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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
Shy is working on a Paradise Cruise ship when a man jumps overboard right in front of him. The story picks up on the next cruise and this time people are asking questions. A mysterious man in a suit starts asking about Shy and what the suicide victim might have said to him. Shy's room is searched and the man keeps following him. We have no idea what this is about. Then a big storm approaches the cruise ship and we learn that "the Big One" has hit the west coast of America. A tsunami is headed towards the ship and in fact three waves hit and cause it to sink. Shy ends up on a broken lifeboat with no supplies. He rescues an older man and a young girl. The man has been bitten by a shark and eventually dies. The girl is a rich snob who picked on Shy on the ship. Addi and Shy have to come to terms with each other and fight to survive. Just when all hope is lost they are rescued and taken to a mysterious island where things just get even stranger.
This book felt really disjointed like it wasn't sure what kind of book it was going to be. The beginning was a realistic story about people from different backgrounds and socioeconomic status mingling on a ship and how they react to each other. The second part was pure apocalyptic with the earthquake and the tsunami and having to survive at sea. The end was a bit sci-fi mystery with the secret island and the weird scientists and the sickness infecting survivors. I think any of those books would have been interesting but together they were a bit of a mess. I wish the whole evil corporation bit would have been left off of the story because I think it would have been stronger with just the other two storylines. However, since this is the beginning of a series I guess you really needed somewhere to go.
This book felt really disjointed like it wasn't sure what kind of book it was going to be. The beginning was a realistic story about people from different backgrounds and socioeconomic status mingling on a ship and how they react to each other. The second part was pure apocalyptic with the earthquake and the tsunami and having to survive at sea. The end was a bit sci-fi mystery with the secret island and the weird scientists and the sickness infecting survivors. I think any of those books would have been interesting but together they were a bit of a mess. I wish the whole evil corporation bit would have been left off of the story because I think it would have been stronger with just the other two storylines. However, since this is the beginning of a series I guess you really needed somewhere to go.
This is the book that I literally read alongside an ongoing list of students who I know will be as enthralled with it as I was. Love the narrative tension and constant energy of this book. So, so good. Easily earned 5 stars - which I don't give often...
One of the free books offered from Audiobook Sync over the summer. I am interested in reading book 2...
Super fast-paced, full of constant tension and suspense. Shy is a decent protagonist, but the two female characters (Carmen and Addie) are obnoxiously frustrating. Not well-rounded--one is snobby, entitled, and ignorant of her wealthy father's psychotic greed; the other is more interesting, yet engaged (she just graduated high school), dwelling on (mooning over) her fiancé. Shoeshine is an awesome surprise, and I appreciate Shy's love for, and devotion to, his family. I probably would not have read his book if I knew it wasn't a stand-alone. The ending could be satisfying for some, but the quasi-cliff-hanger ending is irksome. Interesting setting-modern day world, at the beginning of chaotic dystopia. THE ONE (earthquake) hits the western U.S. at the same time a lethal man-made virus is starting to spread. I don't know where book two will go, but if it's a love triangle, I'm going to barf.
Most amazing. Most interesting story! Great combination of suspense and terror! Can't wait to read "the Hunted"
Good, but not great...but I can't pinpoint exactly why. Perhaps the pacing? Probably. However, I'd definitely hand it to teens that like that outdoor survival action type stories.
And I have an overwhelming urge now to watch the movie the Poseidon Aveture.
And I have an overwhelming urge now to watch the movie the Poseidon Aveture.
The Living was a really solid story about a kid making an honest living taking a chance on the summer job of a lifetime on a luxury cruise ship, only for him to witness a suicide and later, experience the ship going down after a tsunami. And there's more to expect that I haven't even mentioned. I loved that the main character, Shy not only came from the middle class but his economic status and the culture surrounding such was prevalent all throughout the book. I loved that! I also loved that he wasn't the only employee on the ship in the middle class and all of the staff was well aware of their place not only in the world but on the cruise ship tending after wealthy, privileged white people. This is one of the best books I've read this year, probably the best so far in regards to addressing complex race and class dynamics.
That aside, I really loved how three dimensional all of the characters were, how human they were, and how well not only the characters jumped off the page, dialogue and all, but I really truly appreciated each and every relationship that was built here. As for the story, I was taken by the natural disaster element. Show me a novel with a natural disaster and I'm there. And this.... this was a SLOW burn into the danger. Typically, this slow of a burn in what I'm expecting to be an action packed novel wouldn't keep me glued to the page but this did. There's something to be said about that.
Matt's characters and the journeys they were on really had a hold on me so I was not only invested in the action from the beginning and waiting for it to all unfold but I quickly became enraptured in the personal arcs of the characters. Yes, this book has plenty of action but it's very character driven. Not only that, there's plenty of mystery and I really liked that aspect and how the strangest of things tied together. I also really enjoyed where the story ends because if Shy thought he was in danger before, well, that's nothing compared to his journey ahead. And that intrigues me the most which is why I'm adding the sequel, The Hunted to my To Be Read list. The Living is kind of pre-apocalyptic in a sense and the sequel is apocalyptic in the same sense so I'm really looking forward to seeing what challenges Shy faces in the sequel.
I listened to the audiobook of this but I also had my hardcover copy on hand so, yes, I read along to the audiobook and it was so much fun. The audiobook was great, the narrator, Henry Leyva was one with the story and his pacing, his tone, his inflections were on point. He did work a few accents in as well and the effort was appreciated. I really love what he did to bring this story to life and couldn't have imagined taking in this story any other way. I might just have to listen to the sequel in audiobook format as well. Only time will tell!
That aside, I really loved how three dimensional all of the characters were, how human they were, and how well not only the characters jumped off the page, dialogue and all, but I really truly appreciated each and every relationship that was built here. As for the story, I was taken by the natural disaster element. Show me a novel with a natural disaster and I'm there. And this.... this was a SLOW burn into the danger. Typically, this slow of a burn in what I'm expecting to be an action packed novel wouldn't keep me glued to the page but this did. There's something to be said about that.
Matt's characters and the journeys they were on really had a hold on me so I was not only invested in the action from the beginning and waiting for it to all unfold but I quickly became enraptured in the personal arcs of the characters. Yes, this book has plenty of action but it's very character driven. Not only that, there's plenty of mystery and I really liked that aspect and how the strangest of things tied together. I also really enjoyed where the story ends because if Shy thought he was in danger before, well, that's nothing compared to his journey ahead. And that intrigues me the most which is why I'm adding the sequel, The Hunted to my To Be Read list. The Living is kind of pre-apocalyptic in a sense and the sequel is apocalyptic in the same sense so I'm really looking forward to seeing what challenges Shy faces in the sequel.
I listened to the audiobook of this but I also had my hardcover copy on hand so, yes, I read along to the audiobook and it was so much fun. The audiobook was great, the narrator, Henry Leyva was one with the story and his pacing, his tone, his inflections were on point. He did work a few accents in as well and the effort was appreciated. I really love what he did to bring this story to life and couldn't have imagined taking in this story any other way. I might just have to listen to the sequel in audiobook format as well. Only time will tell!
~*Review Might Contain Spoilers*~
In a world where YA novels are dominated by plain saltine female leads, Shy is a fresh breath of air.
Amazingly this novel is set over a time period of about 8 days. Starting out, I thought this book would just be a nice survival story, sort of like [b:The Raft|12987986|The Raft|S.A. Bodeen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329014074s/12987986.jpg|18147765]. BOY, was I wrong. It starts off with Shy reliving a traumatic event that occurred on the last voyage off the cruise ship he worked on. Other than the prologue, it had a nice light start, average big softie friend, hot unattainable friend, just average teenage boy stuff right? You know, other than the man in the suit following him everywhere....After that things take a dark turn, the mysterious Romero disease, why everybody cares so much about what exactly David Williamson said before he jumped, and the creepy guy in the suit that's following Shy at every turn. But, that stuff leaves his mind as he gets closer the aforementioned hot unattainable friend Carmen, who btw has a fiance back home. After sharing a drunken kiss, Shy takes a surprisingly mature stance of friendship. There! Everything's fine now right? WRONG. They find out about the earthquake, and the tsunamis and Shy and two others are stranded in a life raft in the middle of the ocean and the story hasn't even really started yet.
All in all, The Living was a book that surpassed every expectation I had set for the book , and continued to do so. I for one, am eagerly awaiting The Hunted! (Which comes out a little after my birthday, so that's cool)
In a world where YA novels are dominated by plain saltine female leads, Shy is a fresh breath of air.
Amazingly this novel is set over a time period of about 8 days. Starting out, I thought this book would just be a nice survival story, sort of like [b:The Raft|12987986|The Raft|S.A. Bodeen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329014074s/12987986.jpg|18147765]. BOY, was I wrong. It starts off with Shy reliving a traumatic event that occurred on the last voyage off the cruise ship he worked on. Other than the prologue, it had a nice light start, average big softie friend, hot unattainable friend, just average teenage boy stuff right? You know, other than the man in the suit following him everywhere....After that things take a dark turn, the mysterious Romero disease, why everybody cares so much about what exactly David Williamson said before he jumped, and the creepy guy in the suit that's following Shy at every turn. But, that stuff leaves his mind as he gets closer the aforementioned hot unattainable friend Carmen, who btw has a fiance back home. After sharing a drunken kiss, Shy takes a surprisingly mature stance of friendship. There! Everything's fine now right? WRONG. They find out about the earthquake, and the tsunamis and Shy and two others are stranded in a life raft in the middle of the ocean and the story hasn't even really started yet.
All in all, The Living was a book that surpassed every expectation I had set for the book , and continued to do so. I for one, am eagerly awaiting The Hunted! (Which comes out a little after my birthday, so that's cool)
Amazing circumstances lead to a dangerous adventure at sea.
Very action-packed - way too much going on here for me.