Avatars: So This is How it Ends by Tui T. Sutherland

Reviewed by Melvi A.
Grade 11

What would you do if everyone except you suddenly disappeared without a trace? In Avatars: So This Is How It Ends, five teenagers from different parts of the world must find an answer to that question. As they were going about their accustomed way of living, time seemed to stop, the Earth shook, and--when the mysterious event was over--they knew something was wrong. They can see no one around, just crumbling buildings and odd animals made of crystal. An ominous silence occasionally interrupted by terrifying shrieks has enveloped the planet. What’s worse, they are also hearing voices inside their heads.

As she was taking the subway to go home one night, Kali awakes from a short nap to find that the subway is completely empty, and New York City is in total silence. In Chile, Tigre finds himself far away from home in a mysterious forest full of otherworldly animals with no memory of how he got there. In Los Angeles, Venus, a well-known and loved pop-star, and Gus, a technician and fan, realize that they are the only two people alive after an earthquake. Finally, the powerful Amon in Egypt seems to know something the others do not and is completely satisfied with what has happened. There seems to be an unfathomable force driving these teenagers to New York City. Some give in to this force, some try to resist it, but all of them want to know why they are the only survivors of this apocalypse. The book follows the teenagers as they explore the unrecognizable world, encounter strange animals who seem to be telepathic and some secret societies who do not seem to contain normal humans, but only deranged lunatics. When the shocking truth is revealed at the end of the novel, there are many different reactions. For some of them, it was amazing news. For others, despairing news.

In my opinion, the characters in this book are extremely well-developed. They have diverse personalities and show different reactions to the end of the world. For example, Kali mistakenly thinks that she has made the people disappear, while Venus is foolishly worried about the fact that the media will photograph her hanging out with a fan. Their thoughts and actions are relatable and they prompt you to think if you would do the same thing if you were in their place. I also think the author does a great job of keeping the plot gripping even though it takes place in a boring, dead world, ruled by crystal creatures.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a big fan of science fiction and mystery novels. The author uses casual language, so the book can be quickly understood. I also recommend reading the second book, Shadow Falling, because, as you will find out, the story is not over at the end of this book.