Forgive me if I descend into hyperbole during this review. It's difficult not to do so.
Thrilling. Rousing. Captivating. Fabulous. These are just a few words to describe "The 5th Wave". 483 pages can seem a hefty load for some readers but they fly by, and when it's over, they'll beg for more. Don't believe me? Just read the chapter sampler available here on Amazon and you'll see what I mean.
The Story: Alien apocalypse novel meets "The Hunger Games" meets "The Passage" meets the wild and wonderful imagination of Rick Yancey ("The Monstrumologist").
That should be enough to hook you, but here's some more.
The Characters:
16-year old Cassie is an authentic and memorable protagonist. She's strong but doesn't overestimate her capabilities; compassionate, but won't hesitate to kill in order to survive; loyal, and willing to put her life on the line for those she loves; feisty and bullheaded, sometimes to a fault, and possessed of a dry sense of humor. Yancey gives her a unique voice and makes her every bit as intriguing as fellow YA heroine Katniss Everdeen; given time, she may even surpass her in that genre's realm of badass chicks. And speaking of Suzanne Collin's juggernaut trilogy, I very much foresee Cassie, like Katniss before her, becoming torn between two men.
Ben Parish (Cassie's high school crush) and Evan (a young man Cassie encounters later on) are both strong male characters. They have the potential to come across as archetypes to some readers but this story is far from over; there is much more to learn about these two and I predict significant character growth for both (the former moreso than the latter) on down the line.
Sam, Cassie's younger brother, is precious and I very much enjoyed his character but the way in which he is written in the latter half of the book made it hard for me to believe at times that he was only six years old. Then again, Sam loses some of his innocence along with his childhood due to many unsavory experiences and that can alter a child's outlook and level of maturity significantly. I guess I'm picking nits here.
The rest of the cast proves interesting, the introduction to the villainous Vosch creating a canvas for an antagonist that readers will love to hate with every wicked stroke of Yancey's cerebral paintbrush. Ben's small band of rebels sport interesting nicknames (Oomba, Teacup, Poundcake, etc.) along with interesting personalities - I look forward to how their group will evolve and how each member will get their shining moment.
The Writing:
The book possesses an exhilarating narrative, one that will hypnotize readers and leave them wanting more. In his Afterword, Yancey jokes of his editor having tested his endurance by pushing him to write countless drafts. His proficiency in whittling words shows in tight, efficient prose, delivering constant action and gripping peril; it will grab a reader by the shirt collar and haul him/her into unexpected and nail-biting marathon reading sessions. Broken down into thirteen parts with brief but hooking chapters, the primarily 1st person narrative switches voices between three characters (Cassie, Ben, Sam) and there is rarely (if ever) a dull moment in the storyline.
Gripes:
This list is short but a few things I wondered about while reading were this: How was Cassie procuring ammo for her M16? I don't remember Yancey's narrative explaining this. Also, how long was Cassie on her own before she met Evan and how/where was she finding food and water during this period? Yancey doesn't specify. But as an astute reader told me, "Perhaps we're meant to live the story through experiences, not dates."
So what's the best part of "The 5th Wave"? It's the first of a trilogy.
The worst part? Having to wait for the next book.
So step on it, Yancey - I'm long on anticipation and short on patience.
*Bonus for Kindle Readers: There is a sample of "The Monstrumologist", another highly-rated series by Yancey, at the end of the book.
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It’s hard to plan for what comes next when what comes next is not something you planned for.Highlighted by 3,391 Kindle readers- “God doesn’t call the equipped, son. God equips the called. And you have been called.”Highlighted by 1,758 Kindle readers
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Totally met all the hype!
Okay, so going into this book, I was expecting it not to meet all the hype surrounding it. But The 5th Wave blew me away.At first, I wasn't aware it was varying viewpoints, so the switch of perspectives took me off guard for half a second. Mainly because it is first person and it didn't outright show that it was a different character.However, going back, I realize that the writing for each character is totally different!Throughout the whole book, it was edge-of-your-seat exciting and intense. Once you think you know what's going on/going to happen, Yancey throws you through ten loops and changes EVERYTHING you thought was true.The plots were incredible as well as devastating.The romance aspect, what little there was, I didn't like all that much, I think it might've increased my interest if certain plot points regarding the romance had taken a different turn.But all-in-all, I absolutely loved this book. I was in the mood for aliens after reading 172 Hours on the Moon and The 5th Wave did not disappoint!
