In 2085, Hurricane Yolanda forced New York residents into subways for shelter. The few thousands who took to the subways were the only survivors. The damage from the hurricane resulted in severe destruction and interruption of human life on land. Three hundred years later, generations of the survivors had made the subways their home and lived as an underground colony, independent of the long-fallen US government. The colony’s authorities completely limited their residents’ contact with the outside world, making them believe they were the only civilization alive.
For ten-year-old Malcolm Stewart, a hateful and abusive father and a bunch of bullies at school did not make his life any easier in the colony. But then, Malcolm’s life changes when he meets Julio Suarez. With the help of Julio and his family, Malcolm struggles to break free of the influence the colony’s most powerful man, his father, has over his life. He finds himself discovering ugly truths about himself, his family, and the outside world. Find out more in Susan Greenberg Feltman’s Never See the Sun Again.
Never See the Sun Again will appeal to lovers of young adult coming-of-age, dystopian post-apocalyptic novels. Susan Greenberg Feltman plunged me into a whole new world of imagination, opening a gateway into the life of a child living with an abusive parent, except in a future world. The cast’s emotions are exquisitely and clearly depicted, allowing me to connect with them and experience their unique lives. Some of the scenes were heart-wrenching and almost brought me to tears.
Susan brilliantly addresses the common themes eating away at our society, mirroring the profound depth of the flawed nature of human beings. The main themes are generational trauma, childhood trauma, family feuds, global warming, and infidelity. It was interesting how Malcolm’s father, Patrick, claimed he wanted to treat Malcolm better, but always ended up causing him only pain. I could completely understand Malcolm’s struggle with grasping the nature of the strange relationship he shared with his father. There is suspense, adventure, drama, and so much more in this book.
Susan Greenberg Feltman 