The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer is the companion novel to Life as We Knew It. Both are about the catastrophic natural disasters that plague the earth after a meteor hits the moon and knocks it out of its natural orbit. While Life as We Knew It focuses on a family in a more rural setting, The Dead and the Gone focuses on how these disasters affect the people of New York, specifically, the Morales family - Alex (17), Briana (15), and Julie (13). The moon's new position causes major flooding due to high tides and tsunamis. The subway system floods, killing thousands of people who were trapped. Alex's father was in a small coastal city in Puerto Rico and is presumed dead. Their mother was probably on the subway on her way home from working at the hospital. Alex finds himself in charge of his younger sisters as the city deteriorates. Soon, food becomes scarce and Alex finds himself doing things to ensure his and his sisters' survival that he never believed himself capable.

This book was as good as Life as We Knew It. I would recommend reading Life as We Knew It first, however, just because it is easier to follow what is happening with all fo the natural disasters in the Dead and the Gone - the author doesn't describe them quite as clearly in this one. Both novels end on a cliff-hanger, leaving the reader to imagine what he or she thinks will happen in the future. I strongly recommend both!