Joint Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy

by:  Rick Yancy
published by:  Putnam Juvenile
publish date:  May 7, 2013

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.

The 5th Wave tells the story of the Earth being taken over by aliens.  According to the story, it happens in stages, each being worse than the last, wiping out more and more human beings until there are very few left.  Cassie and her brother are two of the survivors, but they are separated and Cassie has to make her way back to her little brother.

Rick Yancy wrote a pretty twisted story with The 5th Wave.  Things that you think are true aren't necessarily.  The actions of the aliens are very insidious and have been set in motion long before the first wave occurs.  While I didn't particularly care for Cassie, I felt like she acted foolishly often times, I did like some of the twists and turns of the plot.  This would be a good book for the YA sci-fi fans out there.

I liked the book for the most part. I thought the concept was cool, but it was a little long.  The

book is told in alternating view points between Cassie and Ben.  There were two other viewpoints that I didn't think needed to be in the book since it was the only time they appear.    The twists were kind of cool.  I liked Ben and Ringer out of all of the characters.

The one thing that annoyed me about the book was that Cassie seemed like a take charge kick-ass girl in the beginning and then she meets Evan.  It's instant love.  I didn't think that was necessary and it ruined the flow for me.  I'll probably read the next one in the series.