Henry Denton

Henry Denton is the narrator and main protagonist of the novel. He is a 15-year-old high school student who lives with his mother, his grandmother, and his brother, Charlie. At the beginning of the novel, it is revealed that Henry’s boyfriend, Jesse, committed suicide before the opening and Henry has been struggling with significant grief since his death. Furthermore, Henry is frequently abducted by aliens that he calls sluggers who give Henry the choice to either watch the world die or press a button to save it. However, due to Henry’s extreme grief, the problems his family faces, and the relentless bullying he experiences at school, Henry is uncertain if the world is worth saving. By the end, Henry decides that life is worth living, even if the universe will one day forget everyone who was once a part of it.

There are two very...