Rereading this tonight in preparation for the sequel's release on September 16! I'm so excited!
UPDATE: 05/11/13
4.5-5 STARS
SeriUPDATE: 09/01/14
Rereading this tonight in preparation for the sequel's release on September 16! I'm so excited!
UPDATE: 05/11/13
4.5-5 STARS
Seriously, Rick Yancey, are you an alien? You know so much you're probably one of 'em! *accusing stare* Lol kidding.
THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE HYPE. Alien invasion had never felt so real. I felt the terror. I felt the suffering. And I felt my heart swell for humanity.
I could've given this book a 4 or 4.5-star rating. It has one of the most terrifying and intense opening chapters I can ever recall. I wasn't supposed to read the first 5 chapters inside a movie house but I did (no kidding). The zombie attacks were so palpably, I was instantly hooked from the beginning!
Unfortunately as I read on, the story gradually lost its appeal.
"The thing no one tells you about surviving, about the mere act of holding out, is how many hours are nothing because nothing happens."
I understand the reason as to why the story revolved around the characters holding out inside the school. However, I couldn't pretend it didn't bore me. The characters basically just walked around the school or fought with each other - which was justifiable given their situation - except that's all they did for almost 80% of the book.
I asked myself "Am I only looking for more zombie action? Would I like it better if it's a contemporary novel?" So I tried looking at it differently. It's a very emotional and sad story of a girl confined in her misery. After the adrenaline-rushing and terrifying zombie attacks, the author started getting in deep with the characters' emotions and inner battles. Now, do I like it better? The answer is yes - however, it still bored me a little not because it's awful and dull but because the plot felt stagnant. Just like the quote from the book, "nothing happens."
I really liked the author's writing style. I also appreciate how she managed to make her characters distinctive and memorable despite their huge number (writing 6 main characters is no joke).
The ending didn't provide a tidy conclusion and nothing was resolved in a traditional manner but surprisingly, I think it's a fitting way to end this novel.
I only feel kind of sad and disappointed because it started off sooo good but overall, I still think it's a brilliant novel about zombies, depression, survival, and friendship. :)...more
"Someone has sprayed graffiti on the ceiling. A crude knight stands alone with his sword drawn against a fire-breathing dragon that is ten times his size. The dragon's tail disappears into darkness where the window light fades deep into the store. Beside the knight are the words “Where Have All the Heroes Gone?”
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It looks to me like the artist thought the knight didn’t stand a chance against the dragon.
I know just how he feels."
End of Days is a very fitting title for this book not only because it's the end of this wonderful and outstanding series, but also because it's the end of my 'can't wait for the next book' and 'I'm dying in anticipation' days. It's been three months since I read it, and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that it's over.
To sum this book up in 10 words, "It is everything I wanted it to be—and more."
It begins right where World After left off—Raffe with Penryn in his arms, flying, and Paige sitting on Beliel's body which is being carried by scorpion-tailed locusts. Please take note that if you're currently reading this book, Penryn and Raffe's reunion just happened the night before. Their first meeting in Angelfall happened roughly two weeks ago because Angelfall and World After covers about ten days of their journey (you can reread the books to verify. Thanks to Katerina for helping me count!) That's how packed and huge this series is.
“Who’s going to do that?” I think about that for a minute before answering. “Heroes.”
Penryn, while being unconsciously cute and adorable, has always been a self-reliant and strong female character but in this final installment, Susan Ee takes her badass quality to a whole new level. She's not just a brave human girl; she's a fighter. She represents humanity. A Daughter of Man.
Raffe, on the otherhand, has always been a fierce believer and follower of angelic rules but in this book, the battle between his responsibilities and his heart gets tougher. He's not just an archangel; he's a warrior. He represents the angels. An enemy soldier.
He can't be distracted by a Daughter of Man, but the fire can be tempting.
“Just this once,” he says almost more to himself than to me. “Just one moment.”
The romance in this series has always been subtle yet powerful—a gaze, a heart-melting smile, a conscious decision to hold each other a bit longer than necessary; such simple gestures speak volumes and enough to make me go crazy. Imagine my shock—and utter delight, when the romance got more intense in this book. Remember that in their world, it's just last night when Raffe found out Penryn was alive. The way he treats Penryn in World After was just the start. *wink wink*
“So am I?” I whisper. “Your Daughter of Man?”
I am madly inlove with Raffe and Penryn's relationship not only because of their intense chemistry, but also because of their great camaraderie. He's not just an angel to her, she's not just a human to him; they're partners. They represent their own race, but they're loyal to each other. A team.
ENDING
A lot of people have been asking me, "I've read mixed reviews about this book. Some readers are euphoric, some are unsatisfied. Is it a happy ever after?" First of all, I'd waited more than a year for this book and the last six months had been the hardest for me because it's the period of time where I religiously checked my email for any response from the publisher about my ARC. I was like, "I might receive my advance reader's copy any day now yay!" (I know, right? Desperate!) The anticipation was so huge that it eventually felt like the book needed to make up for it. If this book was any less than remarkable, I'd be very, very disappointed. I don't know why some readers are unsatisfied, I guess reading the first two books again and again plus theorising about the conclusion for two years helped me appreciate this book more.
Some of my questions were left unanswered, but I wasn't really expecting every loose thread to be tied up so I was rather impressed that this book had exceeded my expectations and gave me more than what I wanted: (view spoiler)[the epic war, the Watchers, the adventure in the pit, and the well-developed romance. (hide spoiler)] I would've wanted the buildup of the war to be shorter and the last chapters to be longer, but overall it's a very epic finale.
HAPPY EVER AFTER
Now let me ask you, what's your idea of a HEA or happy ever after? If it's ribbons and wedding bells and sparkles, then no, Raffe and Penryn didn't get their HEA. Sacrifices had to be made. The future in this apocalyptic world was ever unclear. If you theorize enough about it, if you consider all other possible alternate endings, you will realize it's the best and perfect conclusion to this series. When I finished the book, I had this satisfied look on my face and I thought "Of course! That's exactly the HEA this series deserves."
All the books in this series have wings on the cover. It has always been about it—it's the reason Raffe teamed up with Penryn in Angelfall, it's the reason they fought for their lives in World After. (view spoiler)[Before EOD, I'd been very against the idea of Raffe losing his wings again. But what happened was he lost it for Penryn and this time it's a choice made by him so it's very justified for me. Susan Ee wanted us to feel the gravity of Raffe's feelings for Penryn that even after everything they've been through to get his wings back, he's willing to lose it again and again if it means Penryn gets to live another day. (hide spoiler)] The wings have always played a crucial part in their lives since day one, and it makes so much sense that it will continue to play an important role until the last book. It had brought them together. It will bring them together.
•••
"And now there’s this. Knowing about the horrors that have happened and will happen but choosing to live anyway. Maybe there’s an art to being human."
In a war between humans and angels, the former represents the knight; the latter represents the dragon. The humans—the healthy, the injured, the young and old—they know they'll most likely be massacred but they come to fight anyway. Heroes.
Overall, End of Days is an epic and a very justified ending to Penryn's story. (Oh my God I can't believe that this time I'm saying goodbye to this series but..)
I was originally planning to give it 5 STARS but then I reminded myself that I couldn't just give the highest rating to any books I liked just 4 STARS
I was originally planning to give it 5 STARS but then I reminded myself that I couldn't just give the highest rating to any books I liked just because I was amazed by the story. So yep, just consider this a change in my rating system. This is just me bordering line between a very good (4 stars) book, and a perfect (5 stars) book. ;)
For once, I was glad I ignored all the hype and didn't read this book right away. A lot of people have read it already & could only do a reread right now, while me─i get to read it for the first time. The rollercoaster of emotions, the anticipation, the feeling of being complete after you've read a masterpiece, everything─all fresh in my mind and heart.
LEGEND gave me all those feels. It's not everyday that we stumble upon a good book, right? It's actually one of the reasons why us book lovers read a LOT─to search for a masterpiece after another and be blown away all over again. (Ok, now I sound like I'm writing an essay and not a review HAHA forgive me. I obviously become so talkative & dramatic when it comes to books I feel so strongly about.)
This book is actually very emotional at the same time logical. What else? Action-packed, brilliant, powerful, intense─I could go on forever. I was gripping this book tightly in my hands all throughout the story, no kidding. I can continue and talk about what I think about the plot, characters, writing, you know, technical stuffs but I guess I'll leave it like this because after all, the power of this book is in its emotional punches and I want my review to be focused on that. (The technical stuffs are brilliant. I just don't feel the need to elaborate more because a lot of reviewers did that already.)
So there goes my subjective review.This book is easily one of my ultimate-favorites of all time. :)...more
(Thanks to Amazon/Skycape Publishing for providing an ARC for review)
This review is nearly impossible for me to articulate because of the vast5 STARS
(Thanks to Amazon/Skycape Publishing for providing an ARC for review)
This review is nearly impossible for me to articulate because of the vast love I have for this book, the characters, and Susan Ee's writing. I am madly inlove with this series so I will do my best to review this book as eloquently as I can without being bias.
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CHAPTER 1:
Everyone thinks I’m dead.
The first few words sucked me right back in into Penryn's apocalyptic world. It begins right where Angelfall left off─Penryn lying in the truck bed, being transported to the resistance camp with her mother and little sister Paige.
There are no gaps, no "after a few days" shortcuts. The story unfolds exactly as it should, slowly and jammed full of action that it takes 75 chapters to narrate five to seven days of Penryn's whole journey after Angelfall. There are no unnecessary and excessive details. Every word has a purpose and every scene has a meaning. It's truly outstanding.
"And if there’s one thing I know that a kid Paige's age shouldn’t be doing, it’s having to fight for her life while her big sister is around."
Penryn will always be my topmost favorite female character. She's a combination of witty, stubborn, levelheaded girl and she's fiercely loyal to her family. Although it seems her desperation to save Paige lessen slightly in this sequel (given how strong and dangerous Paige is now, capable of taking care of herself), their relationship remains as one of the most emotional and compelling elements in this novel.
I nod. "Good job, Mom." Kind of a disturbing eye-opener to realize that your own parent needs encouragement from you.
These are some of my favorite words from Penryn in this sequel. Her mom is as crazy as ever if not worse, but we come to learn that there's a hint of sanity and intelligence to her craziness. When Penryn complimented her, she was so happy it made my heart swell and break at the same time.
“I’m gonna be sick,” I say. “I’m ordering you not to,” says Obi. “Ah, don’t say that,” says Dee-Dum. “She’s a born rebel. She’ll puke just to make a point.”
Can I just mention how much I love the humor in this series? Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum continues to be great purveyors of comic relief in this dark and gruesome tale. BUT you know what else has made me laugh so hard in this novel? Pooky Bear. I won't say much about her except she's one inanimate character I have learned to love.
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THE REUNION:
Raffe's step falters and he pauses, staring at me.
Such simple words, yet heavy with emotions and a billion other things. I was drowned under the weight and intensity of it that I stayed on this part for too long, rereading as many times as I could before moving on to the next page. Oh Raffe, you being immobile is enough to render me completely stupefied! *hyperventilates*
Fangirling aside, we don't see much of Raffe until about two thirds or 70% into the story. Or rather, we don't see Raffe and Penryn together again until that part. But trust me, the long wait actually contributed to the overall impact of their reunion. From there, the romance gets rolling and there's no stopping it. Susan Ee clearly knows how to write a subtle yet powerful love story, giving intense, heart-melting scenes without giving too much away. IT IS SO DAMN GOOD.
My favorite scene: CLICK (view spoiler)[When Raffe held Penryn tightly and he sobbed. Some of you may not realize it at first reading, but he actually did. Go read and check chapter 61. (hide spoiler)]
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THE CLIMAX:
Uriel takes a deep breath. "Finally," his chest swelling with satisfaction. "It’s time for Judgment Day. The legendary apocalypse is HERE!"
The sad thing about sequels, is that they're always being compared to their predecessors. I've already read some reviews saying that Angelfall is better than this one. In my honest opinion, World After is just as outstanding as Angelfall but it has a different purpose. There are a lot of questions in the first book that needed to be answered and explained. In this sequel, we find out what the angels are up to, what the scorpions are for, etc, before we finally move on to the most exciting parts─such as Uriel's fake apocalypse─which is as adrenaline-rushing as the resistance attack in the first book. The fabricated apocalypse, the 1920's theme complete with outfits and masks, the massacre, the sword fight in the end ─ it's all PERFECT.
Overall, World After is an effortlessly magnificent follow-up to Angelfall. If anything, it's actually more hilarious and better in the romance and gore department. Now I'm sooo ready for the third novel!!
When Raffe first laid his eyes on Penryn after being apart for quite a long time:
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Me and my friends after we finished the book:
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MY CURRENT STATE; 2 weeks later since I've read World After:
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I LOVE how I've completed my Goodreads "2013 Reading Challenge" by finishing this book!!! This is my 100th read for 2013 and that makes this book a lot more special to me. ♥
God, I've never savoured scenes as much as I did with this book.
I'M HOLDING MY REVIEW UNTIL CLOSER TO THE RELEASE DATE.
■■■■■■
UPDATE 10/22/13. 2:00 PM
Ahhhhhhhhh my ARC is finally here!!! Holy angels I cannot contain my feelings right now!!! This is my most anticipated book of 2013 and Angelfall is my top favorite book of all time, NO KIDDING. It's always been the #1 book on my Goodreads profile!
Thank you so much Amazon Publishing! I'm so, so happy!...more
Thank God for another unputdownable read! Lauren Oliver, you brilliant woman!
To be honest, my expectation for this book wasn't verWOW WOW WOW!
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Thank God for another unputdownable read! Lauren Oliver, you brilliant woman!
To be honest, my expectation for this book wasn't very high since third installments were usually boring and stale (you guys know it!). I actually thought it would be a snoozefest but I was wrong! Requiem is, in fact, the most action-packed book in this series. Trust me.
•••
Requiem is narrated by both Lena and Hana. The first time I learned about it, I wasn't very thrilled. I guess I wasn't exactly the most interested person in what was going to happen to the "cured" side. I thought Hana's POV would be, again, a snoozefest. And again, I was wrong.
Two different girls. Two different worlds. Two different POV's completing the plot and bringing everything together.
IT'S FLAWLESS.
I could see the Wilds, the mud, the wild-eyed and skinny Invalids. I could smell the awful stink, the fire, the burning camps. I could taste fear, anger, and pain.
And I could feel everyone's hope to strike back, the determination to live─to be alive.
I LOVE EVERYTHING and love the message behind it.
I KNOW A LOT OF YOU are impatiently scrolling down my review to hear about Julian and Alex. Hah!. Well, it won't matter if you're Team Alex or Team Julian, your heart will go out to both of them in this book. But yes, in the end Lena had to choose one. And she did.
The ending to this book is left very open and it may annoy some of you. (I myself couldn't believe there's nothing more after the last page!) But I think the last words provide the answer:
You do not know what will happen if you take down the walls; you cannot see through to the other side, don’t know whether it will bring freedom or ruin, resolution or chaos. It might be paradise or destruction.
Take down the walls.
I love it and I am satisfied so I am giving this 5 STARS. :)...more
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