Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion
The 5th Wave Discussion
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Final Thoughts
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This was a great read -- dramatic, action-packed. It was only on reflection that the plot holes began to gape. But I look at it like a great escapist action film -- it's all about the experience, not scrutiny.
I absolutely loved the book, I thought it was different in a good way, I'll be honest I didnt know it was about aliens I thought it would be similar to the Ashes trilogy and during reading it when I found out it was about aliens I really thought I would hate it but I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed that there were some twists and although you could kind of guess them you didnt really know for certain because they kept throwing you off.
This book was HIGHLY recommended to me by an editor at Dial. She particularly admired the voice. I enjoyed it for its craft. The pacing was excellent. I did have some plot 'issues' though and would have loved to have watched the discussion with the author unfold.
Grace wrote: "I hope I'm not going to get reamed for this like I did on another page, but here we go...Everyones POV (without actually knowing who we were reading!) I really don't think we needed the little brothers point of view. I felt like I was reading a children's novel. I think the other ones were needed, but maybe (even the first time we read) it might have been nice to be hinted at who were were reading..."I just finished this book and I am underwhelmed. I completely agree with your POV point. I like multiple POVs, but only when they're done well. And I don't think this was done well. It took a while to figure out who was speaking in almost every chapter because the voices just weren't distinct enough. I found this to be the case even when the sections clearly marked that a POV would change.
I also think the book started out strong and fizzled. Most reviews I found felt the opposite way; that it started slow and got better. I was drawn into the story and then it lost me. I just wanted the pointless thing to be over.
But that said, I didn't hate it. I just didn't love it. I'm actually kind of bummed about it. It had so much potential. But the first was bad enough that I won't be reading the next.
I must say that this is one of the best books I have 'read' in years. I say 'read' because all my library had was the audio version of this book. I really think listening to it made a huge difference now that I read others' comments...To ease the confusion of POV, the CD version had a girl reading for Cassie and it would switch to a male for Ben. I didn't have trouble with POV at all. I recommend trying it out to anyone who reads it in the future. This is really a "I hate it" or "I love it" kind of book. One of the major complaints I remember reading was that "it just wasn't science fiction!" And they are slightly right. It's like the cross between science fiction (I mean there is a space ship floating in the sky and all) and realistic fiction. I love this book for the realistic part. The break down of the human society. The progressive loss of hope. The internal monologue of questions and slowly coming to horrific realizations. It's what made this story come alive for me, the realness of it. It is true, they never really see an alien, and it isn't what they thought. But is it ever what you really expect? I thought this was a needed twist in this story, and it goes with the reality of it. Life rarely is or turns out like we think it will. The suspense was fantastic, and even though I am slightly bummed I didn't get to actually turn the pages frantically, I think I would have been tempted to look ahead to the ending. I can't wait till the next book!
Jamie wrote: "I must say that this is one of the best books I have 'read' in years. I say 'read' because all my library had was the audio version of this book. I really think listening to it made a huge differ..."I can imagine that the audiobook helps the POV confusion significantly. It's probably a book better listened to than read then. Although you can't skim while listening ;)
I really enjoyed this overall, though it's pretty violent for younger readers. My few gripes are:- the romance. I wasn't thinking of this as a romance, and still thought of dude who found Cassie as a creeper. I loved her doubts of him, but the transition to more felt clunky. I was kind of hoping the story wouldn't go there, or would move beyond it.
- Sammy's POV. It just was not needed.
Otherwise, I liked the quick pacing and how I wasn't sure if my suspicions were correct about the plot progression. I didn't realize this was a series until I saw the group was reading it, which... oh well. I guess it's a series!
Jamie wrote: One of the major complaints I remember reading was that "it just wasn't science fiction!" Here's the thing; I feel like the majority of people who say this are adults reading YA sci fi. Adults bring their whole back catalog of sci-fi experience to this, which I don't know is fair. I think YA sci-fi is a bit of its own thing; it's going to have those additional themes of coming-of-age, probably romance, family, struggles toward independence. It's why it is YA sci-fi and not just general market sci-fi. If readers want more hard-hitting sci fi, there are plenty of those already available.
I will say though, I've been disappointed by a few books labeled YA sci-fi thinking the science fiction part was really limited. So, I do get the complaint. This book did not fall into that category for me.
I didn't care for it though I can't really express why. It really didn't do anything "wrong" for me, but it left me completely apathetic about the characters and the story.
I'm enjoying all these disparate views. Still... I'm left wondering, why are editors (at some of the biggest houses) holding this book up as an example of FANTASTIC voice?
Jb wrote: "I'm enjoying all these disparate views. Still... I'm left wondering, why are editors (at some of the biggest houses) holding this book up as an example of FANTASTIC voice?"I'm guessing they put a lot of money into it so they want to get their investment back, but who knows. Maybe they requested that the author write it and not the other way around. He is a very well respected author.
It was neither, actually. Two editors from different houses (not the one publishing it) holding it up to writers as a great example of voice. Ie, if they could find a book like that for their house, they'd be thrilled.
I just finished it and I have to say that I really liked it, but I'm not quite sure whether I "loved" it. Like Bronia, I enjoyed the fact that even though I kept guessing ahead and the twists were somewhat predictable, I kept being thrown off by things happening and I was confused. It made the revelation a lot more interesting. Overall, it was a very addicting read and was hard to put down. I had no problem distinguishing Ben's POV from Cassie's. Personally, I really like books told from different POVs. I liked how two main stories were going in the book, and although throughout the book they weren't connected, I liked that they intertwined and merged at the end.
Jb wrote: "It was neither, actually. Two editors from different houses (not the one publishing it) holding it up to writers as a great example of voice. Ie, if they could find a book like that for their house..."Wow! Okay, totally don't get it.
I have mixed feelings about this book.. I like some parts and hate others. The change POV confused me.
I'm still going to read the next book because I'm dying to know what happened to Evan
I thought it was great at the beginning and then became less and less interesting and believable as the 'romance' and plot twists developed. The brain washing of humans and then the idea that an alien (in a human body since birth!!!!) would fall in love with another human were sections that made me cringe. I did like the pacing and multiple POVs though.
I gradually lost interest as the story progressed. The beginning was extremely captivating but the change in POVs and the love story bothered me. I did enjoy the writing and the plot concept though. I think the problem is that I have been reading many dystopians lately, so I was pretty tired of the genre by the time "The 5th wave" fell into my hands. I didn't hate the book, I just have a "meh" feeling about it.
I hated it! I don't know but the main character just got on my nerves,I was about to throw the book out of the window just because she just annoyed me. The only thing I liked about the book was a brother who was just adorable. I had no care about the characters except her brother of course.
I have to admit that I'm glad there were others who liked the book at the beginning and lost interest at the end. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one based on the reviews I read.
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I didn't like it.
- I didn't enjoy the style of writing. It annoys me when the writing appears sloppy, rus..."
I could be wrong.. but I thought we only got POVs from Cassie, Ben, Evan once. I didn't think we had one from Sam??? Though I saw someone else mention it. Guess I just totally blew through that part.
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It's easier if you post some of what you thought here so we can all discuss it.
Mod
I will say... I am a little annoyed about the possible love triangle that might happen. It might even be a four person love mess! Hoping that doesn't really happen.
Personally I enjoyed trying to figure out what the 5th wave would be. I wonder.. will there be more waves? Wouldn't it be something if this was a book that actually has a sad ending... like the human race doesn't win. I suspect though the series will end with us both co-existing.
I cannot decide whether I love it or hate it! At times it was difficult to decipher who was speaking, however it was a gripping, adventurous book which I liked.
Love it? Hate it? Why?