"The minute we decide that one person doesn't matter anymore, they've won."
If alien invasions suit your fancy, Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave may be just what you're looking for. When the 1st Wave hit, sixteen-year-old Cassiopeia "Cassie" Sullivan holed up in her house with her mom, dad, and little brother, waiting for things to get better. Three Waves later, they've only gotten worse. Mankind is almost extinct. The Others inhabit the minds of a few key humans, turning the remaining survivors against each other to stay alive. Cassie's parents are dead, leaving on her own to care for her little brother, Sammy. But Sams has been taken to Camp Haven, a military base that trains children to fight back against those "infected" with an Other consciousness. No matter how safe he is now, he'll be sent to the front line as soon as he's big enough--which means that Cassie's quest to reunite with him is about to get a whole lot harder. The 5th Wave is coming. And it won't be the last.
Unlike other stories featuring attacks from extraterrestrial entities, The 5th Wave integrates a well thought-out battle plan. The Others have taken their time, tailoring their attacks to vital parts of our infrastructure. Disease, natural disasters, distrust, an EMP--these are the Waves that have destroyed the world. What starts out as peek into a teenager's post-apocalypse diary soon becomes a full-on tour of Cassie's life as she struggles to make her way to Camp Haven and free her brother. She has few supplies, very little idea where it is, and an "infected" hunter--which she calls a Silencer--on her tail. In short, she may as well give up now. What makes her extraordinary, however, is her ability to push through impossible situations, shaping and reshaping her plan until something works...at which point she barrels forward with such intensity that nothing can stand in her way.
This is the point where the pacing trips up. About halfway through her trek to the military base, Cassie is forced to make camp in an old cabin occupied by a mysterious boy named Evan Walker. Walker is supposed to be a charming, enigmatic love interest with a dark secret, but by the time the first couple of foreshadowing hints are dropped it's fairly obvious what he's hiding. Unfortunately, Cassie doesn't seem to agree; she spends a goodly portion of the novel swooning over him and wondering what he's up to instead of planning her next move. Although this provides a considerable amount of character development and contributes to the final stretch of plot, it makes the stakes seem lower than they truly are and generally detracts from the story.
Though we've been focusing on Cassie, there is another character who takes center stage for a while, as well. Meet Zombie, a Camp Haven cadet who's just been assigned to babysit the latest recruit, a little kid called Nugget. With the help of a transfer cadet, Zombie's squadron may be headed for graduation--except, that is, for Nugget. When a terrible truth comes to light, Zombie, Cassie, and Evan must work together to free Nugget--that is, Sams--before time runs out. Zombie's point of view gives readers a nice break from the "teenaged survivor" perspective.
Because Zombie is in the military, it's only natural to expect some profanity. The commanders, soldiers, and cadets all swear, sometimes to demoralize underlings and sometimes to let off steam in a stressful situation. The same goes for those beyond Camp Haven's protective borders, where Silencers are everywhere and no one is to be trusted. In order to keep going, Cassie and her allies are often thrown into somewhat brutal fights that leave them a little more scarred each time. These can be a little intense and a tad gruesome, so sensitive readers should beware. The romance--which consists of kissing, inquisitive touches, and leading thoughts--feels out of place in the plot and just insta-love-y enough to be awkward, regardless of its plot contributions.
I would recommend this book to mid- to older teens interested in a high-stakes apocalyptic story where saving one person is just as important as saving the world. The Waves that took out humanity are well-considered and believable, and the character development that takes place within this new world is great to read. Despite the unsteady pacing near the middle of the narrative, the stakes are enough to keep the pages turning regularly. Sams is a loveable persona who seems almost real, tying the whole thing together in the face of its flaws. Overall, Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave is a strong start to a series set in a terrifying future, and deserves four stars.
Unlike other stories featuring attacks from extraterrestrial entities, The 5th Wave integrates a well thought-out battle plan. The Others have taken their time, tailoring their attacks to vital parts of our infrastructure. Disease, natural disasters, distrust, an EMP--these are the Waves that have destroyed the world. What starts out as peek into a teenager's post-apocalypse diary soon becomes a full-on tour of Cassie's life as she struggles to make her way to Camp Haven and free her brother. She has few supplies, very little idea where it is, and an "infected" hunter--which she calls a Silencer--on her tail. In short, she may as well give up now. What makes her extraordinary, however, is her ability to push through impossible situations, shaping and reshaping her plan until something works...at which point she barrels forward with such intensity that nothing can stand in her way.
This is the point where the pacing trips up. About halfway through her trek to the military base, Cassie is forced to make camp in an old cabin occupied by a mysterious boy named Evan Walker. Walker is supposed to be a charming, enigmatic love interest with a dark secret, but by the time the first couple of foreshadowing hints are dropped it's fairly obvious what he's hiding. Unfortunately, Cassie doesn't seem to agree; she spends a goodly portion of the novel swooning over him and wondering what he's up to instead of planning her next move. Although this provides a considerable amount of character development and contributes to the final stretch of plot, it makes the stakes seem lower than they truly are and generally detracts from the story.
Though we've been focusing on Cassie, there is another character who takes center stage for a while, as well. Meet Zombie, a Camp Haven cadet who's just been assigned to babysit the latest recruit, a little kid called Nugget. With the help of a transfer cadet, Zombie's squadron may be headed for graduation--except, that is, for Nugget. When a terrible truth comes to light, Zombie, Cassie, and Evan must work together to free Nugget--that is, Sams--before time runs out. Zombie's point of view gives readers a nice break from the "teenaged survivor" perspective.
Because Zombie is in the military, it's only natural to expect some profanity. The commanders, soldiers, and cadets all swear, sometimes to demoralize underlings and sometimes to let off steam in a stressful situation. The same goes for those beyond Camp Haven's protective borders, where Silencers are everywhere and no one is to be trusted. In order to keep going, Cassie and her allies are often thrown into somewhat brutal fights that leave them a little more scarred each time. These can be a little intense and a tad gruesome, so sensitive readers should beware. The romance--which consists of kissing, inquisitive touches, and leading thoughts--feels out of place in the plot and just insta-love-y enough to be awkward, regardless of its plot contributions.
I would recommend this book to mid- to older teens interested in a high-stakes apocalyptic story where saving one person is just as important as saving the world. The Waves that took out humanity are well-considered and believable, and the character development that takes place within this new world is great to read. Despite the unsteady pacing near the middle of the narrative, the stakes are enough to keep the pages turning regularly. Sams is a loveable persona who seems almost real, tying the whole thing together in the face of its flaws. Overall, Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave is a strong start to a series set in a terrifying future, and deserves four stars.
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