The Girl with All the Gifts

[asakiyume]

Have people read this? I had heard about it and was mildly curious because of the child protagonist, but not curious enough to overcome my dislike of zombie stories. Then I read Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone's comments on the movie (here), which really interested me--so I read it.

I reviewed it on Goodreads. I did indeed like Melanie, the young protagonist. As expected, I didn't much care for a lot of the mainstay things that you apparently need to have in a zombie/horror story, but I could just page on by.

The thing that got me was the ending--so this discussion should only be for people who've either read the book/seen the movie or don't mind spoilers.



The story ends with the hungry children--the next-gen humans--in a classroom with hazmat-suit-protected Ms. Justineau settling in to teach them the Greek alphabet. Why? Why would these self-sufficient children have any use for human culture? It felt to me as if the author couldn't bear his own conclusion--that humanity was DONE--and so had it be that these kids are going to somehow imbibe the culture and carry it forward. Next thing you know they'll be setting up a stock exchange and wearing gloves--what's changed?

Thoughts?

Comments

[yifu]

What's supposed to be implied here is that Justineau may teach the children to shape a better world, her having seen the ills of the vanished one. (Too optimistic, huh?)

[asakiyume]

I just can't see why the kids would be bothered...

[rachelmanija]

I thought because Melanie cared because she loved Miss Justineau and because Miss Justine had earlier taught her that that culture was valuable and worth preserving. And the other kids were there because Melanie had become their leader, they respected her, and if she said they should learn something, they were willing to learn it.

[asakiyume]

I think yes: that's the in-story logic. I do completely accept Melanie's commitment to culture. I'm less persuaded that the other kids would go along with it. I guess, yes, they could acknowledge Melanie's prowess, but in a generation? Once Melanie's gone, where will the driving force be to learn about Pandora?

From a meta perspective, it seems to me to be weird veering away from the concept of something truly different inheriting the earth. I can see how Melanie's wanting to preserve human culture is a great testament to her love, and that's worthwhile meta-thing on its own, regardless of what's happening with humanity and the fungus, but I guess I just felt like somehow humanity squeaked out an unearned victory if culture gets to survive. But maybe the point is that it's not unearned. IDK.