Humn.
I find myself somewhat ambivalent. I quite enjoyed the film, but the book less so - perhaps it was going back over the same thing almost immediately wasn't too smart, but I wanted to find out what happened next.
In places the narrative is underwhelming, the characters undeveloped or rather annoying and then there is a switch and the brutality becomes insistent and I find myself overwhelmed. Perhaps I am used to a rather more subtle approach, but the punches are so telegraphed there is no real suspense - just a few pages to read before the next wave of disaster unfolds.
I fear I am starting to sound snippy. It isn't that I don't love YA - some of my favourite series lie within this genre. His Dark Materials is beautiful and crafted, this less so. The Hunger Games is probably a more logical comparison though; strong female kicks ass against a vile and overwhelmingly powerful enemy. Divergent too - same overall premise - but it's all dystopia lit rather than disaster lit, but they both have their somewhat confusing plot holes in the construction of a new topia.
There are plot holes aplenty in the 5th Wave - but I don't think I mind them too much, I think I get more annoyed with the soldier kids names. They grate. Why Dumbo, why? And I get that it sort of make sense to engage the audience that a bunch of teenagers would be trained as soliders - but 8 year olds? Really? Really?
Ok, admit I'm tired. I'm about half way through the 2nd book, and I think I was hoping for an easier read - the Divergent series was read in a week - and I'm finding it harder goind than expected. Perhaps the storyline will carry me past some of the more annoying aspects, the mid-point of a trilogy is always a tricky place - but I'm ready to be done already and on to something a little softer!