The Dead and The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Dead and The Gone (The Last Survivors #2)
By Susan Beth Pfeffer
Published June 1st, 2008 by Harcourt Children's Books
321 pages

4 stars - Soo Interesting!


Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

After I had finished reading Life As We Knew It I was incredibly happy to find out that Pfeffer had written a second book! Even though The Dead and The Gone is the sequel to the first book in the Last Survivors series it doesn't really follow the usual sequel flow. We don't have the characters from the first book but we have the same devastating problem. The world is still undergoing an apocalyptic event.

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get into this book like I did with the other but I was definitely wrong. The Dead and The Gone is just as great and powerful as the first book and is filled with wonderful characters facing hard times. Alex Morales is the main character and even though he is only 17 he is responsible for his two younger sisters. Alex's parents have disappeared and with no one to take care of them Alex must become the head of the house. But this isn't an easy task especially with the situation that the world is in and Alex is put to the test. 

The characters is this book were great. I loved Alex and his sisters and I really had a connection with them. I was sad to see them have to go through some pain and turmoil and all without their parents. It was the different and yet the same from Miranda's story and I really appreciated seeing the Morale's side of things. Alex and his faith was put through the test and there were some depressing things that he had to go through. He had to grow up fast and so did his younger sisters. And that's another thing I enjoyed seeing, Alex and especially Julie grow up. This book was enjoyable and powerful and just a great read. I recommend that you read this if you already read the first book but you could even read this book and not be lost if you haven't read the first one. Either way I encourage you to try for yourself.

Vanessa