Book review - H2O

Title: H2O
Author: Virginia Bergin
Genre: sci-fi/post-apocalyptic
Similar books: Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
                     Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
Rating: 

You'll never look at rain the same.

Summary: Seven years ago, scientists blew up an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Problem solved, right? Now the last remnants of the asteroid are falling to earth and they are bringing with them deadly bacteria. It is in the water and there is no cure. How will 15 year old Ruby survive when the people she cares about are dying and everything she knows is falling apart?
My opinion: This book is somewhat reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, the idea of taking a journey, looking for something better, even though you know there is no "better" to find. It was fascinating to see the way society collapsed, how some people went completely lawless while others clung to rules that no one was enforcing. I really appreciated that Ruby didn't really fundamentally change. Sure she does things that she never imagined doing, but she still obsesses about her looks. She is selfish, self-centered, shouts when she is stressed, and refuses to listen to other opinions. She is territorial about possessions and about boys. She doesn't become more brave, more honorable, more heroic simply because she finds herself in a desperate situation. She remains essentially herself through it all. So, even though it is a very bleak plot it is much easier to read than many other post-apocalyptic novels. These kids remain, at heart, kids.
More information: H2O releases October 7.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.