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Jan 11, 2021TEENREVIEWCREW rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Out of nowhere, everyone in Perdido Beach above the age of fourteen suddenly disappeared; gone. The protagonist, Sam Temple, is left to survive, along with everyone else under fourteen. But the longer things go on, the more things and people in Perdido Beach start to change. This book was recommended to me by a friend, and while I was somewhat reluctant to read it, I was glad I did. Although it’s a bit of a lengthy read, it is worth your time, especially if you’re into sci-fi and survival stories. I liked that the book seemed to take ideas and concepts from other books and mix them all into one. By the time I reached the climax, I was invested and wanted to see the conclusion, as all climaxes should accomplish. But before the climax, the story was a bit slow paced, and the characters were not explained a lot, so you had to figure out their personality throughout the story. But what it lacked in character introduction was made up for in the plot, as it reminded me of Lord of the Flies, and a bit of X-men. Overall a good book, I would recommend it for teens and pre-teens into sci-fi, as it gets a bit dark at times. 4.5 stars @InboundMink of the Hamilton Public Library's Teen Review Board Gone follows Sam Temple a fourteen-year-old outsider at Peradido Beach elementary school. Sam only has one real friend, Quinn Gaither. This is because his main objective at school is to blend in and avoid bringing attention to himself. However, he hasn’t always succeeded in keeping a low profile. For example, in the seventh grade, a bus driver has a heart attack driving a bus full of school children and Sam calmly steers the bus to the side of the road. This is how he got the nickname, “School-bus Sam.” One day Sam is in his third-period history class daydreaming and suddenly his teacher disappears. Gone. No poof, no flash of light, just gone. Everyone over the age of 15, gone. This is the new world of Peradido Beach. I loved this book! It truly was a page-turner. The book grabs you from the beginning and doesn’t let go. I don’t quite know why. Its theme is similar to Lord of the flies. Taking a deep look at the nature of how people behave without the rules and the regulations of society. It brings out the best in some characters and the worst in others. For me, this psychological aspect was interesting, as I believe it is for anyone who decides to read it. Moreover, the author writes about the characters in a surprisingly nuanced way. Meaning the characters aren’t being used to create artificial conflict to advance the plot. You come to know the characters, and all of them have their own motivations and their own desires. Which can make them do something despicable, or admirable, but in the end, you understand why they behave the way they do. For that reason, it truly immerses one into the story, and you become very attached to the characters. In conclusion, it’s a great read that you won’t be able to put down. @Boggythebog of the Hamilton Public Library's Teen Review Board