Synopses & Reviews
I got lucky cause Im small.” Eleven-year-old Whensday Bluehouse knows that this is why Tick Burrowman chose her. The old coffinmaker saved her from slave labor, but Whensdays fate in the toxic wasteland called the Shelf is uncertain. In a post-apocalyptic world, Whensday learns about love, loss, and survival.
Review
"Whensday's distinctive voice, a blend of childish grammar, euphemisms and lyric imagery … cushions the horror … Rapp, a playwright and author of the acclaimed young-adult novels Missing the Piano and The Buffalo Tree, has crafted a haunting and original work that, like The Handmaid's Tale, closes with at least a glimmer of hope for the human spirit." — Washington Post
Review
Book World "Rapp's use of language is masterful ... this raw-voiced story is both distinctive and unique, with Rapp's grim vision brilliantly executed. The fine writing and Whensday's refusal to give in to despair will resonate with thoughtful readers." — Booklist "The matter-of-fact first-person narrative is intense ... While the subject matter is wretched, Rapp's "future speak" becomes almost melodic while describing events, feelings, and actions that are raw, searing, violent, and frightening ... there is a positive message: despite all odds, survival, even in these worst of circumstances, is possible." — School Library Journal
Review
"This raw-voiced story is both distinctive and unique, with Rapp's grim vision brilliantly executed." --Booklist
Review
"This is deftly and convincingly constructed, and young adults who read for the pleasures of darkness will find it grimly satisfying." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
About the Author
Adam Rapp is a novelist, filmmaker, and OBIE Award-winning playwright and director. He lives in New York City.