The Boy who Lived by D. N. Moore

Seventeen-year-old Oliver Mc’Neil has never been outside. Like everyone else in the Fifth City in the year 2085, he and his mother live in an apartment where the air and water are sterile, their food is couriered to them, and all their activities—work, school, exercise, entertainment—are done indoors on sims, machines that simulate life using computer monitors, virtual reality headsets, and holograms.

When Oliver wakes up in the middle of the woods drugged and delirious, he has no idea how he got there, but he is certain it is a death sentence. He is taken in by the rugged and beautiful Autumn, whose family is loud, rambunctious, and three children over the legal birth limit. They are outlaws, living with thousands of others in a network of underground caves, where modern technology is forbidden and secrecy is paramount. Oliver must learn to survive in a land that is wild and dangerous, while battling voices in his head that haunt him day and night. He doesn’t know if the hallucinations are due to withdrawals from the mind-numbing medication he has taken every day of his life, or if he truly is the monster he appears to be. One thing he is certain of: he will do whatever it takes to protect Autumn, the girl who saved his life.

Cave sentries begin to go missing, leading to a series of disasters and growing suspicion about Oliver’s appearance in the caves. Now his choices will either save or endanger his friends. Will he ever be able to trust himself in this strange new life?

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The Boy Who Learned to Live is a thought-provoking exploration of survival, self-discovery, and the tension between a controlled, sterile society and the chaotic wilderness beyond. D. N. Moore crafts a gripping narrative in which the boundaries between technology and nature, sanity and madness, are continually blurred, leaving the reader questioning what is real.

Set in the year 2085, the novel introduces seventeen-year-old Oliver Mc’Neil, who has lived his entire life in the Fifth City—a claustrophobic urban environment where all aspects of life are virtual, monitored, and sterilized - a future that's looking increasingly likely, with the rise of Zoom meetings, home schooling and VR games. The stark contrast between Oliver's isolated, technology-dependent existence and the raw, untamed world he is thrust into forms the crux of the story.

Oliver's sudden dislocation from his sanitized existence to the underground, technology-free caves is jarring both for him and the reader. His struggle to adapt to a life where he must rely on his instincts and the help of others, particularly Autumn—an enigmatic girl with a fierce sense of independence—drives the emotional core of the narrative. Autumn's family, living outside the constraints of Fifth City law and embracing a life full of noise, disobedience, and survival in the wild, serves as an interesting foil to Oliver’s prior life. Their dynamic is compelling and gives the novel its warmth and heart.

What sets this novel apart is Moore’s handling of Oliver's internal turmoil. Drug withdrawals, the hallucinatory voices he hears, and his constant self-doubt keep the reader on edge, unsure whether Oliver is a victim of his circumstances or a perpetrator of some darker force. The blend of psychological suspense with a survivalist plot adds depth to the story, as the lines between Oliver’s reality and his delusions grow increasingly difficult to navigate. This aspect of the story will resonate with readers who enjoy unraveling complex, introspective characters.

The tension escalates when strange disappearances within the caves and growing suspicion about Oliver’s arrival propel the plot toward a tense climax. The stakes become personal as Oliver is forced to confront not only the external dangers of the wilderness but also the fears and doubts within himself. The question of whether he can ever trust his own mind becomes just as urgent as his need to trust others.

If you enjoyed Devil on My Back by Monica Hughes, you'll likely appreciate the way The Boy Who Learned to Live similarly grapples with the theme of a young person learning to navigate a harsh, unfamiliar world while questioning the nature of their own identity. Both novels explore the complexities of survival and the psychological scars left by living in oppressive, controlled environments, making them excellent companion reads.

Overall, The Boy Who Learned to Live is a gripping and emotionally charged story that raises profound questions about the cost of technology, the journey to self-acceptance, and the power of human connection. Moore’s writing style immerses readers in a bleak, captivating world, and Oliver’s journey is one of intense personal growth. This novel will appeal to fans of dystopian fiction, psychological thrillers, and stories about resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

Strengths:

• Compelling character arc for Oliver, driven by internal and external conflict.
• Rich world-building that contrasts sterile technology with the wild, untamed world outside.
• Psychological depth, particularly in exploring Oliver’s drug withdrawals and hallucinations.
• Tension-filled plot that keeps the reader guessing.

Challenges:

• The pace can feel slow at times, particularly in the early chapters as Oliver adjusts to his new life.
• The intensity of Oliver’s internal struggle may be overwhelming for some readers, but for others, it will deepen the emotional impact.

Book Recommendation:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
If you enjoyed the survival aspects of The Boy Who Learned to Live, The Maze Runner offers a similar sense of disorientation and urgency. Thomas, the protagonist, wakes up in a mysterious maze with no memory of how he got there, and alongside other "runners," he must navigate a perilous world that seems designed to trap them. Like Oliver, Thomas faces both external and internal challenges, pushing him to question who he can trust and whether he can survive in an environment that's far from the controlled world he once knew. The fast-paced, dystopian survival elements and the mystery surrounding the maze make it an exciting read for fans of psychological and survival thrillers.

Movie Recommendation:

The Road (2009)
For a film that captures a similar sense of survival in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world, The Road, based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel, would be an excellent choice. The story follows a father and son as they journey through a bleak, desolate landscape, scavenging for food and trying to stay alive while facing both environmental and human threats. The film’s somber tone, intense emotional depth, and the battle between holding onto humanity in a collapsing world parallel many of the themes in The Boy Who Learned to Live, particularly Oliver's struggle to survive and find his place in a world that seems both alien and threatening.

The Boy Who Learned to Live publishes on the 25th of November, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.