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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Just fairly entertaining for me, but my class loved it! Some scenes had to be edited on the spot as I read aloud to make it more appropriate but I loved seeing the reading comprehension in my class as they gasped, laughed, and figured out all the little mysteries!
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was very engaging and the ending had me holding my breath to see if Rachel got out of her morph in time.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Spring 2020 / Animorphs 2020 Read;
I cannot lie. I have been dying to get in my read of this book since I realized Rachel was the second narrator (and we all know Rachel, and Jo's love for Rachel, and Amanda's love of fiesty blonde violent girls is really what got me here), even if I've been so sick I've missed out on anything the book club said about it this week. I piled through this one at about an hour some evening in the middle of the week and then passed right out after.
I love the idea of how each of these puts us more and more into the minds of each character to see how they feel about things, people, the events around them, their responsibility or lack thereof. While it continues to be incredibly middle grade (not an insult to Applegate or Animorphs, just a fact it's impossible to avoid while I'm concurrently reading Sanderson's [b:The Way of Kings|7235533|The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388184640l/7235533._SY75_.jpg|8134945] through this whole month), I do find myself getting more drawn into things.
I did like that Melissa wasn't one of the controllers, and how that wound itself around the choices Rachel wanted to make as a friend and the choices she wants to make as an Animorph, and how very different those two things are already (even though that pathway will narrow and blur so fast, as all hero's journeys do). I love that you can already see Rachel's willingness to play it so hard and fast and close to the breaking point in faintest whispers already of what will come at the end.
I wrote down a lot of quotes. It's very sad the downloads don't upload over like kindle books, but oh well. Just know there was a wealth of Rachel things, Rachel feelings, discussions between people. A lot of the last lines of the book again, like last time.
I cannot lie. I have been dying to get in my read of this book since I realized Rachel was the second narrator (and we all know Rachel, and Jo's love for Rachel, and Amanda's love of fiesty blonde violent girls is really what got me here), even if I've been so sick I've missed out on anything the book club said about it this week. I piled through this one at about an hour some evening in the middle of the week and then passed right out after.
I love the idea of how each of these puts us more and more into the minds of each character to see how they feel about things, people, the events around them, their responsibility or lack thereof. While it continues to be incredibly middle grade (not an insult to Applegate or Animorphs, just a fact it's impossible to avoid while I'm concurrently reading Sanderson's [b:The Way of Kings|7235533|The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388184640l/7235533._SY75_.jpg|8134945] through this whole month), I do find myself getting more drawn into things.
I did like that Melissa wasn't one of the controllers, and how that wound itself around the choices Rachel wanted to make as a friend and the choices she wants to make as an Animorph, and how very different those two things are already (even though that pathway will narrow and blur so fast, as all hero's journeys do). I love that you can already see Rachel's willingness to play it so hard and fast and close to the breaking point in faintest whispers already of what will come at the end.
I wrote down a lot of quotes. It's very sad the downloads don't upload over like kindle books, but oh well. Just know there was a wealth of Rachel things, Rachel feelings, discussions between people. A lot of the last lines of the book again, like last time.
adventurous
I really like that they switch up the POVs and everything won’t be told from Jake’s POV. It was nice getting to know more about Rachel then what we got from book 1 as it added to her depth. I loved how selfless she was in making sure her friend Melissa wouldn’t be taken, despite her own capture. I also really like learning more about Chapman’s reasons for becoming a volunteer host as well as getting a feel for the hierarchy of the yeerks.
fast-paced
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really upped the ante. This book delved deeper into the world and the war. It added things that made everything more real and the situation more dire.
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
In this book, the kids acquire some more animal DNA and decide to use Melissa Chapman as a means to get to her Controller dad. In the body of Melissa's cat Fluffer, Rachel learns that Melissa is depressed and neglected after having her parents' taken over by the Yeerks. Chapman meets regularly in with Visser in his basement via hologram, and we learn that Chapman and his wife had volunteered as hosts so long as Melissa was spared.
We see the Chapmans briefly fighting against their Yeerk parasites when Melissa is threatened. Visser Three suspects that Fluffer is an Andalite, and orders Chapman to bring Rachel in Fluffer-cat form to the construction site. Fortunately the other Animorphs intervene and save Rachel from being killed, destroying Visser Three's ship in the process! We also learn that Visser has acquired the DNA of another monstrous alien species that he uses to forcibly suck dissident Yeerks out of their hosts' heads.
I said I wouldn't be reviewing these books - but good lord, I feel for Melissa. I envision her as a younger version of Melissa Glasser from the Secret Circle TV show, who seems equally depressed and neglected at times. I'm intrigued by the Chapmans' tenacity in fighting the Yeerks, and I hope we see someone able to take back control later in the series!
We see the Chapmans briefly fighting against their Yeerk parasites when Melissa is threatened. Visser Three suspects that Fluffer is an Andalite, and orders Chapman to bring Rachel in Fluffer-cat form to the construction site. Fortunately the other Animorphs intervene and save Rachel from being killed, destroying Visser Three's ship in the process! We also learn that Visser has acquired the DNA of another monstrous alien species that he uses to forcibly suck dissident Yeerks out of their hosts' heads.
I said I wouldn't be reviewing these books - but good lord, I feel for Melissa. I envision her as a younger version of Melissa Glasser from the Secret Circle TV show, who seems equally depressed and neglected at times. I'm intrigued by the Chapmans' tenacity in fighting the Yeerks, and I hope we see someone able to take back control later in the series!