On the Edge of Gone

by Corinne Duyvis

Overview

A thrilling, thought-provoking novel from one of young-adult literature’s boldest new talents.

January 29, 2035. That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit—the big one. Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter outside their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time. A last-minute meeting leads them to something better than a temporary shelter—a generation ship, scheduled to leave Earth behind to colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But everyone on the ship has been chosen because of their usefulness. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister? When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419739262
Publisher:	Amulet Paperbacks
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Corinne Duyvis is a novelist and short story writer and an editor of the website Disability in Kidlit. She’s a graduate of the Clarion West writer’s workshop and lives in Amsterdam. Her first novel, Otherbound, received four starred reviews, andher follow-up novel, On the Edge of Gone, received three starred reviews. She lives in Amsterdam

Editorial Reviews

03/14/2016
A biracial, autistic teenager and her drug-addicted mother take shelter in a temporarily grounded generation ship as a comet threatens life on Earth; they must prove their usefulness to earn a spot on the Nassau or risk getting left behind to fend for themselves. Told from the perspective of 16-year-old Denise, the story examines the aftermath of the cataclysmic event and her search for her transgender sister, Iris, among the wreckage near Amsterdam while raising important questions about social issues that are as applicable today as in the not-so-distant future of 2035. On the ship, stringent rules and regulations attempt to define who is worthy of supplies and survival while Denise struggles to find a way to belong and weighs the risk of sneaking her mother on board. Readers are immersed in the tics and tactile aspects of Denise's condition as Duyvis (Otherbound) skillfully incorporates an exploration of complex mental conditions, addiction, and gender identity into her narrative. It's a riveting apocalyptic thriller with substantial depth. Ages 13–up. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"There is a great level of diversity in this book, which raises questions of who is worth saving and what makes a person have value."

School Library Connection

**STARRED REVIEW**
“This novel offers an edge-of-your-seat survival plot and a compelling narrative. It subtly raises questions about the value of a human life without didacticism or easy answers, and the diverse cast, including a biracial heroine and characters of various races, religions, and sexualities, gives the novel real-world authenticity and impact. Duyvis deftly balances broader social elements with a powerful family story…A worthy readalike for North’s Starglass, this near-future scifi will gain fans amongst those who want a story that is simultaneously heartbreaking and thought-provoking."

BCCB

"Denise’s fear is palpable throughout, which helps to push this sci-fi novel into thriller territory... Duyvis’ attention to detail and strong descriptions will recommend this to fans of the genre."

Booklist

★ 03/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—As a biracial girl with autism, Denise has never been very comfortable in her own skin. Six months ago, when the world wasn't ending, her only real relationships were with her sister, Iris, and the cats in the animal shelter where she worked after school. Now, Denise's only chance for surviving the comet that threatens to destroy all human life on Earth is to earn a spot on a generation ship, a vessel that will transport colonists to another habitable planet across the galaxy. While coping with the complete disruption of her daily routines, as well as continuing threats of natural disasters, Denise must prove herself useful enough to save not only her own life but those of her sister and her drug-addicted mother. But even if her family is lucky enough to escape, what about the rest of the families in her home city of Amsterdam? What about those across the rest of the world? Duyvis expertly employs real science and vivid imagery to bring to life the most terrifying villain of all: Mother Nature. But it is the author's talent for writing about human nature that sets this book apart. Insightful, suspenseful, and unsettling in its plausibility, this novel is sure to stick with readers long after the last page has been turned. VERDICT A high level of believability and excellent writing make this diverse apocalyptic novel a recommended selection for any young adult collection.—Liz Overberg, Zionsville Community High School, IN

School Library Journal

★ 2016-01-09
What should a mixed-race, autistic, 16-year-old be willing to do to avoid certain death in an apocalyptic hellhole? A comet's about to strike Earth, and the rich, powerful, or lucky have choices: they can survive in underground shelters for the decades until the planet is once again easily habitable or take to a generation ship headed to deep space. Daughter of a Dutch woman and an Afro-Surinamese man, Denise is none of the above; her family has a spot in a temporary shelter, after which they'll be stuck in the post-comet wasteland Amsterdam (and much of the planet) will have become. Denise finds temporary refuge in a secret generation ship, but the residents jealously guard their precious resources. She's desperate to find a place on the ship for her family, but on a ship where the two choices are "usefulness or death," she worries they'll never choose her drug-addicted mother—or her autistic self. Meanwhile she seeks her sister, lost in the rubble of Amsterdam. Heroism isn't restricted to Denise, nor is she the only complex, deeply imperfect character to make selfish choices in this unbearable world. It's unsurprising that Duyvis, autistic herself, draws a superbly nuanced portrait of Denise as person (not a collection of pitiable autism tropes or cure narratives), but what makes this a winner is the nerve-wracking adventure. Life-affirming science fiction with spaceships, optimism in the apocalypse, and a diverse cast that reflects the real world. (Science fiction. 11-15)

Kirkus Reviews

Read More