The 5th Wave Book Review

Original Release Date: May 7th 2013

Date I Read The Book: Jan. 1 2016

My Star Rating:

5 stars

Chronology:

First in a trilogy

Movie:

Opens in theaters Jan. 22 2016

Official Summary:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother–or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

My Review:

For the first novel in a trilogy, there was an incredible amount of worldbuilding, and it was done incredibly well. It didn’t feel out of place or info dumped, rather, we say things as Cassie say them, and the things she had already seen were told in flashbacks, which made up a majority of the first third of the novel. The novel is told in alternating points of view, something I didn’t realize when I first picked it up, and though I am not usually a fan of multiple points of view, Rick Yancy did a wonderful job at keeping each character’s voice clear and distinct, not once was I confused as to whose point of view I was reading, and each point of view was important to the narrative, not done for its own sake.

The cast of characters was wonderful, ranging from Cassie Sullivan, a girl who, in the middle of the end of the world, cares about nothing more than finding her little brother, ignoring her two love interests, and its that a relief in a YA novel, why usually romance is the end-all be-all for teenagers in the middle of war or whatever. We also have Ben Parrish, a boy turned soldier who comes to discover what the fifth wave really is, Ethan Walker, who isn’t exactly what he seems to be (and who I am secretly rooting for over Ben), to Ringer, another teenage soldier,  and Teacup, the seven year old who cuddles a rifle.

All in all, the writing was good. For me at least, it was clear and I good understand what was happening, and despite the dark end-of-the-world subject matter, it did have its moments of humor. It was a good read, and I read it in a single sitting actually, so that should tell you something. If you like YA dystopia, I highly recommend it!

Favorite Quote(s):

“But if I’m it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I’m going to let the story end this way. I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity’s last war, then I am the battlefield.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

“Sarcasm doesn’t appear to work on him. If that’s true, I’m in trouble: It’s my normal mode of communication.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

“That’s what you do when the curtain is falling–you give the line that the audience wants to hear.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

“We’d stared into the face of Death, and Death blinked first. You’d think that would make us feel brave and invincible. It didn’t.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

“His heart, the war.

Her face, the battlefield.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave

 

Cover Thoughts:

It’s really nice, nicer in person than online too. And it fits the story well which is something a lot of YA covers fall short on. My only complaint is that the dust-jacket retains fingerprints like crazy easy. I had to take it off while reading.

 

You should read this if you like…

• The Darkest Minds
• Shatter Me
• Warm Bodies
• Other post-apacalypic novels