We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
Hi, my name is Rya. I am a sophomore and I enjoy reading, swimming and traveling.
The alien abductions became a regular occurrence in Henry’s life. Every so often, they would capture him in their spacecraft, rob him of whatever belongings he was carrying, and remind him of his responsibility to save the world. According to them, Earth’s survival depends entirely on Henry’s decision to press a big red button. However, Henry has been struggling with the death of a family member, bullying, and other difficult experiences, which makes him wonder if the small bouts of joy, combined with the endless hardships of life, are enough to make the world worth saving.
Throughout this novel, the idea of the apocalypse is presented through a big-picture, scientific lens, with theoretical examples of the end of the world, as well as a human-centered lens, with a detailed narrative of Henry’s high school life. Both are intriguing accounts of the same idea and force the reader to consider just how insignificant and temporary humans are, which is something that we neglect every day amidst the complexity of our individual lives. After all, we are the ants, tiny organisms scurrying around, so hard-working, so self-involved, yet so ignorant of the vast universe that we are only a part of, and powerless in.
