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Rage (Riders of the Apocalypse #2)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 968 ratings · 286 reviews

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different. That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wield...more

Paperback, 213 pages

Published April 4th 2011 by Harcourt Graphia (first published March 15th 2011)

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Nov 29, 2011 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

on the surface, yes, i gave the second part of this series the same three stars as the first part, hunger, but know that this three stars is a shinier three.

this one also starts with a clever premise: if an anorexic girl was chosen to be famine for the first volume, who will be the incarnation of war for the second? ohhh a cutter. makes sense. someone with a lot of pent-up aggression who uses bloodshed as a coping mechanism.

the author says that, unlike the eating disorders from the first book,...more

45 likes · like · see review

Oct 22, 2011 the golden witch. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, arc-galley, fairy-tales-retold, teenage-shennanigans, magical-reality, best-of-11, reviewed, ebook, favorites-novels, net-galley, own-print-arc

This was a very difficult book for me to get through. And when I mean difficult, I don't mean in the "poorly written, oh god do not want" sort of way, but more in the way of "hitting too close to home".

I am a former self-injurer, and I knew that the second book in the Horseman Quartet was going to have War as a cutter, but I hadn't prepared myself mentally and emotionally for the extremely well-written and almost graphically vivid imagery contained therein.

Continuing in the vein of "Hunger", "Ra...more This was a very difficult book for me to get through. And when I mean difficult, I don't mean in the "poorly written, oh god do not want" sort of way, but more in the way of "hitting too close to home".

I am a former self-injurer, and I knew that the second book in the Horseman Quartet was going to have War as a cutter, but I hadn't prepared myself mentally and emotionally for the extremely well-written and almost graphically vivid imagery contained therein.

Continuing in the vein of "Hunger", "Rage" explores what it's like to have a self-injuring condition as a teenager. It's not easy. It's not pretty. And thankfully, it's not glamourized in this book - I really have to thank Kessler for that. If there are any do-overs I could have as a teenager, I'd have to choose NOT self-injuring myself in order to be emotionally healthy. Kessler's book just reinforces that and perfectly (I mean really, to the letter) describes why I used to cut, and what the end-game goal is: to be in control of who's inflicting the pain, and how far you're willing to go in order to attain that goal.

A side note: Death as Kurt Cobain? Love it. It's just so perfect, so tragic, and so sad - but it makes total sense.

If you haven't read the first book in this series, please read it before reading this one. If you're not familiar or unsure on how self-injuring works, I think the first book is where you need to start before moving on to "Rage". These books are intense, and that's a good thing. Kessler makes her heroines survivors, not victims - and that in itself in YA fiction is pretty rare in of itself.

It takes a long time to quit self-injury. With all of the chemical interactions involved in the brain, just like anyone who would get addicted to anything else, you have to go through rehab. A different sort of rehab, but rehab nonetheless. So many YA books that address the topic of self-harm (be it cutting or eating disorders) skip over this part and tend not to differentiate between the different therapies needed in order to get well. If anything, it makes them smaller, makes their heroines (and less often, heroes) victims, and that's something I just can't stand. Cutters cut because we need to control the pain and not be the victims but the victors of whatever situation that's driven us to do so in the first place. It always makes me see red when I see YA authors that obviously have no experience (or who haven't researched the topic enough) with self-harm write a book with a tragic heroine with a self-harm problem. Self-harm is tragic, but we don't have to be victims about it. Thank you, Ms. Kessler, for reminding us about this.

I have been "sober" from self-harm now for nearly ten years. I wish that "Rage" had been around ten years ago, when I possibly needed the most.

To those who still self-harm: this book will support you, and remind you that there is life beyond the control of the blade.

(crossposted to librarything and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Mar 18, 2011 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Melissa Miller is not okay. For starters her home life is sort of a joke. Her parents are hardly ever available, emotionally or otherwise, because of their demanding careers so they think all is well on the home front. They have no clue that Melissa and her sister loathe each other, want nothing to do with one another. They don't know that Melissa is deeply troubled, in desperate need of help.

School is no better. Melissa's been a social outcast ever since her ex-boyfriend told everyone her big...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Demonic Circus Princess rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ansty-angsty-angst, beautiful-cover, best-male-character, cardboard-characters-syndrome, depressing, doesn-t-entirely-make-sense, one-or-two-redeeming-characters, sloooooowww-pppaaaacccceedddd, stupid-decisions, the-human-mind-makes-no-sense-to-me, wanted-to-slap-the-heroine

Note: I read this book in July 2011, so don't feed me to the wolves if I forget something like a name or whatever, okay? I still remember enough to re-review it.

I'll be honest, I don't have a very long attention span. If there is not something interesting going on or the pacing is too slow, chances are, I'll put it down. That was almost the case with this book. Instead though, I flipped through the 200 something pages where nothing happens, lightly skimming over it in case I miss anything import...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Jess Bierschied rated it 5 of 5 stars

RAGE, by Jackie Morse Kessler instantly draws you when main character Melissa “Missy” Miller confronts Death, and slams the door in His face. Missy has a fate that she must accept or she will surely die. Missy being a self-injurer she cuts, shallow and deep. Painful always. Bleed out the bad as she puts it, but one night after an ex-boyfriend tricks her into a mortifying situation she cant take it anymore and she cuts too deep. Only Death's voice can coax her to push through and open a white pac...more RAGE, by Jackie Morse Kessler instantly draws you when main character Melissa “Missy” Miller confronts Death, and slams the door in His face. Missy has a fate that she must accept or she will surely die. Missy being a self-injurer she cuts, shallow and deep. Painful always. Bleed out the bad as she puts it, but one night after an ex-boyfriend tricks her into a mortifying situation she cant take it anymore and she cuts too deep. Only Death's voice can coax her to push through and open a white package that will unveil her future as War. One of the four riders of the Apocalypse.
I was sucked into this books almost instantly. The cover drew me in, with a fierce sword and beautiful colors. Instantly I was drawn to Missy's self-injuring personality, I found I could relate to some of her emotional states. She seemed like a normal teenager dealing with identity issues and not quite fitting in completely in school, dealing with bitchy girls, and a ruthless ex-boyfriend. Missy doesn't let cruel nicknames stop her from doing what she wants but when her ex, Adam starts talking to her about missing her, her entire world rapidly spins out of control.
At a party the very same night, she makes an appearance to keep up any shreds of popularity she has, and Adam makes a move toward her, with her emotions running high she stupidly follows him to an upstairs bedroom and she strips down to nothing but her scar covered skin and then her entire world shatters when Adam signals it is the time for everyone to rush in and snap pictures and videos of her scarred body. She rushes home to find Death waiting for her but again she ignores him, she needs to cut, bleed out the bad. Over and over she cuts but the bad wont go away. I wanted to scream to tell her to stop, tell her that it would end badly, then the words hit and I was ready to throw the book away!
Death was in her head telling her what to do to save herself! My image of Death went from a black robed skeletal guy to a teenage rocker with a white horse! He's seems to be pretty hot. He gives Missy a choice, and Missy wield's War's sword in the end, and becomes a horseman of the Apocalypse. She still fights a war within herself for the dominance of the violent nature of War and her nature where she wants to do whats right and not hurt people! Death, the most powerful and most attractive rider, had me wanting to be a rider so bad.
This books sucks you in and doesn't let go. At the end my jaw was left hanging open, practically begging for more. This is a perfect mix of the self-injury and paranormal genres. I am eagarly awaiting Kessler's next book, no matter what it is. She has a very distinct voice when writing, and you find yourself feeling like you are there, as a bystander, watching. I highly recommend this book.(less)

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Mar 17, 2011 Kristen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Where to start? The author has a wonderful way with words. The turns of phrase are so often beautiful. The dialogue between Death and Missy or Death and the other Horsemen reflect this so often. I found myself sometimes reading the same phrases agin, not because I needed to, but because the sentence was so wonderful I wanted to.

But… (and here it comes) I kept hoping as I read this that the purpose of the series would become apparent. That the overall story arc would reveal itself. Unfortunately,...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Raechella rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-series, fantasy, young-adult, reviewed

“Addictions are notoriously difficult to just quit.” And so do I believe.

I am perchance one of the minorities who didn’t really like this book. I have no problems with the premise and writing whatsoever; given the fact that the premise itself was what lured me into reading it and the prose was beautiful, though quite repetitive. Indeed, it was very notable of Kessler to tackle serious themes such as teenage angst accompanied by self-mutilation and bullying. My problem with this book would possib...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Ironie rated it 1 of 5 stars

You can't not like this cover, especially if you're inclined to villainy like yours truly. You just can't. It has a freaking bloody sword on it which looks awesome, and its title is just Rage. It just screams villainy darkness and evulz.

Now this book is a girl named Missy, who, after being humiliated in front of the school, almost kills herself. But in the passing moments of life, Death comes along and names her War, one of the Riders of the Apocalypse. Sounds pretty intense, right?

Wrong. Wrong...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Lily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-ya-and-childrens, signed-books

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler Early Review
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.
That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword t...more Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler Early Review
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.
That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.
A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world. (Synopsis by good reads)
Rage, the second book in the new series by Kessler is very good. This book deals with Missy Miller a 16-year-old girl who cuts herself. Missy is constantly teased and has to put of up with a lot of garbage from her school mates and her own sister.
When Missy becomes War, she unleashes a terror that she didn’t know she had. I enjoyed the inner struggle she had with herself and the conversations she had with War. I think it added to the story. Kessler did an amazing job at showing why Missy cut herself and how she deals with her self-injuring.
The book takes reads all over the world and we get to see what war has done all over the world, but not just in a war zone like one might think. There were some scenes that were hard to read. The reader feels like they are right there with Missy and that they are being tormented just as she was.
I would say that if you have cut yourself in the past or if you are a cutter, that you need to be in a safe place before reading this book.
Over all rating:
***** 5 out of 5 stats
Cover Art:
I think the cover art is just as good as the previous book.
Obtained:
I received an ARC for review from the publisher via net galley. Thank you.
**THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE ON APRIL 8 2011** (less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Brandi Kosiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a gritty and dark novel, but it drew me in and didn't let go. Missy was in a lot of pain, and she deals with pain and anger by cutting (self-mutilation). It gets pretty graphic, but it is an accurate representation of what a cutter feels and why.

Missy has a pretty good friend that tries to be there for her, her sister and her fight, but you can see her sister cares, and her parents are clueless and works a lot but they at least try to have some family time. Her ex-boyfriend found out a...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

This one I liked more than Hunger, but it hit very close to home.

As a former self injurer, someone who was bullied, and had a difficult homelife, this book was like reliving parts of my high school career, it it was painful- yet at the same time, cathartic, because Missy was given a chance to do something with the rage, pain and frustrated helplessness that plagued her.

Like the first book, the idea behind the Riders, the characters, the interactions, the pacing and the writing were all easy but...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Sergei Franson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, favorites, graphic-violence, heart-breaking, kick-ass-end, likable-bad-guys, powerful, strong-female-leads, well-written

Words cannot begin to describe the beauty of Rage. It is so honest, so brutal, so realistic, so heartbreaking, so touching, so powerful, so simple, so disturbing, so breathtaking, so wide in scope, so brilliantly casted, so wonderfully executed, without going over the 250-page mark. Unbelievable. The writing is gorgeous, lyrical, and poetic. It flows and shines through the darkness the book invokes. There is no flaw in the placement of her language… no unneeded word. Every thing spoken or left...more Words cannot begin to describe the beauty of Rage. It is so honest, so brutal, so realistic, so heartbreaking, so touching, so powerful, so simple, so disturbing, so breathtaking, so wide in scope, so brilliantly casted, so wonderfully executed, without going over the 250-page mark. Unbelievable. The writing is gorgeous, lyrical, and poetic. It flows and shines through the darkness the book invokes. There is no flaw in the placement of her language… no unneeded word. Every thing spoken or left unspoken tells a powerful story that can easily cause goose bumps or chills to emerge on the skin.

“The day Melissa Miller killed her cat, she met the Angel of Death. Except he was no angel- and he wasn’t there for the cat.”

“The girl would make her choice tonight. The Black Rider nodded. As far as Red candidates went, the girl wasn’t that bad. Maybe she’d make a good War. And if not, Famine would just destroy her again.”

“They cut a path through the sky, the Sword blazing in Missy’s hand as the steed’s hooves thundered like cannon fire.”

I mean, the writing sounds like it should be a poem… not verse. Kessler doesn’t use big words to sound sophisticated, but using the skill of weaving and interlocking her language, she creates a voice that is outstanding. I read this on a car trip to the Maine outlets, and I constantly had to turn to the driver and read out passages from the book. I have never been moved by such writing since reading Gregory Maguire’s work.

Looking at the cover, I instantly saw Fantasy. No. Rage is a contemporary fiction novel, but will live on pass the modern age. It can speak to so many different people in different age groups and tell a new story each time it’s opened. It’s about a woman finding power within her. It’s about a woman overcoming the daemons inside of her. A women battling society. A women finding her place in the world, just so many different stories, all within 200 pages.

Rage is a book that will be imprinted on my heart and my mind for days. Kessler has written a book that surpasses all books I have had the pleasure of reading this whole year.
(less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Danya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: psychology, psychtember, read-but-not-owned

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 15, 2012 Monica&spikey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Again, good book. I can definitely identify with this book more than Hunger, because while I do not have an eating disorder, I am a cutter, so I can totally understand where Missy is coming from when she explains why she cuts, because those are my reasons, too.
Now, I have never cut nearly as badly as Missy did in this book, and I don’t think, even if I was chosen to be War, go as far as she did, but then again, I don’t know. All I know is that throughout this book, Death kept saying, “Words hav...more Again, good book. I can definitely identify with this book more than Hunger, because while I do not have an eating disorder, I am a cutter, so I can totally understand where Missy is coming from when she explains why she cuts, because those are my reasons, too.
Now, I have never cut nearly as badly as Missy did in this book, and I don’t think, even if I was chosen to be War, go as far as she did, but then again, I don’t know. All I know is that throughout this book, Death kept saying, “Words have power, but so do actions,” which is so true. I cut because people use words like bitch, idiot and psycho to tear me down, and missy cut when people used words like cutterslut and freak to tear her down.
But actions can be powerful, too. People can use those words to tear you down, but you don’t have to give in. that’s what I’ve been working on for the past year or so. Not giving in. Some days it’s harder than others, but I try.
also, I'm not sure Missy fully appreciates... well, et me explain: Yeah, her sister is a bitch, her ex-boyfriend is a complete asshat, and she her and best friend haven't really spoken for years (but that's kinda her fault) but the thing is, they all NOTICED she was a cutter. to this point, people only know that I cut when I tell them. I'm not as bad as Missy is, but I'm better at hiding it, and the one thing I really, really wish is that people would be able to tell I'm not fine, even though I act like I am. Seriously, NO ONE is as happy as I pretend to be all the time, and SOMEONE should notice, but no one ever does. Unless I tell them. I wish that would see I'm a cutter before It ell them, because that would mean they're seeing ME not the wall I put up that's disguised as a person.
just my thoughts on that, of course.
because I don't want to end this review talking about myself cutting, I'm going to say that one thing I really love about this series, though, is that it is NOT the standard, cookie-cutter girl-meets-vampire story!
(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think I'm the opposite of most people. I prefer RAGE, the second Horseman of the Apocalypse novel, to its predecessor HUNGER. I understood Missy more. Missy's going through a rough time: she's broken up with her boyfriend and her cat just died. Then her boyfriend betrays her. Her method of dealing is to let it all out by cutting. Even before Death makes her the new incarnation of War, she's already trying to find a healthier method of self-control.

Missy also spends less time traveling than Lis...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Brandy added it

this book was definatly one of those books were you just couldn't put it down. not only did i finish this book but ive read it twice already!! just because it was that good. this book is full of emotions, real strong emotions. emotions that we can all relate to one way or another. the main charactor is a girl in high school, she never really had close freinds and she did have a boy friend once but that whole situation is explained in the book. she is just human, normal, going through things most...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cutting, young-adult

Missy is a cutter. She presents a goth like aura at school and is able to hide her cutting from her way too busy parents, her annoyingly popular little sister, and even her best friend whom she is now avoiding. Until one night when she cuts just a bit too deep and Death appears to her. Yes, that Death, except he looks amazingly like a long dead rock star. She is chosen to become "War" one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

For those familiar with Kessler's other book (Hunger), this is not a...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-sophomore-challenge

I was not super crazy about the first book in this series, Hunger, so I was not originally going to read this one. I was talking books with Kristen, and she told me that Death has a much bigger role in this one. When I heard that, I was sold as I adored Death in Hunger, and wanted to see a lot more of him as a character. What I found in Rage was everything I had been hoping for in Hunger and was really just blown away by this one!

I really liked Missy as a narrator. Her character was really round...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Bissfan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Bissfan by: Shiku

Missy ist anders. Nicht nur weil sie Death die Tür vor der Nase zuknallt, nachdem dieser ihr Wars Schwert überreicht hat, sondern auch weil sie sich schneidet, um Druck abzulassen. Das tut sie wieder, nachdem ihr Ex sie vor fast der ganzen Schule gedemütigt hat und nun jeder weiß, was sie tut – und es niemand versteht. Ein Schnitt ist zu tief – und Death sieht seine Chance gekommen.
Missy wird die neue War, des Todes Dienerin, denn diese beiden haben schon immer gut zusammengearbeitet. Während s...more Missy ist anders. Nicht nur weil sie Death die Tür vor der Nase zuknallt, nachdem dieser ihr Wars Schwert überreicht hat, sondern auch weil sie sich schneidet, um Druck abzulassen. Das tut sie wieder, nachdem ihr Ex sie vor fast der ganzen Schule gedemütigt hat und nun jeder weiß, was sie tut – und es niemand versteht. Ein Schnitt ist zu tief – und Death sieht seine Chance gekommen.
Missy wird die neue War, des Todes Dienerin, denn diese beiden haben schon immer gut zusammengearbeitet. Während sie ihre Kräfte erforscht, muss sie mehr denn je lernen, sich zu kontrollieren, denn War meldet sich bald zu Wort und alles, was sie will, ist Blut und Schmerz. Letztlich muss sie sich entscheiden, ob sie diesen brutalen Weg gehen möchte – oder diesen Drang bezwingen kann, um Besseres zu schaffen.

Wäre das der erste Teil der Reihe gewesen, wäre ich glücklich. Während im ersten Teil vor allem auch Informationen über die Apokalyptischen Reiter fehlten, gibt der zweite Band zwar auch nicht sehr viel mehr her, aber doch ein bisschen. Außerdem nutzt die Autorin die Seiten, die „Rage“ länger als „Hunger“ ist, gut aus – mir erschien Missys Wandlung längst nicht so plötzlich wie Lisas in „Hunger“.
Nein, sie war nachvollziehbar und logisch, auch wenn mir Missys Drang, sich zu schneiden, später nicht mehr ganz glaubhaft erschien. Nichtsdestotrotz ist Missy hier ein wenig „runder“ als Lisa einst (und das meine ich nicht im physischen Sinne!), „abgeschlossener“. Und so kommen Sachen wie Wars Einfluss auf Missy und die damit einhergehenden brutalen Gedanken wunderbar zur Geltung.

Ansonsten ähneln sich die Bücher leider sehr. Nicht nur dass Missy einen ähnlichen Sarkasmus besitzt – den ich langsam eher für den der Autorin halte und nicht für den der Charaktere –, sie reagiert oftmals genau wie Lisa. Was sie danach macht – es zum Beispiel als nicht real abtut –, was sie denkt und darüber sagt … es gipfelt darin, dass sie ganz genau wie Lisa glaubt, alles wäre nur ein Traum gewesen. Das sind zwar alles natürliche Reaktionen, die zig andere Menschen auch gezeigt hätten und sie sind wirklich alles andere als unnatürlich – dennoch war es absolut nicht nötig, all das auch noch in ähnlicher Kombination zu übernehmen.

Dennoch geht Missy gewissermaßen ihren eigenen Weg – sie ist nicht Lisa, was trotz all der Parallelen klar wird. Sie hat ihr eigenes Problem, mit dem sie auf ihre Weise klarzukommen versucht; sie ist auch ein ganz anderer Reiter und muss da anders rangehen, angefangen damit dass ihr Ross zunächst ganz und gar nicht so nett ist wie Midnight.
Sprachlich wird das Ganze wieder sehr ansprechend präsentiert. Leider haben sich einige Wiederholungen im Ausdruck eingeschlichen und manches ist auf Dauer weniger erfreulich; dennoch ist „Rage“ toll geschrieben und gewiss nicht nur wegen der knappen Seitenzahl schnell durchgelesen. Es ist genauso witzig – nicht zuletzt Deaths Verdienst –, interessant, weil die anderen Reiter ein bisschen öfter vorkommen und spannend, ohne dass am Ende ein unrealistischen Heile-Welt-Ende präsentiert wird. Und einen weiteren Vorteil hat das Buch: Das Bild der zusammenarbeitenden War und Death – wirklich schön!

Schlussendlich: Eine gänzlich eigene Entwicklung wäre mehr als nur wünschenswert gewesen, dennoch habe ich das Lesen sehr genossen, nicht zuletzt weil „Rage“ runder und schlüssiger wirkte als „Hunger“. Ich kann mich nur wiederholen: Wäre das der erste Band gewesen oder gäbe es „Hunger“ nicht, wäre ich schlichtweg zufrieden. So aber ist eine durchweg positive Bewertung nicht gerechtfertigt – für eine eher negative hat mir das Buch aber zu sehr gefallen. Verbleiben wir also mit mehr oder minder neutralen drei Punkten und dem Hinweis, das Lesen der Reihe trotzdem noch nicht aufzugeben!(less)

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Oct 02, 2011 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this series.
A totally unique YA concept (ie: no vampires or faeries, can you imagine?), but not just an excuse for a romance in the paranormal trappings, Jackie's Horsemen of the Apocalypse books deal with real issues in a fantastical way. So I was elated when the folks at Houghton Mifflin sent me Rage (it was on the top of my very long to buy list).

Book two of Jackie's Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, Rage follows Missy becoming the new War. Like Hunger before it, Jackie weaves the st...more I love this series.
A totally unique YA concept (ie: no vampires or faeries, can you imagine?), but not just an excuse for a romance in the paranormal trappings, Jackie's Horsemen of the Apocalypse books deal with real issues in a fantastical way. So I was elated when the folks at Houghton Mifflin sent me Rage (it was on the top of my very long to buy list).

Book two of Jackie's Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, Rage follows Missy becoming the new War. Like Hunger before it, Jackie weaves the story of a teen suffering through severe issues (this time cutting), with the story of the bigger world issues of war. And in the mix she gifts Missy with the self understanding to deal with her problems.

Jackie did a beautiful job of handling a difficult subject matter (once again) and this time without the benefit of her personal experiences. To me that doubled how impressed I was with this book. To be fair I don't have any experiences with cutting, either myself or through any of my friends, so I'm certainly not the ultimate judge, but the emotions and drama were certainly dead on for how cruel high school can be.

Missy was a powerful character, and I completely fell in love with her. Teen fiction being what it is, filled to the brim with romantic trysts and star crossed lovers, it's always refreshing to have a story focused on the growth of character (and not towards the end after a couple hundred pages of melting in some hunks arms). She's thrown into one of the worst High school horror scenarios I can think of, and the fact that she gets through it but without the perfect ending, is probably my favorite part about the book.

Jackie talks in the acknowledgements about how she was unsure how to start this book, until she had to put down her 15 year old cat. Sunday was the one year anniversary of when I had to put my beloved 17 year old cat, Topaz down. Needless to say I emphasize completely, and the storyline of Missy's cat Grey girl broke my heart. And oddly enough I think that is why Jackie's books resonate with me so strongly. She takes subject matter I have no experience with (eating issues, self injury), and she makes them real in all the little life ways (like losing a cat) so that although Missy becomes War, I get her.

I can't recommend either of Jackie's books enough, they have depth and imagination mixed in such a meaningful way. They're escapism with meaning. And even better, part of the proceeds to both books go to excellent causes.

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Aug 11, 2011 Jessica Strider rated it 3 of 5 stars

Pros: examines real life issues, sympathetic protagonist who gains inner strength

Cons: ending seemed too simplistic given the problems the protagonist faced

For Parents: minor sexual content and descriptions of self-inflicting wounds

Melissa Miller is a cutter. It's the only way she can deal with the emotions surrounding her. She knows others wouldn't understand. Her ex-boyfriend called her a freak when he saw her scars, and broke up with her.

Even so, she doesn't take it well when the personificat...more Pros: examines real life issues, sympathetic protagonist who gains inner strength

Cons: ending seemed too simplistic given the problems the protagonist faced

For Parents: minor sexual content and descriptions of self-inflicting wounds

Melissa Miller is a cutter. It's the only way she can deal with the emotions surrounding her. She knows others wouldn't understand. Her ex-boyfriend called her a freak when he saw her scars, and broke up with her.

Even so, she doesn't take it well when the personification of Death arrives with a package and tells her her blade's going to slip. Death knows the worst is yet to come for Missy and he's chosen her as the new incarnation of WAR.

Though this book is better written than the first of the series, Hunger, in terms of characterization and details, I found myself unable to properly understand Missy's reasoning for cutting herself. She was entirely sympathetic as a protagonist and yet, while without being anorexic I could relate to Lisabeth Lewis, I had a harder time relating to Missy's way of dealing with her problems. I imagine this will not be as much of an issue for most teens (who are deep in the trials of high school), whether they're at risk or not.

I also felt the message here overshadowed the story more than in Hunger.

I found the ending problematic. Things got wrapped up too quickly for me to feel that the character was honestly going to change how she dealt with things, learn to trust others and become a strong woman in control of herself and her life. I imagine cutting yourself for psychological reasons takes a fair bit of time and effort to overcome. With her parents continuing their neglect of her and the few weeks of intense pressure at school due to the incident that causes her blade to slip, I can't see her rehabilitating as quickly as the ending seems to suggest.

On the other hand, the protagonist does start to deal with her problems and learns that she can't overcome some things by herself. She learns there are time when you must trust friends and learns to believe in herself. In addition to this, it has a good message for youth and adults alike, and treats a difficult issue that's relatively ignored when it comes to fiction.(less)

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Aug 08, 2011 Christy And Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

So most of you that know me, know that I am big into Psych.. especially teen psych illnesses. It's something that not only fascinates me but it's something I want to spend my life involved in, trying to help if I can. While at the store a few weeks back I ran across two books that I think will go a long way in helping some teens with some serious issues that come up in almost everyday life. The first book was Hunger, I already did the review of it, and LOVED that book. Now I am on book 2 and I c...more

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Aug 01, 2011 StorySeekers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Alice - Jackie’s sequel, Rage, is about a girl named Melissa Miller. She struggles with stress and the way she handles it is by cutting herself. I didn’t understand this struggle until I read more of this book. Now, I feel grateful for a book like this.

Instead of information books that try to explain cutting and suicidal thoughts, Rage has realism to it.
Missy struggles with something different than Lisa did in Hunger. Missy struggles with control over her life. Missy gets visited by Death after...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Herp Derpington rated it 2 of 5 stars

A Novel for Your Lovely, Sociopathic Teen

I love reading tacky teen novels, especially the ones that relate to the characters' various emotional problems. It's not that I actually enjoy reading them — it's just that the adult author's portrayal of the problem is oftentimes inadvertently laughable. I got the same sensation from reading this book that I had when I read Ellen Hopkin's Impulse. That's not a compliment.

SPOILERS ABOUND
___

The Characters:

This is the biggest problem for me.

I found Missy,...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-stars

Plot: 3 Stars
After reading Hunger, the first novel in this series, I was excited to see what Jackie Morse Kessler would do with Rage. I knew I wanted to read it when I found out it would deal with another tough subject, self-injury, because I would be able to draw on my own experiences while reading. I really connected with Missy and felt what she was going through while I was reading the novel. One part of the novel I didn't completely understand though, was how everyone was so cruel to Missy a...more Plot: 3 Stars
After reading Hunger, the first novel in this series, I was excited to see what Jackie Morse Kessler would do with Rage. I knew I wanted to read it when I found out it would deal with another tough subject, self-injury, because I would be able to draw on my own experiences while reading. I really connected with Missy and felt what she was going through while I was reading the novel. One part of the novel I didn't completely understand though, was how everyone was so cruel to Missy about her scars and wounds. Maybe I was just lucky enough to not experience the aspect of self-injury in which the entire student body finds out, but I couldn't believe how harshly all of the students in the novel reacted. I guess I expected more than just Missy's best friend to be the only one sticking by her side. But I love the way the author subtley weaves the paranormal aspect into the story. And although the ending isn't exactly what I expected, it did wrap up in a satisfying way.

Pace: 3 Stars
For such a short novel, it felt like it took me a pretty long time to read it. I was on vacation at the time, but we weren't doing vacation-y things all day long. I found that throughout the novel, there were a lot of ups and downs with the pacing. There were a few big, emotion scenes but the smaller scenes between them weren't enough to keep me going. I found myself putting this novel down numerous times in between these big scenes, instead of reading through the smallers scenes to the next big scene. It wasn't until the last third of the novel that the pace picked back up and didn't slow down again.

Characters: 3 Stars
Teenagers can be very mean and judgmental, and the author does a fantastic job of making the teenagers in this novel feel very real. I enjoyed Missy as a main character because I could relate to her from my own experiences as a teenager. Because of this, I feel like I connected with Missy more than I connected with the main character of Hunger due to my lack of experience with eating disorders. Death was once again a very interesting character. I love how the author alludes to him looking and acting like a certain rock star, without ever coming out and saying whether or not Death actually is said rock star. It was interesting to see the other Horsemen, Famine and Pestilance, although I didn't completely understand all of Pestilance's actions. I'm hoping a future novel will clear up some of the confusion. The parents and other grown-up figures didn't work out as well for me. Missy's parents came across slightly robotic. I feel like they should have noticed a little more of the dynamic between Missy and her sister (that they strongly disliked each other), instead of just brushing it off and telling them to kiss and make up. I also didn't completely agree with how the soccer coach dealt with a certain situation.

Cover: 4 Stars
The simplicity of this cover is what works so well. The sword gives you an idea about the content of the novel, without giving away too much. The font choice lets the imagery speak for itself instead of overwhelming the cover. All too often, novels with very short titles will over embellish the title to make up for its lack of length, but the simplicity of this novel's title really lets the sword speak for itself. The colors of this novel also work very well. The color choices work well with the sword, while still giving the cover a dark and moody feel that fits the novel. The shine of the cover works well too. I think that the cover wouldn't work nearly as well if the cover was in a matte finish. The colors wouldn't be as saturated, and the cover wouldn't be as dark.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library. (less)

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Jun 11, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Rage, the second in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, was almost too much for me to take. No, it is not poorly written. No, it is not boring. What it is is pure emotion. A teen who cuts herself to deal with emotional pain... only to become a vessel of war.

First off, growing up, my best friend was a cutter. For years, I would watch her come to school with long sleeve shirts or jackets, even if it was 90 degrees outside, just to cover the marks. It was a very hard time for me. Watching her go...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Rosalia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, paranormal-fiction, young-adult, ebook

Missy is a self injurer and whenever things are too much to handle she cuts herself with a razor. One night after a terrible party where she is exposed to the entire school and Missy cuts too deeply. In comes Death offering her the job of War the red horsemen of the Apocalypse. Missy takes the job and finds herself in an internal battle with the spirit of War and with herself.

At times Missy was very difficult to relate to. Understanding the impulse to injure yourself as a way of feeling control...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

My thoughts:
This story is powerful, compelling, and terrifying. From the first sentence which is shocking to the end - where I found myself in tears - I couldn't put this one down! This is a tale of sorrow and sadness, suffering, struggle and pain. It is also a story of acceptance and triumph, forgiveness, love, and the power of belief in yourself.

Again, as with the first book, I am impressed. The story is well written. The topic is tragic, compelling, and way too real in today's society. As wi...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

RAGE by Jackie Morse Kessler
“Sixteen-year-old self-injurer Melissa Miller exchanges her razor blade for
the sword of War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse”
“Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.
That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of t...more RAGE by Jackie Morse Kessler
“Sixteen-year-old self-injurer Melissa Miller exchanges her razor blade for
the sword of War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse”
“Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.
That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.
A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.”

I remember when I initially heard about Kessler’s first installment of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, HUNGER, I was worried. I was skeptical. But I got to know the author via Twitter and I liked her. So I said, lets just see what happens. And in HUNGER I found an intense gritty book that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. That said, when RAGE debuted I was excited. After tweeting Kessler a happy book birthday, I downloaded RAGE from Amazon with no delay.

RAGE stars Melissa Miller. Missy is a sixteen-year-old self-injurer who bottles everything up only to release it with a blade. Self-injuring is a scary topic. Kessler handles is without smoke and mirrors. You feel Missy’s struggle. You feel her emotions stuffed down from the ridicule, the shame. The detachment from anyone who refuses to see her for who she is. This book demands that you feel.
Her internal struggle is mirrored by her external struggle with her office as WAR. How can she want to hurt or maim others, is essentially her asking why do I want to hurt and scar myself. And, the answer the book says, “it’s all about control.” She must learn control over herself and then she will find her peace.

The book is not all heavy though. The banter between Death, Famine, and Pestilence lends lightness to the story. The fact that Missy literally flirts with Death is also amusing. And Death is even more, dare I say, dreamy in RAGE than he was in HUNGER.

I find that this book is equally for the Missy’s of the world, as it is the Matts’, the Adam’s and the Sue’s. Control is not the only lesson learned in RAGE. The need for compassion and understanding is clear as well. RAGE, as well as HUNGER, is skillfully written. They are raw, and dark, and real. An absolute five-star read. On a personal note, Kessler continues to amaze me with her awesomeness as a portion of proceeds for RAGE will be donated to To Write Love On Her Arms. I look forward to seeing what else Kessler has in store for us.
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Mar 22, 2011 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review

After reading the last book, and how the current "War" acted I was pretty sure this book would be about a completely hate filled character whose only goal in life was to cause misery in others. Well, I was completely wrong. While Missy does hold some animosity towards others, most of her hate is directed towards herself. I don't think I've ever met or read about someone with such terrible self-loathing. As in the previous book, this one is a journey and a battle to conquer and over come inner de...more

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About Jackie Morse Kessler

Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with...more

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Quotes from Rage

“Prove it. I'll measure your words against your actions, and from that I will determine your worth.” — 12 people liked it

“If Melissa Miller were an artist, she would have painted the world in vicious streaks of red. Nothing like Picasso's rose period, all soft and cheerful and so optimistic that it made you want to puke. Missy's red phase would have been brutal and bright enough to cut your eyes. Missy's art would have been honest.” — 11 people liked it

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Rage (Riders of the Apocalypse #2)

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