Book Review - Gone

Gone by Michael Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When you were a kid, did you ever fantasize about what the world would be like if all the adults suddenly vanished? I know I did! Unfortunately for the kids of Gone, the adults - everyone over the age of 14 - do vanish, in one moment, and leave them behind to deal with survival, both for themselves and the infants and toddlers that are suddenly in their charge. The struggle inevitably leads to a fight for power and control between two factions, one led by a bully from the private school in town, one led by an unassuming natural leader from the public school.

Along the way, things get strange when kids develop powers, possibly due to the nuclear reactor in town, or maybe a meteorite that hit the area several years ago, or maybe a strange power that lives in a gold mine and calls itself "The Darkness", or maybe the green scary thing with teeth. I think it's a combination of all of the above, but the answers aren't found in this, the first novel in a series.

I found this to be a fun, quick read. I love the character of Astrid, or "Astrid the Genius" as she's known among the kids in this community, because she's smart and charming, which makes her a hero in her own way (along with the tender way in which she looks after her four year old autistic brother). I like that the book is smart and engaging in the way that makes you forget you're reading a YA book.

Were there a couple of moments that made my brows arch and my suspension of disbelief stretch a little thin? Yeah. But that happens to me often; I'm a bit of a realist. However it wasn't to the extreme and wasn't to the point where I didn't really enjoy the book.

When you get to the last eighty pages or so, be prepared to plow through to the end; you won't be able to put it down!

View all my reviews