Half Lives by Sara Grant (review)

In the wake of a bioterrorism attack, seventeen-year-old Icie makes her way across the Nevada desert with nothing but a map and a key to the family's secret bunker. Along the way she's joined by three other would-be survivors, rebel cheerleader Marissa, spoiled rich kid Tate, and secretive adventurer Chaske; when the foursome reach the bunker they lock themselves in without realizing that their seemingly safe haven holds a deadly secret of its own. Meanwhile, generations in the future, Beckett leads a ragtag group of young people surviving in the postapocalyptic society. Convinced they are safe as long as they don't leave their mountain hideaway, the group keeps watch against savage monsters, finding their only solace in faith in the Great I AM, whose Just Sayings give them guidance and hope. When a girl from Out There finds her way into the camp, sparking Beckett's interest and everyone else's distrust, the group must decide if and how to reemerge into the wider world. Told in chapters alternating between Icie's present and Beckett's future, this novel offers a harrowing survival story that raises powerful questions about what it takes physically and spiritually to survive a global catastrophe. Icie's narrative packs a particularly powerful emotional punch, with its cast of compelling characters who struggle with their best and worst impulses in the face of dire circumstances. The other half of the novel is less emotional than intellectual, exploring the evolution of language and culture in the absence of its original context, offering an interesting contrast to Icie's intensely personal journey. On the whole, this highly original read gives science fiction fans a thoughtful apocalyptic tale for both the heart and the head.