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The 5th Wave #1
The 5th Wave
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2013)After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
457 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2013
About the author
Rick Yancey
35 books9,799 followersaka Richard Yancey.
Rick is a native Floridian and a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in English which he put to use as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service. Inspired and encouraged by his wife, he decided his degree might also be useful in writing books and in 2004 he began writing full-time.
Since then he has launched two critically acclaimed series: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, for young readers, and The Highly Effective Detective, for adults. Both books are set in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Rick lived for ten years before returning to Florida.
Rick is a native Floridian and a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in English which he put to use as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service. Inspired and encouraged by his wife, he decided his degree might also be useful in writing books and in 2004 he began writing full-time.
Since then he has launched two critically acclaimed series: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, for young readers, and The Highly Effective Detective, for adults. Both books are set in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Rick lived for ten years before returning to Florida.
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October 9, 2015
“If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans.” - Stephen Hawking
Sometimes, I am lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of a book and go into it with as close to no expectations as possible. I haven't read any reviews before, so the first experience is entirely my own, as I find it.
And sometimes I love these books. Sometimes I give them 4 or 5 star reviews, rated purely based on the emotional high I experienced. I am an emotional reader and an emotional rater afterall. Sometimes these books get read by a few people and disappear, and sometimes they take off and become huge, gaining ever more praise and criticism. It is this latter experience that always has a strange effect on me.
Because, when I read The 5th Wave, I enjoyed it immensely. Enough, even, to write a song, with my sister, inspired by it. I thought it was atmospheric and perfectly creepy. I could sense the distrust and fear in the air. But later, after time had passed and the immediate emotional effect had waned, I was reading the negative reviews and felt somewhat... embarrassed by my part in the hype.
Was it really that good? To deserve all this hype? Is any book ever that good? Should I have been more critical? Should I be embarrassed by my gushy, bright-eyed emotional response? I feel this way about so many books that I rave about early and that become huge later. An Ember in the Ashes is another good example.
People say they don't understand the hype, that The 5th Wave doesn't even deserve to be classed as science-fiction, that it is - literally - "the worst book I have ever read". And I find myself, post-emotional response, agreeing to many things said.
Is The 5th Wave really that original? I guess not. Is it so mind-blowing that it deserved all that gushy praise I gave it? Maybe it wasn't. Look at it for what it is and can you honestly say it's that good? Probably not.
And yet, I read it again, knowing what I did not know the first time around. I read it and I once again felt that atmosphere of loneliness, sadness and distrust. It's not a logical thing and it might not make sense to a lot of people, but it pulls me so entirely inside this book.
Maybe emotional responses don't hold up under a critical eye. Maybe this book doesn't objectively deserve the praise I heap upon it. All I know is that for a little while, this book took me completely out of this world and affected me enough that I wanted to gush and praise and write a song.
I won't offer promises of originality or great science-fiction. I'll just stand as an example of someone who read this book in 2013 and again now and, for whatever reason, loved it.
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February 24, 2014
Attention Mister Rick Yancey,
I have kidnapped your review. Your review is not harmed and shall be released as soon as you meet my demands.
In exchange for giving you back your review, which I am prepared to do, you will first need to provide for me:
1 copy of The 5th Wave #2 – undamaged, complete, unmarked (except for your signature or a stylized message to me).
This copy of The 5th Wave #2 must also contain certain characters unharmed and ready for me to snuggle them in my imagination.
Characters include:
Cassie – Because she’s badass
Zombie – Because he’s adorable.
Nugget – Don’t ever even think about hurting him.
Ringer – She is my hero.
The Silencer (I won’t mention its real name here so as not to spoil) – This character is essential. Failure to provide this character will result in immediate disposal of your review. I’m not even kidding.
Please leave my requested item in my PO Box. Do not call the police – they can’t help you for I am no longer human at this point but a starved, ghost-like creature dependent on my next hit of The 5th Wave lest I waste away. If I see that you have called the police (or the next best thing, your publisher) then you will leave me with no choice but to kill the review.
I’m sorry it had to come to this, Mister Yancey. I had hoped that we could come to some kind of reasonable arrangement. But you had to go and write a wonderful book and the next one is not due for publication until August 2014. August 2014? Now do you see how you have pushed me into a corner here? I’m an everyday hero, doing what I must to survive.
Once my demands are met, I will upload the review as promised. Think about this, Yancey. Nobody needs to get hurt here. We can all win.
Sincerely,
Kat Kennedy
An ARC was supplied to me by the publisher for the purpose of greater understanding American line dancing. Alas, all I used it for were review purposes that I was in no way paid for. Bummer.
This review can also be found on my blog, Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
FYI, Yancey has responded to my demands:
I'm afraid this is war, Mister Yancey. We will do what we have the heart to do, in order to get this book. You've been warned.
I have kidnapped your review. Your review is not harmed and shall be released as soon as you meet my demands.
In exchange for giving you back your review, which I am prepared to do, you will first need to provide for me:
1 copy of The 5th Wave #2 – undamaged, complete, unmarked (except for your signature or a stylized message to me).
This copy of The 5th Wave #2 must also contain certain characters unharmed and ready for me to snuggle them in my imagination.
Characters include:
Cassie – Because she’s badass
Zombie – Because he’s adorable.
Nugget – Don’t ever even think about hurting him.
Ringer – She is my hero.
The Silencer (I won’t mention its real name here so as not to spoil) – This character is essential. Failure to provide this character will result in immediate disposal of your review. I’m not even kidding.
Please leave my requested item in my PO Box. Do not call the police – they can’t help you for I am no longer human at this point but a starved, ghost-like creature dependent on my next hit of The 5th Wave lest I waste away. If I see that you have called the police (or the next best thing, your publisher) then you will leave me with no choice but to kill the review.
I’m sorry it had to come to this, Mister Yancey. I had hoped that we could come to some kind of reasonable arrangement. But you had to go and write a wonderful book and the next one is not due for publication until August 2014. August 2014? Now do you see how you have pushed me into a corner here? I’m an everyday hero, doing what I must to survive.
Once my demands are met, I will upload the review as promised. Think about this, Yancey. Nobody needs to get hurt here. We can all win.
Sincerely,
Kat Kennedy
An ARC was supplied to me by the publisher for the purpose of greater understanding American line dancing. Alas, all I used it for were review purposes that I was in no way paid for. Bummer.
This review can also be found on my blog, Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
FYI, Yancey has responded to my demands:
I'm afraid this is war, Mister Yancey. We will do what we have the heart to do, in order to get this book. You've been warned.
November 14, 2019
5 FREAKY ALIEN STARS!
You can find the full review and more about this book on my blog
The story :
The characters :
Cassie
Evan :
Ben :
Me while reading the book ( favorite sentences ) :
The first 4 waves were okay but the 5th wave... MIND BLOWING.I seriously didn't expect it at all.And the ending was perfect.Actually one of the best book endings of all time.
You can find the full review and more about this book on my blog
I can't describe how much I enjoyed this book.One of the best alien books I have ever read.This is probably going to be on my top ten favorite books on 2014.The style of writing , the characters everything was beyond perfect.I read the book in about 3 days and it was a great read.
What I really liked about this book was the style of writing.It was unique and very well planned.I must say I was lost on some parts because the book is written is a lot of points of views.There were some moments that I didn't know who was narrating but I got used to it after I learned more about the characters.
The story is what kept me reading this book more and more.It never gets boring.Believe me I was thrilled and excited in every single paragraph.
It's so well written.
The story :
The book is about a girl called Cassie who survived 4 waves of aliens.The first wave shut down the electricity and killed about half million people.The second wave "The red Tsunami" killed more and more.The third one killed 97% of humans and the 4th wave whipped the trust out of people.Now Cassie is alone in a journey to save her little brother.In her adventure she meets a boy called Evan who mixes her thoughts and now she has to decide if she can trust him or not.If she breaks or not the first rule of surviving "TO SURVIVE YOU HAVE TO STAND ALONE"
The characters :
Cassie
Cassie is one of those characters you can't help but like.She is determinated to do what she thinks is right.She is also selfless.Not for a second she thinks about her safety.She is also caring and good at heart.What I really liked about her was her kickass mood.She is trained in karate and she doesn't hesitate to show her skills.
Evan :
I must admit the bro got moves.Seriously he is like a lady master and I want him to give me lesson on that area.He is also calm all the time and I don't remember a single panic word slip from him.
Ben :
Ben is one of those characters we are used to.He is a much of a soldier.Smart,tactics,strong,and the most important he keeps promises that he makes.
Me while reading the book ( favorite sentences ) :
“But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way. I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield.”
“I had it all wrong," he says. "Before I found you, I thought the only way to hold on was to find something to live for. It isn't. To hold on, you have to find something you're willing to die for.”
“Sarcasm doesn't appear to work on him. If that's true, I'm in trouble: It's my normal mode of communication.”“I am a shark, Cassie," he says slowly, drawing the words out, as if he might be speaking to me for the last time. Looking into my eyes with tears in his, as if he's seeing me for the last time. "A shark who dreamed he was a man.”
“What were they thinking? 'It's an alien apocalypse! Quick, grab the beer!”“I took one look at it and demanded that he name three things he isn't good at.
"Roller skating, singing, and talking to girls."
"You left out stalking," I told him as he helped me out of the bed. "I can always tell when you're lurking around corners."
"You only asked for three.”“Is this how humanity waves good-bye?
Hell no.”I highly recommend this book to those who like aliens/paranormal stuff.It's a great fun read.
I want to thank the author for this incredible book.One of my all time favorites.
*Pictures from the review are not mine, I took them mostly from Google images or Tumblr*
May 6, 2013
If you could buy just one book this year, this one should be at the top of your list. I'm just going to say it: this book could very well be the next The Hunger Games! I've never seen a book more likely to be a crowd-pleaser, nor one with more potential to sweep away a legion of fans. This book was so crazily addictive that I read it in literally half a day, and several months afterwards I am still jazzed over its edge-of-your-seat action.
What makes this story awesome, and what elevates it above many other action-oriented novels, is really the writing--taut plotting, a strong narrative voice, snarky humor, and a masterful feeling of grim tension that can only be relieved if you turn the pages fast enough.
The full text of this review appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
What makes this story awesome, and what elevates it above many other action-oriented novels, is really the writing--taut plotting, a strong narrative voice, snarky humor, and a masterful feeling of grim tension that can only be relieved if you turn the pages fast enough.
The full text of this review appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
June 20, 2018
i am not the kind of person who gets off on hating the things everyone loves - i don't really see the value in reading books just to be snarky and contrary and "ohhhh, the plebs are eating this up, but iiii am the internet's arbiter of taste and i only read underappreciated, obscure books and thumb my nose at what is popular."
i do both. i have read Twilight, i have read Fifty Shades of Grey. i like to know what all the hype is about as much as i like to read bunches of underknown stuff. and both those books were fine, for what they were. i don't see the five-star hype, but i also don't see the one-star backlash. they are not terribly well-written, but they fulfill what they set out to do.
so, this isn't me trying to be a wet blanket on what seems to be universal glee. i just 100% do not understand why everyone is raving. and i wish i did.
the book is fine. it, too, does what it sets out to do. i am not really interested in aliens, but i am grateful that this book takes the tired old YA aftermath premise and gives it a new kick by adding aliens. i appreciate the novelty, because most of the books i have read that are similar portray human-ruined worlds, and this one changes that game nicely.
i like that the heroine hates birds. they have a role in the destruction of the world; they are used as a tool by the aliens to help spread the disease that constitutes the third wave in alien domination, and there is the added detail of the owls that watch over the sleeping forms of people in the pre-invasion days. it's creepy, and feeds my quite-sensible "birds are dinosaurs and now they want to make us extinct" concern.
there are some great psychological dimensions in this: who can we trust when the enemy looks just like us? is the only way to stay alive to stay alone? yancey introduces this nicely, and does a good job carrying and developing this theme throughout the book.
and that's about all i can praise.
the love-story elements were particularly baffling. again, this might be my own personal blind-spot. i never really pay much attention to these portions of books, especially in YA novels. they rarely strike me as interesting or realistic - i usually just write them off as something that YA books seem to be contractually obligated to include, because it is expected of them - you need a love triangle, because you need something to set off the tension in the other parts of the story. i usually kind of gloss them as i am reading, with the exceptions of Graceling, On the Jellicoe Road, and pretty much anything Laini Taylor has written. those examples, i feel, successfully incorporated the romance angle into the larger work. but usually, they just seem like perfect-people wish-fulfillment, and are either too melodramatic and silly or too contrived.
this one was something else. this one was a little creepy, and i don't understand why it warms the hearts of others. evan is a weird stalker type, hovering behind closed doors while cassie is sleeping, reading her diary, undressing her while she is unconscious, washing her hair like that dude in that x-files episode. and obviously he has his reasons, but the fact that she keeps catching him in his various lies and is conflicted between not trusting him but still needing him, and genuinely having feelings for him, for me, creates the wrong kind of tension and doesn't ring true, not from someone who supposedly already has trust issues and has killed men for less. i do understand the "any port in a storm" mentality, so i am willing to give this a pass, but since it makes up so much of the story, it kind of casts its shadow wide over my appreciation for the book.
moving onto secrets, twists and turns. again, genuine bafflement that people are praising these in the book, which practically broadcasts its surprises every single time. in a book that frequently mentions chess, you would think it would mask its moves a little better. 1) consider POV, just for one second, and the 2) never, ever trust a milgram test. you see that, and the jig is up for your twist. 3) in a book that so frequently tells you "trust no one," the reader is going to trust no one. so any twist that comes outta that loses its impact.
the only good moment that comes in the form of a twist is the scene with ringer and zombie in the war zone. you know which one i mean. or maybe you don't. not the part where that scene was very well-done.
children and teens being trained as soldiers to fight the enemy, no matter who that enemy is, makes no sense except within the confines of a YA novel, where the audience is presumably the same age as the characters, so it becomes an empathetic experience. there is no convincing reason to not use adults in this capacity. seven-year-olds are not going to win your war for you.
there is also too much repetition in this book. there was a passage i liked:
I might be - no, I probably am - doomed.
But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way.
I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running, not staying, but facing.
Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity.
And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield.
which is pretty cool. i like that as a battle cry.
but then, in the very next chapter, the coolness is undermined by the repetition of this mantra, in the contrast with another character:
"You are the human clay," Vosch whispers fiercely in my ear. "And I am Michelangelo. I am the master builder, and you will be my masterpiece." Pale blue fire in his eyes, burning to the bottom of my soul. "God doesn't call the equipped, son. God equips the called. And you have been called."
He leaves me with a promise. The words burn so hot in my mind, the promise follows me into the deepest hours of the night and into the days that follow.
I will teach you to love death. I will empty you of grief and guilt and self-pity and fill you up with hate and cunning and the spirit of vengeance. I will make my final stand here, Benjamin Thomas Parrish.
Slapping my chest over and over until my skin burns, my heart on fire. And you will be my battlefield.
which is probably something that people like - the turning of the one situation on the other, but there are just too many instances like this in the book - too many convenient echoes and repetitions and breathless realizations of what the fifth wave is. it made the characters less like humans and more like symbols. or chess pieces, to extend the metaphor.
and this was a problem, for me. i never felt like the characters were realistic, or made believable choices. if this was supposed to be a representation of what remains of humanity, it kind of stinks to know that this is what we are left with. the frustrating part is that both cassie and ben have moments of interesting insight, but then continue to act like cardboard people the rest of the time. and ringer is complete hot tough-girl fantasy material. which is a real letdown, because that character could have been so freaking cool.
and i was really looking forward to this, and it genuinely makes me sad to have such a lukewarm reaction. it is the same reaction i had to his book The Monstrumologist, which again, everyone seems to like.
this is me and magic eye puzzles all over again. i wish i could see what you all see.
come to my blog!
i do both. i have read Twilight, i have read Fifty Shades of Grey. i like to know what all the hype is about as much as i like to read bunches of underknown stuff. and both those books were fine, for what they were. i don't see the five-star hype, but i also don't see the one-star backlash. they are not terribly well-written, but they fulfill what they set out to do.
so, this isn't me trying to be a wet blanket on what seems to be universal glee. i just 100% do not understand why everyone is raving. and i wish i did.
the book is fine. it, too, does what it sets out to do. i am not really interested in aliens, but i am grateful that this book takes the tired old YA aftermath premise and gives it a new kick by adding aliens. i appreciate the novelty, because most of the books i have read that are similar portray human-ruined worlds, and this one changes that game nicely.
i like that the heroine hates birds. they have a role in the destruction of the world; they are used as a tool by the aliens to help spread the disease that constitutes the third wave in alien domination, and there is the added detail of the owls that watch over the sleeping forms of people in the pre-invasion days. it's creepy, and feeds my quite-sensible "birds are dinosaurs and now they want to make us extinct" concern.
there are some great psychological dimensions in this: who can we trust when the enemy looks just like us? is the only way to stay alive to stay alone? yancey introduces this nicely, and does a good job carrying and developing this theme throughout the book.
and that's about all i can praise.
the love-story elements were particularly baffling. again, this might be my own personal blind-spot. i never really pay much attention to these portions of books, especially in YA novels. they rarely strike me as interesting or realistic - i usually just write them off as something that YA books seem to be contractually obligated to include, because it is expected of them - you need a love triangle, because you need something to set off the tension in the other parts of the story. i usually kind of gloss them as i am reading, with the exceptions of Graceling, On the Jellicoe Road, and pretty much anything Laini Taylor has written. those examples, i feel, successfully incorporated the romance angle into the larger work. but usually, they just seem like perfect-people wish-fulfillment, and are either too melodramatic and silly or too contrived.
this one was something else. this one was a little creepy, and i don't understand why it warms the hearts of others. evan is a weird stalker type, hovering behind closed doors while cassie is sleeping, reading her diary, undressing her while she is unconscious, washing her hair like that dude in that x-files episode. and obviously he has his reasons, but the fact that she keeps catching him in his various lies and is conflicted between not trusting him but still needing him, and genuinely having feelings for him, for me, creates the wrong kind of tension and doesn't ring true, not from someone who supposedly already has trust issues and has killed men for less. i do understand the "any port in a storm" mentality, so i am willing to give this a pass, but since it makes up so much of the story, it kind of casts its shadow wide over my appreciation for the book.
moving onto secrets, twists and turns. again, genuine bafflement that people are praising these in the book, which practically broadcasts its surprises every single time. in a book that frequently mentions chess, you would think it would mask its moves a little better. 1) consider POV, just for one second, and the 2) never, ever trust a milgram test. you see that, and the jig is up for your twist. 3) in a book that so frequently tells you "trust no one," the reader is going to trust no one. so any twist that comes outta that loses its impact.
the only good moment that comes in the form of a twist is the scene with ringer and zombie in the war zone. you know which one i mean. or maybe you don't. not the part where that scene was very well-done.
children and teens being trained as soldiers to fight the enemy, no matter who that enemy is, makes no sense except within the confines of a YA novel, where the audience is presumably the same age as the characters, so it becomes an empathetic experience. there is no convincing reason to not use adults in this capacity. seven-year-olds are not going to win your war for you.
there is also too much repetition in this book. there was a passage i liked:
I might be - no, I probably am - doomed.
But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way.
I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running, not staying, but facing.
Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity.
And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield.
which is pretty cool. i like that as a battle cry.
but then, in the very next chapter, the coolness is undermined by the repetition of this mantra, in the contrast with another character:
"You are the human clay," Vosch whispers fiercely in my ear. "And I am Michelangelo. I am the master builder, and you will be my masterpiece." Pale blue fire in his eyes, burning to the bottom of my soul. "God doesn't call the equipped, son. God equips the called. And you have been called."
He leaves me with a promise. The words burn so hot in my mind, the promise follows me into the deepest hours of the night and into the days that follow.
I will teach you to love death. I will empty you of grief and guilt and self-pity and fill you up with hate and cunning and the spirit of vengeance. I will make my final stand here, Benjamin Thomas Parrish.
Slapping my chest over and over until my skin burns, my heart on fire. And you will be my battlefield.
which is probably something that people like - the turning of the one situation on the other, but there are just too many instances like this in the book - too many convenient echoes and repetitions and breathless realizations of what the fifth wave is. it made the characters less like humans and more like symbols. or chess pieces, to extend the metaphor.
and this was a problem, for me. i never felt like the characters were realistic, or made believable choices. if this was supposed to be a representation of what remains of humanity, it kind of stinks to know that this is what we are left with. the frustrating part is that both cassie and ben have moments of interesting insight, but then continue to act like cardboard people the rest of the time. and ringer is complete hot tough-girl fantasy material. which is a real letdown, because that character could have been so freaking cool.
and i was really looking forward to this, and it genuinely makes me sad to have such a lukewarm reaction. it is the same reaction i had to his book The Monstrumologist, which again, everyone seems to like.
this is me and magic eye puzzles all over again. i wish i could see what you all see.
come to my blog!
May 15, 2013
Warning: This rant will contain lots of swearing, and massive anger. This is a rant, so I'm sorry if there's weird grammar or bad writing. I'm really not caring that much at this point. So, please, bear with me.
And please know that by no means do I intend to offend anyone, including the author.
DNF- Sammy's POV.
I HATED THIS BOOK!
Best thing to describe it? Boring as fuck.
This book was my most anticipated book of the year. I was expecting so much after all the hype. But guess what? This turned out to be the WORST. BOOK. EVER. Even worse than Evermore. Huh. What an irony. This is such a massive disappointment. Seriously, I've never hated a book so much.
Out of everything I've read( which is like half of the book), the only part I liked was the prologue, which is sad, 'cause it's only 1 page long on my ebook. After that, it all went downhill.
The characters. I did NOT care about any of the characters. Cassie's basically this really annoying girl who talks and thinks weird. I think Yancey tried too hard to make her seem like a tough girl. But in truth, she has no depth at all. Sammy, her brother is just a 5 year old kid who, really, knows nothing about the world. So I really don't get the point of writing from his POV. Evan, the love interest, is also a character with no depth, but a lot worse than Cassie. Basically he's just your average "nice" guy with no personality. AT ALL. He has no emotion. Nothing. It's like he's some kind of robot... Ben, another future love interest(?), is such a boring character that he's as bad as Cassie. Maybe that's why Cassie likes him? They're both boring as fuck?
I don't get the point of the romance. It's just so random...Cassie's like "I hate you" one minute and the next, they're kissing each other!! What the fuck is this?! It's soo pointless and I'd rather not read a long and awful chapter about them living together and this shitty romance.
My biggest problem is the writing. The writing is awful . I've never read any book with such shitty writing. It's like a really awkward toned down version of This is Not a Test. Seriously. The writing is what made me hate this book so much. It's like Yancey's trying to imitate the intense writing of This is Not a Test and failed. Badly. The writing bored me from the beginning, it's just so..bland and frustrating, I really wanted to throw this book out of the window (which is impossible, 'cause it means my phone will break with it and I wouldn't want that.).
“I brought Sammy inside and put him to bed. Said his prayer with him. “‘Now I lay me down to sleep…’” To me, just random noise. Gibberish. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but I felt that, when it came to God, there was a broken promise in there somewhere.”
What the fuck is that?!
"After feeding me, he changes the dressing on my leg. I ask if I want to look. He says no, I most definitely do not want to look. I want to get out of bed, take a real bath. He says it's too soon...he sets a kitchen chair in the middle of the claw-foot tub in the little bathroom down the hall with its peeling flowery wallpaper and carries me to it, plops me down, leaves, and comes back with a big metal tub filled with steaming water."
Get my point?
The plot. I can hereby tell you that nothing happens in this book till the point I've read (which is around halfway). Plus, it's pretty much a rip-off of The Host. And even me, someone who only watched the movie, can tell.
The change of POV. Gosh, this frustrated me soo much, it's as bad as the writing. So basically, the book never tells you whose POV you're reading from. There was this part named "Wonderland" and in the beginning he says something like "My name is Zombie" or whatever. AND THEN, at the end of "Wonderland" he just kind of mentioned that he was actually "Benjamin Thomas Parish" and I was like WTF?! So this whole time I'm supposedly reading a POV from Cassie's crush? This is soo confusing! Oh and this is the beginning of Sam's POV:
"Cassie, through the smudged window, shrinking.
Cassie, on the road, holding Bear."
blah blah blah
Get what I'm saying? We have to figure out whose POV we're reading by ourselves. Huh. Bad idea, Yancey.
So , this is my mini rant and the things I hated about this book. It didn't turn out as angry as I thought it would. I really don't want to waste my time typing out a review 'cause it's really not worth it and finals is coming up, so this is like a tiny version of it. Just know that I'm not reading any book of Yancey's EVER AGAIN.
No star for you, you awful book.
By the way, if you really want to read a proper review, there are loads of well-written ones out there. :)
And please know that by no means do I intend to offend anyone, including the author.
DNF- Sammy's POV.
I HATED THIS BOOK!
Best thing to describe it? Boring as fuck.
This book was my most anticipated book of the year. I was expecting so much after all the hype. But guess what? This turned out to be the WORST. BOOK. EVER. Even worse than Evermore. Huh. What an irony. This is such a massive disappointment. Seriously, I've never hated a book so much.
Out of everything I've read( which is like half of the book), the only part I liked was the prologue, which is sad, 'cause it's only 1 page long on my ebook. After that, it all went downhill.
The characters. I did NOT care about any of the characters. Cassie's basically this really annoying girl who talks and thinks weird. I think Yancey tried too hard to make her seem like a tough girl. But in truth, she has no depth at all. Sammy, her brother is just a 5 year old kid who, really, knows nothing about the world. So I really don't get the point of writing from his POV. Evan, the love interest, is also a character with no depth, but a lot worse than Cassie. Basically he's just your average "nice" guy with no personality. AT ALL. He has no emotion. Nothing. It's like he's some kind of robot... Ben, another future love interest(?), is such a boring character that he's as bad as Cassie. Maybe that's why Cassie likes him? They're both boring as fuck?
I don't get the point of the romance. It's just so random...Cassie's like "I hate you" one minute and the next, they're kissing each other!! What the fuck is this?! It's soo pointless and I'd rather not read a long and awful chapter about them living together and this shitty romance.
My biggest problem is the writing. The writing is awful . I've never read any book with such shitty writing. It's like a really awkward toned down version of This is Not a Test. Seriously. The writing is what made me hate this book so much. It's like Yancey's trying to imitate the intense writing of This is Not a Test and failed. Badly. The writing bored me from the beginning, it's just so..bland and frustrating, I really wanted to throw this book out of the window (which is impossible, 'cause it means my phone will break with it and I wouldn't want that.).
“I brought Sammy inside and put him to bed. Said his prayer with him. “‘Now I lay me down to sleep…’” To me, just random noise. Gibberish. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but I felt that, when it came to God, there was a broken promise in there somewhere.”
What the fuck is that?!
"After feeding me, he changes the dressing on my leg. I ask if I want to look. He says no, I most definitely do not want to look. I want to get out of bed, take a real bath. He says it's too soon...he sets a kitchen chair in the middle of the claw-foot tub in the little bathroom down the hall with its peeling flowery wallpaper and carries me to it, plops me down, leaves, and comes back with a big metal tub filled with steaming water."
Get my point?
The plot. I can hereby tell you that nothing happens in this book till the point I've read (which is around halfway). Plus, it's pretty much a rip-off of The Host. And even me, someone who only watched the movie, can tell.
The change of POV. Gosh, this frustrated me soo much, it's as bad as the writing. So basically, the book never tells you whose POV you're reading from. There was this part named "Wonderland" and in the beginning he says something like "My name is Zombie" or whatever. AND THEN, at the end of "Wonderland" he just kind of mentioned that he was actually "Benjamin Thomas Parish" and I was like WTF?! So this whole time I'm supposedly reading a POV from Cassie's crush? This is soo confusing! Oh and this is the beginning of Sam's POV:
"Cassie, through the smudged window, shrinking.
Cassie, on the road, holding Bear."
blah blah blah
Get what I'm saying? We have to figure out whose POV we're reading by ourselves. Huh. Bad idea, Yancey.
So , this is my mini rant and the things I hated about this book. It didn't turn out as angry as I thought it would. I really don't want to waste my time typing out a review 'cause it's really not worth it and finals is coming up, so this is like a tiny version of it. Just know that I'm not reading any book of Yancey's EVER AGAIN.
No star for you, you awful book.
By the way, if you really want to read a proper review, there are loads of well-written ones out there. :)
May 15, 2013
I have successfully survived all 5 waves.
The 1st Wave : Confusion (Not as good as I thought)
The 2nd Wave : Hope (Maybe it gets better)
The 3rd Wave : Boredom (zzzzz....)
The 4th Wave : Disappointment (This is not getting any better)
The 5th Wave : Annoyance (Just end already)
Then why am I even giving it 2 stars?? Because my hatred for this book does not translate into this being a bad book. Some of the best reviewers on GR have loved The Fifth Wave and I totally respect their opinions. I guess this was simply not for me.
I'll start with the thing that annoyed me the most: The Writing
This is probably a me-thing, but I found the writing extremely irritating. Not necessarily terrible, just...irritating. There were 2 aspects that especially got on my nerves.
#1: Unnecessary details
Seriously?? Pray tell me, WHY are we talking about lacquered nails and contacts when there are bigger things to talk about?? like aliens?? And you know, this Lizbeth girl, she's not even there in the book. Her collective appearance spans 3 measly pages so I don't know what purpose that paragraph serves :-/
#2: Unnecessary Repetition
I hate it when writers keep repeating words in a sentence, or clauses in a paragraph. It may work in poetry but otherwise, it's just plain annoying.
Now the love-story - it was a massive fail. Stupid Cassie falls for Creepy Evan - and then things quickly turn into a retelling of The Host. I didn't find anything remotely romantic about the whole Evan thing.
The writing makes sure that we're constantly reminded of Evan's chocolate-brown puppy-dog eyes and hands soft like clouds (barf).
The final thing that made me lose it - the cliches.
The alien apocalypse happens and the human race is nearly wiped out. There are hardly any families left BUT Cassie survives, and so does her brother and her father . And of course, her high-school crush also survives - how else will you have a love triangle in the sequel?? So what if he never noticed Cassie before?? Now he can, since the competition is dead.
You wanna know the saddest part??
This was my first book about aliens.
And there weren't any aliens.
At least not the kind I was looking forward too :(
There was some action towards the end but I was way past the point of caring by then.
Verdict: MASSIVE LETDOWN.
I need some uplifting chocolate therapy.
(I do not intend to offend anyone with this review.)
The 1st Wave : Confusion (Not as good as I thought)
The 2nd Wave : Hope (Maybe it gets better)
The 3rd Wave : Boredom (zzzzz....)
The 4th Wave : Disappointment (This is not getting any better)
The 5th Wave : Annoyance (Just end already)
Then why am I even giving it 2 stars?? Because my hatred for this book does not translate into this being a bad book. Some of the best reviewers on GR have loved The Fifth Wave and I totally respect their opinions. I guess this was simply not for me.
I'll start with the thing that annoyed me the most: The Writing
This is probably a me-thing, but I found the writing extremely irritating. Not necessarily terrible, just...irritating. There were 2 aspects that especially got on my nerves.
#1: Unnecessary details
"This could be it,” Lizbeth whispered. She rubbed her nose nervously. Dug her lacquered nails into her dyed blond hair. Tapped her foot. Rolled the pad of her finger over her eyelid: She had just started wearing contacts and they bugged her constantly."
Seriously?? Pray tell me, WHY are we talking about lacquered nails and contacts when there are bigger things to talk about?? like aliens?? And you know, this Lizbeth girl, she's not even there in the book. Her collective appearance spans 3 measly pages so I don't know what purpose that paragraph serves :-/
#2: Unnecessary Repetition
I hate it when writers keep repeating words in a sentence, or clauses in a paragraph. It may work in poetry but otherwise, it's just plain annoying.
"So of course he did the most reasonable thing. He was a responsible adult, and that’s what responsible adults do. The reasonable thing."
"The stars above, bright and cold, and the dark road below, and the humming of the wheels on the dark road beneath the cold stars."
"There are the stars, the pinpricks of light stabbing down. There is the empty road beneath the light stabbing down and the girl on the road with the smudged face and twigs and dead leaves entangled in her short, curly hair, clutching a battered old teddy bear, on the empty road, beneath the stars stabbing down."
Now the love-story - it was a massive fail. Stupid Cassie falls for Creepy Evan - and then things quickly turn into a retelling of The Host. I didn't find anything remotely romantic about the whole Evan thing.
The writing makes sure that we're constantly reminded of Evan's chocolate-brown puppy-dog eyes and hands soft like clouds (barf).
The final thing that made me lose it - the cliches.
The alien apocalypse happens and the human race is nearly wiped out. There are hardly any families left BUT Cassie survives, and so does her brother and her father . And of course, her high-school crush also survives - how else will you have a love triangle in the sequel?? So what if he never noticed Cassie before?? Now he can, since the competition is dead.
You wanna know the saddest part??
This was my first book about aliens.
And there weren't any aliens.
At least not the kind I was looking forward too :(
There was some action towards the end but I was way past the point of caring by then.
Verdict: MASSIVE LETDOWN.
I need some uplifting chocolate therapy.
(I do not intend to offend anyone with this review.)
November 9, 2015
one of the best books ive had the honor to read! A MUST READ!!
December 4, 2013
SO GOOD. Loved the writing style, loved the lead characters, full of twists, and wonderfully paced. Here's my full blown review/discussion http://youtu.be/ZvFFjazW930 =D
Read
January 27, 20231/24/16 Movie Update: I finally saw it... Mixed feelings. Like many of you commented, I think the weakest parts were the romance. I hated how the last 1/4 of movie seemed rushed compared to the book -and my big pet peeve was that Ben recognized her and knew who her brother was (soooooo not how it happened in the book) and that when Ben and Evan finally met it was not awkward & hilarious (because of Cassie's lies and obsessions) like the book. To me, one of the greatest things about the book was the running joke with her obsessions & lies about Ben and the movie did not play those up. Also, the eye. They made it look so easy for her to escape, grrrr! The whole last 1/4 of the movie was ridiculous. But I did love who they casted for Ben and Cassie (it's not her fault they kept making her fall in the script) and Nugget and Ringer... wow, flash backs to Johanna (sp? Hunger Games). I remember rooting a bit for Ringer-Ben in the books but since Cassie was the MC I wanted it to be her with Ben more. The movie Evan was way hotter than the alien in my head, thank gawd, and his acting was good, but I still cannot root for them at all. My overall movie vs. book impression? Book kicks ass, but the movie was not terrible like how I felt about City of Bones (and how they ruined Jace & Clary's script). Watching the movie reminded me I need to read the second book soon. It was okay, I guess like everyone said it just played up the romance that made me cringe in the books. Overall though? Not bad.
Buddy read with Nenia whose lovely review you can read HERE, she and I both had a very different take on this book but her portrayal of Cassie/Evan is freaking PERFECT (and hilarious) ^-^
My review in few words: I loved this book but not Evan. Freaking loved everything else to death -the action, the POV's, the narrative, and especially Zombie/Ben. The book went downhill a bit when Cassie/Evan got all Twilight-y (you know what scenes I'm talking about if you've read this) but towards the end I did like them together, only I want Cassie to end up with Ben (come on! all the priceless jokes about her childhood infatuation, it would be so good!) but I know that won't happen:/
Buddy read with Nenia whose lovely review you can read HERE, she and I both had a very different take on this book but her portrayal of Cassie/Evan is freaking PERFECT (and hilarious) ^-^
My review in few words: I loved this book but not Evan. Freaking loved everything else to death -the action, the POV's, the narrative, and especially Zombie/Ben. The book went downhill a bit when Cassie/Evan got all Twilight-y (you know what scenes I'm talking about if you've read this) but towards the end I did like them together, only I want Cassie to end up with Ben (come on! all the priceless jokes about her childhood infatuation, it would be so good!) but I know that won't happen:/
March 30, 2022
The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave, #1), Rick Yancey
The 5th Wave is a young adult science fiction novel written by American author Rick Yancey. It was published on May 7, 2013 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. The novel is the first in The 5th Wave trilogy, followed by The Infinite Sea.
The story follows 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan as she tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of alien invasions that have decimated the Earth's population. The 5th Wave occurs at a time, that aliens have invaded the earth, and destroyed most of the human beings. The main character is a teenage girl named Cassie Sullivan, but the story has many narrators. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز سی و یکم ماه اکتبر سال2014میلادی
عنوان: سه گانه موج پنجم؛ نویسنده: ریک(ریچارد) یانسی (ینسی)؛ مترجم ویدا اسلامیه؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، تندیس، سال1394؛ در639ص، مصور رنگی، شابک9786001821615؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده21م
عن��ان: سه گانه موج پنجم؛ نویسنده: ریک(ریچارد) یانسی؛ مترجم: مهنام عبادی؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، نشر بهداد، سال1393؛ در975ص، مصور رنگی، شابک9786009356164؛
عنوان کتابهای سه گانه: کتاب نخست: «موج پنجم»؛ کتاب دوم: «دریای بیکران»؛ کتاب سوم: «آخرین ستاره»؛
موج پنجم، در زمانی رخ میدهد؛ که بیگانگان به زمین یورش نموده، و بیشتر انسانها را از بین برده اند؛ شخصیت اصلی داستان دختری نوجوان به نام «کیسی سالیوان» است، اما داستان روایتگرهای بسیاری دارد؛ پس از موج اول تنها تاریکی میماند...؛ پس از دومی، تنها افراد خوش شانس میگریزند...؛ و پس از سومی، این بدشانسها هستند که زنده میمانند؛ پس از موج چهارم تنها یک قانون وجود دارد: به هیچ کس اعتماد نکن؛ اکنون آغاز موج پنجم است و در بزرگراهی متروک و دراز، کسی از دست آنها فرار میکند؛ موجوداتی که تنها شبیه انسان هستند، کسانی که در حومه ی شهر پرسه میزنند، و هر فردی را میبینند، میکشند؛ افرادی که آخرین نجات یافتگان زمین را پراکنده ساخته اند؛ کسی باور دارد، تنهایی کلید زنده ماندن است، تا اینکه با «ایوان واکر» آشنا میشود؛ «ایوان واکر» جذاب و اسرارآمیز، میتواند تنها امید کسی برای نجات برادرش (یا حتی نجات خودش) باشد؛ اما کسی باید بین اعتماد یا ناامیدی مقاومت یا تسلیم دست به گزینش بزند...؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 22/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 09/01/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
The 5th Wave is a young adult science fiction novel written by American author Rick Yancey. It was published on May 7, 2013 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. The novel is the first in The 5th Wave trilogy, followed by The Infinite Sea.
The story follows 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan as she tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of alien invasions that have decimated the Earth's population. The 5th Wave occurs at a time, that aliens have invaded the earth, and destroyed most of the human beings. The main character is a teenage girl named Cassie Sullivan, but the story has many narrators. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز سی و یکم ماه اکتبر سال2014میلادی
عنوان: سه گانه موج پنجم؛ نویسنده: ریک(ریچارد) یانسی (ینسی)؛ مترجم ویدا اسلامیه؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، تندیس، سال1394؛ در639ص، مصور رنگی، شابک9786001821615؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده21م
عن��ان: سه گانه موج پنجم؛ نویسنده: ریک(ریچارد) یانسی؛ مترجم: مهنام عبادی؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، نشر بهداد، سال1393؛ در975ص، مصور رنگی، شابک9786009356164؛
عنوان کتابهای سه گانه: کتاب نخست: «موج پنجم»؛ کتاب دوم: «دریای بیکران»؛ کتاب سوم: «آخرین ستاره»؛
موج پنجم، در زمانی رخ میدهد؛ که بیگانگان به زمین یورش نموده، و بیشتر انسانها را از بین برده اند؛ شخصیت اصلی داستان دختری نوجوان به نام «کیسی سالیوان» است، اما داستان روایتگرهای بسیاری دارد؛ پس از موج اول تنها تاریکی میماند...؛ پس از دومی، تنها افراد خوش شانس میگریزند...؛ و پس از سومی، این بدشانسها هستند که زنده میمانند؛ پس از موج چهارم تنها یک قانون وجود دارد: به هیچ کس اعتماد نکن؛ اکنون آغاز موج پنجم است و در بزرگراهی متروک و دراز، کسی از دست آنها فرار میکند؛ موجوداتی که تنها شبیه انسان هستند، کسانی که در حومه ی شهر پرسه میزنند، و هر فردی را میبینند، میکشند؛ افرادی که آخرین نجات یافتگان زمین را پراکنده ساخته اند؛ کسی باور دارد، تنهایی کلید زنده ماندن است، تا اینکه با «ایوان واکر» آشنا میشود؛ «ایوان واکر» جذاب و اسرارآمیز، میتواند تنها امید کسی برای نجات برادرش (یا حتی نجات خودش) باشد؛ اما کسی باید بین اعتماد یا ناامیدی مقاومت یا تسلیم دست به گزینش بزند...؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 22/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 09/01/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
April 19, 2013
Now THIS is how you write a book, ladies and gentleman! With the slew of dystopian and post apocalyptic novels coming out you can only imagine how refreshing it is to stumble upon a truly refreshing, incredibly well created novel about an alien apocalypse. And don't let this term fool you, aliens may not be running rampant on our planet (yet), but Yancey has succeeded in making this event just as realistic as any other world disaster. Plus, in my opinion I think it's a little naive to believe we're the only life form with intelligence in the universe. Could this happen to us? Absolutely! I believe it!
Told via multiple perspectives, this novel begins with the introduction of our main character; Cassie. With a lot of luck, sure, but bravery and purpose is what keeps her alive when it really matters. And truly, what are we without purpose? This girl is one I would want by my side if a future like this ever came to fruition. She's one of those heroines that you positively want to root for, with a fierce determination mirroring the likes of Katniss (THG) and Katsa (Graceling). The first part of the novel explores her time with her family--or what's left of it. There is some powerful writing that went into this story, and not just with creating the plot which I'll go into in a bit, but in the emotional consequences of this situation, as well. Families have been literally torn apart in some of the cruelest of ways, Cassie is lucky to have what she has and this bond is so powerfully gripping it had me longing for a little brother I never even had. The other POVs are just as distinct with just as much emotional investment; I was found easily hooked into to their every word brought about through a seamless transition. As I enjoyed being surprised by who the other perspectives were I won't spoil it for you, I will just say that I found the choices to be a great way to direct the story.
These aliens have not gone easy on humans. As the book title conveys, there have been 4 waves of shock and terror thrown our way, each one rousing up your fear for what the 5th wave is going to be. There is one primal fear that is investigated throughout this novel which is the fear of being truly alone. When the enemy takes the face of should-be allies, how can you trust anyone at all? How does humanity survive? A poor guy with a gunshot wound who only wants help might just be a trap. Anyone you could ask for help yourself might be the last person you'll ever see. Together, humans can fight back, separated by mistrust, humans become their own enemy. This is one of the most crucial aspects of this book, it's what makes it so upsetting and desperate. Like Cassie, the reader is not able to let themselves trust anybody at all, not to mention garner any hope. Yes it's a very dark, very despairing read. Together with this apprehension, the harsh realness of the plot makes it such an intensely compelling read. The creation of the alien invitation is done without fail. If there is a plot hole in here I did not perceive it. Yancey imagined every leg of this race and he ran with it. I am wholly impressed with its complexity, one that didn't feel complex, really, just elaborated, or sensical.
I have not read a book in this genre that had me so thoroughly--and I mean entirely--caught up in it since The Hunger Games and Ashfall--and I do not say this lightly. I'm in no way comparing the books themselves, just their engrossing factor; they're all consuming from head to foot and every single pounding heart beat and every clenched muscle, and that is so very rare--at least for me. This book, it's a ticking time bomb, and you feel it with each fiber of your being! Then we come to the ending, and this time bomb of a book counts down into a frenzy until you can hardly stand it. I devoured it. Every single page I devoured greedily and if I had to pick a book to re-read for ever and always this one would be in the top running (with a very fair chance)!
This book… this book = love, guys!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Told via multiple perspectives, this novel begins with the introduction of our main character; Cassie. With a lot of luck, sure, but bravery and purpose is what keeps her alive when it really matters. And truly, what are we without purpose? This girl is one I would want by my side if a future like this ever came to fruition. She's one of those heroines that you positively want to root for, with a fierce determination mirroring the likes of Katniss (THG) and Katsa (Graceling). The first part of the novel explores her time with her family--or what's left of it. There is some powerful writing that went into this story, and not just with creating the plot which I'll go into in a bit, but in the emotional consequences of this situation, as well. Families have been literally torn apart in some of the cruelest of ways, Cassie is lucky to have what she has and this bond is so powerfully gripping it had me longing for a little brother I never even had. The other POVs are just as distinct with just as much emotional investment; I was found easily hooked into to their every word brought about through a seamless transition. As I enjoyed being surprised by who the other perspectives were I won't spoil it for you, I will just say that I found the choices to be a great way to direct the story.
These aliens have not gone easy on humans. As the book title conveys, there have been 4 waves of shock and terror thrown our way, each one rousing up your fear for what the 5th wave is going to be. There is one primal fear that is investigated throughout this novel which is the fear of being truly alone. When the enemy takes the face of should-be allies, how can you trust anyone at all? How does humanity survive? A poor guy with a gunshot wound who only wants help might just be a trap. Anyone you could ask for help yourself might be the last person you'll ever see. Together, humans can fight back, separated by mistrust, humans become their own enemy. This is one of the most crucial aspects of this book, it's what makes it so upsetting and desperate. Like Cassie, the reader is not able to let themselves trust anybody at all, not to mention garner any hope. Yes it's a very dark, very despairing read. Together with this apprehension, the harsh realness of the plot makes it such an intensely compelling read. The creation of the alien invitation is done without fail. If there is a plot hole in here I did not perceive it. Yancey imagined every leg of this race and he ran with it. I am wholly impressed with its complexity, one that didn't feel complex, really, just elaborated, or sensical.
I have not read a book in this genre that had me so thoroughly--and I mean entirely--caught up in it since The Hunger Games and Ashfall--and I do not say this lightly. I'm in no way comparing the books themselves, just their engrossing factor; they're all consuming from head to foot and every single pounding heart beat and every clenched muscle, and that is so very rare--at least for me. This book, it's a ticking time bomb, and you feel it with each fiber of your being! Then we come to the ending, and this time bomb of a book counts down into a frenzy until you can hardly stand it. I devoured it. Every single page I devoured greedily and if I had to pick a book to re-read for ever and always this one would be in the top running (with a very fair chance)!
This book… this book = love, guys!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
May 22, 2013
I am actually embarrassed for Mr. Yancey here, he is a Printz winner after all. All the money invested to hype this The Host Redux mumbo-jumbo, which makes so little sense if you just think about the plot and the role the children play in this 5th wave, why go into so much trouble, dear aliens? I can only explain the popularity of this book by the same sci-fi for those who don't read/like sci-fi effect The Host rode on, because this novel is nothing but a huge cliche with a nauseating romance of the variety we've seen a million times before (chocolate-smelling breaths and lopsided smiles, for the ladies, I presume). In fact this whole thing is so much of a cliche, that I was compelled to check the copyright page of the book to make sure it wasn't some packaged deal thrown together by a group of people to hit every popular plot point (like Partials and Unraveling), but no, Yancey wrote it all by himself, apparently, and it's not good. In my opinion, of course. I don't want to disregard the feelings of all my friends who did like it. I might have read a bit too much SF and YA to enjoy this.
October 25, 2019
well, now i know why i cant find the perfect guy. its because perfect guys are actually aliens. evan has seriously ruined the entire human male population for me. lol.
evan aside, this is a really fantastic start to a sci-fi series. the concept is wildly imaginative. and although the plot is very much engaging and suspenseful, i cant help but feel like this story is more of an examination of humanity in the face of catastrophe. these characters are everything. im not sure i was expecting such depth from this kind of book, but i am surprised!
guess its now time to watch the film!
↠ 4 stars
evan aside, this is a really fantastic start to a sci-fi series. the concept is wildly imaginative. and although the plot is very much engaging and suspenseful, i cant help but feel like this story is more of an examination of humanity in the face of catastrophe. these characters are everything. im not sure i was expecting such depth from this kind of book, but i am surprised!
guess its now time to watch the film!
↠ 4 stars
July 12, 2013
There's no doubt in my mind that most people are going to be captivated with The 5th Wave. It's engaging, features a witty protagonist, mystery, the right amount of anticipation and a romantic story line. Not to mention, it happens to be one of Penguin's big titles and had a lot of marketing money poured into it. It's not everyday that an ARC crosses my threshold with such a soft cover. Nor are they usually accompanied by beat up Teddies and survival bags.
I had seen the reviews surfacing and shouting praise left and right, including Kat. And for most of the novel, I was right there with most people who loved the story, rooting for Cassie. But somewhere around the 50% mark, I felt the book lost some of its original luster.
Yancey sets up the world perfectly and there's little fault to be found there. The narration is introduced by Cassie, who tells the reader of her life before the aliens came and the 4 waves that subsequently wiped out most of the human population. Her story, like the many others shown later, is not a happy one. She's suffered the death of both of her parents and the separation from her 6 year old brother, Sam. I quite enjoyed her as a main character and found her humorous despite her grim situation. Her fierce determination to save her brother from the unknown (to her, at least) horrors built just the right amount of anticipation to keep me turning page after page.
One thing I didn't expect was the multiple narrations: The Silencer, Zombie and Sam (though, he only narrates once, I believe). I'm surprised that I actually liked this style after a few reviews did mention it not working so well for them. I can definitely see it throwing readers off, but I thought it was pretty clever in the beginning. The way it switches back and forth, implanted a certain amount of doubt to the point where I there were times where I wasn't sure who was actually human or alien.
Still all of that just wasn't enough to keep away my rising disappointment. You see, The 5th Wave and I had a very interesting reading journey and I think I about expressed all of my emotions while reading it. There was the beginning where I'd learned about waves 1-4 and how horrifying they were. I had to take a moment and hug Sam's teddy. It was a depressing situation and I needed cuddles.
Then, Sam is taken away, Cassie is shot in the leg and I'm not sure if she's going to make it. And some Other Stuff happens, like a bunch of people getting all killed off at once, and I found myself flipping pages super duper fast. I couldn't wait to find out what the 5th alien wave actually was.
But that's when things start going downhill for me, because all of a sudden there's this weird insta-love romance that was, IMO, not done well at all. I get that Yancey was going for the whole "What really makes us human?" thing with this book. And having Cassie and The Silencer fall for each other was supposed to emphasize that, but c'mon. The whole "I shot you in the leg because I couldn't bare shooting you in the head. Can't you see I'm in love with you?" bit started sending off major weirdo vibes. Dare I say it? Yes, I think I shall. If Edward Cullen were an alien whose mission was to kill off remaining humans, but he instead falls in love with a girl, he would be The Silencer. The romance developed way too fast and had such a strange start (with The Silencer following her through the woods, reading her diary, going through her belongings and shooting her in the leg) that I just could find myself getting on board with it.
It was such a strange turn of events. One minute there's death, carnage and a struggle for survival and the next minute Cassie's in this farm with a guy who resembles Clark Kent from Smallville and he's baking her bread. This is also that part where the narrative changes really started to become jarring because we also were keeping track of Zombie (a nickname for the character in the novel). Every time we were in his point of view, I felt like I was in the midst of playing Call of Duty. So from going back and forth from those very different scenarios, I had to take a small break and ask Teddy a very frank question: "Are you fucking kidding me?"
SPOILERS AHEAD: But I went back to reading because I really wanted to see what this 5th wave was all about. Unfortunately, that turned out to be the most disappointing aspect of the novel. Up until I found out what the 5th wave was, I thought these aliens were pretty badass. They came to earth with a plan and they knew exactly how to kill off humans very effectively.
1st Wave: Take out human technology - Humans rely heavily on this for almost everything. I'd take this out first too.
2nd Wave: Natural disasters - You can easily wipe out most of biggest cites by taking out the coasts with tsunamis.
3rd Wave: Plague - One of the most effective way to kill off a bunch of people: poison them with disease. You don't even have to do much here. Just wait for them to die off.
4th Wave: Silencers (basically, think snipers) - Pick off all the survivors.
5th Wave: Kidnap all remaining children, including toddlers, nurse them back to health, feed them, train them military style and send them out to kill all the adults who they think are aliens but are really human. (UMM. What?)
The aliens had a good thing going for them. Every thing made sense up until the 5th wave. But why would they go through so much trouble for the 5th wave? The Silencers would have been just as effective or even more so, considering how fast they could take people out. They are faster, stronger, can see in the dark, etc. So, what's the point in wasting resources and years to train human children to kill human adults?
My final verdict: The 5th Wave is definitely a page-turner and has plenty to offer a reader who enjoys science fiction. Even though the romance fell flat and the plot's logical inconsistencies kept me from dishing out all my stars, it was still an enjoyable read. But despite the very strong start, ultimately, The 5th Wave didn't live up to the hype for me.
Sorry, Kat. I fully expect your declarations of Review War in the mornin'.
ARC and teddy was received via the publisher for an honest review. No monies or favors were exchanged for a positive review, though, the teddy does look cool on my bookshelf.
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
February 15, 2021
Pss! Pss! I have a theory.
Want to hear it? I'm starting to think that Rick Yancey is a genius. What does a genius do, you're asking? He makes people think they are the genius, by creating a story so predictable that every reader will feel so fucking clever. No, no, this is not sarcasm (not entirely, anyway). See, I was here bitching about how I guessed everything - every fucking thing apart from the ear teddy bear rumpled (come on, I'm not that great) - when I realized that there was no way I wasn't meant to. NO WAY. The clues are EVERYWHERE. All along. So what does it leave us? If the shock factor is close to none, what does it freaking leave us?
► That leaves us with characters that confused the hell out of me - not because of what they do (yet don't think I forgot you, Evan. You became more interesting but you're still a creeeeeeep) - but more because of my reactions to them. I can't decide if I didn't care about them or liked them or was annoyed by them. All of the above, probably. Except Nugget. I'll always love you, Nugget.
✘ Cassie - Likeable and relatable. I don't care about her flaws, her mistakes - I get her.
✘ Zombie - This is true what they say about first impression. Don't trust them (or is it the opposite? I can never remember) - The fact is, I lost my interest in its parts pretty fast. One word : bland. And riffles. Way too much riffles. Okay, okay, I'm not fair. I just don't like him. He bores me. Booh. Also,
✘ Ringer - Who?
✘ Evan - Awww, here's our little creeper! Everybody waves to Evan! Helloooooo Evan!! No, but really guy. This is not okay to lurk. This is not okay to kiss someone who tells no (even if *because it's a book* she changes her mind in a heartbeat. I HATE THAT SHIT. PLEASE DON'T). You sure don't blow the candle and kiss her anyway. Who does that?! Oh, yes. A fucking psycho. Yes, even if you're in looooooove. By the way, don't act all righteous about it. It's called instalove and that's pretty common over there. *waves to Edward* I'll give you this, though, your last parts were pretty great. You still stay an obsessive psycho to me. Here's me slapping you behind the head *ow! That shit hurts!*
► What was my biggest problem? Well, that would be the boredom. Looking back, I think that Rick Yancey's writing didn't do it for me. Oh, yeah, some parts were amazing and I have tons of quotes because the guy is pretty quotable. There's that. Yet I can't count how many times I felt bored to death only to end thinking after, hey, that was pretty cool. That's why I think I liked more the idea of the book than the book itself. I love how the story makes us think about what it really means to be human. Is that what we do? Is that how we look? Would we be able to decipher whether we're right or wrong? I don't think so. That woke up my interest. Too bad it was drowned into my boredom. I should point, though, that some parts engrossed me - mostly Nugget's POV, but also Cassie-pre Evan POV.
What a rambling girl I am. Sigh. I'll organize my review better. I PROMISE. (well except if aliens come and all, in that case I don't promise. Sometimes we just can't, remember?)
Oh, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that I'm safe in France. I mean, who the hell cares about France? Aliens always go to the US anyway. Sorry guys. I loved talking with you all. *blows kiss*
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___________________________
PRE-REVIEW
Let's be honest one second. I'm
- Everybody on Earth and their Alien cousins have already read it, like, a million years ago.
- This book seems to cause such different reactions - I mean, really, my friends' reviews go from hate to meh to good to wow. Hey, confusing much? (I still love you)
- I didn't like Rick Yancey's The Monstrumologist (yep. I'm one of those)
- I don't really like aliens? In books? Strangely? (because I love them in movies and videogames. Go figure)
But I can't ignore the hype anymore. Let's do this. (also, this book has been given to me more than a year ago by my adorable partner in crime, Chelsea, and really, what an awful friend I am to not read it sooner? I need to work on my stubbornness. Someday)
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July 26, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! I wouldn't say it blew my mind or anything, but it was entertaining.
June 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this book.
Is it weird though that I preferred the Ben story line, but liked Evan waaaaay better?
Is it weird though that I preferred the Ben story line, but liked Evan waaaaay better?
January 21, 2016
I JUST RE READ THIS BOOK AGAIN!!!! finishing it in perfect timing--aka about to walk into the theater!!!
(Old) re read this book this month and it was even more amazing the second time around
This book this book this book!
I don’t know how i fell upon this book, but I am so thankful I did! THE 5TH WAVE IS AMAZING! No wonder they are already making it into a movie without the series even being finished yet! I downloaded the sample of it on my kindle then instantly bought it after getting that small taste of it. This book surprised me in so many ways. There were parts that you could predict but then he added things to those parts that you didn’t see coming.
I normally don’t fall head over heels for books that switch povs a lot, but Yancey did it so flawlessly! The characters were witty, smart, and charming. I feel like sometimes with a male writer it’s so hard for them capture how a female thinks, talks, and acts HE GETS IT!
I am counting the days till the next book comes out!
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(Old) re read this book this month and it was even more amazing the second time around
This book this book this book!
I don’t know how i fell upon this book, but I am so thankful I did! THE 5TH WAVE IS AMAZING! No wonder they are already making it into a movie without the series even being finished yet! I downloaded the sample of it on my kindle then instantly bought it after getting that small taste of it. This book surprised me in so many ways. There were parts that you could predict but then he added things to those parts that you didn’t see coming.
I normally don’t fall head over heels for books that switch povs a lot, but Yancey did it so flawlessly! The characters were witty, smart, and charming. I feel like sometimes with a male writer it’s so hard for them capture how a female thinks, talks, and acts HE GETS IT!
I am counting the days till the next book comes out!
Read review for this book and others on our blog:
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November 14, 2016
Una novela trepidante que engancha y te deja sin aliento. Sinceramente, increíble.
September 10, 2021
2.5 stars
This has a great premise and I love the whole alien invasion storyline.
It was just not the right fit for me to continue with the rest of the books in the trilogy.
I listened to the audiobook and I kept checking to see how far along I was in the story - which is never a good sign for me. The narrators (Phoebe Strole & Brandon Espinoza) were excellent but I just couldn't get into it. I can put my finger on a few things that I didn't care for plotwise, but there was also this intangible thing that I can't describe that turned me off, as well.
A big problem for me was the insta-love Evan felt for Cassie.
The other thing that bugged me was that Ben was the other half of this novel. I mean, what are the fucking odds that the ONE BOY Cassie had this secret crush on for her entire life also survives? That entire storyline was stupid. There was no need for Ben to be shoved in the role like a prerequisite chunk of this cringy young adult love triangle.
Yuck.
Without that, his part of the book was fine and wouldn't have (especially at the end) seemed so over the top.
Alright, beyond that? I was getting bored, so I Googled the other two books to see how it all ends.
NOPE.
I couldn't decide if I wanted to even finish the book but it turned out I was only an hour shy of being done. So. I decided to go on and listen to the rest of it.
It's not badly written or anything but I'm not the target audience for this one.
This has a great premise and I love the whole alien invasion storyline.
It was just not the right fit for me to continue with the rest of the books in the trilogy.
I listened to the audiobook and I kept checking to see how far along I was in the story - which is never a good sign for me. The narrators (Phoebe Strole & Brandon Espinoza) were excellent but I just couldn't get into it. I can put my finger on a few things that I didn't care for plotwise, but there was also this intangible thing that I can't describe that turned me off, as well.
A big problem for me was the insta-love Evan felt for Cassie.
The other thing that bugged me was that Ben was the other half of this novel. I mean, what are the fucking odds that the ONE BOY Cassie had this secret crush on for her entire life also survives? That entire storyline was stupid. There was no need for Ben to be shoved in the role like a prerequisite chunk of this cringy young adult love triangle.
Yuck.
Without that, his part of the book was fine and wouldn't have (especially at the end) seemed so over the top.
Alright, beyond that? I was getting bored, so I Googled the other two books to see how it all ends.
NOPE.
I couldn't decide if I wanted to even finish the book but it turned out I was only an hour shy of being done. So. I decided to go on and listen to the rest of it.
It's not badly written or anything but I'm not the target audience for this one.
February 23, 2016
I decided I'd get this book done before I see the film and boy was that a good decision. I loved the concept behind this book with the numerous waves eventually wiping out humanity and the mysterious aliens behind it. The idea unravels to become much more than a straightforward explanation or plot with many unpredictable moments involved.I really couldn't predict this book, every time I tried I was wrong and I loved that.Yes, there was cheese and cliches at parts, especially in the dialogue but those were easy to overlook and the book is sprinkled with some comical lines.
The plot is enhanced with some great characters, Cassie, Sammy, Evan and Ben and the pov is switched between them all but mainly focuses on Cassie and Ben. I didn't prefer any pov as I enjoyed them all and the characters weren't whiny.None of the characters annoyed me and I quite liked them but to be honest I didn't connect with any of them. What did bug me was their similar backstories, everyone had dead parents,ensuring the orphan story and usually, a younger sibling dead.
This book definitely captured my attention,a true page-turner as I finished the book in three days. The writing style was pleasant with some brilliant, memorable lines. The story pulls you in from the start and takes some fantastic turns with some difficult situations which made me ask myself What would I do?The story paired with great writing was a delight to read, making me glad I picked this book up and I am now very excited to see the film!
The plot is enhanced with some great characters, Cassie, Sammy, Evan and Ben and the pov is switched between them all but mainly focuses on Cassie and Ben. I didn't prefer any pov as I enjoyed them all and the characters weren't whiny.None of the characters annoyed me and I quite liked them but to be honest I didn't connect with any of them. What did bug me was their similar backstories, everyone had dead parents,ensuring the orphan story and usually, a younger sibling dead.
This book definitely captured my attention,a true page-turner as I finished the book in three days. The writing style was pleasant with some brilliant, memorable lines. The story pulls you in from the start and takes some fantastic turns with some difficult situations which made me ask myself What would I do?The story paired with great writing was a delight to read, making me glad I picked this book up and I am now very excited to see the film!
January 3, 2016
*5 EXTRATERRESTRIAL STARS*
"How do you rid the earth of humans? Rid the humans of their humanity."
HOLY CRAP.
This was good! I mean, like, extremely, terrifyingly good!
I have already read plenty of books dealing with aliens and/or invasions, but for me this is the best one yet! I expected this to be yet another overhyped book series, but boy was I wrong!
This is the first Rick Yancey novel I ever read and it completely blew me away, I don't even know where to start. I wonder why I haven't read this earlier, I feel like such an idiot for only deciding to start reading this because I saw that the movie adaption was almost being released! And now that I've read this, I can't wait till February 12th so I can go see the movie.(Yeah, here in Belgium it's being released almost 3 weeks later than in the US, it sucks.)
I loved this book so much, I can't even find a single thing I didn't like! I mean, it took me about 30 pages before I fully got into this, but after that, I breezed through and before I knew it, I finished it.
Rick Yancey's writing is just phenomenal! At first, you really don't know where he's going with all the different POV's and so many characters and events happening at the same time, but in the end everything came together really nicely and all the character's adventures built up to the big revelation in the end!
There wasn't a single character that I disliked, they were all just so real and easy to relate to. Cassie was the perfect heroine, she was badass and sassy and seriously funny at all the right times. Zombie's chapters were a little darker and showed the other side to the alien invasion, but I loved his perseverance and loyalty. And Evan, oh Evan. He completely stole my heart, he's such a sweetheart and uuurgh, he better return in the next book or I'm going to be seriously pissed!
Cassie and Sammy's relationship was so adorable as well! I was so glad when they were finally reunited, I was nearly in tears! You could really tell throughout the book how much they cared for each other.
Even though you got POV's from about 4 different characters (which I would usually find a bit much), I grew really emotionally attached to all of them! They all had great character development and there never was a dull moment with any of them. I loved how everything eventually fit together like a really good puzzle.
Overall, this novel constantly kept me on my toes and managed to surprise and completely baffle me several times. It was a rollercoaster I'll never forget and I can't wait to start the next book in this series asap! I can already predict that this is going to be one of my favorite book series of all time.
To everyone who hasn't read this yet, go do it now, I promise you won't regret it!!
"How do you rid the earth of humans? Rid the humans of their humanity."
HOLY CRAP.
This was good! I mean, like, extremely, terrifyingly good!
I have already read plenty of books dealing with aliens and/or invasions, but for me this is the best one yet! I expected this to be yet another overhyped book series, but boy was I wrong!
This is the first Rick Yancey novel I ever read and it completely blew me away, I don't even know where to start. I wonder why I haven't read this earlier, I feel like such an idiot for only deciding to start reading this because I saw that the movie adaption was almost being released! And now that I've read this, I can't wait till February 12th so I can go see the movie.
I loved this book so much, I can't even find a single thing I didn't like! I mean, it took me about 30 pages before I fully got into this, but after that, I breezed through and before I knew it, I finished it.
Rick Yancey's writing is just phenomenal! At first, you really don't know where he's going with all the different POV's and so many characters and events happening at the same time, but in the end everything came together really nicely and all the character's adventures built up to the big revelation in the end!
There wasn't a single character that I disliked, they were all just so real and easy to relate to. Cassie was the perfect heroine, she was badass and sassy and seriously funny at all the right times. Zombie's chapters were a little darker and showed the other side to the alien invasion, but I loved his perseverance and loyalty. And Evan, oh Evan. He completely stole my heart, he's such a sweetheart and uuurgh, he better return in the next book or I'm going to be seriously pissed!
Cassie and Sammy's relationship was so adorable as well! I was so glad when they were finally reunited, I was nearly in tears! You could really tell throughout the book how much they cared for each other.
Even though you got POV's from about 4 different characters (which I would usually find a bit much), I grew really emotionally attached to all of them! They all had great character development and there never was a dull moment with any of them. I loved how everything eventually fit together like a really good puzzle.
Overall, this novel constantly kept me on my toes and managed to surprise and completely baffle me several times. It was a rollercoaster I'll never forget and I can't wait to start the next book in this series asap! I can already predict that this is going to be one of my favorite book series of all time.
To everyone who hasn't read this yet, go do it now, I promise you won't regret it!!
October 7, 2015
Me ha gustado mucho el libro! Aunque creo que es mas un 4.5 que un 5. Hace rato quería leer este libro y por alguna razón no le había sacado el tiempo, pero ahora que lo leí estoy encantada y deseando leer la continuación.
La historia mantiene el misterio, vas descubriendo poco a poco una gran cantidad de datos alarmantes que te intrigan mas y mas. Y aunque por la mitad del libro sentí que el ritmo bajó un poco, definitivamente los últimos capítulos lo compensaron, acción, peligro, suspenso, todo a la vez.
Cassie me encanto como protagonista femenino, amo su vocabulario, me hace reír mucho con su forma de expresarse, y para terminar diré que aunque parezca increíble, no terminé enamorada de ninguno de los chicos de la historia.
Reseña Completa: http://bastvilard.blogspot.com.co/201...
La historia mantiene el misterio, vas descubriendo poco a poco una gran cantidad de datos alarmantes que te intrigan mas y mas. Y aunque por la mitad del libro sentí que el ritmo bajó un poco, definitivamente los últimos capítulos lo compensaron, acción, peligro, suspenso, todo a la vez.
Cassie me encanto como protagonista femenino, amo su vocabulario, me hace reír mucho con su forma de expresarse, y para terminar diré que aunque parezca increíble, no terminé enamorada de ninguno de los chicos de la historia.
Reseña Completa: http://bastvilard.blogspot.com.co/201...
September 30, 2018
Why oh why did I wait so long to read this!? This book gripped me from the very first page and didn't let up even when it ended. I need more!
The world building was phenomenal and the picture painted was so real, I could see it play by play in my head. And Rick's story telling ability is a work of art. I loved the way he told the story from didn't pov's and the inner monologues of his characters were the best! Especially Cassie, she's a riot! It felt like it was one thing after another and the action never let up. My heart was in a constant state of pounding in anticipation of what's to come and my fingers were a little sore after I finished from gripping the book so tight lol.
Loved everything about this book and I now can't wait for The Infinite Sea to come in the mail, which I ordered right after finishing.
The world building was phenomenal and the picture painted was so real, I could see it play by play in my head. And Rick's story telling ability is a work of art. I loved the way he told the story from didn't pov's and the inner monologues of his characters were the best! Especially Cassie, she's a riot! It felt like it was one thing after another and the action never let up. My heart was in a constant state of pounding in anticipation of what's to come and my fingers were a little sore after I finished from gripping the book so tight lol.
Loved everything about this book and I now can't wait for The Infinite Sea to come in the mail, which I ordered right after finishing.
January 10, 2016
4.5 stars
The first of work of young-adult fiction to impress me in four months. Rick Yancey writes about an alien invasion of the earth that takes place over several waves. Our protagonist, Cassie, has lost everyone - except for her younger brother Sammy, who she has made it her sole mission to rescue. Yancey shows us many characters' perspectives, including Ben Parish, a former high school football player Cassie once had a crush on, who now fights against the Others in an attempt to save the world.
I loved the tight and fast-paced plot of this story, its themes of trust vs. distrust and how to find purpose in a meaningless world, and the development of Ben Parish as well as Cassie and Evan's relationship. Yancey takes us right into the action while unfolding The 5th Wave's backstory at a solid speed. Throughout the book I found myself whisper-screaming "oh my Grande, oh my Grande, oh my Grande" in anticipation of the characters' actions. While I cheered on Ben the most, I also found myself rooting for Cassie and Evan's relationship, which surprised me because I tend to stray away from quick romances. Perhaps Cassie's wit and her fight for independence within the relationship won me over.
I wanted just a little more from the characters in The 5th Wave. While I hoped for all of their survivals - I guess it would have been cruel if I did not - I detected some areas for development, which may take place in the second book. Now that this installment has worn off some of the story's more mysterious intrigue, I wonder where its sequel, The Infinite Sea, will take it.
Overall, recommended to fans of young-adult science-fiction and dystopia, as well as to those who want to see the movie. Hoping the second book delves even deeper than the first.
The first of work of young-adult fiction to impress me in four months. Rick Yancey writes about an alien invasion of the earth that takes place over several waves. Our protagonist, Cassie, has lost everyone - except for her younger brother Sammy, who she has made it her sole mission to rescue. Yancey shows us many characters' perspectives, including Ben Parish, a former high school football player Cassie once had a crush on, who now fights against the Others in an attempt to save the world.
I loved the tight and fast-paced plot of this story, its themes of trust vs. distrust and how to find purpose in a meaningless world, and the development of Ben Parish as well as Cassie and Evan's relationship. Yancey takes us right into the action while unfolding The 5th Wave's backstory at a solid speed. Throughout the book I found myself whisper-screaming "oh my Grande, oh my Grande, oh my Grande" in anticipation of the characters' actions. While I cheered on Ben the most, I also found myself rooting for Cassie and Evan's relationship, which surprised me because I tend to stray away from quick romances. Perhaps Cassie's wit and her fight for independence within the relationship won me over.
I wanted just a little more from the characters in The 5th Wave. While I hoped for all of their survivals - I guess it would have been cruel if I did not - I detected some areas for development, which may take place in the second book. Now that this installment has worn off some of the story's more mysterious intrigue, I wonder where its sequel, The Infinite Sea, will take it.
Overall, recommended to fans of young-adult science-fiction and dystopia, as well as to those who want to see the movie. Hoping the second book delves even deeper than the first.
March 9, 2016
-- Tried to reread it because of the movie but I still don't get it :/ --
I choose to start this book because of all the hype that it is having. They even had promo posts on the subway. The quotes were really interesting and the thing about a strong heroine in an alien invaded earth, how can it be that bad? And then we can add the alien-earth romance to have the spicy in the food. Well, it was promising enough. It should have been.
The writing in this book is really beautiful. It was beautiful, funny and direct. It has great quotes that makes you think about life and how small we are in the universe. Also, how ridiculous we can be with capitalism. How people think that they are better than others because they have more money but after death, they are just the same.
By killing us, they showed us the idiocy of stuff. The guy who owned this BMW? He’s in the same place as the woman who owned that Kia.
I usually like books with a lot of POVs. This one has it, a lot. The narration is captivating. There are action everywhere and I love when I have this hunger to know what will happen next.
However, the hunger wasn't really present while I was reading this book. As it starts between 4th wave and 5th wave, Cassie (One of the POVs) use flashbacks to tell us what happened in the others waves and how she ended where she was. So everything wasn't surprising because we new how it would end. Also, between the flashbacks we had some what-is-happening-now narrative. So it was kinda confusing. Past-present-past-present-past-oh-wait,-I'm bleeding-now-in-the-present. A lot was happening and nothing was happening. A lot happened in the past, but almost nothing was happening in the present. I wish the book just started from the 1st wave.
Aside from the flashbacks, having all the different views took out the element of surprise. Everything was so predictable or sometimes I thought people were just so dumb...
In addition I hated how I was lost with the POVs. I was tired by trying to figure out who’s mind it was or if it was a new character trying to be introduced.
The really down part for me was the romance. Really empty without real feelings and made no sense. She liked him because he was handsome and, as there were not a lot of girls alive, he was giving her attention. He stopped his alien domination for a plain human because.... There is no because. He just did it for no apparently reason. I feel this is just one more Edward-Bella story all over again, The pray turns into the love interest without logic behind it.
Anyway, as I really liked the writing and a lot of people liked the story. Maybe the problem is with me so I would still recommend it.
I choose to start this book because of all the hype that it is having. They even had promo posts on the subway. The quotes were really interesting and the thing about a strong heroine in an alien invaded earth, how can it be that bad? And then we can add the alien-earth romance to have the spicy in the food. Well, it was promising enough. It should have been.
The writing in this book is really beautiful. It was beautiful, funny and direct. It has great quotes that makes you think about life and how small we are in the universe. Also, how ridiculous we can be with capitalism. How people think that they are better than others because they have more money but after death, they are just the same.
By killing us, they showed us the idiocy of stuff. The guy who owned this BMW? He’s in the same place as the woman who owned that Kia.
I usually like books with a lot of POVs. This one has it, a lot. The narration is captivating. There are action everywhere and I love when I have this hunger to know what will happen next.
However, the hunger wasn't really present while I was reading this book. As it starts between 4th wave and 5th wave, Cassie (One of the POVs) use flashbacks to tell us what happened in the others waves and how she ended where she was. So everything wasn't surprising because we new how it would end. Also, between the flashbacks we had some what-is-happening-now narrative. So it was kinda confusing. Past-present-past-present-past-oh-wait,-I'm bleeding-now-in-the-present. A lot was happening and nothing was happening. A lot happened in the past, but almost nothing was happening in the present. I wish the book just started from the 1st wave.
Aside from the flashbacks, having all the different views took out the element of surprise. Everything was so predictable or sometimes I thought people were just so dumb...
In addition I hated how I was lost with the POVs. I was tired by trying to figure out who’s mind it was or if it was a new character trying to be introduced.
The really down part for me was the romance. Really empty without real feelings and made no sense. She liked him because he was handsome and, as there were not a lot of girls alive, he was giving her attention. He stopped his alien domination for a plain human because.... There is no because. He just did it for no apparently reason. I feel this is just one more Edward-Bella story all over again, The pray turns into the love interest without logic behind it.
Anyway, as I really liked the writing and a lot of people liked the story. Maybe the problem is with me so I would still recommend it.
July 30, 2016
it's the APOCALYPSE, people ! :D
the 5th wave is one of THE BEST DYSTOPIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR , it has everything suspense, action, a bit of romance, Stong charcaters, one of them was a bit a weirdo (i'm sure you know who that is) overall i loved the combination Rick yancey has created of the Dystopian and Science Fiction genres, it's perfect, really enjoyed it, The narration is captivating, Beautiful writing full of Inspirational Quotes. i watched the movie and i LOVED IT, Chloë Grace Moretz is awesome :D
THE 1ST WAVE: Lights Out
THE 2ND WAVE: Surf’s Up
THE 3RD WAVE: Pestilence
THE 4TH WAVE: Silencer
The story is about Aliens invading earth to kill all humans,because we're the monsters destroying the earth, and they're saying it from us, cassie is trying her best to survive and protect her brother sammy, .
"I am the one not running, not staying, but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield."
"By killing us, they showed us the idiocy of stuff. The guy who owned this BMW? He’s in the same place as the woman who owned that Kia."
the 5th wave is one of THE BEST DYSTOPIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR , it has everything suspense, action, a bit of romance, Stong charcaters, one of them was a bit a weirdo (i'm sure you know who that is) overall i loved the combination Rick yancey has created of the Dystopian and Science Fiction genres, it's perfect, really enjoyed it, The narration is captivating, Beautiful writing full of Inspirational Quotes. i watched the movie and i LOVED IT, Chloë Grace Moretz is awesome :D
THE 1ST WAVE: Lights Out
THE 2ND WAVE: Surf’s Up
THE 3RD WAVE: Pestilence
THE 4TH WAVE: Silencer
The story is about Aliens invading earth to kill all humans,because we're the monsters destroying the earth, and they're saying it from us, cassie is trying her best to survive and protect her brother sammy, .
"I am the one not running, not staying, but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield."
"By killing us, they showed us the idiocy of stuff. The guy who owned this BMW? He’s in the same place as the woman who owned that Kia."
April 11, 2013
Wow! I was blown away by this story!! I was completely riveted by every single word! My heart raced, and I was on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire time.
The world as we know it is over. Aliens came, kicked ass, and all that’s left of humanity is three percent of the original population. One of the “lucky” survivors is sixteen year-old Cassie. She lived through all Four Waves that’s decimated the human race, and is trying to stay alive by staying alone, because that’s the only way to stay safe. The aliens have cleverly disguised themselves to look like us, so to stay alive you must trust no one. The only thing keeping Cassie going is a promise made to her little brother, five-year old Sammy, to come find him. Then Evan Walker shows up, a savior, and her resolve to stay alone waivers, because surely, he can help rescue her brother, right? I guess we’ll see.
I don’t know why, but I love end-of-the-world scenarios. Add in some aliens, and the possibility of mass destruction and you’ve got my attention. Maybe it’s the exciting adrenaline rush I get from the life and death situations laid out before me. Maybe its how life boils down to what really matters, and all the mindless, busy details of our everyday suddenly become unimportant. I always end up asking myself, “what would I do?” and I wonder if I could survive. Rick Yancey captures everything that excites me about these stories flawlessly.
This 5th Wave was an exhilarating ride filed with action and suspense, and don’t forget my personal favorite: romance. All of it is well done with twists and turns that have you anxious about what happens next. A future with this set of possibilities is frightening.
Cassie was a tough but realistic heroine, one I easily liked and identified with from the beginning. It was easy to put myself in her shoes, and agree with the decisions she made. When Evan shows up, things get even more interesting. I couldn’t help but swoon over him with “his soft chocolate eyes, thick wavy hair, and lopsided grin.” Evan is strong and shy, with an intensity that’s hard to ignore. *sigh*
Besides Cassie and Evan there is a whole set of secondary characters that make an impression and a few that found a way into my heart. Sam, Cassie’s little brother is at the top of that list, and I just wanted to wrap my arms around him in a tight hug! Five years-old is still practically a baby!
The 5th Wave ends in a place that’s bearable, but that doesn’t mean I’m not lusting after the next book! This story is far from over and I’m curious about how things will play out. Who is friend and who is foe? I’m wondering over a few, but maybe that’s just the paranoia that set in while reading this!
A copy was provided by Putnam Juvenile in exchange for a honest review.
You can read this review and more atThe Readers Den.
The world as we know it is over. Aliens came, kicked ass, and all that’s left of humanity is three percent of the original population. One of the “lucky” survivors is sixteen year-old Cassie. She lived through all Four Waves that’s decimated the human race, and is trying to stay alive by staying alone, because that’s the only way to stay safe. The aliens have cleverly disguised themselves to look like us, so to stay alive you must trust no one. The only thing keeping Cassie going is a promise made to her little brother, five-year old Sammy, to come find him. Then Evan Walker shows up, a savior, and her resolve to stay alone waivers, because surely, he can help rescue her brother, right? I guess we’ll see.
I don’t know why, but I love end-of-the-world scenarios. Add in some aliens, and the possibility of mass destruction and you’ve got my attention. Maybe it’s the exciting adrenaline rush I get from the life and death situations laid out before me. Maybe its how life boils down to what really matters, and all the mindless, busy details of our everyday suddenly become unimportant. I always end up asking myself, “what would I do?” and I wonder if I could survive. Rick Yancey captures everything that excites me about these stories flawlessly.
This 5th Wave was an exhilarating ride filed with action and suspense, and don’t forget my personal favorite: romance. All of it is well done with twists and turns that have you anxious about what happens next. A future with this set of possibilities is frightening.
Cassie was a tough but realistic heroine, one I easily liked and identified with from the beginning. It was easy to put myself in her shoes, and agree with the decisions she made. When Evan shows up, things get even more interesting. I couldn’t help but swoon over him with “his soft chocolate eyes, thick wavy hair, and lopsided grin.” Evan is strong and shy, with an intensity that’s hard to ignore. *sigh*
Besides Cassie and Evan there is a whole set of secondary characters that make an impression and a few that found a way into my heart. Sam, Cassie’s little brother is at the top of that list, and I just wanted to wrap my arms around him in a tight hug! Five years-old is still practically a baby!
The 5th Wave ends in a place that’s bearable, but that doesn’t mean I’m not lusting after the next book! This story is far from over and I’m curious about how things will play out. Who is friend and who is foe? I’m wondering over a few, but maybe that’s just the paranoia that set in while reading this!
A copy was provided by Putnam Juvenile in exchange for a honest review.
You can read this review and more atThe Readers Den.
February 24, 2016
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
♪♫♪♪That's great, it starts with an earthquake. Birds and snakes, an aeroplane ♪♫♪♪
Okay, maybe just the aeroplane part. Like this . . . .
It didn’t take long for people to realize that . . .
“The arrival of the mothership was not the beginning, but the beginning of the end.”
Nope, the first wave was followed in quick succession by waves two . . .
three . . .
and four . . .
Leaving only the fifth and final wave before it truly is the end of the world as humans know it . . .
(Come on. You really didn't think you were getting out of an alien review without a little Goldblum did you????)
“How do you rid the Earth of humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.”
Obviously I’m super late to this party so there’s not a whole heck of a lot left to say. I’ll be totally honest and say I had a “been there/done that” attitude with respect to The 5th Wave for eternity and had zero intentions of reading it. Then the movie was released and it was my kids’ reward for being brainiacs (I know, hard to believe I’m actually raising NOT juvenile delinquents, right?) so I requested it from the library. Along with everyone else. Yeah, the kids saw the movie weeks ago but my turn at the book just now came around. I was lucky to not get spoiled (I mean AT ALL – I never even bothered reading the blurb) so I’m going to not spoil any of you and just briefly cover what worked and didn’t for me.
First question I was faced with was: Is it possible to enjoy a book while mostly wanting to murder one of the main characters? Answer? Surprisingly so. The world building in this book was off-the-charts good. I assume many have complained about it being too detailed, but it was just what I was looking for. AND HALLELUJAH TO A FEMALE LEAD IN A SUPERAWFUL NEW ‘MURICA TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO STOCK UP ON TAMPONS. Finally! Praise Jeebus! That being said, unfortunately said female character also talked about a male MC’s eyes being “chocolaty warm – so melty and sad.” Excuse me a moment . . . .
Ahhhh. All better.
But as much as I’m done with the instalust bullshittery that gets thrown in to every YA story like this, I was able to keep on keepin’ on – mainly because there was a whole other cast of characters who were not idiots. And even though I could figure out what was coming and things sometimes seemed a bit too familiar . . .
I still had a pretty good time. If this is on your TBR, don’t give it the boot. 3 Stars for the simple fact that even though this is a series I could really give a rat fart about reading book 2.
“Review” (term used as loosely as possible) portion aside, let’s talk about casting choices for the film. Female lead is a wallflower with frizzy hair that no one has ever given a second glance to. This I love because at least the “oh I’m plain but errrryone magically falls in love with me” Bella Swan syndrome wasn’t in play. However, the film version looks like this . . .
Wallflower my fat ass. I guarantee this chick has old men the world over Googling her birthday to make sure Dateline doesn’t show up at their door.
Which leads us to the boy she worshipped from afar all throughout high school . . .
Srsly? I don’t get it. Also note that I had to Google him because I thought he was like 14 playing the part of a 16 year old.
Which leads us to the other guy who is pretty hearthrobby . . .
Except for the whole “melty chocolatey eyes” thing. Whoops.
I haven’t yet watched the movie, but I will say I hope to shout it focuses on the action and not the luuuuuuuurv.
Generally Sh3lly and I end up readingporn the same thing because she pushes me down and won’t let me up until I submit to her. This time it was coincidental (probably because we are the only people left on the planet who had not yet read this). I like that she shared my opinion of the punchability factor contained in the character Cassie and yet was still able to enjoy the book as a whole. See kids? No need to rage out about everything just because some stupid stuff gets thrown in to the mix.
♪♫♪♪That's great, it starts with an earthquake. Birds and snakes, an aeroplane ♪♫♪♪
Okay, maybe just the aeroplane part. Like this . . . .
It didn’t take long for people to realize that . . .
“The arrival of the mothership was not the beginning, but the beginning of the end.”
Nope, the first wave was followed in quick succession by waves two . . .
three . . .
and four . . .
Leaving only the fifth and final wave before it truly is the end of the world as humans know it . . .
(Come on. You really didn't think you were getting out of an alien review without a little Goldblum did you????)
“How do you rid the Earth of humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.”
Obviously I’m super late to this party so there’s not a whole heck of a lot left to say. I’ll be totally honest and say I had a “been there/done that” attitude with respect to The 5th Wave for eternity and had zero intentions of reading it. Then the movie was released and it was my kids’ reward for being brainiacs (I know, hard to believe I’m actually raising NOT juvenile delinquents, right?) so I requested it from the library. Along with everyone else. Yeah, the kids saw the movie weeks ago but my turn at the book just now came around. I was lucky to not get spoiled (I mean AT ALL – I never even bothered reading the blurb) so I’m going to not spoil any of you and just briefly cover what worked and didn’t for me.
First question I was faced with was: Is it possible to enjoy a book while mostly wanting to murder one of the main characters? Answer? Surprisingly so. The world building in this book was off-the-charts good. I assume many have complained about it being too detailed, but it was just what I was looking for. AND HALLELUJAH TO A FEMALE LEAD IN A SUPERAWFUL NEW ‘MURICA TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO STOCK UP ON TAMPONS. Finally! Praise Jeebus! That being said, unfortunately said female character also talked about a male MC’s eyes being “chocolaty warm – so melty and sad.” Excuse me a moment . . . .
Ahhhh. All better.
But as much as I’m done with the instalust bullshittery that gets thrown in to every YA story like this, I was able to keep on keepin’ on – mainly because there was a whole other cast of characters who were not idiots. And even though I could figure out what was coming and things sometimes seemed a bit too familiar . . .
I still had a pretty good time. If this is on your TBR, don’t give it the boot. 3 Stars for the simple fact that even though this is a series I could really give a rat fart about reading book 2.
“Review” (term used as loosely as possible) portion aside, let’s talk about casting choices for the film. Female lead is a wallflower with frizzy hair that no one has ever given a second glance to. This I love because at least the “oh I’m plain but errrryone magically falls in love with me” Bella Swan syndrome wasn’t in play. However, the film version looks like this . . .
Wallflower my fat ass. I guarantee this chick has old men the world over Googling her birthday to make sure Dateline doesn’t show up at their door.
Which leads us to the boy she worshipped from afar all throughout high school . . .
Srsly? I don’t get it. Also note that I had to Google him because I thought he was like 14 playing the part of a 16 year old.
Which leads us to the other guy who is pretty hearthrobby . . .
Except for the whole “melty chocolatey eyes” thing. Whoops.
I haven’t yet watched the movie, but I will say I hope to shout it focuses on the action and not the luuuuuuuurv.
Generally Sh3lly and I end up reading
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