H2O by Virginia Bergin follows Ruby’s journey through the acid rain apocalypse as she tries to navigate her way to locate her father. One day, Ruby Morris is at a pool party, hanging out in the hot tub with Caspar McCloud until they are urgently ordered to come inside. As loud thumping is overheard on the roof and the emergency broadcast repeats, “it’s in the rain,” Ruby and her friends realize the rainwater is acidic. When Caspar sprints outside to retrieve his MP3 player, his burning flesh alarms everyone and teaches them the fatality of being infected with the rain. Eventually, Ruby has to set forth on her own journey, knowing her mother wouldn’t survive because she had been on an outdoor barbecue, to find her dad in London. However, her uncertainty of whether he is alive or not initiates immense suspense to discover if her expedition of survival is even worth it.
I would definitely recommend this book because the apocalyptic storyline teaches readers to be grateful for everything they have. Her willingness to eat or drink anything clean of the acid rainwater depicts how desperate she is because she wants to survive. The interactions between survivors displays how at times of crisis, people will openly help each other as much as possible (to an extent). As she encounters other people who have lost their loved ones, she witnesses great grief and a disorder of society because everyone and everything is dead. H2O can be disturbing, but it shows a different side of humanity that would transpire during a crisis or apocalyptic event that wouldn’t be explored in day-to-day life.
-Ella
