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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
dark
emotional
sad
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:
Yes
The cover is so misleading, y'all. This isn't about Visser Three, but about Visser One -- but I guess having the cover showcase a random Latina woman, or a slug, wouldn't be quite so thrilling...
Either way, I love this weird little book. Like, a lot. The narratorial techniques woven into each of the Chronicles are so interesting: in Andalite, it's Elfangor's last memory-dump before death. In Hork-Bajir, it's a generational memory passed on as oral history through Dak's descendants and Toby.
Now, it's a frame narrative built out of legal testimony: Edriss-Five-Six-Two (Visser One) and Visser Three are both on trial, and Edriss spins a Scheherazade-esque tale recounting her past actions in order to stay alive and hopefully suspend execution. I love frame narratives like this, with interjections from the present day, unreliable narration, behind-the-scenes politicking and the shadowy Council of Thirteen sitting in judgment, Eva offering her insights, and Visser Three fuming the whole way. It touches on events from the Andalite Chronicles (as Chapman's actions in that book are what directly led to the Yeerk invasion) and they rehash events from that book, both vissers circling each other and trying to outmaneuver each other and result in the others' execution -- all, in the end, leading to Edriss having to call in the Animorphs as unexpected allies.
The book expands the Yeerk worldbuilding even further, giving you an even better idea of what they're like, and painting more shades of grey, revealing the softer sides of Visser One, her sympathies and weaknesses and fondness for humans -- not everyone is be-all end-all villain (well, except for V3, because he is a megalomaniacal delight). You find out the story of how the Yeerk invasion initially began, and it's an interesting tale: their hope at finding the right hosts, their attempts to understand us, their astonishment at fiction, leisure, fun, family, love. The deep loneliness of being two Yeerks alone on an unauthorised mission on an alien world far from home, which leads to much of what follows. Essam is another sympathetic Yeerk, one who would totally have been a member of the peace movement if it had existed back then -- this continues Applegate's point that not all of them are the same, which is good in undermining the idea of implacable, identical evil.
Edriss' surprise at Marco's growth is also great, realising the cold-blooded tactician that her 'death' turned him into, her simultaneously impressed by him and hating him. The book also displays the calculated reasoning of the Animorphs as the tough, capable, hard-sacrificing crew that we all know and love, thanks to Applegate being back at the helm; I couldn't help but grin when Edriss, who knows that some of the Animorphs are humans, offhand assumes that Jake must be an Andalite due to the way he speaks and strategises.
All-in-all, it's a great exploration of another ambiguous 'villain' character, and things are not quite so black-or-white and cleanly-cut. The Yeerks' reasons for not embarking in all-out war are also legit: lest it risk drawing the attention of the Andalite fleet and make them decide to come to Earth sooner. (Which is also an annoying little reminder that, damnit, they are just being so sluggish in not coming to our aid!)
Also, can I just say, I love love love that the series finally points out that it's actually illegal in the Yeerk empire to randomly execute subordinates, and that by doing so, Visser Three should actually be executed as well -- but it's the sort of behaviour that everyone just agrees not to notice, because you don't make it to such high status in the empire without blatantly breaking your own rules. So great.
Visser is really good, and hits on my own personal buttons because it's so relevant to Marco, but it's probably not quite as heart-wrenching as Andalite or Hork-Bajir Chronicles, so more like a 4.5 than full stars. I'm really split between which rating to give it, though; the fact that it's an entire book of the series' main two villains standing trial within their own society/justice system is just such a ballsy, wonderful concept.
The description of humans' dual-brain cerebral hemispheres, and the Yeerks' reaction to that unique neurological experience, is also thought-provoking: our self-contradictory nature, hesitant, self-questioning, at war with ourselves, conflicted, mad. I'll try to edit in quotes later!
Either way, I love this weird little book. Like, a lot. The narratorial techniques woven into each of the Chronicles are so interesting: in Andalite, it's Elfangor's last memory-dump before death. In Hork-Bajir, it's a generational memory passed on as oral history through Dak's descendants and Toby.
Now, it's a frame narrative built out of legal testimony: Edriss-Five-Six-Two (Visser One) and Visser Three are both on trial, and Edriss spins a Scheherazade-esque tale recounting her past actions in order to stay alive and hopefully suspend execution. I love frame narratives like this, with interjections from the present day, unreliable narration, behind-the-scenes politicking and the shadowy Council of Thirteen sitting in judgment, Eva offering her insights, and Visser Three fuming the whole way. It touches on events from the Andalite Chronicles (as Chapman's actions in that book are what directly led to the Yeerk invasion) and they rehash events from that book, both vissers circling each other and trying to outmaneuver each other and result in the others' execution -- all, in the end, leading to Edriss having to call in the Animorphs as unexpected allies.
The book expands the Yeerk worldbuilding even further, giving you an even better idea of what they're like, and painting more shades of grey, revealing the softer sides of Visser One, her sympathies and weaknesses and fondness for humans -- not everyone is be-all end-all villain (well, except for V3, because he is a megalomaniacal delight). You find out the story of how the Yeerk invasion initially began, and it's an interesting tale: their hope at finding the right hosts, their attempts to understand us, their astonishment at fiction, leisure, fun, family, love. The deep loneliness of being two Yeerks alone on an unauthorised mission on an alien world far from home, which leads to much of what follows. Essam is another sympathetic Yeerk, one who would totally have been a member of the peace movement if it had existed back then -- this continues Applegate's point that not all of them are the same, which is good in undermining the idea of implacable, identical evil.
Edriss' surprise at Marco's growth is also great, realising the cold-blooded tactician that her 'death' turned him into, her simultaneously impressed by him and hating him. The book also displays the calculated reasoning of the Animorphs as the tough, capable, hard-sacrificing crew that we all know and love, thanks to Applegate being back at the helm; I couldn't help but grin when Edriss, who knows that some of the Animorphs are humans, offhand assumes that Jake must be an Andalite due to the way he speaks and strategises.
All-in-all, it's a great exploration of another ambiguous 'villain' character, and things are not quite so black-or-white and cleanly-cut. The Yeerks' reasons for not embarking in all-out war are also legit: lest it risk drawing the attention of the Andalite fleet and make them decide to come to Earth sooner. (Which is also an annoying little reminder that, damnit, they are just being so sluggish in not coming to our aid!)
Also, can I just say, I love love love that the series finally points out that it's actually illegal in the Yeerk empire to randomly execute subordinates, and that by doing so, Visser Three should actually be executed as well -- but it's the sort of behaviour that everyone just agrees not to notice, because you don't make it to such high status in the empire without blatantly breaking your own rules. So great.
Visser is really good, and hits on my own personal buttons because it's so relevant to Marco, but it's probably not quite as heart-wrenching as Andalite or Hork-Bajir Chronicles, so more like a 4.5 than full stars. I'm really split between which rating to give it, though; the fact that it's an entire book of the series' main two villains standing trial within their own society/justice system is just such a ballsy, wonderful concept.
The description of humans' dual-brain cerebral hemispheres, and the Yeerks' reaction to that unique neurological experience, is also thought-provoking: our self-contradictory nature, hesitant, self-questioning, at war with ourselves, conflicted, mad. I'll try to edit in quotes later!
So, this is everyone's favourite book. It was good, but not my favourite.
I'd have loved to see it from the Animorphs' perspective instead of Visser One's, and in all honesty the whole.
Also, I'm getting pretty tired of near-misses. Things need to start actually happening soon.
Still, a good book.
I'd have loved to see it from the Animorphs' perspective instead of Visser One's, and in all honesty the whole
Spoiler
'she was a mother' and 'she was in love' was kinda mushy. I'm a bit tired of motherhood used to explain everything, and I expected something more badass from Visser OneAlso, I'm getting pretty tired of near-misses. Things need to start actually happening soon.
Still, a good book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This had me tearing up, not once, but TWICE. Visser One's/Eva's two conversations with Marco really hit hard, in a bittersweet way.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes