THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE by Jeff Hirsch

Okay, I've been eagerly anticipating this Bookanista post since June. See, that's when I read THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE (out today! Go get it! It's SO GOOD!!). Jeff had sent us a copy so we could all read it early, because he blogs with me at The League of Extraordinary Writers.

He's one of my favorite people. I sort of wish I was him.
Exhibit A: He lives in New York. I absolutely love that city.
Exhibit B: He wrote THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE. I absolutely love that book.

And I've sort of gotten off-track, and then circled back around again. Ha!

So. THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE: In an America devastated by war and plague, the only way to survive is to keep moving. In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade for food and other items essential for survival. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true, where there are real houses, barbecues, a school, and even baseball games.

Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing forever.

What I liked:
The World: This is a very scary world, with very scary people and very scary situations. Stephen finds himself in trouble almost immediately, all in the hopes of having a piece of fresh fruit. Fresh FRUIT! I mutter every time I have to eat the stuff. And in this world, it's a rarity, and that's very scary to me.

Jeff does a great job of weaving in backstory, worldbuilding, and other things amidst the action of the novel. I felt like I could step right into the world and live there. I didn't want to--it's very scary--but I could imagine it.

The Relationships: Stephen and his father have a very real relationship. And Stephen faces danger and chaos when his father gets hurt and won't wake up. The relationship, the loyalty and love, Stephen has with his father grows and changes through the book, and often guides Stephen's choices. It felt authentic and dare I say it? Special. I really enjoyed it.

There are some competitive relationship too, between Stephen and the boys in Settler's Landing, that felt very teenage boy to me. Incredibly well.

If you like dystopian (and who doesn't?!?) you'll like THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE. And I'm giving away a copy! All you have to do is tell me what you'd miss most in a world where FRUIT is worth dying for. Would you miss the fruit? Vegetables? Public transportation? Cars? Medicine?

Leave a comment on this post by Sunday night, and I'll announce the winner on Monday.

Oh, and you're waiting for another winner, aren't you? The JANITORS winner? Hmmm... okay.

JANET JOHNSON you win! Email me your mailing address and I'll get this amazing book in the mail to you! elanajohnson (at) gmail.com. Congrats!

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week at the Reading Room.

Or on their blogs:

• LiLa Roecker travels to The Day Before
• Shannon Whitney Messenger swoons over Flyaway by Lucy Christopher – with giveaway
• Scott Tracey is overwhelmed by A Vast Field of Ordinary
• Stasia Ward Kehoe ponders the issue of plot spoilers in book reviews – with giveaway
• Shana Silver is mesmerized by Possess
• Corrine Jackson's celebration continues her “Blogiversary” with YA Authors sharing Lessons Learned
• Jessi Kirby wonders at What Happened to Goodbye
• Veronica Rossi says bravo to Daughter of Smoke and Bone