Stephen Quinn was born after the war that caused the world to be transformed into an almost apocalyptic state, with no oil, no electricity, and scarce food. He lives with his father and grandfather. His mother has died. They travel as salvagers, collecting and trading found objects for materials needed to survive.
Because Stephen Quinn has been living in this state, with only his father and grandfather, he finds it hard to trust other people he meets. I find it unusual that Stephen would befriend the character, Jenny, who he meets half way through the book.
Jenny lives in the town of Settlers' Landing, formed by a large group of people who are trying to bring back the qualities of life they had before the war. Jenny doesn't feel safe at Settlers Landing because the people in the town don't trust her, and treat her like an outcast. She is called names and ridiculed for being Chinese. (China led the attack on the U.S. that caused this black-out and apocalyptic state the people live in.)
Stephen meets Jenny and is very intrigued by her. He doesn't trust the people of Settlers' Landing either, and has already made a few enemies in the town. Stephen tries his hardest to fit in with the other kids his age, but doesn't trust anyone. Somehow, Jenny is always on his mind, distracting him. He senses that he could trust her.
Jenny is a little hostile. She gets into fights with kids that tease her, she does't go to school, and she doesn't obey authority. Stephen lived his entire life being hostile, with no authority to obey except the rules of his father, and he doesn't obey adults at Settlers Landing either. Though I haven't finished the book, Stephen and Jenny's relationship as friends interests me because of their similarities. I look forward to seeing what other changes or risks Stephen takes later in the book, and how their relationship will develop further.
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