This book probably deserves more of a 2.5 stars but the last kind of 50 pages were actually genuinely really interesting which redeemed it a bit I gueThis book probably deserves more of a 2.5 stars but the last kind of 50 pages were actually genuinely really interesting which redeemed it a bit I guess.
I was really excited to read this book. I love Michael Grant. I loved his Gone series, and have read it over and over. I flew through the BZRK series and loved it as well. I was really excited to read this, to be able to delve more into Michael Grant's writing which I love so much. I really wanted to like this book, and so it was really disappointing when I found myself ... not liking it.
This book follows Mara, a girl who wakes up and inexplicably finds herself with no recollection of who/what she is and how she got there. She's accompanied by the 'Messenger of Fear', a mysterious figure who delivers justice to the wicked. The story follows Mara and is interwoven with the stories of other characters, most notably, a girl called Samantha who committed suicide.
The general plot of the book was okay, interesting even, but it just lacked so much. There wasn't enough world building, there wasn't much driving plot. This book was mostly stagnant, definitely not a page-turner or something you feel you need to get back to.
This book just didn't hit the mark in so many areas. The whole story is frustratingly confusing, and while this is supposed to reflect the frustrated confusions of Mara, you feel a little cheated as a reader. You're introduced to all these mystical beings and characters and a completely new world but none of it is ever sufficiently explained.
The end of the book has a twist, but it was, for me, too predictable. I guessed it very, very early on in the book and so that big 'twist' was really anti-climatic. The story is wrapped up briefly in the last 50 or so pages, and it's not wrapped up very well. The loose ends don't really come together and there's alot left unsaid and unanswered.
The thing that kept me continuing this book despite my incessant need to finish any book I start was the Messenger of Fear as a character. The Messenger Fear, to me, was genuinely compelling and I spent most of the time wanting to know more about him. He seemed an interesting mix between sympathetic and apathetic, and there was a backstory hinted at that I really, really wanted to know about. Unfortunately, like the rest of the plotlines in this book, that all wasn't ever really explained.
Overall, this book was just a little disappointing. It was frustrating because it had a potential to be much better, and it never really got there. There were some good chapters of this book ; anything involving The Messenger's backstory or characterisation was interesting, as was chapters involving the other mini-stories. But some parts of this book were entirely too predictable, there was no rising and falling tension, just a flatline the entire way through, the main character was annoying and unrelatable and too little was left unexplained.
I'm going to read the sequel, because it's Michael Grant and because maybe it'll answer some questions but I'm not going to rush out to read it. I'm so disappointed this book wasn't better. ...more
"the horror, the horror" yes im horrified a book so purely boring and racist managed to become a classic too
as past me once said: "It would be more fu"the horror, the horror" yes im horrified a book so purely boring and racist managed to become a classic too
as past me once said: "It would be more fun to put a rusty screw in my eye then keep reading this. I get it, it's a metaphor."
the only shoutout I can give this book is that I love it for giving me so much to write about and probably getting me through my exams so thanks HOD...more
"You know, I'm kind of disappointed." Brianna said. "Situation like this? Sam would have come up with a plan."
The Gone Series has such a specia
"You know, I'm kind of disappointed." Brianna said. "Situation like this? Sam would have come up with a plan."
The Gone Series has such a special place in my heart. I initially read it when I was 14/15 and I fell in love with everything about it - the characters, the world, the plot. When I read Gone, I was just starting to move into the "young adult" genre, and the Gone series was so unlike anything I'd ever read at the time. It's like x-men crossed with Lord of the Flies .. plus, other stuff
I loved it so much. Fast forward 4/5 years, I still love it so much.
I KNOW why alot of people don't like these books, but I don't care. Gone means too much, I love it so much. I'm so attatched to these characters, and this world.
I've not picked up any of the Gone books since I finished Light in 2013. It hurt me too much to do that - but I've not read Plague in YEARS and it was one of my favourites and I'm so, so glad I picked it up again.
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For me, there are a lot of things to love about The Gone Series. They're gory, complex, fast-paced and boast a cast of diverse and interesting characters. I have always thought Michael Grant had a knack for understanding the portraying the human condition, and the way the children act in the Gone Series really exemplifies that. I can see myself in their characters, see my friends and how I think they would act.
And I like that it's not cliche, I like that friendships fall apart, that people betray eachother and not everyone is a hero. Some people are just scared, some people are arrogant, some people are good leaders and bad leaders and cruel leaders. Some people just want to be left alone, some people don't care what happens. I genuinely love that by Plague, the "good/bad" leader dichotomy between Sam and Caine has been turned on it's head with the rise of my man ... Albert.
Sam had to resist the urge to laugh out loud. After all that had happened between him and Caine, after all Caine's posturing today; it wasn't big, charming, handsome, and very powerful Caine, or Sam either, who ran the FAYZ.
It was a reserved, skinny kid who's only power was the ability to work hard and stay focussed
I mean -- ain't that saying something about the world. Capitalism always wins smh.
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The Gone series is awfully gory and gross but Plague just takes it off the charts. Bugs which eat you from the inside out, insects the size of busses, a flu which will literally make you cough your lungs up There are scenes in this book that genuinely SCARRED ME. (view spoiler)[I am still disturbed from the bit when they cut Dekka open to get the bugs out (hide spoiler)] But I love that, I always felt like the absolute horror of the situation made these books unique and made the actions of the characters so damn understandable.
Character wise, I am actually really in love with some of these characters. I mean, Astrid could of fallen off a cliff at any time and I would have been glad but I love the others (minus Drake probably). The supporting characters were always my favorite - Quinn, Edilio, Dekka, Brianna. They made this series for me, and I love them so much. And despite all his bullshit I do love Caine alot too (my trash son) and even Sam. The characters don't let down the plot and the events of the story at all - which I love. I hate a good story with terrible characters.
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I don't know, Something about Gone just DOES IT FOR ME. I love it always, it's just insane and awful and unimaginable but I feel it's also realistic to what could happen in this situation.
Honestly Gone will forever be my fave don't try to fight me on this...more
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