Beneath Our Feet

'Beneath Our Feet' is a young adult novel written by Jack Hartley. In short, this novel is New Zealand’s response to 'sick lit', presenting the heartbreaking love story of Alfie and Dani during the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake. The flashbacks to the earthquake, and descriptions of cordoning and rebuilding the city, felt very familiar and topical.

Our main characters are each struggling with serious life-threatening health conditions (Alfie recently receiving a heart transplant and Dani dealing with cancer recurrence). Together, they learn they have the ability to stop time within the earthquake cordon, allowing them time to get to know each other and fulfil Dani’s bucket list.

What makes this text powerful is its relationships. Dani’s difficult interactions with her father provided insight into families dealing with multiple cancer diagnoses, and Alfie and his friends were so realistic and typically 'kiwi'. At times, you have to suspend disbelief while reading, and live with the fact that some of your questions about are not answered (how are they stopping time?), but overall, this was an emotional reading experience, filled with equal measures of heartbreak and humour.

This book includes references to mild sexual activities, drug and alcohol use, and death.