The Dead and the Gone

     For the second quarter, I decided to read The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer because I read the first book in the Life As We Knew It series a few years ago. However, one does not need to read the first book because it is not a continuation of that story line; instead, it revolves around the same event but with different characters. 

     After an asteroid hits the moon and throws it out of its orbit pushing it closer to Earth, many disasters begin to strike New York and the rest of the world. Citizens are faced with volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and due to food shortages, they struggle with famine and many diseases. The main character, Alex, is forced to take care of his younger sisters Briana and Julie because the rest of his family is presumed to be dead since his father was visiting family in Puerto Rico, his mother was stuck in the subways and could no longer be found, and his older brother was in a different state because he is in the Marines.

     My favorite character was definitely Alex because he was the most relatable. In the beginning of the book, Alex did not have the best connection to his sisters, too busy focusing on his education because he believed that getting into a good college was the only way to get himself out of poverty. Like Alex, I think a lot of minorities, such as myself,  can relate to this idea of trying to better your life through education.  However, his dream was washed away when the disaster struck.  There were many times in the book where Alex contemplated his decisions to take care of his sisters and wanted to give up and run away, but his determination didn't let him. I was able to relate to this because I have struggled with wanting to give up when times get tough, but in the end, I don't. He definitely provides a good example for the argument that families generally have a member's best interests in mind. Given the opportunity, Alex sent Briana away to a convent where she would have food and be taken care of. Even though he was heartbroken knowing that he had just split up his remaining family, he knew it would be best for her. Also, Alex often questioned his religion throughout the book, and like him, I have also done this when hard times occur. Eventually, after all the hardships that Alex and his sisters overcome, they strengthen their family bond. Overall, being able to see Alex overcome his inner turmoils is what makes him a dynamic character, and it keeps the reader interested to see his future actions.