The Last of Us

The Eleventh Plague
by Jeff Hirsch

When the world is in ruins the little things are what keep you going. For Stephen the little things can be a can of pears, his dad, or the knowledge there are others out there and the world still has hope. Stephan and his dad are traveling through the ruins of a biologically bombed America. The disease coming from the bombs killed about 90% or more of the population in the U.S. With only the things they have in their backpacks they must do whatever it takes to survive whatever challenges that come at them. If those challenges are raiders, very stormy weather, or meeting a community Stephen will stop to nothing to protect his dad; in this world he was born into.

In the book the detailed descriptions of the world Hirsch uses makes it seem as if he has seen the apocalypse and knows how the world would look like during it. “Far below were the slouching ruins of an old mall. Rows of cars, rusted in the moist air, sat in the parking lot, still waiting for the door to open, Beyond the mall, the arches of a McDonald’s sign hovered like a ghost,”(Hirsch 3). The description alone make this book a very good read; you can almost visualize everything Hirsch writes. Another good thing Hirsch writes about is the idea of coming across something that you haven’t seen or experienced in a long time.”The sweetness of the pears turned bitter. My mouth arched. In an hour or two we’d be hungry again, and the memory of the fruit would fade,”(Hirsch 20). The way Hirsch writes about this experience Stephen goes through is really cool, because to imagine what it’s like to not have anything sweet for years is hard to think about. Then finally getting that sweet food and eating it would be so mesmerizing. Finally, when life isn’t looking the best for Stephen and his dad Hirsch reminds us that sometimes life can feel hopeless. “I wrapped my arms around dad as tight as I could, shivering, hoping, our little bit of body heat would be enough to keep us alive until the rain stopped and the sun rose,”(Hirsch 39). Throughout the book there is a lot of moments that seem hopeless and this moments make this book exciting to read. Overall I believe this book is great and would recommend it to any readers who aren’t looking for a happy and cheerful read.