From start to finish Iz the Apocalypse by Susan Currie was inspiring, heartbreaking, hopeful and extremely hard to put down. 

Iz is a fourteen year old girl in foster care who as a reputation for being explosive. When she hears a performance by a school of music group called Manifesto, something is unlocked within the core of her being. This sets in motion a fierce desire to do whatever it takes to become a part of the music and join Manifesto, even if it means taking the biggest risk of her life.

I love to read at night, before bed, snuggled under the covers. Its a wonderful way to wind down the day but reading Iz the Apocalypse before bed was a recipe for late nights and exhaustion. This story is so compelling it is impossible to put down. A just-one-more-chapter story that all of a sudden becomes midnight on a school night and impossible to fall asleep without knowing what’s going to happen with Iz. Susan Currie’s aptitude for weaving a story that is engaging and heartfelt is brilliant. Her storytelling was thoughtful and authentic. It was absolutely impossible not to connect with Iz. Even though our circumstances and teenage years were completely different, I was totally drawn to her as a character.

Susan Currie includes very real depictions of life in foster care for young people. Foster care can leave invisible scars. Many children do not know their rights as wards of the foster system. There is a whole discussion about children with exceptionalities and not being granted access to what they need, when they need it to be successful not just in school but as they grow to be adults and age out of the system. This book shines a brilliant spotlight on these children and will hopefully guide readers to empathy and understanding.

The supporting cast was equally as compelling as Iz, especially those at Métier School. The kindness and compassion demonstrated is aspirational. If only all schools could teach and students could learn according to their own needs and not the prescriptions of governing bodies. I especially loved that the school was portrayed as a collaborative space and a space of support. There were no egos and no bullying among the students at Métier.

Iz the Apocalypse is a must read in my opinion and a book that will continue to live with readers long after the author’s acknowledgements.