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Divided We Fall (Divided We Fall, #1)

by Trent Reedy (Goodreads Author)

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(page 340 of 384)
— Jan 25, 2015 06:48AM

Aug 21, 2014 07:18PM

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Plague (Gone, #4)

by Michael Grant (Goodreads Author)

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

" At first glance, Plague by Michael Grant may seem like the perfect book for teenagers and young adults who like adventure. The book mainly focuses on Sam, a teenager with the supernatural power of shooting green beams of lights who currently strugg At first glance, Plague by Michael Grant may seem like the perfect book for teenagers and young adults who like adventure. The book mainly focuses on Sam, a teenager with the supernatural power of shooting green beams of lights who currently struggles with alcohol usage and a dwindling relationship with his girlfriend as he tries to save the children of the Fallout Alley Youth Zone (FAYS) from a deadly incurable disease that is spreading through Pandino Beach. The blurb on the back of the book boasts an action packed story of a group of teenagers as they fight for survival. While I think the book fulfils this promise, and I must praise grant for his decent execution of this promise, I must say the storyline is slightly plagued (no pun intended) with problems. I’ve noticed that the story involves so many characters that it becomes a detriment to the understanding of the story. I’m unsure how these characters were developed in the previous books, but despite Sam being the main protagonist, it is difficult to focus and sympathize for him because other characters distract my attention as a reader. For example, the book begins and ends with a chapter named “Pete,” which is solely dedicated to a character of the same name. While this framing is effective in placing emphasis on Pete, it detracts from the importance of Sam. Furthermore, the inclusion of multiple antagonists, Caine, Drake, and “The Darkness” further complicates the story and makes it difficult to track the motives of characters. Plague is also riddled with clichés unfortunately. Sam and Caine are brother rivals, which is the main factor that fuels unrest in the story, which also happens to be a story aspect utilized by countless stories I’ve read. Sam is also an anti-hero whom nobody, including himself, believes has the capability to lead. This is something that I believe is overused in modern writing, especially considering the fact that Sam is an alcoholic, the most common characteristic of an anti-hero in movies. While the major mystery of the story, what lies beyond the barrier that surrounds the Southern California region, captivates the reader’s attention, I can’t help to notice that the “fear of the beyond” is also overused in dystopian novels like The Giver, and The Maze Runner.

However, despite these flaws, I was able to appreciate and learn from the story. Plague is one of the rare books from which I’ve been able to learn a person lesson. The absence of adults in the story accentuates the characteristics of teenagers. When these teenagers are left alone in desperation for food, water, and safety, they turn to their default responses, responding irrationally and querulously. Substance abuse, relationship issues, and sexual desires often distract the teenagers from the task at hand. From the chaos in the FAYS, it is easy for the reader to understand the issues teenagers face when they are left to their own devices. To me, this book reminds teenagers like me of our failure to realize that although we feel we can be independent, it is during adolescence that we need the guidance. Even the characters regard themselves negatively as “monuments to screwed up” and “ freaking messes,” a negative mind set that only hampers progress (Grant 189). The tension in the FAYS, where “selfless, loyal, decent people” can “betray everyone and everything,” shows the uncooperativeness of the teenagers, which threatens the survival of antagonists and protagonists alike (Grant 362). The inability of the teenagers to put aside differences and work together towards a greater good shows significant issues in teens today: lack of communication and cooperation. Adolescence is a key period in life, and it is imperative that teens are guided so that they grow up to be ethical. In the end, I think this valuable lesson offsets the many small issues I have with this book, and has left me eager to read the other books in the series. ...more "

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(page 494 of 494)
"Although this is the first book of the series I've read, and this is the 4th book, it's easy for me to guess that the "Gone" series is a series of books where with each book, the quality degrades a little. This book is filled with cliches, starting with the brotherhood rivalry between Sam and Caine. Not to mention, there are so many characters in the book, it's hard to keep track of who's who." — May 24, 2015 08:35AM

May 24, 2015 08:03PM · see review