Part I Discussion

[Ashley Mae]

This is the thread for the discussion of Part I. For the readers reading for the premiere, this begins today. Those who are reading for the whole month, this discussion begins for you on the 7th. You can add your thoughts at anytime though. We can't wait to hear from you!

Something to talk about:
What do you think of Cassie's Crucifix Soldier? Would you have handled the situation the same way?

[Katie]

I am already in love with this book. I think what Cassie did was justified. The others took dozens of kids and kills all lot more adults, for all she knew that man could have been an other (?) and there was probably nothing she could have done to help him

[Manasa]

Okay first of all. This book is going pretty amazing. I'm loving it a lot. I think what she did to the soldier was totally justified since like Katie said he could've been another one of the Others. You'll never know. On top of that there was fear within her that he was already dying. I think cassie is doing a very well job in the story so far. The way it's written portrays a pretty clear in our minds which is a really good thing.

[Manasa]

Clear picture*

[Luna (Ourbookshelves)]

I was super confused at first because it just jumped right in though. I guess that may have been the point considering that they didn't really get any warning either and it was just thrown at them without any understanding.
I kind of like Cassie as a character, I just hope she's one of those dynamic characters.
I'm also not really sure how to feel about her killing the solider, like I get that he was dying and she was scared, but there had to have been a better way to go about it.

[Corinne]

While I am really enjoying the book so far, I don't think we needed 100 pages of backstory. I would have preferred if the book just started with the First Wave or if we got to see more of what happened to Cassie after she got shot. I just feel like it was bit drawn out. That being said, there is so much potential for a whole lot of creepy-alien-thing-killing action later in the book, which I am super excited about. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here, and I have a feeling we won't be disappointed.

[Meg]

I am absolutely enjoying this book right now, man! it's not what I expected at all

[Vidabel (Solitude_Books_Magic)]

This book is absolutely fantastic so far, the way the story is being told by her you get to know most everything that has happened up to this point what has gotten her along the way to this moment ** getting glimpses into the previous waves as it sometimes relates to what she is seeing or feeling at that time also how little by little The Others have been able to attack and draw out the population in so many different ways (emotionally, mentally, physically... ) & cannot fathom how else they will come at them right now (cannot wait to find out) * loving it*... The moment she walked into the store and felt something was off you could feel the tension that was coming off her and how it just leapt off the page and right into me as she tried to analyze her surroundings (yet again/ a constant thing now). I would have reacted the same way in her shoes in that second all you see is that flash of slick silver and you just react in order to survive knowing that hesitation can mean your end in a place you cannot trust anyone not even yourself sometimes - one cannot imagine the things you can do in those few seconds if need be.

[Katie]

I agree with vidabel I really like the whole journal feel to it. And I love how you can feel the tension and you get nervous when she gets nervous

[Hailee]

I knew not one single thing about this book going in, besides alien invasion. Starting this book with the 1st through 4th waves already having happened was not something I expected at all (though given the title it totally makes sense).
I think it's quite a neat idea though. Usually, we get to know our characters in their ordinary lives, then see how they change and respond to things that happen to them.
But here, we only know the "After" Cassie. And I like her. I think so far she's realistic. She does what needs to be done and is unapologetic and acknowledges her fear and has flaws.
At first I thought it was a bit far-fetched that she was on her way to get Sammy. Why would she face those insanely insurmountable odds? But upon reading Part I, I'm more on board. There is nothing else otherwise. It's like the one quote "Run = Die. Stay = Die." So why not go get him? Same outcome either way.
And of course the thing I really want to know is how the prologue ties into what they are doing with Sammy and the other children. I mean the obvious guess is that the children's bodies are somehow acting as hosts to the Others, but I'm looking forward to reading on!

[Luna (Ourbookshelves)]

I've actually read ahead a bit and I won't mention any spoilers but holy cow. I'm having a roller coaster of feelings.

[Rachael]

Wow, loving this book so far.

I can completely relate to Cassie doing anything in order to try and get back to Sammy (not that I've had to try and escape the murderous intentions of an alien invasion, but I know I'd do anything for my little girl and hubby. So if any aliens/'Others' are reading this post then beware!)

After reading the events leading up to the moment when Cassie meets the Crucifix Soldier, I think she was fully justified in her actions. We may find out that it was the wrong thing to do (?), but in that split moment when you have to make a decision which will end in life or death, then sometimes you have to do the unthinkable.

[Megan]

I completely agree with everyone saying that her shooting the soldier was justified. While very sad, it not only sets up Cassie's mind set and shows just how cruel the world has become, but it's a world where survival means not trusting anyone and that's scary. I love how she compares our "vision" of how alien's attack with how it is actually happening. I can feel the tension she feels and honestly as much as I would like to say that I would be different and I would find a peaceful way to respond, if the choice is kill or be killed I would hope that I would have the strength to pull the trigger.

Also I love how the book starts somewhere completely random and you have no idea what is going on and all these crazy, scary things happen but by the end you get why she makes the decisions she does. Cassie is trying to save her brother because he is the only family she has left and is the only person she thinks she can trust. She shoots the soldier because the soldiers that she previously met killed her father and everyone in the camp.

Can't wait to read part two!

[Leelynn]

I believe I am already on Part 9 or 10 and I can barely keep this book down. The only time I get to fully read it is when I'm at home LOL. About the Crucifix Soldier, I feel like anyone in that situation would react the same way after everything that has happened in the world. At this point, I'm surprised that Cassie has survived this long, but after getting that far in the book, not everything is as it seems. I also feel like the Crucifix Soldier will haunt her for the rest of her life, and that incident will shape her future in ways that we may not even realize yet.

I love this book so much and I can't wait to see the movie!

[Stephanie]

I've started rereading this today, and I've forgotten how much I love this story. At first, the jumping between the past and the present was confusing but it eventually made sense to me.
Cassie's response to the situation is realistic, she doesn't sit around and mope but works her way around the problem at hand and tries to keep surviving.
I can't wait to see this story in motion. I think it's going to be great.

[Elena]

I was a littke behind the schedule, so I've finished part 1 only this morning, but so far I think this book is simply amazing. Usually I do not like reading books about aliens and so on, but this book was a pleasant surprise...I really love the character of Cassie. She is really smart and she has a sort of carpe diem way of thinking. She would like to be the one who plans ahead in order to be safe, but she knows that her only way to survive is to be everyday the decisions maker. She knows that the odds of her survival are not so high, however she doesn't have fear. It's for this reason that she is able to push herself from under that Buick and go on. Personally I have some uncertainties as for the soldiers. I personally doubt that they're humans...Why would they want to kill them if they are humans? It cannot be because of the pestilence, because they carry away the children who could be as infected as the adults..It'seems to me that film called Invasion with Nicole Kidman, have you ever seen it? The one wher the main character cannot trust anybody because in reality there are aliens inside their bodies, idk.. Let's see what happens :)

[Amy]

First off, I must say I completely agree with most everyone. This book is phenomenal. My heart was racing as I read feeling like I was in Cassie's place. I like how Rick Yancey gave us the back story through the story.

As far as the crucifix soldier, after hearing what had happened with the Others. I believe Cassie was completely justified in her actions. Not only did she not know who to trust but also she couldn't take the chance of trusting him to end up dead.

This story is great so far! I'm looking forward to reading more!

[Alissa]

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I am enjoying this book thus far. It's engaging and I am really liking the matter-of-factness Cassie displays. The bluntness with which she talks about the death of her family and the horrors she witnessed I think is a very real representation of how someone would be in this situation. There isn't time to be sad or pour things out in emotional detail. It is what it is.

I think her killing the soldier falls under the same thing. It is an accurate representation of what people would probably do. I'm not excited to say I would kill someone but, hell, sometimes I have a hard enough time trusting people I've known for YEARS. I definitely don't think I'd be super trusting to a stranger in a crisis like this... I want to believe I'd be heroic but I don't honestly think I would be.

I can't wait to read part 2!

[Lisa]

Sorry I am a little behind - agree with everyone's comments. I had limited knowledge of this novel but I love the way the first part has been written - it has enough information without giving too much away. I am excited to see how the story develops.

[Laura]

I just started last week so I'm behind in the message boards! buuuuut.... I'm liking it so far, though I have felt like the beginning is something to 'get through' rather than being a part of the book to truly enjoy. We need all the info, but jumping back and forth and dumping so much of the previous waves was extremely tiring... I even started dozing off here and there (jus sayin!)

I don't think there is anything 'justified' or 'unjustified' in Cassie shooting the crucifix soldier. I think the point is that it doesn't matter and everything is effed up. It illustrates the harsh reality of what things have come to at that point and begs us to realize that even we don't know what we'd do in her boots. I think how she talks about being in denial is how many of us, myself included probably, would feel in a similar situation... you never think it's going to happen to you. But then it does.

[Tina]

I'm also behind, as I ordered the book online at the very end of December and was awaiting its arrival. The first page with the intrusion and the dreams of the owls in the dark was just creepy and unsettling. Loved the imagery---loved it all!

Part 1, with Cassie's POV and the flashback to the waves did a good job of setting up the whole story. I enjoyed her POV and, while it was slow-going at times, I was definitely pulled in to the story----both past events and present. I can see myself reacting the same way with the crucifix soldier. Not only was he dying, with the enemy potentially right around the corner, but he could easily have been one of the others.

It has definitely taken me a bit to get into the story. It's well-written, but certainly very dark, so I'm not staying up too late reading it, as I want to be able to sleep afterwards! lol Rather than being a page-turner, at times I make sure to stop before it gets to a part that is too disturbing or sad...