The Tomorrow Project

A braided account of the apocalypse, this heartbreaking near-future thriller from Critchlow (Unsolved, written as Heather Critchlow) follows three protagonists as they struggle with the end and the beginning of civilization. In 2050, a deadly virus is sweeping the U.K. Marianne, press secretary to the prime minister, goes against her own government’s policy by smuggling unapproved children aboard the evacuation trains in hopes of saving their lives. Single mother Sofie, who dreams of escaping back to France, surrenders her seven-year-old daughter, Maia, to Marianne to get her out of plague-overrun London. Missing her maman, Maia makes the unsanctioned journey to the rural evacuation camp and tries to blend in with the officially selected children. Years later, when camp resources begin to run out, Maia sets out for London determined to discover what happened to Sofie. Readers will find it easy to root for Maia in this quest, but even her success may come with a price. Critchlow keeps the worldbuilding fairly loose, eliding some technical details of life at the evacuation camp, but she sharply examines the ways people in and out of power react to a world-shattering crisis. This brisk adventure offers both excitement and food for thought. (Apr.)