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Oooh my feelings. I was reluctant to read this because I was worried it would be another Cursed Child situation-- reopening a world that had wrapped up neatly. Which it was, largely. Done better than Cursed Child, though that's not saying much.
Ugh. I loved the Gone series so much. I was practically salivating at every reference to it in this book. And of course Grant waits to bring in Sam until literally the last sentence, so I have no choice but to read the next book. I have so many feelings on this book right now.
Pros:
I'm still apprehensive but I think it could be an interesting way to add background to the gaiaphage, if done correctly. Maybe we'll find out how it got to Earth, and more about those that sent it?
Grant's writing is (for the most part) fantastic. His story sucks you in without feeling exhausting in the "seriously, you're just putting this event in to fill the pages" way.
All things FAYZ. A quick stop in Perdido Beach and a visit from Diana?? I wanted that part to last forever.
Cons:
I don't think I liked a single new character, which was really disappointing. I'm not sure if we're really supposed to like Shade-- she's impulsive and thoughtless, and her attempts to 'be the hero' don't make up for that. I'd be willing to bet money that she turns evil. Malik is a very flat character. The bad guys are okay but no one gives me the same 'I love how much I hate you' feeling that Caine and Drake did. Since I didn't actually like any of these new characters, it was harder to care about them.
Branching off of that-- STOP adding so many evil characters. Write one or two villains really really well, instead of 4 (I think? I lost track) where each one is supposed to be more evil than the last. Grant understood this concept in the original Gone series-- different villains shined at different times. Sam didn't just sit back and say 'ok I think I'll let Drake, Pack Leader, Penny, the gaiaphage, and Caine all fight it out for a bit.'
Cruz gets her own special bullet point because of how she's written. I love that we're in a time of so much inclusivity, I really do. But there's a difference between being inclusive and being preachy, which was especially an issue at the start when she was first being introduced. Her struggle with her gender just didn't feel authentic, as if Grant had googled 'how does it feel to be agender.' It just felt like Grant was saying 'look at how inclusive I am for writing a this character!' He does a better job later in the book of blending her in with the others and normalizing it, but it's just bad at the beginning.
I don't like these new monsters. I get why he went in this direction and what he's doing, but making up all these new creatures just isn't my jam. Even with his superb writing, it's hard to picture them. And of course it makes them less human to the reader. I just think it was better when the people were just people with powers instead of shapeshifting monsters.
In summary: I went into this book hoping to love new characters, but I'm going into book two hoping to get old characters.
Ugh. I loved the Gone series so much. I was practically salivating at every reference to it in this book. And of course Grant waits to bring in Sam until literally the last sentence, so I have no choice but to read the next book. I have so many feelings on this book right now.
Pros:
I'm still apprehensive but I think it could be an interesting way to add background to the gaiaphage, if done correctly. Maybe we'll find out how it got to Earth, and more about those that sent it?
Grant's writing is (for the most part) fantastic. His story sucks you in without feeling exhausting in the "seriously, you're just putting this event in to fill the pages" way.
All things FAYZ. A quick stop in Perdido Beach and a visit from Diana?? I wanted that part to last forever.
Cons:
I don't think I liked a single new character, which was really disappointing. I'm not sure if we're really supposed to like Shade-- she's impulsive and thoughtless, and her attempts to 'be the hero' don't make up for that. I'd be willing to bet money that she turns evil. Malik is a very flat character. The bad guys are okay but no one gives me the same 'I love how much I hate you' feeling that Caine and Drake did. Since I didn't actually like any of these new characters, it was harder to care about them.
Branching off of that-- STOP adding so many evil characters. Write one or two villains really really well, instead of 4 (I think? I lost track) where each one is supposed to be more evil than the last. Grant understood this concept in the original Gone series-- different villains shined at different times. Sam didn't just sit back and say 'ok I think I'll let Drake, Pack Leader, Penny, the gaiaphage, and Caine all fight it out for a bit.'
Cruz gets her own special bullet point because of how she's written. I love that we're in a time of so much inclusivity, I really do. But there's a difference between being inclusive and being preachy, which was especially an issue at the start when she was first being introduced. Her struggle with her gender just didn't feel authentic, as if Grant had googled 'how does it feel to be agender.' It just felt like Grant was saying 'look at how inclusive I am for writing a this character!' He does a better job later in the book of blending her in with the others and normalizing it, but it's just bad at the beginning.
I don't like these new monsters. I get why he went in this direction and what he's doing, but making up all these new creatures just isn't my jam. Even with his superb writing, it's hard to picture them. And of course it makes them less human to the reader. I just think it was better when the people were just people with powers instead of shapeshifting monsters.
In summary: I went into this book hoping to love new characters, but I'm going into book two hoping to get old characters.