About the Book
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Author:
- Michael Grant
BFF Charm: Yay!
Talky Talk: Lord of the Flies Meets Heroes (At the End of the World) Part Deux
Bonus Factors: The Darkness, Mutant Creatures, Entrepreneurship!
Relationship Status: Still True Love
The Deal
You might think that after the Battle of Thanksgiving, or the Battle of the FAYZ, as some kids are calling it, things in Perdido Beach might settle down a little bit. But no. In fact, they just keep getting worse. Things keep growing and changing and mutating, and that means more danger, more death, more fear — and more scared unruly kids. It’s just too much for Sam. Every death, accidental or otherwise, feels like a personal failure to him, now that he’s the official leader. The poor boy is just about to crack…
Then there’s Caine, Drake (who now even refers to himself by Pack Leader’s nickname for him, ‘Whip Hand’) and Diana. You’d think maybe they’d grow up a little, or make peace? Hells no. Drake is still a psychopath, and now he’s a psychopath driven by revenge. And what’s going on with Caine? Ever since he took a trip down that old mine shaft, he hasn’t been in control of himself. What is the voice that speaks in his head? It’s the same voice that’s calling to Lana, no matter how she tries to shut it out. And it has a plan…
BFF Charm: Yay!
I felt so bad for Sam in this book. He’s still just a kid, but with the weight of the known world on his shoulders… literally. And the kid seems incapable of being really selfish. He sacrifices over and over, which is not something I can say for any of the other characters in the book– except for maybe Lana. I just wanted to be there to help take some of the burden from him, tell him he was doing a good job, and make sure he got some sleep.
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
There seemed to be less romance in the second book. Sam and Astrid are totes in love, but it’s that ‘we have to take care of 300-some-odd kids and face crazy monsters and starvation, so we don’t have time to make googly eyes at eachother’ kind of love.
Talky Talk: Lord of the Flies Meets Heroes (At the End of the World) Part Deux
So when I’m suffering from TEABS, I really tend to overlook annoying things like bad writing, because, I don’t know, I’m just so into the STORY, but when reading this book, I tried to keep a critical mind.
Mr. Grant’s voice seems right on to me, when he’s coming from the kid’s point of view. Whether it’s Sam’s near crack-up from the stress, or the annoying and infuriating kids in Perdido Beach, or, on occasion, the heartbreaking thoughts of the little ones.
The plot is fantastic. There are twists and there are turns. The only thing that annoyed me, was the use of the word ‘brah’. I hate brahs. Usually, I can see them coming a mile off, and avoid them like the plague. Sam and Quinn are surfers, or were, before the FAYZ. Because of this, Mr. Grant has them refer to each other as ‘brah’. I politely cough and look away.
To make up for that, Grant does a great job folding other normal (and not-so normal) teenaged issues into his story. One of my favorites is Mary. She takes care of the little kids. She’s selfless and works long hours. She’s also depressed, anorexic and bulimic. She’s on a cocktail of meds, when she can get them, and she hates herself, but can’t seem to stop. Grant neither vilifies nor glorifies her, and it’s heartbreaking.
Bonus Factor: The Darkness
Okay, so it’s not actually a group of charmingly alarming British hard rockers, but given the choice of hanging out with these guys or the more sinister thing also known as the gaiaphage? I’d SO pick these guys. But then again, I kind of think hanging out with them would be fun. The thing in the book? No thank you, very much!
Bonus Factor: Mutant Creatures
I don’t want to get spoilery here, so let’s just say that the kids aren’t the only ones changing in this series, and the, uh, wildlife, as it were, is WAY scary, yo. I mean, I thought I was prepared by the first book but in the opening scene of this one, I was all like, “Whoah!” followed very shortly by “EEEEEEK!”
Bonus Factor: Entrepreneurship!
Okay, so I know I haven’t really talked much about Albert- the youngest (an only one left) from a big family who just decides to keep the McDonald’s in operation in the first book- but he’s really awesome! There’s some tension between him and Sam and Astrid because of his entrepreneurial ideas, but if the FAYZ was real, it’s this kid who would keep everyone alive for years– or at least months– to come.
Relationship Status: Still True Love
This book and I are going the distance and ready for speed. If we can just have a whole freakin’ day without a crises here in the FAYZ, that is, because we haven’t exactly had any, um, alone time.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Hunger is available now.
