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theseclouds's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
I first started reading these books as a teenager over 20 years ago. I think back then I made it maybe a third of the way through the series before I simply lost track of it. Then as an adult I somehow came up with the insane plan of (re)reading them and finally getting to the end, because even after all this time I simply couldn't let go of these kids and their stories. I needed to know how it ends. I needed to know they'd be okay.
Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy and proud of myself for making it here, because I went through years where I didn't read a single book and now somehow I made it through most of this series in two years. But this series really was such an emotional roller coaster and even as an adult I still find so many of the storylines so harrowing, so I don't even know how teenage!me would've reacted.
I made it to the end, and somehow that made the hyperfixation grow more extreme than ever before. I was honestly tempted to go right back to the beginning, but for now I've resolved to stick to youtube deep dives and video essays. What an incredible piece of children's literature. It had its low points, sure, which you must expect with such a long-running series. But the highs certainly outshine them all, and there's storylines and characters and moments I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy and proud of myself for making it here, because I went through years where I didn't read a single book and now somehow I made it through most of this series in two years. But this series really was such an emotional roller coaster and even as an adult I still find so many of the storylines so harrowing, so I don't even know how teenage!me would've reacted.
I made it to the end, and somehow that made the hyperfixation grow more extreme than ever before. I was honestly tempted to go right back to the beginning, but for now I've resolved to stick to youtube deep dives and video essays. What an incredible piece of children's literature. It had its low points, sure, which you must expect with such a long-running series. But the highs certainly outshine them all, and there's storylines and characters and moments I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
temporaryhouseplant's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
wilycheese's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This whole series is great.
thistlechaser's review against another edition
2.0
Disclaimer: I'm reading this series for the first time as an adult. I have no fond memories coloring my reading.
On the rating: Okay -- it's complicated
Rating for first half of the book: Loved
Rating for second half: Disliked (or "hated" if I'm being honest, but that pains me to write)
I averaged it to: Okay
The first half of this last book was great. It looked at the impact of the war on all these kids. What happens to the "bad guys" (Yeerks). What happens to the other aliens. I loved it and believed it, especially how Jake changed once the war was over. Or how he didn't change, as the case may be. Some kids were able to leave what happened and what they did behind, and some could not.
Though this was a YA book, it pulled no punches on the morality of acts done during war. Cassie, the pacifist, speaking to a Yeerk, about Jake's act of genocide.
"Jake did what he had to do."
"Did he? Someone flushed the Yeerk pool into space. Did he have to do that, too? They were unhosted Yeerks. They were harmless."
"We needed a div —" I stopped myself.
"A what? A what did you need? A diversion? You're going to tell me you needed a diversion so Jake massacred seventeen thousand sentient creatures? A diversion?"
But unfortunately, and somewhat bogglingly, the book didn't end there. The whole second half of the book started a new adventure. An unfortunately not very believable one. *announcer voice over* Animorphs In SPACE!
Worse than the ending being pointless and unbelievable, it ended on a cliffhanger. The whole series, ended in the middle of an action scene.
I suppose young readers wouldn't have been satisfied with the ending at the halfway point of the book. There was no action, it was too thoughtful. Perhaps young readers don't want "realistic impacts of war".
But man, for an older reader? The latter half of the book ending SUCKED.
Eight hours or so later: I've had time to think on the end of the book, as well as to read others' reviews. While I still dislike the latter half of the book, I understand the point of it. As unbelievable as it is, it sort of gives a happy ending for Jake, since he's a man unable to leave war behind. I just wish the author had been able to do it in some other way.
The first half of the book was so great though. The author said she wanted a realistic look at a war, and she completely succeeded at that in this series.
On the rating: Okay -- it's complicated
Rating for first half of the book: Loved
Rating for second half: Disliked (or "hated" if I'm being honest, but that pains me to write)
I averaged it to: Okay
The first half of this last book was great. It looked at the impact of the war on all these kids. What happens to the "bad guys" (Yeerks). What happens to the other aliens. I loved it and believed it, especially how Jake changed once the war was over. Or how he didn't change, as the case may be. Some kids were able to leave what happened and what they did behind, and some could not.
Though this was a YA book, it pulled no punches on the morality of acts done during war. Cassie, the pacifist, speaking to a Yeerk, about Jake's act of genocide.
"Jake did what he had to do."
"Did he? Someone flushed the Yeerk pool into space. Did he have to do that, too? They were unhosted Yeerks. They were harmless."
"We needed a div —" I stopped myself.
"A what? A what did you need? A diversion? You're going to tell me you needed a diversion so Jake massacred seventeen thousand sentient creatures? A diversion?"
But unfortunately, and somewhat bogglingly, the book didn't end there. The whole second half of the book started a new adventure. An unfortunately not very believable one. *announcer voice over* Animorphs In SPACE!
Worse than the ending being pointless and unbelievable, it ended on a cliffhanger. The whole series, ended in the middle of an action scene.
I suppose young readers wouldn't have been satisfied with the ending at the halfway point of the book. There was no action, it was too thoughtful. Perhaps young readers don't want "realistic impacts of war".
But man, for an older reader? The latter half of the book ending SUCKED.
Eight hours or so later: I've had time to think on the end of the book, as well as to read others' reviews. While I still dislike the latter half of the book, I understand the point of it. As unbelievable as it is, it sort of gives a happy ending for Jake, since he's a man unable to leave war behind. I just wish the author had been able to do it in some other way.
The first half of the book was so great though. The author said she wanted a realistic look at a war, and she completely succeeded at that in this series.
grapie_deltaco's review against another edition
1.0
Lazy.
Just so fucking lazy. So much left out, so many major characters completely forgotten about by the author, so many storylines that feel wildly incomplete for no logical reason.
This was such a let down.
CW: war, violence, death, grief, slavery, murder, mass murder, genocide, suicide, terrorism
Just so fucking lazy. So much left out, so many major characters completely forgotten about by the author, so many storylines that feel wildly incomplete for no logical reason.
This was such a let down.
CW: war, violence, death, grief, slavery, murder, mass murder, genocide, suicide, terrorism
lucialater's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
We did it joe. Reading all of the animorphs books was not something ever on my bingo card but going through them this year has honestly changed me somehow. I underestimated how invested I would become in this series but I truly felt for the characters in this finale and I would legitimately recommend these books to anyone. Dont discount children's literature!! They deserve to have good stories too. And while I have my gripes with some of these books I think overall the plot was interesting, the characters were fleshed out, the trauma was real, and the story had something new to say about the world or at least it did for the time it was published. Thank you K A Applegate for your service.
mugsandpugs's review against another edition
5.0
Perfection.
I hear complaints over the ambiguous ending sometimes, but honestly I love it and couldn't have written it better myself. What a wild, nostalgic series from my childhood.
I hear complaints over the ambiguous ending sometimes, but honestly I love it and couldn't have written it better myself. What a wild, nostalgic series from my childhood.
lesbianwolves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
teperehmi's review against another edition
3.0
Okay I'm fine with the characters who died...it was a war after all and it would not be realistic or believable if everything tied up in a neat little clean bow.
In fact, I really liked this book and the one before it.
However, I don't know what the author was possibly thinking to just leave the book hanging like that. It was dumb. I now feel very unfulfilled and a bit angry.
In fact, I really liked this book and the one before it.
However, I don't know what the author was possibly thinking to just leave the book hanging like that. It was dumb. I now feel very unfulfilled and a bit angry.
bookaneer's review against another edition
1.0
Hate hate hate the ending! Supposed to be one of the best readings during my pre-teen years but the ending totally turned me off.