Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey -- PUBLIC ONLY

Yancey, Rick The 5th Wave 459 pgs. Penguin Books, 2013. $18.99. Language: R (100+ swears); Sexual Content: (PG-13); Violence: R (many gruesome deaths, especially in the beginning).

The aliens came in waves -- unpredictable and carefully-planned attacks that destroyed most of humanity while preserving the Earth itself. Now it is the dawn of the 5th wave, and only a few people remain, including 16-year-old Cassie, who is both on the run and on a mission. But in order to succeed at either, she must discover a strength she never knew she had. Harder still, she needs to figure out how to stay alive in the face this newest wave, which promises to be the worst one yet.

Yancey is a skilled writer who takes readers on an emotional and suspenseful journey, complete with chills, tears, laughter, and even the thrill of romance. This phenomenal, and very intense, story would appeal to fans of Ender's Game, The Hunger Games, and Divergent. If introduced to a few key readers, it could sweep the teen population as its predecessors did. Due to its mature content, however, this one could be a hard sell in schools. The language, while warranted -- it is, after all, the end of the world -- is pretty strong, and some of the graphic scenes Yancey described made me physically ill. Despite this, I loved The 5th Wave and highly recommend it for any students or adults who can handle it.  Note: This is the first in a series.

HS, adult -- PUBLIC ONLY. Reviewed by: Caryn

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