Bree Bulischeck

Haunting, bleak at times...but uniquely inspiring. A book about what makes us human. In a world where nothing makes sense, 39 women and one girl live in captivity underground. They try to navigate their mundane and brutal existences, surviving off of limited food and sleep, unable to touch one another. Men with whips and guns guard their cage at all times. Memories of their former lives filled with careers, children, and spouses, start to fade as the years go on. The girl, however, has no memories of this. She has grown up in captivity. As she ages and becomes more curious, she realizes that she is not like these women. This is the only world she has known. One day, when an alarm goes off and the guards disappear, the women and the girl are able to leave the cage, and cautiously explore the unknown world above. With nothing but their community in each other, and the hope that burns in their hearts, they venture into the unknown. Favorite quote: "I was forced to acknowledge too late, much too late, that I too had loved, that I was capable of suffering, and that I was human after all."