Trapped review

Description:The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

My Thoughts:

This book had me paranoid. It started snowing the day I got it and started snowing again after I finished it. I wanted to grab a flashlight, a radio, and canned foods while walking around in my snow boots (I didn't really have them on). But then I remembered it was North Carolina and stayed where I was. This realistic story made me question myself more times than I can count. Would I survive if I were in the same or similar situation? I don’t know, but I don’t think I really want to know. I think other readers would feel the same way. Most can relate to the uncertainty that comes with having to rely on self when the chips are down. 

One of the greatest things about this book is how Northrop’s writing shows his understanding of young teens and their emotions, and the way they interact with others. What made this story even more gripping was that Northrop didn’t shy away from tough topics. One of the most effective ways he does this is through Scotty’s sometimes frightening but truthful narration. The main character regularly points out the foreshadowing of the story while he recalls what happened, and lets us know that this isn’t a happy story. Many times, Scotty alluded to the fact that not everyone would make it in the end.  This is a story that’s easy to start but hard to let go of and forget, it may even stay with you for days and weeks after you finish it. I haven’t read Michael Northrop’s Gentlemen, but after reading Trapped I can’t wait to read Michael Northrop’s other YA book!