Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was pretty good but not super deep and the middle dragged on a bit. The ending was interesting and good, but I didn't think it would have a sequel.
There's a lot going on in this--adventure, intrigue, a little romance. Kids will love the fast paced adventure, and will relate to the main character--a young man who is looking for a little adventure, but worries about his family back home.
One of the ideas that I found really intriguing while reading this book, was that even if everything turned out okay on the boat, then the island, nothing was really going to be okay.
Sometimes when I read mysteries, I get caught up in the what ifs and want everything to work out. This story was not going to work out no matter what.
I'd definitely recommend it to reluctant readers.
Sometimes when I read mysteries, I get caught up in the what ifs and want everything to work out. This story was not going to work out no matter what.
I'd definitely recommend it to reluctant readers.
Shy's new summer job is off to a very strange start. He's working aboard a luxury cruise ship, which is surreal in and of itself. His first voyage, however, involved a strange and disturbing incident. An extremely wealthy business man tipped Shy $100 for a bottle of water, had a cryptic conversation with him and then jumped over the side of the ship. Shy had tried to save him, but wasn't strong enough to haul the overweight man back up over the rails. With that experience still fresh in his memory, Shy embarks on a new voyage, one he hopes will be far less eventful. The beginning of the new trip goes relatively well. Shy makes friends, experiences both classism and racism from passengers, develops a crush on one of his co-workers. All in all, this is almost exactly what Shy expects. Then things start to get weird again. Shy is being followed by a man in a suit and a massive storm is headed their way. Everyone on board soon learns that an epic earthquake has hit the West coast. Entire cities have been devastated; the tsunami waves are headed their way. Surviving the storm is just the beginning.
de la Pena has crafted an exciting tale of survival with a twist. This plot-driven tale rarely fails to surprise with the gravity of the situations it creates. Things are so bad for everyone on the ship that one almost forgets that there's even more devastation back on the mainland. The addition of deadly corporate greed creates even more tension in an already tense situation. I didn't love this book, but I was still swept up in the action. Many aspects of the plot feel over-the-top and many of the characters are underdeveloped. The story ends on a cliff-hanger, which will certainly leave many readers seeking out the sequel.
de la Pena has crafted an exciting tale of survival with a twist. This plot-driven tale rarely fails to surprise with the gravity of the situations it creates. Things are so bad for everyone on the ship that one almost forgets that there's even more devastation back on the mainland. The addition of deadly corporate greed creates even more tension in an already tense situation. I didn't love this book, but I was still swept up in the action. Many aspects of the plot feel over-the-top and many of the characters are underdeveloped. The story ends on a cliff-hanger, which will certainly leave many readers seeking out the sequel.
Hooray for dialogue that actually sounds like it would come from the mouths of high schoolers! This was my second Matt de la Pena book and I am now officially a fan.
Shy is enjoying his summer job on a cruise ship and coping with his grandma's recent and horrific death, until a natural disaster leaves him fighting for his life. The Living is an action-packed read with loads of suspense and danger in multiple forms - both from the tsunami and a corporate conspiracy. Teens who loved the "I Survived" series when they were younger will enjoy this one, since it is essentially a survival story with some extra layers added in and better writing. Definitely didn't help my deep fear of tsunamis though!
Conspiracy and cover up in the midst of apocalyptic mayhem on a cruise ship—with a scary disease thrown in for good measure. The hits just keep coming. The story centers on Shy, a hard-working kid stuck in the middle of it all. In many ways this story can't quite decide what it is, and you get some of everything from class-based cruise ship hijinks to suicide mystery to Titanic sinking to lost in a life boat. And it's the first in a series, so there's not a lot of closure (though it's better than most). The relentless pace was fun, but it felt awfully jumbled.
A gripping story of murder, suicide, tidal waves and mysterious deadly illnesses.