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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
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
I love love loved this one. It had so much going on that it was like reading a totally new book because i’d forgotten half of it. Fave character continues to be Dekka but the breeze had me until she is a dick at the end like cmon just be gay girl
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters – 5/10
The characters in Plague are like leftovers from a dinner party that’s gone on way too long—dry, reheated, and barely holding themselves together. Sam is still brooding like he's auditioning for the Sad Boi Olympics, except now it's crossed into parody. Astrid? She’s officially the most exhausting person in the FAYZ. I spent half the book wanting to throw her into a moral relativism seminar and a locked box. Even the ones I used to love—Dekka, Lana, Edilio—are reduced to plot delivery systems or trauma machines. Their arcs plateaued two books ago. And can we please retire the “gritty teen realism” excuse for making every character either a sociopath or a sobbing mess with a weapon?
The characters in Plague are like leftovers from a dinner party that’s gone on way too long—dry, reheated, and barely holding themselves together. Sam is still brooding like he's auditioning for the Sad Boi Olympics, except now it's crossed into parody. Astrid? She’s officially the most exhausting person in the FAYZ. I spent half the book wanting to throw her into a moral relativism seminar and a locked box. Even the ones I used to love—Dekka, Lana, Edilio—are reduced to plot delivery systems or trauma machines. Their arcs plateaued two books ago. And can we please retire the “gritty teen realism” excuse for making every character either a sociopath or a sobbing mess with a weapon?
Atmosphere/Setting – 7/10
Yes, it’s grim. Yes, it’s bleak. And yes, everything is covered in disease, despair, and probably bug guts. But after four books of “everything sucks and you’re all going to die,” the horror starts to blur into white noise. The setting is just misery wallpaper now. The gross-out factor is high—Grant definitely has a knack for describing stomach-turning scenes—but I stopped feeling anything. The dread isn’t creeping; it’s just there, in the corner, vaping and waiting for the next death. I wanted a new angle on the FAYZ, a new texture to the fear—not just a rehash with more pus.
Yes, it’s grim. Yes, it’s bleak. And yes, everything is covered in disease, despair, and probably bug guts. But after four books of “everything sucks and you’re all going to die,” the horror starts to blur into white noise. The setting is just misery wallpaper now. The gross-out factor is high—Grant definitely has a knack for describing stomach-turning scenes—but I stopped feeling anything. The dread isn’t creeping; it’s just there, in the corner, vaping and waiting for the next death. I wanted a new angle on the FAYZ, a new texture to the fear—not just a rehash with more pus.
Writing Style – 4/10
Let’s talk about the elephant in the biohazard tent: the prose is uninspired. I’m not asking for literary flourishes in a YA horror-thriller, but could we get some variety in sentence structure? The writing is so brutally utilitarian it starts to feel robotic. There's no rhythm, no flair—just a barrage of action and inner turmoil delivered with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. The philosophical interludes come off as try-hard rather than thought-provoking, and the dialogue? Half the time it sounds like characters are reading from a script titled Teen Angst & Edgy One-Liners, Volume 3. I’m not impressed—I’m tired.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the biohazard tent: the prose is uninspired. I’m not asking for literary flourishes in a YA horror-thriller, but could we get some variety in sentence structure? The writing is so brutally utilitarian it starts to feel robotic. There's no rhythm, no flair—just a barrage of action and inner turmoil delivered with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. The philosophical interludes come off as try-hard rather than thought-provoking, and the dialogue? Half the time it sounds like characters are reading from a script titled Teen Angst & Edgy One-Liners, Volume 3. I’m not impressed—I’m tired.
Plot – 6/10
This plot has one speed: oh no, it’s even worse now. Which was fine in Gone. It worked in Hunger. But now? It’s predictable. Worms exploding out of kids’ throats should be horrifying, but when you’re stacking misery on top of misery, it starts to feel cheap. The pacing is relentless, but not in a satisfying way—it’s like being screamed at for 400 pages. Subplots exist only to repackage trauma or add new symptoms to the apocalypse bingo card. There’s very little payoff, no breathing room, and no sense that we’re moving toward something. It’s just downward spiral after downward spiral. I didn’t feel pulled into the story. I felt dragged.
This plot has one speed: oh no, it’s even worse now. Which was fine in Gone. It worked in Hunger. But now? It’s predictable. Worms exploding out of kids’ throats should be horrifying, but when you’re stacking misery on top of misery, it starts to feel cheap. The pacing is relentless, but not in a satisfying way—it’s like being screamed at for 400 pages. Subplots exist only to repackage trauma or add new symptoms to the apocalypse bingo card. There’s very little payoff, no breathing room, and no sense that we’re moving toward something. It’s just downward spiral after downward spiral. I didn’t feel pulled into the story. I felt dragged.
Intrigue – 6/10
Yeah, I kept reading—but it wasn’t because I wanted to. It was because I didn’t want to leave characters half-dead on the battlefield. That’s not intrigue; that’s guilt-driven endurance. The stakes are constantly life or death, which sounds great until you realize it means nothing because literally everyone is always about to die. There’s no quiet curiosity, no “I wonder what happens next.” It’s just a parade of cliffhangers that lose impact when used every chapter. Suspense without variation is just noise. And this book is LOUD.
Yeah, I kept reading—but it wasn’t because I wanted to. It was because I didn’t want to leave characters half-dead on the battlefield. That’s not intrigue; that’s guilt-driven endurance. The stakes are constantly life or death, which sounds great until you realize it means nothing because literally everyone is always about to die. There’s no quiet curiosity, no “I wonder what happens next.” It’s just a parade of cliffhangers that lose impact when used every chapter. Suspense without variation is just noise. And this book is LOUD.
Logic/Relationships – 4/10
What even are motives in this book anymore? Sam is either fighting hero syndrome or being irrational for plot reasons. Astrid’s entire character hinges on philosophical inconsistency. The rules of the world are applied when convenient and ignored when dramatic effect is needed. The plague doesn’t follow consistent patterns—it’s a narrative excuse for horror, not a coherent system. Relationships are equally scattershot. Sam and Astrid’s entire romance is now based on shared trauma and zero communication. Diana and Caine’s toxic dance is interesting, sure, but not exactly grounded. Everything feels like a soap opera that took too many hits of gamma radiation.
What even are motives in this book anymore? Sam is either fighting hero syndrome or being irrational for plot reasons. Astrid’s entire character hinges on philosophical inconsistency. The rules of the world are applied when convenient and ignored when dramatic effect is needed. The plague doesn’t follow consistent patterns—it’s a narrative excuse for horror, not a coherent system. Relationships are equally scattershot. Sam and Astrid’s entire romance is now based on shared trauma and zero communication. Diana and Caine’s toxic dance is interesting, sure, but not exactly grounded. Everything feels like a soap opera that took too many hits of gamma radiation.
Enjoyment – 5/10
Did I enjoy it? Honestly? Not really. I pushed through like someone stuck in a bad group project—out of obligation more than pleasure. There are flashes of tension and a few solid moments of horror, but they’re buried under layers of recycled character arcs, sloppy pacing, and gratuitous suffering. I didn’t finish Plague and think “Wow.” I finished it and thought, “I need a break from this hellscape.” If I recommend it, it’s with a warning label: Proceed only if you enjoy pain, plot fatigue, and characters whose moral compasses are more like broken Etch A Sketches.
Did I enjoy it? Honestly? Not really. I pushed through like someone stuck in a bad group project—out of obligation more than pleasure. There are flashes of tension and a few solid moments of horror, but they’re buried under layers of recycled character arcs, sloppy pacing, and gratuitous suffering. I didn’t finish Plague and think “Wow.” I finished it and thought, “I need a break from this hellscape.” If I recommend it, it’s with a warning label: Proceed only if you enjoy pain, plot fatigue, and characters whose moral compasses are more like broken Etch A Sketches.
Final word? Plague isn’t a book. It’s a stress test. And I failed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Grief, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
The book is extremely dark and intense, with horrific body mutations and violent deaths being central to the plot.
While it’s classified as YA, the graphic horror elements push the boundaries of the genre.
Themes of power, control, and survival ethics are explored, making it more disturbing than a typical dystopian story.
If you have a sensitivity to medical trauma or disease, this book could be particularly unsettling.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Really fast paced and just plain awesome. One of my favorite books in the Gone series!
Loved the Sam, Dekka and Jack storyline!
Sam and Dekka’s friendship :,)
Sam and Dekka’s friendship :,)
Incredible world building
Great plot. Love the twisty turnies.
Such DYNAMIC characters. Ficking amazing.
Great plot. Love the twisty turnies.
Such DYNAMIC characters. Ficking amazing.
Whenever Pete had his chapter, I did not understand a word of it! "Sheets of glass" and all. Overall, fabulous book but I wish it gave out a little clue about behind the FAYZ wall.
fast-paced