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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this natural disaster on a cruise ship story. Definitely worth a read as it is more than a disaster story with intrigue thrown in and lots of action. I am looking forward to teh next book in the series to see what happens when the surviving characters make it back to the mainland.
If you do read the book make sure to read the page the author has thanking people. The last paragraph makes it well worth it.
If you do read the book make sure to read the page the author has thanking people. The last paragraph makes it well worth it.
I agree with some of the other reviewers that the name of the MC was a little distracting. I kept reading it as She- not Shy. I thought the story was pretty compelling and it kept me reading- especially after the disaster hit. I think one of the positives of the book was the diversity among the characters. Other than that- not sure if I'll keep reading the series, but I think I can recommend it to some readers.
The audiobook I downloaded from Sync last year had some issues, but for the most part it was okay and I don't think the issues really took away from the story overall.
There were things I liked and things I didn't, but while I won't rush out for the second book I wouldn't be against reading it. I had questions about teenagers on cruise ships. I was unclear if Shy was actually 18 and would a company take minors? I considered looking up shark behavior, because the sharks seemed a little horror movie-ish. But then you do hear the stories about shipwrecks and sharks. There were just things like that that were a little distracting, but not enough to really look up answers. For things I didn't like . . . it's mostly some of the language used by the protagonist. I know it's a thing, but omg I hate hate hate women people use "females" instead of "women" or even "girls." Overall though the story is pretty solid and believable. The characters avoid being stereotypes. And I think certain things that were maybe meant to be shocking might actually be shocking to younger readers.
There were things I liked and things I didn't, but while I won't rush out for the second book I wouldn't be against reading it. I had questions about teenagers on cruise ships. I was unclear if Shy was actually 18 and would a company take minors? I considered looking up shark behavior, because the sharks seemed a little horror movie-ish. But then you do hear the stories about shipwrecks and sharks. There were just things like that that were a little distracting, but not enough to really look up answers. For things I didn't like . . . it's mostly some of the language used by the protagonist. I know it's a thing, but omg I hate hate hate women people use "females" instead of "women" or even "girls." Overall though the story is pretty solid and believable. The characters avoid being stereotypes. And I think certain things that were maybe meant to be shocking might actually be shocking to younger readers.
A boy's summer job on a cruise ship is horrifically interrupted by a destructive tidal wave.
Starts off strong, with well-built characters & genuine dialogue. And the tidal wave scenes are epically cinematic. The last 1/3 veers off into the ridiculous with an evil corporation subplot, far too much coincidence, and multiple not-who-they-seem mysterious adults.
Starts off strong, with well-built characters & genuine dialogue. And the tidal wave scenes are epically cinematic. The last 1/3 veers off into the ridiculous with an evil corporation subplot, far too much coincidence, and multiple not-who-they-seem mysterious adults.
Shy is working for the summer on a cruise ship to earn money to help support his family, but his summer is not going smoothly. On the first cruise a man commits suicide right in front of him. On the second voyage he is followed and asked questions about the suicide but that mystery is overshadowed by natural disaster - major earthquakes hit the West Coast, sinking the ship Shy is on, causing him to spend days floating on a raft in the ocean, undiscovered, starving, and losing hope. Lots of nerve-wracking action, details of the shipwreck, shark attacks, and the loss of friends is combined with murky political and corporate finagling, class "warfare" and a reflection on casual racism. Not a lot of grey moral ground, this novel is a good fit for anyone wanting some disaster fiction, a Latino protagonist who is trying to figure out how to grow up, or someone wanting a tense, escapist thriller.
An interesting thriller set in the backdrop of a tsunami. This one kept me guessing. Great teen characters and a strong male protagonist.
Grade 9 and up. Beaucoup language.
Grade 9 and up. Beaucoup language.
Honestly over all this book wasn't awful, for myself personally it was really slow. It took a long time for anything to really happen. I think that was to just set it up at the end for the big reveal, but I felt it wasn't necessary. The author did a really good job of explaining the settings and characters, it just overwhelmed the main plot of the book. If the book was longer it would have been better. I figure it is just setting up for the next book, but I felt it was done in a bad way. I probably wouldn't have finished the book if it wasn't assigned. Also another problem I had was how women were described and treated by other characters, I feel like the author was trying to connect to an audience that I'm not a part of, but I feel using weaker, "hot", and desperate girls is kinda lame.
Excellent, engaging book I'm recommending to students and adults. "The Living" is a gripping thriller, kicking off with a tsunami that the protagonist survives only to find himself at the center of an insane conspiracy. I couldn't put this book down, and two of my students also read and loved it.
This book tells approximately 50 trope stories at the same time, with another approximate 45 sideplots going on that somehow, de la Pena manages to link up in a sense-making way. There's the zombie-like-outbreak plotline. There's the Mexican-teen-working-on-a-cruise-ship-for-rich-white-people plotline. There's the series-of-earthquakes-destroy-the-entire-West-coast plotline. There's the ack-those-earthquakes-are-now-causing-a-series-of-tsunamis-which-have-capsized-and-destroyed-our-ship plotline. The pretty-yet-snobby-girl-is-stuck-on-this-inflatable-raft-with-Mexican-teen-she-looks-down-on plotline. The oh-god-sharks-everywhere plotline. The hey-we're-rescued-but-now-on-an-island-with-A-PLOT-AFOOT plotline. And, of course, the there-will-most-DEFINITELY-be-sequels plotline.
I picked it up because the library had a display and the author is giving a presentation in our library. It was ok, slooow start the end got good and left you hanging so I will probably read the next one.