The Dead and the Gone
The Dead and the Gone is a young adult science fiction dystopian novel by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Released in hardcover in May 2008, it is the second book in The Last Survivors, following Life as We Knew It and preceding This World We Live In and The Shade of the Moon.
.jpg) First edition cover | |
| Author | Susan Beth Pfeffer |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Last Survivors |
| Subject | The Moon |
| Genre | Young adult novel, Science fiction |
| Publisher | Harcourt Children's Books |
Publication date | May 4, 2008 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 321 pp |
| ISBN | 978-0-15-206311-5 (first edition, hardcover) |
| OCLC | 167492096 |
| LC Class | PZ7.P44855 Dc 2008 |
| Preceded by | Life as We Knew It |
| Followed by | This World We Live In |
Background
Pfeffer's novel Life As We Knew It was created after watching the original film Meteor (1979), noting that "it got [her] thinking about how the people who have the most to lose if the world comes to an end are kids," and wanted to see how her characters would cope with a situation that was out of their control. The Dead and the Gone occurs at the same time as the first novel, Life As We Knew It, but in New York City. She playfully mentioned that "I figure with 300 million people alive in the United States, even if I write about 10 people a book, I can still get another 2,999,998 novels out of that meteor, and that should keep me busy and entertained well past the foreseeable future." [1]
The Dead and the Gone uses a third-person narrative, while the previous book, Life As We Knew It, used a first-person narrative in a journal format. Asked about the change in narrative, Pfeffer replied quite simply that in her planning processes, she "just could not envision a teenage boy keeping a diary. It's as simple as that," accounting for the change.[2]
Plot
The Dead and the Gone follows 17-year-old Alex Morales and his sisters, Briana and Julie, in their struggle to survive after an asteroid hits the Moon and knocks it out of orbit, closer to Earth. Taking place in New York, they are plagued with volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and tidal waves, and earthquakes, along with famine caused by food shortages and disease that kill millions of people in the process. Alex is forced to take care of his sisters in the absence of his mother and father and to raid dead bodies for valuables to trade for food. He struggles with his religious faith while trying desperately to survive.
Characters
Alex Morales: A 17-year-old Puerto Rican boy who has to take care of his two younger sisters after the moon disaster occurs. He blames himself for all of the things happening to his sisters and his supposed inability to help them. He attends a private school on a scholarship, and before the moon disaster worked at a pizza place. Near the end of the book, he gets the flu.
Briana Morales (Bri): Alex's devoutly religious 14-year-old sister. She is more used to cooking and cleaning than Alex is, and takes on these household chores. Alex arranges for her to be sent to a convent in the country, where she can receive education and regular meals. She is brought back to New York some time later, having developed asthma due to the volcanic ash polluting the air. After this, Alex won't let her do anything around the house, so it is left up to Julie. Because of her religious beliefs, she has faith that their parents are still alive and will return to the family eventually.
Julie Morales: Alex's youngest sister. Julie is 12 years old and turns 13 later in the book. She stays with Alex when Bri leaves, and despite their differences before the book, they become much closer as they struggle to survive. She gets on well with Bri despite their different religious attitudes, and is particularly close to Carlos. Despite Alex initially considering her to be a spoiled brat, she ultimately copes well with the situation they are in.
Father Mulrooney: The strict and uptight elderly head of Alex's private school. After Alex initially considered him to be unduly harsh, they become closer over time, with Father Mulrooney helping Alex and Julie escape what is left of the city at the end of the story.
Sister Rita: Headmaster of Julie and Bri's school, Holy Angels. Assisted Father Mulrooney help get Alex and Julie out of New York City.
Isabella Morales (Mami): Alex, Bri, and Julie's mother. A kind, nurturing, and caring woman who works as a nurse, Isabella is an effectual mother. She was most likely in the subways when the floods hit and is presumed dead.
Luis Morales (Papi): Alex's father, who, while strict and overly-uptight, is still loving and nurturing. He was the superintendent of their apartment building, and the family lives in the basement apartment. He was on the coast of Puerto Rico when tides rose and is presumed dead.
Kevin Daley: A classmate of Alex's, who has black market connections. He teaches Alex how to "body shop" (taking the valuable items off of the people who die in the streets), and how to trade those items for food.
Harvey: A man with whom Alex trades items, from body shopping and from other apartments, for food. Introduced to him by Kevin Daley.
Carlos Morales: Alex's 22-year-old brother, who is in the Marines and deployed to Texas.
Chris Flynn: A wealthy boy in Alex's class. He was rivals with Alex before the apocalypse, and offers Alex a favour when he leaves the city.
Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Lorraine: Alex's aunt and uncle, who have three young children with another one on the way. They own a bodega, and Uncle Jimmy allows Alex and Julie to pack up some food to take home. They leave New York City to move to Tulsa, and offer to take Bri with them.
Father Franco: The priest at Alex's church. He organises for Bri to live at the convent, and provides solace and information throughout the disaster.
Tony Loretto and James Flaherty: Alex's schoolmates, who help Alex and Kevin plan a birthday party for Julie and get Bri asthma medication.
Reception
Publishers Weekly described The Dead and the Gone as "riveting", and said that "once again Pfeffer creates tension not only through her protagonist's day-to-day struggles but also through chilling moral dilemmas: whether to rob the dead, whom to save during a food riot, how long to preserve the hope that his parents might return," adding that "[t]he powerful images and wrenching tragedies will haunt readers." [3] John Green of the New York Times said that it "transcend[s] [its] premises with terrifyingly well-imagined futures and superb characterization," and that "the story’s climax and resolution feel achingly right." [4]
References
- http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=5&id=40613
- Lynda Brill Comerford (5 June 2008). "Q & A with Susan Beth Pfeffer". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "The Dead and the Gone Editorial Reviews". Publishers Weekly. 19 May 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
- John Green (9 November 2008). "Scary New World". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 September 2009.