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.
It’s Rule #1 that before you watch the movie, you read the book. When it came to The 5th Wave, I saw the movie first and decided- now that’s a book I want to read! Unsurprisingly, while I was quite happy and entertained how the movie played out, the book is just so much better. Of course the book is better.
Humans are social animals. They cluster like bees. The attacks relied on this critical adaptation. The evolutionary imperative that drove them to live in groups was the opportunity to kill them by the billions. What was the saying? Strength in numbers.
The aliens have come. You’ll find this fact out very quickly so technically this isn’t a spoiler. This is an alien book. There have been 4 Waves of disastrous events during which majority of the human population dies. I won’t go into details about what happens during each Wave because that would be spoiling the book.
ALIENS ARE STUPID. I’m not talking about real aliens. The Others aren’t stupid. The Others are so far ahead of us, it’s like comparing the dumbest human to the smartest dog. No contest.
What you do know from the blurb is that Cassie’s brother is taken away and Cassie made a promise to always go back to him. Slowly but surely, by remembering her father’s theories about the Others and through all the obvious that has been happening, Cassie is piecing together what the agenda of the Others is. She is alone, she is surviving. And then she meets Evan Walker.
The introduction of Evan to the story of course adds the possibility of a love interest element. Evan is a… how shall I put it… a guy’s guy. You get the whole ‘broad shoulders, fine ass’ yada-yada. …He grew up on the farm as part of an 8 member family so this fact tells the reader (well, it did to me) that his traits include consideration, dedication and the ability to love. <spoiler> I most regretted knowing Evan’s story from the movie. If I had read the book, the big surprise element would have probably blown me away. Well, OK, it’s kind of predictable as well for readers who always wonder about the coming twists and reveals but I enjoyed his character and I was reading the book knowing that he was not all that he seemed to be.</spoiler>
Cassie is strong-willed, snarky and a bit of a firecracker. All the traits you want to see in someone who survives and does it well. Her inner monologue was youthful but intelligent and I felt like I was in her head, surviving with her. I think Chloë Grace Moretz as Cassie in the movie was a really good choice. Chloë played Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass and she seems to fit into the cool, sassy roles really well with her innocent looks only to surprise you with a potty-mouth and a kick-ass personality. The only thing that drives Cassie- even when she feels like she’s the last human left on earth, even when she’s fighting with the madness of being in solitude, even when she’s on the brink of death– is her promise to her brother. The promise of ‘I will come back to you’. One goal is all it takes to push that girl to keep fighting, to keep going, to never trust anyone and knowing that to be alone, means the guarantee of survival.
I must have apologized to him a thousand times during those snowbound days. I’m sorry, Sams. I said no matter what, but what you’re too young to understand is there’s more than one kind of bullshit. There’s the bullshit you know that you know; the bullshit you don’t know and know you don’t know; and the bullshit you just think you know but really don’t. Making a promise in the middle of an alien black ops falls under the last category. So… sorry! So sorry.
Writing: I enjoyed the writing in this book so much. There are 4 POVs (Cassie, Evan, Sammy and Ben aka Zombie). The first switch in POVs (from Cassie to Ben, I think it was) threw me a bit, because I was like- ‘Why is Cassie saying those things?” but then it all made sense, so naturally I thought why isn’t there a clear disclaimer who’s POV we’re reading? But… but-but-but… The POVs don’t switch paragraph to paragraph, they switch as and when it makes sense to do so within the story progression and by way of dividing the book into parts. Plus, eventually, it’s impossible to not understand whose thoughts you’re reading.
The tone of the writing was with a youthful tone, as we are dealing with teenagers and I was pulled in completely by each POV. Completely. And even though I had seen the movie- and spoilered myself- I still came across some unknown elements in the book which were not in the movie. Naturally, there are some changes made in the book-to-movie adaptations but the book had way more grim scenes in it. The book delivered the feeling of doom by added grim details. <spoiler> The P&D, or Processing and Disposal, at Camp Haven was just gag-worthy and the Camp itself could really have been called Auschwitz where Reznik was the alien version of Hitler. </spoiler>
Oh… Almost forgot… In the movie something happens in between Cassie and Evan. It didn’t go quite the same way in the book and to be completely honest with you- I preferred the book version. So-so-so much more I enjoyed the book version. I hate that they didn’t keep it the same in the movie because screw that, <spoiler> I’m tired to death with movie producers and directors not being able to portray intimacy in any other way than sex.</spoiler> Booo! The spoiler tags are probably useless here because we’re all Smarties but just in case… just in case… always wrap it up, yo!
Overall: I enjoyed this 458 page book a lot. I was totally engrossed, and even though I didn’t much appreciate the occasional teenage love interest element, I can see why it needs to be in the story. The characters are young- their priorities are what they are. And there’s no dystopian story where love doesn’t play a big role because in times of hardship love takes the front seat. Rating this book 5 stars. I can’t deny how much I enjoyed the story and really I didn’t find any faults there… you may, so if you read the book and see total awful errors and big no-no‘s, let me know! Will I be reading the second book? Oh hell, yes I am going to read the next one! The 5th Wave has only just begun!
Excellent review! I haven’t seen the movie yet, or even knew about it, because I avoid /zombie movies, but I think I do want to watch it now, even if you think the book is better, because 458 pages is maybe a bit too much for me ;-).
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Cheers 🙂 I think you’ll like the movie… the aliens in this case aren’t them slimy type green, monstery characters 🙂 Plenty of action and twists, etc… 🙂 I hope you enjoy when you get a chance to see it 🙂
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The love interest bothered me a bit. The main character’s first thought in a dangerous situation is “what a cute guy”. That is very common in YA, as you know.
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Yep! I totally agree with you! That’s why i found myself often wondering- why does this have to be YA? While the ‘cute guy’ and other love drama thoughts are fitting for the genre, this could have been so much better if we didn’t have to follow the YA typicality… then again, I thought, well, if this was adult, the ‘romance’ would have probably happened as well… so in a way I’m grateful I didn’t have to endure the adult version of cheesy scenes… 🙂
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Great review! I have owned this book for ages but never picked it up. I wanted to watch the movie but started the whole can’t watch the movie without reading the book thing first. I still haven’t seen the movie either lol.
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Thanks 🙂 If you do decide to give this a go, then yes, read the book first… It actually worked out quite well with me watching the movie first and then reading the book, there were differences (as is normal) but one of the main twists I think you’d want to know about in the book rather than the movie 🙂
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Of course there is a twist that is in the book not the movie haha
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Well, the twist is in both, but you’re better of finding out about it in the book before you watch the movie… 🙂 But… yes, there are plenty of things, grim, that weren’t in the movie… I guess to make it more viewer friendly 🙂
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Oh okay 😃
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Great review as always Queen Fussypussy the freaking third and yes! The book is always better than the film though there are some great movie adaptations out there.
I didn’t enjoy the film for this, gave up after about 45 minutes.😂
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Cheers… I could see how this film or probably even the book is not man enough for you! 😀
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I just found the film boring, not ‘not man’ enough.😂
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Excellent review Liz! I liked the first book but still need to catch up with the other two.💁🏻
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Thanks 🙂 I hope the next two are good as well… I hope to read them soon… in this year anyway! 😀
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I love being into a survivor’s mind, I know I’d be one of the first to die in such a scenario so it makes me feel like I’m learning how they do it, haha! I’ll go with the book first and then will only watch the movie to catch a glimpse of Liev Schreiber xD
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Hahaha.. yeah… the survival stories are brilliant, you can take so much tips away from them… 🙂
Leiv Schreiber… have to admit, I had to google to see who he was… I know him from movies of course but never knew his real name! oops 🙂 So, you’re crushing on him a wee bit? 😀
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I think that’s why I love dystopians, I’m trying to gather information to survive! hahahaha! Yep… My Oedipian syndrome had me go all swooning over the big guy xD
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Good idea… back in Estonian I used to be a part of a form of Girl Scouts thingy… learned how to catch fish with a plastic bottle and various roots one can eat when in wild for vitamins… oh, and how to filter water! All very handy when one gets tired of eating canned foods in an underground bunker 😀
hahaha… well… he’s not that old! at least he doesn’t look all that old 😀
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Your reviews always manage to get me amped up. My daughter was actually recommending this for me. I had no idea it was this large of a title, but now I am very curious. I have refrained from the film (just in case). Another going on the list!
Oh and completely random, but I scored books 1-3 of the Great Iron War on my Kindle last night for like 2.00 😉
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It’s a decent read and in a different way a decent movie as well 🙂 But yep, I do suggest reading before watching the movie 🙂 because we love books more than TV, it’s OK if the film falls a little short 😀
Hahaha… you’re the second or third? person to come back to me saying they got the Great Iron War books… brilliant… now i hope you and the others will enjoy the read 😉 fingers crossed 🙂
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I was so excited last night to see them on sale! I sat up in bed and showed the nonhusband and told him, “See! The books Liz reads.” He laughed at me and asked who Liz was. 😉
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😀 LOL… I can’t wait until you get the chance to read.. you’ll either come back to me and say you liked it or you’re gonna come after me with a torch, yelling ‘Liz, you muppet, whyyyy?’ 😀
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Haha.. duh duh duh. Time will tell 😉
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Oh.. and for the record.. I do not torch muppets ❤
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oh, thank heavens, I’m safe! 😂
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Definitely on my radar, and TBR!!
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🙂 Woop!
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Pretty soon my Kindle will die under the strain of so many books!
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Oh noes! have you learned Kindle CPR yet for situations like this? 🙂
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It is going to the top of my to do list! #SaveTheKindle starts now!
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😂😎
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I never paid much attention to this book. To be honest I don’t think I had read any info on it, or the movie, so everything in your review was new to me. I am wondering if this came out before I started blogging because I have no recillection of seeing ARC reviews for it. Before I started blogging I was at the mercy of what my sister brought to me from the library. You have gotten me interested, though, and next time I see it on ebook special I am going to grab a copy. Thanks for the review because I probably woukd have continued to pass this one by. 🙂
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Nice! I hope you do enjoy the book when you read it… I have high hopes for book 2 and 3 now as well… scary in a way with the series but so much potential as well.. I think the next books have a lot of relationship drama though.. at least when looking on goodreads some readers are ‘shipping’ couples etc… so I am hoping all that teenage drama doesn’t completely overshadow the alien aspect!
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You are so brave to see the movie first! I find that will sometimes corrupt my enjoyment of a book when I finally get to reading it. That said, I adore your props to the book. I’m glad this order worked out for you. 🙂
I haven’t read this, because the idea of an aliens story doesn’t really appeal to me. However, you have me second guessing that! It looks like I’ll need to dig in. Afterall, who doesn’t need a strong-willed, snarky firecracker in their lives? Great review, Liis. I’ll need to check this book out.
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Thank you- yep, as you said, some of the enjoyment from reading was gone as I knew the spoilers but often, actually all the time, the book just offers so much more mental involvement…
The aliens in this books aren’t green slimy buggers 🙂 In fact, this book is more about what happens to people when there is an invasion and survival.
I hope you do enjoy it if you do decide to read this one 🙂
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I like thinking of a alien book offering “mental involvement”. That feels good. Well, it’s on the TBR lets see when I get to it! 😜
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I’m glad to hear from someone who enjoyed both movie and book! I’ve heard only bad things about the movie. I did love Chloë Grace Moretz in Kick-Ass. That was just unbelievably awesome. Also hear ya on the inevitable love relationships in these types of stories. If done right, they sure do add a nice layer of complexity to the story! Great review! 🙂
– Lashaan
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You know… i didn’t think the movie was so bad. Maybe my standards are low… then again I do tend to watch only action movies so for me to actually sit back and enjoy this movie was a good way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday… if I watched it again? who knows, I wouldn’t find it half as good…
I agree on Chloe- she was brilliant in Kick-Ass. Gosh I love that movie 😀
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haha I get what you mean- books are usually better! I’m glad this was so good!
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