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gmamartha's review against another edition
3.0
You know that something seems more scary when it could very well happen.
This is a portrayal of what the US could look like after a plague wipes most people off the continent. And a boy's decisions between survival "Grandpa style" and having some kind of new family.
This is a portrayal of what the US could look like after a plague wipes most people off the continent. And a boy's decisions between survival "Grandpa style" and having some kind of new family.
knkayaktel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I remember enjoying this as a child but this read was harder. the beginning I questioned why but later on I really started enjoying it, despite the MCs being super annoying and making stupid decisions
thebrainlair's review against another edition
4.0
Not really a dark dystopia. Would work for MG students. Some violence and some romance but not too much of either.
regionalearth's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Unremarkable YA post-apocalyptic story. Much of the story felt as if it was set in ordinary times. Some parts were fun, but the story was mostly boring.
annievannie's review against another edition
2.0
I started to read this book in anticipation of loving it. I hadn't read any dystopian fiction for a while, so I thought I would give this one a try. The first chapter in, I wasn't hooked. I thought the overall story was very interesting, but there were so many things I didn't like. The characters are very undeveloped and dull. Stephen, the main character, seems to be at war with himself most of the time and does things impulsively. I prefer a main character with a strong will and is mature. Speaking of maturity, most of the characters were teens, but acted like children sometimes. They get into fights, are self-centered, etc. I realize that these things are put in the book to make it more interesting, but while I was reading it I was like WHAT THE HECK. These kids are a little too spoiled for living in a post-apocalyptic world.
My least favorite character was Jenny. Ugh. I don't know what's up with her. Yeah, I understand that she had a difficult life and everything, but her attitude towards everyone at the beginning was so freaking annoying!!! And then Stephen comes along. They have a few fights at the beginning, and then they kiss, and poof! She's different. Yeah, it's good that Stephen changes her attitude a bit, but her sudden change indicates a weak, lamb-like character, ready to follow wherever Stephen leads. [Spoiler Alert: And at the end, for some reason, she all of a sudden LEAVES?? What? I was like WHAT?? This child confuses me. Why the heck is Jenny galloping around the ruins of the world? What's the point?]
The other characters were dull as well. Will was a typical bad guy, and of course I didn't like him at all, but there was nothing special about him. He had no unique characteristics or anything. Just a spoiled brat. And his dad, Caleb, seriously. You'd think that after everything he'd seen with P-11, he'd be a little softer. But no, he and his family just think they own the world!
Oh, and the slavers. Sure, they seemed intimidating, but seriously, what was with them? They appear at the beginning of the book and nothing very interesting happens, and then Stephen is all of a sudden really really worked up and angry at them when he sees them at the end! The slavers were just kind of "there" with not much of a part in the story.
Another thing I didn't really enjoy about the book was the plot. I thought the idea was interesting: a post-dystopian world with a salvager as the main character. Yeah, I thought. This would be good! But nope, this book didn't cut it for me. The first few chapters bored me. There was hardly any story to tell. Then WHOA! There are people chasing us and dad is now in a coma. And WHOA! Random people all of a sudden offer us help. WHOA!!!! Everything is SO BORING!!!!!!!!!!!
And then the spoiled brats fight him, etc.
When I read the synopsis, I thought that 'The prank gone wrong' was going to happen near the beginning. But of course I was wrong. This prank doesn't happen until past the middle of the book. And seriously, WHY THE HECK did they mess with the firecrackers? Yeah, they want revenge, but still. Why are they so FREAKING STUPID?????? And then of course everything goes downhill from there.
Then the inevitable battle happens at the end. And then all of a sudden, at the end, the people from Fort Leonard come and everything is ALL GOOD. yay. :P
Overall, this book kept me reading, but I only kept reading it to get it finished. There was nothing spectacular about the book. I wouldn't read it again. Hopefully the next book I read will be good enough to make up for the disappointment I had with this one.
My least favorite character was Jenny. Ugh. I don't know what's up with her. Yeah, I understand that she had a difficult life and everything, but her attitude towards everyone at the beginning was so freaking annoying!!! And then Stephen comes along. They have a few fights at the beginning, and then they kiss, and poof! She's different. Yeah, it's good that Stephen changes her attitude a bit, but her sudden change indicates a weak, lamb-like character, ready to follow wherever Stephen leads. [Spoiler Alert: And at the end, for some reason, she all of a sudden LEAVES?? What? I was like WHAT?? This child confuses me. Why the heck is Jenny galloping around the ruins of the world? What's the point?]
The other characters were dull as well. Will was a typical bad guy, and of course I didn't like him at all, but there was nothing special about him. He had no unique characteristics or anything. Just a spoiled brat. And his dad, Caleb, seriously. You'd think that after everything he'd seen with P-11, he'd be a little softer. But no, he and his family just think they own the world!
Oh, and the slavers. Sure, they seemed intimidating, but seriously, what was with them? They appear at the beginning of the book and nothing very interesting happens, and then Stephen is all of a sudden really really worked up and angry at them when he sees them at the end! The slavers were just kind of "there" with not much of a part in the story.
Another thing I didn't really enjoy about the book was the plot. I thought the idea was interesting: a post-dystopian world with a salvager as the main character. Yeah, I thought. This would be good! But nope, this book didn't cut it for me. The first few chapters bored me. There was hardly any story to tell. Then WHOA! There are people chasing us and dad is now in a coma. And WHOA! Random people all of a sudden offer us help. WHOA!!!! Everything is SO BORING!!!!!!!!!!!
And then the spoiled brats fight him, etc.
When I read the synopsis, I thought that 'The prank gone wrong' was going to happen near the beginning. But of course I was wrong. This prank doesn't happen until past the middle of the book. And seriously, WHY THE HECK did they mess with the firecrackers? Yeah, they want revenge, but still. Why are they so FREAKING STUPID?????? And then of course everything goes downhill from there.
Then the inevitable battle happens at the end. And then all of a sudden, at the end, the people from Fort Leonard come and everything is ALL GOOD. yay. :P
Overall, this book kept me reading, but I only kept reading it to get it finished. There was nothing spectacular about the book. I wouldn't read it again. Hopefully the next book I read will be good enough to make up for the disappointment I had with this one.
optimisticbooknerd's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️
this is my boyfriend's favorite childhood novel and told me he thinks I should read it and it wasn't terrible. it's a dystopian novel set in a upsetting war ending world and it starts off with our protagonist Stephen and his father burying his grandfather. super fastpaced
this is my boyfriend's favorite childhood novel and told me he thinks I should read it and it wasn't terrible. it's a dystopian novel set in a upsetting war ending world and it starts off with our protagonist Stephen and his father burying his grandfather. super fastpaced
elyssam's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Second middle school reread and I can see why I liked this book since this was one of my favorite genres, however, adult me was unimpressed. The story felt stagnant. There were high stakes at times and then everything kind of fell flat. That repeated over and over. And a lot of American patriotism jumpscares. Seems like Stephen was also opposed to just rebuilding into the past/what the country once was so eh, I guess his critisms of it were good. I don’t know.
estimpert's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0