Review: The Living

Shy's happy to work on a cruise ship, earning much needed money until a man jumps overboard. Shy tried to save him, but it was no use.

On his next week shift, the weather turns deadly. An earthquake hits the west coast. As the ship heads to Hawaii, tsunamis endanger everyone. When they hit, the ship goes down.

Now Shy's fighting for this life as he attempts to reach land with little water, no food, and burning under the heat of the sun. Shy doesn't want to die, but if he has to die then he wants to figure out why people are so interested in the conversation he had with the man who jumped to his death.

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I couldn't put it down, although I will think twice about going on a cruise. I loved the layers of this story. I loved the connections between the passengers. I loved the camaraderie amongst the crew. From friendship to almost romance in a little over a week, these friendships were cemented with tight bonds over their work and similarities.  

The class distinction and the boat reminded me immediately of the Titanic. As the boat sank, it struck me how much the world hasn't changed in over 100 years.  Everyone struggled to get off the boat - feat, entitlement, and the desire for survival made people react.

I loved how the plot twisted and turned. At first, I thought it was about the suicide of the man, then about survival, and then about the dangers of the plague. Lots of danger, lots of action, and lots of fast turning pages. I can't wait to read what happens next to these characters.

Cover Thoughts: This is the paperback version, but both are great
Source: My Library
Fun Fact: Read this as a judge for the Cybil Awards

Final Thoughts: Not only a great book that kept me turning the pages, but the depth of this book makes it perfect for book discussions too.