On the Edge of Gone takes place during and shortly after an apocalyptic event, featuring a diverse cast and centring Denise’s search for her queer sister and her attempts to keep her family safe. But what can an autistic teenager really do when faced with the end of the world? Far more than she gives herself credit for.
Publisher’s Description:
January 29, 2035.
That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit—the big one. Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter near their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time.
Then a last-minute encounter leads them to something better than a temporary shelter: a generation ship that’s scheduled to leave Earth behind and colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But each passenger must have a practical skill to contribute. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister?
When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?
Genre: Science Fiction
Representation:
Gender:
Cis girls: Denise, Fatima, Mirjam, Sanne
Cis boys: Max
Trans girls: Iris
Trans boy: Rens
Sexuality:
Lesbian: Els
Bisexual: Iris
Heterosexual: Denise, Max, Mirjam, Sanne
Romantic Orientation:
Homoromantic: Els
Biromantic: Iris
Heteroromantic: Denise, Max, Mirjam, Sanne
Race/Ethnicity:
White: Max, Mirjam
Dutch-Surinamese: Denise, Iris
Religion:
Judaism: Max
Islam: Fatima, Samira
Disability:
Denise is autistic and her mother is a drug addict.
Location: The Netherlands
Trigger Warnings:
Drug addiction
Additional Notes:
Aside from the listed main characters and most prominent secondary cast, the book features a diverse cast all-around.
Ownvoices: Ownvoices for autism as well as Dutch culture.
Ending: Happy For Now