strange gift, the ability to see people’s auras. This power is difficult in a world filled with the sick and impoverished, and Olivya tries to keep her Sight suppressed so she can focus on caring for her patients. Everything changes when Olivya meets Mikah. The pair became acquainted in Cyber School where digital projections of themselves go to interact and learn. Olivya and Mikah formed a strong friendship, and, curious to meet one another in the flesh, decide to rendezvous at a nearby abandoned zoo. Neither of them expect the chain of events their meeting sets off, however, as the two learn the truth about the pandemic and their roles in attempting to prevent the impending apocalypse.

Review:  A collaboration between real-life couple Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark, The Apocalypse Gene contains some interesting concepts but ultimately becomes far too muddled and confusing to be enjoyable. Taken out of the context of the novel, several of the plot ideas have potential. The pandemic that is more than just a disease, the Kindred and their mythical back-story, the ability to see auras, all intriguing concepts that could have been expanded on their own to make a successful story. All these ideas and more, however, are essentially crammed into this 230 page novel, and the result is a story so far-fetched it’s borderline ridiculous. Unfortunately, not much more can be said than that. Although it received some positive critical reviews, The Apocalypse Gene would be difficult to recommend to any young adult reader, especially when so many other excellent books are available.

Genre: Science-Fiction

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: The Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky, Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts.

Themes:  Disease, cancer, dystopian, mythology, auras, apocalypse.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Kirkus.    

Series Information: N/A   

Discussion questions: 

-       Which character did you identify with more: Olivya or Mikah? Why?

-    Why do you think Olivya was against her mother euthanizing the hospice patients? What are your feelings on this subject?

-      Were you surprised to learn the true nature of the cancer pandemic? Why or why not?

Dark Inside Book Review

Author: Jeyn Roberts. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781442423510.

Annotation: As earthquakes ravage the world, four teens struggle to survive after an ancient evil is unleashed, turning people into calculating and homicidal monsters.

Personal thoughts:  Wow! This was one of those novels that I really could not put down. It was absolutely suspenseful from start to finish. The characters were well-developed and the plot was really well thought-out. I am very impressed with Jeyn Roberts, especially because this is her first publication! I highly recommend this novel to both teens and adults; it is excellent and appropriate for both groups! I am dying (no pun intended) for the sequel!   

Plot summary: The day begins like any other for four teens, Aries, Mason, Michael and Clementine, who live normal lives in different parts of the US. What these four, who have never met, don’t realize, however, is that their world is about to change forever. An earthquake of apocalyptical proportions ravages the west coast of America, destroying major cities including Los Angeles and Seattle. Similar earthquakes appear all over the globe, causing mass destruction and death. But the worst is yet to come. The earthquakes have unearthed an ancient evil: one that thinks and feels and is ready to hunt. Friends and family suddenly become homicidal, setting off bombs in schools, hospitals, and churches; murdering their sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers. Entire towns are executed at the hands of the few who seem to have become possessed with a maniacal force that speaks to them, telling them to carry out these horrendous acts. Aries, Mason, Michael and Clementine are each plunged headfirst into the horror that has taken control of the world and must survive as best they can. Their four stories will eventually overlap, but how and at what cost has yet to be determined.

Review:  Suspenseful and exciting from start to finish, this debut novel from author Jeyn Roberts makes for a must-read start to a new series for young adults that is perfect for those anticipating what the infamous year of 2012 will actually hold. The novel invokes many feelings and memories of famous apocalypse novels and movies of recent years, from Night of the Living Dead to The Road. Although some of the plot points are familiar, Dark Inside stands on its own as an original new take on the genre and would arguably make for a fantastic movie itself. The novel is told from the perspectives of all four teens and the additional voice of the Nothing. Although it is never clearly stated what the exact nature of the Nothing is, the reader comes to understand that the ancient evil that is ravaging the world is itself a co-narrator of the book. This makes for an intriguing twist as few apocalyptic stories actually give a voice to the means of the end. The other four narrators, Aries, Mason, Michael and Clementine, are all easy to root for and each has a unique backstory that allows to reader to genuinely care about their survival. Overall, Dark Inside is an absolute page-turner that any fan of apocalyptical or dystopian novels must read. The second novel in the series, Rage Within, will be released in September of 2012.

Genre: Science-fiction/Horror

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan, Blood Red Road by Moira Young.     

Themes:  Apocalypse, dystopian, possession, murder, survival.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from VOYA.     

Series Information: First installment in Dark Inside series. Second novel, Rage Within, set to be released on September 4, 2012.     

Discussion questions:

- Who was your favorite of the five narrators? Why?

- What do you think the Nothing was?

- What do you think happened to make people become homicidal?

-  What would you have done if you were trying to survive the Baggers?

- What would you like to see happen in the sequel?