Love in the Time of Global Warming

Block, F. (2013). Love in the Time of Global Warming. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co.

Penelope's life has just been turned upside down when her hometown of Los Angeles has been destroyed by the Earth Shaker.  A huge wave and an earthquake destroyed the city and everything around it.  By holding up her hand, she was able to stop a wall of water that was about to crash into her home.  Now her family is missing and she is alone in her house.  She has food and water that her father stock-piled in the basement.   She stays there alone for several months until she hears a group of men that break into her house.  One of the men, Merk, who says he knew her parents helps her escape.  He gives her the keys to a van and a map to help her find her parents and little brother, Venice.  As she sets off, she stops at a well known store to stock up on supplies.  While she is there, she is confronted by a pile of human bones at the entrance to the store.  She enters and is then confronted by a giant, who grabs her.  She stabs the giant in the eye and gets away.  She drives through the ruined city and then finds a hotel named the Lotus Hotel, with several survivors.  There she meets Hex, a boy who she becomes friends with.  Hex tells her about where the giants came from.  They were a science experiment by a mad scientist, Kronen.   She stays at the hotel for several days with Hex, drunk on lotus flower wine, until a giant comes and says he is looking for the person that blinded his brother, Bull.  Hex and Penelope, or Pen, get away and drive through the city.  They encounter sirens in Beverly Hills, a witch, and more giants in the art  museum.  They also befriend a boy Ez, who they rescued from the witch.  They continue their journey into the desert, and met another survivor, Ash, who they take on their journey.  As they meet these different people, Pen is able to see visions of their lives as children.  In the desert, they meet a girl in a desert oasis that is named Tara, who they think is a goddess.  She is able to tell Pen  to look for her mother in Las Vegas.  While they are at Tara's, Hex and Pen begin to fall in love and have a sexual encounter.  Hex also reveals to Pen that he was born a she, and is transgender.  This doesn't stop the feelings Pen has for Hex.  The story continues as they make their way to Las Vegas to find Pen's family.  She finds her mother, who was captured by Kronen.  It is revealed to Pen that her father worked for Kronen, but was then fired because her father wanted to expose the work Kronen was doing ( creating giants).  Pen is unable to save her mother, and her friends have disappeared.  Then Merk appears again.  Merk tells Pen how he worked for Kronen, but wanted to save her because she is really his daughter.  Merk drives her back home to Los Angeles, where her brother is waiting for her.  They begin a new life together and plant a garden together.  At the end, her friends, Hex, Ez, and Ash, who she thought she would never see again, come to her house. 

There are many different topics going on in this science fiction book that would appeal to YA readers.  First, the book and journey are parallel to Homer's  The Odyssey, which is mentioned in the book several times, as well as pieces from The Odyssey entwined throughout the story.  There is also the science fiction piece, where giants that have been cloned and genetically mutated are roaming the area, eating people.  Third, there is the different love interests that include both transgender and a gay love interest as well. Ez and Ash also have a romantic interest with one another.  Pen is also a strong female character, who will do anything to find her family.  There is also symbolism throughout the story.  The lotus flower is a symbol of rebirth, beauty, purity, and spiritual awakening in many different religions and cultures.  Pen also sees butterflies that help led her journey.  Pen's mother was fond of butterflies and had butterfly tattoos.  Butterflies are a symbol of change, joy, and color in Native American religions.  Many other religions see the butterfly as a symbol of resurrection and transformation.   Pen does transform from a scared girl, to a strong person, able to fight for her family.  YA  readers can relate to fighting for what you love.  Love in the Time of Global Warming won the 2013 American Library Association Rainbow Award, which awards book based on GLBTQ experiences. 

Francesca Lia Block is the winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, which awards authors for their contributions to YA literature.  She has written many books for both young adults and adult readers.