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nikfernandez17177's review against another edition
4.0
3.5⭐️ was way more invested and on the edge of my seat than I expected to be
lakes_forests_grey_skies's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It's very dark and cryptic, has a lot to do with surviving.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Violence
allysonbogie's review against another edition
4.0
Paul is fairly new to Mortingham Academy, a British boarding school. Throughout the book it is implied that there
Things I liked a lot about this book:
-It wasn't about an adult conspiracy against kids. At first I thought that the boarding school teachers and headmaster knew what was going on, but then I discovered it was more of a government conspiracy type of book. There are so many YA books about adults intentionally manipulating children in group situations, and it seemed like the book was heading that direction, so I was glad when it turned out to be a more global issue (biological warfare gone wrong).
-There was a lot of description of interpersonal relationships, which felt pretty realistic and relatable for teens. There was girl drama, people being left out, sports cliques, and issues around kids feeling pressure from their families.
-No one was all good or all bad. Each character had strengths and weaknesses, and each person was fallible.
-The crisis at the end of the book helped characters know themselves better, and provides a model for teens that could help them reflect on pieces of themselves that they like or dislike, and how they could see those characteristics in a new light. For example, a nerd who nobody noticed suddenly becomes useful because of his skills in electronics.
-The crisis showed kids and adults cooperating and problem-solving. It didn't go into tons of detail but you definitely get the vibe that they are working together and trusting each other. Yay problem solving!
Things I didn't love about this book:
-Not sure there was much diversity, but basically they didn't discuss culture much at all. They only talked explicitly about one child's home life. Definitely no mention of socio-economic diversity or anything explicit about racial diversity. (sometimes I skim over character descriptions and miss moments where they describe a character and I'm supposed to understand what race they are).
-It was a lot like other YA apocalyptic books. In particular, it reminded me a lot of the Ashes trilogy by Ilsa Bick. Ashes was much better, but they are good readalikes, and this one is shorter and much easier to get through. But there's not much original going on in this book.
General impressions:
The nanotechnology biological warfare premise is pretty interesting and original. It feels modern and relevant, and is also a bit evocative of Big Hero 6 so that is a good way to link kids in if they are familiar with the movie.
I found the main characters to be likeable although I didn't care a massive amount about them. But I definitely liked them enough, and wanted to find out what was happening, to keep reading.
Things I liked a lot about this book:
-It wasn't about an adult conspiracy against kids. At first I thought that the boarding school teachers and headmaster knew what was going on, but then I discovered it was more of a government conspiracy type of book. There are so many YA books about adults intentionally manipulating children in group situations, and it seemed like the book was heading that direction, so I was glad when it turned out to be a more global issue (biological warfare gone wrong).
-There was a lot of description of interpersonal relationships, which felt pretty realistic and relatable for teens. There was girl drama, people being left out, sports cliques, and issues around kids feeling pressure from their families.
-No one was all good or all bad. Each character had strengths and weaknesses, and each person was fallible.
-The crisis at the end of the book helped characters know themselves better, and provides a model for teens that could help them reflect on pieces of themselves that they like or dislike, and how they could see those characteristics in a new light. For example, a nerd who nobody noticed suddenly becomes useful because of his skills in electronics.
-The crisis showed kids and adults cooperating and problem-solving. It didn't go into tons of detail but you definitely get the vibe that they are working together and trusting each other. Yay problem solving!
Things I didn't love about this book:
-Not sure there was much diversity, but basically they didn't discuss culture much at all. They only talked explicitly about one child's home life. Definitely no mention of socio-economic diversity or anything explicit about racial diversity. (sometimes I skim over character descriptions and miss moments where they describe a character and I'm supposed to understand what race they are).
-It was a lot like other YA apocalyptic books. In particular, it reminded me a lot of the Ashes trilogy by Ilsa Bick. Ashes was much better, but they are good readalikes, and this one is shorter and much easier to get through. But there's not much original going on in this book.
General impressions:
The nanotechnology biological warfare premise is pretty interesting and original. It feels modern and relevant, and is also a bit evocative of Big Hero 6 so that is a good way to link kids in if they are familiar with the movie.
I found the main characters to be likeable although I didn't care a massive amount about them. But I definitely liked them enough, and wanted to find out what was happening, to keep reading.
_kiwi_'s review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
ah, a middle school classic. randomly remembered reading this is sixth grade and was overcome with the urge to read it again. its a pretty exciting story and the world building and stuff is pretty good, however the internal dialogue and general vibe of the characters personalities screams middle school library classic so it was definitely a little harder for me to get into it rereading it now 5 years later, but not that hard as the plot is wonderful and very creative and keeps you on the edge of your seat. anyways i enjoyed the trip down memory lane and this book genuinely is a fun and exciting read.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
Supremely fast read as well as highly enjoyable. In the way that superbly written books are enjoyable. Though if horror isn't your cuppa...then it wouldn't be so fab. Pandemic horror seems to be my favorite. Watch how the world crumbles and see who stands taller or at least isn't cringing as much. Who steps up and takes control of a situation that seems to be slamming over the cliff in a fast moving vehicle.
Here it's the kids in a boarding school who have to get over their instincts and get through to survive.
Outstanding, read-through-your-fingers horror.
Definite recommend.
Here it's the kids in a boarding school who have to get over their instincts and get through to survive.
Outstanding, read-through-your-fingers horror.
Definite recommend.
jennifermreads's review against another edition
4.0
In a few short hours, exams, homework, fights with classmates, and innocent crushes will no longer matter. Soon, all that will matter is survival: trying to ward off the Infected as the virus spreads across campus.
While the author clearly states on his website: “And they’re not zombies, okay?” these humans-morphing-into-metal-beings sure behave like zombies. Regardless of how the monsters are classified, they are utterly creepy and terrifying. This was an edge-of-my-seat read for me. I liked it all: the characters, the setting (of course, it is an isolated boarding school surrounded by a fence! It had to be!), and the metal monsters-not-zombies. In fact, the unique take on these metal monsters-not-zombies was what threw this to four stars for me. It was an intriguing concept and a different take on infections. Captivating!
While the author clearly states on his website: “And they’re not zombies, okay?” these humans-morphing-into-metal-beings sure behave like zombies. Regardless of how the monsters are classified, they are utterly creepy and terrifying. This was an edge-of-my-seat read for me. I liked it all: the characters, the setting (of course, it is an isolated boarding school surrounded by a fence! It had to be!), and the metal monsters-not-zombies. In fact, the unique take on these metal monsters-not-zombies was what threw this to four stars for me. It was an intriguing concept and a different take on infections. Captivating!
jen225's review against another edition
3.0
Zombies + technology? Yes, please!!! I'll admit that I was a little slow to see where the story was going, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride! This book is a great combination of survival, zombie-like beings, and the use (misuse?) of technology. I great read that will appeal to a wide variety of readers!
nic_5's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
xytries's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an intriguing read. It is told by 6 different perspectives and very fast-paced. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I enjoyed that it is a standalone but it ended very openly. I do not think that a sequel would be wise but it made me want to know what would happen in the world.
beefore's review against another edition
1.0
this is the dumbest fucking book i've ever read in my life and thats saying something