A review by nerfherder86
Aftershocks by Marisa Reichardt

5.0

Excellent realistic fiction story about surviving calamity and facing survivor's guilt. High school senior Ruby's trip to the local laundromat ends in literal disaster, when a 7.8 earthquake strikes and she is trapped in the rubble. Unable to free herself, she endures the many hours and days of waiting by talking to a young man she'd only just met who's also trapped near her. They share life stories and Ruby agonizes about her many worries, such as her inability to speak up about her best friend's evident alcoholism and her anger over her mom dating her water polo coach. Eventually, in a very difficult effort, she's able to free herself and get medical attention. But her worries are far from over, because she's unable to find her family, and she has to face her many losses from the quake and its aftershocks. She learns to really appreciate the important things in life and to let go of others. This is a book that you might think is just an action story but ends up being a very thoughtful, sad and emotional story. There are a few poems sprinkled throughout, that show crucial emotional points of Ruby's journey in a more intimate way. Excellent book for teens.