Author: Lucas Klauss
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Fiction
How I Got It: Galley Grab
Goodreads Summary:
Phillip's sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him for a group of douchebags. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment...and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that.
But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back.
As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?
But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back.
As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?
By the third chapter this is what you think you know:
At this point you think you've got the book figured out. There will be some growing pains, some self discoveries, girls, and an angry father. You keep on reading because Klauss is a great writer, Phillip is a relatable and witty character, and the story is good.
And then you start to realize that this book isn't as predictable as you thought it was. In fact, it's not doing anything you were expecting.
Reading Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse was a lot like Phillip's growing awareness of the people around him: nothing is what it seems, nobody is what we expect.
Phillip is a bit apathetic about the world around him, he's just going through the motions, not really making choices for himself. He doesn't really obsess about the end of the world, it's like an old habit left over from his mother, something he picked up from her. The loss of his mother has isolated his family from each other, and Phillip wants to talk, but he doesn't know how. While becoming a Christian wasn't his original goal, events seem out of his control because he keeps doing what he thinks Rebekah and his coach want. Christianity forces him to start thinking and asking questions, not just about whether or not he agrees with the teachings of a fundamentalist church, but opening up to his dad, forgiving friends (and himself) and letting other friends go. It's essentially a book about growing up and making some of the hard choices that go along with that.
Klauss writes a really good teenager. His characters curse (but not tons, it's natural and not overdone), they drink, party, and want to meet girls. Phillip and is friends are typical teenagers who run into the typical problems: growing apart, trying new things, jealous, new friends, etc. Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse was a witty book filled with multi-dimensional characters. Characters didn't do what you expected them to do, because like real people, you don't know their whole life, just the face they show you/Phillip.
In the end, I don't think this book was about religion, or evangelizing, or even spreading the Word to readers. I saw the religious aspect of the book more of a vehicle to force Phillip to confront some things in his life. At every point characters are telling Phillip he needs to think about what he's doing or saying he believes in. He wants answers, he wants things fixed, he wants to be comfortable and accepted, and he thinks religion will give him this. Then he learns that he's actually supposed to be thinking about his "faith" and then he starts questioning how the Bible is interpreted by this particular denomination, and he's forced to actually make some decisions about his life.
- Phillip's mother was obsessed with the end of the world.
- She has died.
- Phillips father is a raging atheist.
- Phillips cross country coach is a bully.
- The only way Rebekah will like Phillip is if he becomes a Christian.
At this point you think you've got the book figured out. There will be some growing pains, some self discoveries, girls, and an angry father. You keep on reading because Klauss is a great writer, Phillip is a relatable and witty character, and the story is good.
And then you start to realize that this book isn't as predictable as you thought it was. In fact, it's not doing anything you were expecting.
Reading Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse was a lot like Phillip's growing awareness of the people around him: nothing is what it seems, nobody is what we expect.
Phillip is a bit apathetic about the world around him, he's just going through the motions, not really making choices for himself. He doesn't really obsess about the end of the world, it's like an old habit left over from his mother, something he picked up from her. The loss of his mother has isolated his family from each other, and Phillip wants to talk, but he doesn't know how. While becoming a Christian wasn't his original goal, events seem out of his control because he keeps doing what he thinks Rebekah and his coach want. Christianity forces him to start thinking and asking questions, not just about whether or not he agrees with the teachings of a fundamentalist church, but opening up to his dad, forgiving friends (and himself) and letting other friends go. It's essentially a book about growing up and making some of the hard choices that go along with that.
Klauss writes a really good teenager. His characters curse (but not tons, it's natural and not overdone), they drink, party, and want to meet girls. Phillip and is friends are typical teenagers who run into the typical problems: growing apart, trying new things, jealous, new friends, etc. Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse was a witty book filled with multi-dimensional characters. Characters didn't do what you expected them to do, because like real people, you don't know their whole life, just the face they show you/Phillip.
In the end, I don't think this book was about religion, or evangelizing, or even spreading the Word to readers. I saw the religious aspect of the book more of a vehicle to force Phillip to confront some things in his life. At every point characters are telling Phillip he needs to think about what he's doing or saying he believes in. He wants answers, he wants things fixed, he wants to be comfortable and accepted, and he thinks religion will give him this. Then he learns that he's actually supposed to be thinking about his "faith" and then he starts questioning how the Bible is interpreted by this particular denomination, and he's forced to actually make some decisions about his life.
Some Parts I liked:
Why is this girl being so nice to me? Did I accidentally woo her?
………
I'm not angry because Asher and Mark are making fun of me - we do that all the time. I just really needed one of them to help me.
Because I can't be alone with this girl again. Coming up with a funny animal nickname for your coach only gets you so far. tHis time I'll have to have a real conversation with her, and I have no idea how to do that. I spend most of my time reading fantasy novels, playing computer games, and worrying about ways that human civilization will probably come to a fiery and terrible end.
I'm pretty sure girls don't like talking about those things. So I need someone to help me not talk about them. To say other things. To just be there.
……….
But he doesn't say anything.
He's afraid to ask.
Because I've made him afraid.
But he's the dad. He should ask anyway.
I stare ahead, gripping the steering wheel. My head hurts so bad.
Ask me.
Ask me.
Ask me.
"Phillip, I really don't mean to pry. But this isn't about the parking, is it?"
I don't even look at him.
"I don't want to talk about it," I say…
I can tell he's looking at me, wondering what's wrong with me, what's wrong with him. What's wrong with us.
Verdict:
I was totally caught up in Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse, I hated having to put it down for irritating things like sleep or work. I enjoyed Phillip and his struggle to make connections and figure himself out. I think it's a great contemporary YA book, especially since it's unpredictable. It's a different type of read, and I highly recommend it, but you might want to try it from the library first.
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