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juushikaTitle: On the Edge of Gone
Author: Corinne Duyvis
Published: New York: Amulet Books, 2016
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 450
Total Page Count: 181,070
Text Number: 533
Read Because: personal enjoyment, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: After a comet hits earth, one autistic girl tries to find a way to get her family safely aboard a generation ship. Duyvis's hallmark is diverse casting, and that's particularly true here, from the broad representation in the supporting cast to the protagonist's autism—which, while accessible to uninformed or neurotypical readers, is never rendered simplistic; Duyvis writes with experience and valuable honesty. But I find that Duyvis's other hallmark is unenjoyable plotting, and this is no exception. The setting is apocalyptic, but the scale is local and personal—which often means the plot is repetitive and fueled by short-sighted or foolish decisions. Duyvis's previous novel Otherbound offered compelling emotional bonds to offset its grim content; On the Edge of Gone has no such counterpoint outside of an artificially optimistic ending.
"Whether someone is useful only matters if you value people by their use": On The Edge of Gone is a study of persistence, survival, personal worth—and the issues, both personal and social, that get in the way. It's thoughtful, possessing of an unforgiving gray morality and a necessary undercurrent of optimism. I value and admire those characteristics—but the fact remains that this isn't an enjoyable book to read. I find myself ambivalent, and despite its value can't recommend it.
Author: Corinne Duyvis
Published: New York: Amulet Books, 2016
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 450
Total Page Count: 181,070
Text Number: 533
Read Because: personal enjoyment, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: After a comet hits earth, one autistic girl tries to find a way to get her family safely aboard a generation ship. Duyvis's hallmark is diverse casting, and that's particularly true here, from the broad representation in the supporting cast to the protagonist's autism—which, while accessible to uninformed or neurotypical readers, is never rendered simplistic; Duyvis writes with experience and valuable honesty. But I find that Duyvis's other hallmark is unenjoyable plotting, and this is no exception. The setting is apocalyptic, but the scale is local and personal—which often means the plot is repetitive and fueled by short-sighted or foolish decisions. Duyvis's previous novel Otherbound offered compelling emotional bonds to offset its grim content; On the Edge of Gone has no such counterpoint outside of an artificially optimistic ending.
"Whether someone is useful only matters if you value people by their use": On The Edge of Gone is a study of persistence, survival, personal worth—and the issues, both personal and social, that get in the way. It's thoughtful, possessing of an unforgiving gray morality and a necessary undercurrent of optimism. I value and admire those characteristics—but the fact remains that this isn't an enjoyable book to read. I find myself ambivalent, and despite its value can't recommend it.
