by Ann Aguirre
First published 2011
Deuce turns fifteen in the tunnels beneath ruined New York City. War and plague drove survivors underground generations ago, where people rarely live past their early twenties. The enclave assigns Deuce her role as Huntress, pairing her with Fade, a teenage Hunter who spent his childhood on the surface. Together they discover something terrifying: the Freaks that roam the tunnels have destroyed a neighboring enclave. These monsters appear more organized than before, but the enclave elders dismiss their warnings. When Deuce and Fade are banished for their persistence, she must leave the only world she has known. Born in perpetual darkness, Deuce now faces daylight in the devastated city above. Fade's childhood memories become their only guide through streets controlled by violent gangs. In this wasteland where few dare to venture, two young people confront dangers that test everything they believe about survival and each other.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, survival, adventure, young-adult, post-apocalyptic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, fast-paced, gritty, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, forced-proximity, found-family
Setting: New York City, Underground tunnels, Enclave
Period: Post-apocalyptic future
261 pages · Paperback · Square Fish Macmillan
Content warnings: death, violence