Author: Jeff Hirsch
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Horror, Post-Apocalypse/Dystopia, Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: September 2011
Hardcover: 288 pages
The wars that followed The Collapse nearly destroyed civilization. Now, twenty years later, the world is faced with a choice—rebuild what was or make something new.
Stephen Quinn, a quiet and dutiful fifteen-year-old scavenger, travels Post-Collapse America with his Dad and stern ex-Marine Grandfather. They travel light. They keep to themselves. Nothing ever changes. But when his Grandfather passes suddenly and Stephen and his Dad decide to risk it all to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen’s life is turned upside down. With his father terribly injured, Stephen is left alone to make his own choices for the first time.
Stephen’s choices lead him to Settler’s Landing, a lost slice of the Pre-Collapse world where he encounters a seemingly benign world of barbecues, baseball games and days spent in a one-room schoolhouse. Distrustful of such tranquility, Stephen quickly falls in with Jenny Tan, the beautiful town outcast. As his relationship with Jenny grows it brings him into violent conflict with the leaders of Settler’s Landing who are determined to remake the world they grew up in, no matter what the cost.
Stand alone or series: Stand alone novel (although ostensibly could be the first in a series)
How did I get this book: ARC from the Publisher
Why did I read this book: I’m on one of my dystopian/post-apocalyptic kicks! READERS BEWARE! (Seriously though, the premise of this book, while familiar, sounded pretty good. Plus, Suzanne Collins blurb on the cover. Um, yes.)
Review:
When P-11, a souped up version of influenza concocted and weaponized by the Chinese government, was unleashed on North America, global society had already long been in the process of collapse. After the nukes the United States unleashed, after the economic meltdown, and constant atmosphere of fear and distrust, the plague was just another symptom of a sick, dying world. Stephen has never known the world pre-collapse; his whole life he has salvaged and kept to the rigid structured rules set by his ex-Marine Grandfather and his father. The rules are simple and absolute: there is no straying from the established path. No approaching other people. Always think of the future, salvage, and survive. When his Grandfather dies, Stephen and his father are left without the old man’s constant rule-making, and for the first time, Stephen’s father decides to deviate from the old man’s path, daring to intervene and save a woman and child from a group of “slavers”. The rescue goes horribly wrong though, and Stephen’s father is gravely injured in the process. Desperate for some kind of help, Stephen scrambles for supplies and aid, and stumbles across a group of survivors – some of whom offer to help Stephen and his father.
Following the new group to their settlement, Stephen sees a world he could hardly have imagined. These survivors have built themselves a town with actual houses, beds, food and water. They play baseball and go to school. They still sing the national anthem and have Thanksgiving. Stephen is an alien to this strange new world and struggles to fit in while his father recovers – but while everything looks happy on the outside, he knows that like everyone everywhere else, these people are still ruled by fear. Some settlers inherently distrust outsiders like Stephen and think he’s a spy – and then when trouble really comes on the heels of a harmless prank, Stephen must decide what kind of life he wants, and what he’s willing to fight for.
I read a great review for this book that compared The Eleventh Plague to the (sadly canceled) TV show Jericho – and now having read the book, I can completely agree with that comparison. Well, kind of a Jericho meets Survivors (a British television show that was pretty awesome). Post-apocalypse novels are a dime a dozen and are growing increasingly prevalent in the YA world, but I feel like many of them are set in the distant post-collapse future, or have an SF or supernatural influence. The Eleventh Plague differentiates itself because it is actually very grounded and disturbingly familiar. In this apocalyptic landscape, there hasn’t been a zombie infection or the eruption of a supervolcano – there has been a war and the release of a biologically engineered superflu, but for the most part, society’s collapse has been nudged along as an extrapolation of tensions that currently exist in our social, political and economic landscape. In other words, The Eleventh Plague isn’t too much of a stretch – which is, in my opinion, the book’s greatest strength. Jeff Hirsch creates a terse, bleak environment that is believable because it is so understated.
Because of this, however, there is less of a plot or action-driven focus for the novel, and The Eleventh Plague is much more of a character piece, following Stephen as he navigates a world without the constant berating presence of his Grandfather, and trying to keep his father (and himself) alive. He goes through a crisis of hope in the book as he struggles with the rules that his grandfather so strictly enforced and the bleakness of survival on the road, separate from anyone else, and the new life he finds in the settlement. While it is Stephen’s internal struggle that characterizes the novel, the standout character that steals the book (for me at least) is Julie – an abandoned Chinese baby that was rescued by one of the settlement families, but has to deal with the constant jibes and bigotry of others because of her appearance and ethnicity.Julie is an explosive character, prone to acting without thinking which brings trouble – but she’s also raw and emotional, and her struggles to fit in with her adopted family and the town is wonderfully portrayed.
On the negative side, the book, though slim, does falter and drag once Stephen starts to adjust to life off the road, and overall is a little underwhelming. There isn’t much that truly happens, and while the protagonists are well detailed, other characters feel two-dimensional – more like vehicles to get across a Point (about Hope and Life and America and the Evil of War and the Importance of Literature). While I agree that all of these are worthy messages, it felt ham-handed and obvious, which detracted from my reading experience.
These criticisms said, though, I still enjoyed this quiet and insular story about a version of the end of the world, and how people rebuild in the face of disaster. It’s not quite as crazy fun or detailed as Jericho (or as dark as Survivors), but it’s a fine, contained novel in and of itself. Recommended for those looking for a more subtle type of post-apocalyptic/dystopian novel.
Notable Quotes/Parts: You can read the first 14 chapters online HERE, or you can also download a free sample for your ereading pleasure! The sampler is available for kindle US, kindle UK, and for EPUB readers (via Kobo).
Rating: 6 – Good
Reading Next: Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby
Giveaway Details:
We have ONE copy of The Eleventh Plague up for grabs! The contest is open to addresses in the US and Canada only, and will run until November 26, 11:59 PM (PST). In order to enter, leave a comment here letting us know which is your favorite post-apocalypse novel/movie/tv show/comic. Good luck!
Buy the Book:
72 Comments
Margaret S.
November 23, 2011 at 10:45 amThe Survivors trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer, or, if you need one novel then I nominate the first of the trilogy; “Life As We Knew It.”
Michelle H
November 23, 2011 at 11:32 amI agree with Margaret! The survivors Trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer is disturbingly realistic and beautifully written, my mom started making survival kits right after reading it! haha thanks for the giveaway 🙂
Happy reading
Mary H
November 23, 2011 at 12:36 pmThe Books of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau are wonderful.
Indigo
November 23, 2011 at 1:30 pmI would have to say the Feed series by Mira Grant. A diverse world where the main news stream is blogging. Thanks for the opportunity.
Jen Richard
November 23, 2011 at 2:01 pmNot sure if it fits the genre but I liked The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd
Lexi
November 23, 2011 at 2:09 pmSo hard to choose! The old-school classic A Canticle for Leibowitz? I’ve been loving Lauren DeStefano’s Wither, for YA, of course Hunger Games, I LOVED Gabrielle Zevin’s All These Things I’ve Done, for movies, yikes- I think Children of Men. I could go on for ages but will stop myself here! 🙂 Thanks for the chance!
Kevin Sly
November 23, 2011 at 2:12 pmI have not read as many post-apocalyptic novels as I have wanted to. I ran out of time. However my favorite series in this genre has to be The Vampire Earth by E.E. Knight.
Allison
November 23, 2011 at 2:27 pmI’m kind of in love with I Am Legend, both the book and the movie
Lori Strongin
November 23, 2011 at 2:43 pm*claps hands that you’re a Jerico fan!* Man, WHY did they have to cancel that RIGHT when all the good stuff was going down??? 🙁
I’ve been hearing really good things about Eleventh Plague, that it’s not your typical dystopian. Bummer that some of the characters felt a bit flat, but I still think I want to check this one out, at least for the world buidling elements.
Thanks for the giveaway op!
Smiles!
Lori
Sarah
November 23, 2011 at 2:58 pmThe passage, by Justin Cronin. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
scribe kira
November 23, 2011 at 4:27 pmfeed, hunger games, world war z to name a few!=o)
Kate
November 23, 2011 at 4:28 pmHitchhiker’s Guide. It totally counts, the planet’s destroyed at the very start!
If I’m being serious, I have to say I am Legend, book, not movie, for its examination of what it means to be ‘human’ and ‘monster.’
Candice J
November 23, 2011 at 4:30 pmI love the book Enclave; it had its own type of zombie-like characters. PD James’ The Children of Men was also really good.
I’ve read great things about The Eleventh Plague, thanks for the giveaway!
pscott
November 23, 2011 at 5:32 pmSo many good ones out there it is hard to choose. I’m going to have to go with the first one that got me turned onto the sub-genre even if it is a bit dated now. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank.
Joan
November 23, 2011 at 6:05 pmHmmm…it is a hard choice there are so many good movies/books about post apocalypses but I would have to say World War Z.
Claire
November 23, 2011 at 6:09 pmParable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler and Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.
Audrey M
November 23, 2011 at 6:58 pmI love the Fire-Ustrilogy by Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher, it was just so different then all of the other books I have read.
Ash
November 23, 2011 at 7:10 pmEnclave or The Hunter Games. Both were awesome. 😀
Becky
November 23, 2011 at 7:14 pmI am going with my first intro into the genre, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. I watched that movie when I was 8 and I have loved these movies/books/tv shows since!
jenn
November 23, 2011 at 7:26 pmPost-Apocalyptic… I don’t read much of it, but the trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer was wonderful.
Emilia W
November 23, 2011 at 8:14 pmI haven’t read enough in this genre, but I do like the Hunger Games.
Courtney
November 23, 2011 at 10:36 pmMy favorite is The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan..hands down!
Stephanie
November 23, 2011 at 11:28 pmI also like the Survivors trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
de Pizan
November 24, 2011 at 12:23 amMy favorite post-apocalyptic is the movie Testament. Book form would be Emergence by David Palmer.
debbie
November 24, 2011 at 4:44 amMy favorite is the stand by stephen king, (which they are making into a movie, also).
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
ChrisB
November 24, 2011 at 6:59 amI Am Legend would be my favorite.
Julie Witt
November 24, 2011 at 10:52 amAshfall by Mike Mullins is my favorite!
Marie B.
November 24, 2011 at 7:54 pmAlso the Survivors trilogy by Pfeffer.
Nicole
November 25, 2011 at 11:35 amThe Hunger Games & Robopocalypse, and that’s just this year!
Kristen
November 25, 2011 at 1:31 pmI just finished The Death Cure, the last book in The Maze Runner series and LOVED it, so I think that’s my favorite dystopian series right now. =]
Mackenzie
November 25, 2011 at 10:00 pmI really enjoyed zombieland. It was a great comedic twist on post apocalyptic life.
Ellaenid
November 26, 2011 at 12:05 amHands down: Tomorrow When the War Began.
Ellaenid
November 26, 2011 at 12:07 amNot exactly post-apocalyptic, but survivor nonetheless.
Justine
November 26, 2011 at 5:23 pmThe Halo video game series has phenomenal storytelling, believe it or not. I know Halo is not a novel/movie/TV show/comic, but the setting is post-apocalypse.
@Kristen (November 25, 2011 at 1:31 pm): There’s going to be a book prequel to The Maze Runner. The Kill Order will be published August 14, 2012.
Smugglers’ Stash and News | The Book Smugglers
November 27, 2011 at 2:05 am[…] BECKY […]
Anonymous
December 18, 2011 at 7:42 pmDivergent- Veronica Roth
Ethin
March 3, 2012 at 8:48 ami think that the eleventh plague is a awsome book. 😀
Chuck
March 15, 2012 at 2:30 pmThe show Falling Skies is easily the best post-apocalyptic show
Anonymous
May 15, 2012 at 12:06 pmmoney
May 15, 2012 at 12:07 pmmoney
May 15, 2012 at 12:08 pmEXECELENT BOOKY
Kat
June 16, 2012 at 11:50 amthe movie 2012 was great and it reminded me of this
😆
Anonymous
June 27, 2012 at 7:53 pmI like this book!!!! 😕 8)
The Eleventh Plague Jeff Hirsch Audiobook Review
July 19, 2012 at 9:01 pm[…] Moms – “In the end this was a good read for me”The Book Smugglers – “a terse, bleak environment that is believable because it is so understated”Smash Attack Reads – “All in all, it didn’t deliver the total […]
Ramona
August 27, 2012 at 9:31 amI loved the two books from Mary E Pearson about Jenna Fox. The Adoration of Jenna Fox was a dream to listen to also. A combination of post-apocolypse and robot world. The characters were believable and the story moved at a good pace. Exciting to the end!
My favorite tv program; Terra Nova…sadly I haven’t seen it yet this season. Not enough interaction with the dinosaur population and getting along with the time period, but lots of action,.
Anonymous
August 27, 2012 at 11:58 ami love it but i want a toco 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯
Book Review: Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch | The Book Smugglers
October 1, 2012 at 7:48 am[…] did I read this book: I read and enjoyed Jeff Hirsch’s debut novel, The Eleventh Plague. Thus, when I saw news of this new dystopian SF novel, I was very interested to see how this new […]
Jake
October 25, 2012 at 5:10 pmHer name was Jenny, not Julie…..
Anonymous
November 9, 2012 at 7:37 am👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿
Vicki Murphy
November 9, 2012 at 11:33 amDivergent by Virginia Roth is intriguing. I love how society has decided the fall was due to character flaws and restructured by character values. I’m only half way through… I still have big questions about their society driving my reading as well as following the main character’s problems.
amanda
February 19, 2013 at 2:05 amwow i love how detailed u are with ur reviews . i dont let them decide wether in going to read the book. but they help decide what order to read them. i fall in love with alot of the books just from ur point of veiw. i also love ur honesty. and even thou im way to late i would have to say the book 1985 is one of my favs
:)
February 20, 2013 at 11:37 pm😛
Skye
February 20, 2013 at 11:38 pmI <3 Micheal!!!!!
Steve
February 25, 2013 at 1:59 pmPooooooooooooooooooooop
Shanana
February 25, 2013 at 2:01 pmThis book sucks SHITTT
bitch nigga says
February 25, 2013 at 2:03 pmHI
:)258926
February 26, 2013 at 1:46 pmI say ass u say donkey
Xalan
March 6, 2013 at 1:24 pmI love this book. I’ve only read the first few chapters though. ????????????????????????????
ryan
May 13, 2013 at 10:13 pmthis book is queer as fuck
Anonymous
August 20, 2013 at 2:25 pmI don’t understand the book
Ellie
November 12, 2013 at 5:58 pmGood review, but it’s Jenny not Julie.
Boop
December 4, 2013 at 7:38 pmBoring
Anonymous
December 30, 2013 at 5:00 pmduh
Anonymous
December 30, 2013 at 5:00 pmduh what
juice lee
December 30, 2013 at 5:02 pmwhat is a book
Anonymous
February 11, 2014 at 7:10 pmdsfvs
Anonymous
May 20, 2014 at 4:35 pmEhhhhhhhhhh no……
Anonymous
September 9, 2014 at 12:53 pmlove the book
Preston Knotts
October 6, 2014 at 12:48 pmI think it would be the walking dead the comics and the show
Not a Bookworm
October 12, 2014 at 12:04 pmAnother book by Hirsch, called “The Darkest Path” is great!
Not a Bookworm
October 12, 2014 at 12:05 pmhttp://www.thebooksmugglers.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif
Mason paun
December 7, 2016 at 9:01 amMy favorite post apocalyptic novel is war day takes place 5 years after. A nuclear war with russia