Scan barcode
isabellabaker's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
prufrocks_necktie's review
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While definitely an interesting premise with well-written characters (particularly Rook and Tanner), The Rain suffers from two big issues that hold it back.
First, the pacing is all over the place. Tanner's part often feels exceedingly slow while Rook's develops quickly despite taking place over ten times the years.
Second, the author didn't seem like he knew what he wanted to focus on. The book is part climate change warning, part Big Pharma diatribe, part reflection of human spirit.
Overall, it was a fun read, but I can't say I'd recommend it or pick it up again.
First, the pacing is all over the place. Tanner's part often feels exceedingly slow while Rook's develops quickly despite taking place over ten times the years.
Second, the author didn't seem like he knew what he wanted to focus on. The book is part climate change warning, part Big Pharma diatribe, part reflection of human spirit.
Overall, it was a fun read, but I can't say I'd recommend it or pick it up again.
kyproff's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thegrimreaders's review
4.0
This book is kind of hard to summarize beyond the goodreads summary, so instead I’ll share the many things it featured that I love in my sci fi:
-Some kind of sci fi nature element, I loved that this book used constant rain (like for 20 years straight) and the possible effects of global warming and pollution as the main “villain” in this story. The descriptive imagery of what long-term water exposure does to humans will stick with me for a while…
-Alternating POVs and timelines that showed two completely separate views of the progression of the rain and how the earth declined because of it. I found both POVs equally riveting and highly enjoyed both of our main characters and their character development
-The focus on said characters and their relationships with their families, found families, and people working against them. I cried once or twice throughout because I had such a connection to some of these characters and was devastated by what was happening to them
-Creepy creature feature horror in the “face eaters” that would roam around searching for their next cannibalistic meal. I’ll never think of fully dialated eyes the same way
-Some kind of sci fi nature element, I loved that this book used constant rain (like for 20 years straight) and the possible effects of global warming and pollution as the main “villain” in this story. The descriptive imagery of what long-term water exposure does to humans will stick with me for a while…
-Alternating POVs and timelines that showed two completely separate views of the progression of the rain and how the earth declined because of it. I found both POVs equally riveting and highly enjoyed both of our main characters and their character development
-The focus on said characters and their relationships with their families, found families, and people working against them. I cried once or twice throughout because I had such a connection to some of these characters and was devastated by what was happening to them
-Creepy creature feature horror in the “face eaters” that would roam around searching for their next cannibalistic meal. I’ll never think of fully dialated eyes the same way
beckskosh77's review
3.0
There was so I much I liked about this novel but equally as much I didn’t like.
The alternative storylines which I thought were going to intersect but they didn’t quite get there. I hope that means there could be a sequel in the works.
I felt the time jump of Rook’s story of ten years was too much time for him to be easily brought back into the fold of original settlement. I would have liked more of those ten years with his parents time. That all felt very rushed.
Tanner’s side was us being dropped in and honestly I knew who Russell was right from the start.
The idea of the novel is a good one. I have read other end of world stories that involved flooding. The red drug and cannibalism was an interesting twist for sure.
There were areas that I would have liked to seem more developed by the author and if a sequel was written, I was invested enough that I would read it to see if the answers I had would be answered.
The alternative storylines which I thought were going to intersect but they didn’t quite get there. I hope that means there could be a sequel in the works.
I felt the time jump of Rook’s story of ten years was too much time for him to be easily brought back into the fold of original settlement. I would have liked more of those ten years with his parents time. That all felt very rushed.
Tanner’s side was us being dropped in and honestly I knew who Russell was right from the start.
The idea of the novel is a good one. I have read other end of world stories that involved flooding. The red drug and cannibalism was an interesting twist for sure.
There were areas that I would have liked to seem more developed by the author and if a sequel was written, I was invested enough that I would read it to see if the answers I had would be answered.
tamarahala's review against another edition
5.0
I've been having a hard time focusing on and finishing books this year, but I couldn't put this one down. I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
amysoup's review
4.0
The Rain is an apocalypitic novel in which the workd is destroyed by a never-ending rain.
I liked this book. I probably would have given it another star if the ending hadn't have been so sudden. It wasn't just an ending it was a breaking off. That said, I thought this book had a similar feel as The Road, although it had more of a feeling of hope running through it. The author doesn't use quotations to offset the dialogue, and I felt like that gave the book a busted down feeling that mirrors the washing away of the "veneer" (as one of the characters calls it) of society.
Even though the end of the book came in a rather jarring way, I cannot wait to read more.
I liked this book. I probably would have given it another star if the ending hadn't have been so sudden. It wasn't just an ending it was a breaking off. That said, I thought this book had a similar feel as The Road, although it had more of a feeling of hope running through it. The author doesn't use quotations to offset the dialogue, and I felt like that gave the book a busted down feeling that mirrors the washing away of the "veneer" (as one of the characters calls it) of society.
Even though the end of the book came in a rather jarring way, I cannot wait to read more.
stiricide's review
4.0
Note to self, this doesn't count towards my 2014 total. Read a sample from Amazon. Wots that, stories of how things started? Sure, sign me up! Prose is a little basic, but has potential to be a bit The Road-ish. Keep an eye out for a sale on this.
ms_m's review
2.0
This book was more disappointment than anything. 17 years of rain and what seems to be a worldwide natural apocalypse. The first 120 pages you are in the main characters head. The rest of the story is just ok. I feel like the author had a chance to do something really awesome and it just fell flat.