Scan barcode
A review by timefliesaway
Gone by Michael Grant
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
4.5
There are a few things here and there that bugged me, but overall this book is really good. It gripped me from the first page on and I couldn’t put it down at all; at some point I had to, because of sleep. Finished it the next day, meaning today, right off.
The writing style, holy moly, really is amazing. Even though I don’t like some, or perhaps even half of the characters, I still enjoyed reading it. Everyone seems thought-through and each of them has their flaws as well as their strengths. No one is really perfect or overpowered. Especially not the main protagonist, which is probably the first time I’ve seen this in a book or story in general and I’m loving it.
Well, who knows, maybe sam does become overpowered in the other books, since the protagonists seem to always be the most heroic people ever. Which is annoying. But at least it’s not in the 1st book and whether or not it will happen in the sequels, I’ll have to find out. (Well, Sam did end up a hero in the end (and this is not a spoiler bc it’s a protagonist thing that happens in every storyline), he’s not overpowered, compared to the rest. The powers are pretty balanced. I love it.)
I also loved that this wasn’t horror, at least not the genre. It did have some horror aspects in it, but not like the classic jump scares you always see in movies. Besides, during reading it didn’t really occurred to me that this is horror, only afterwards, when I was trying to sleep. Rip to that, but it’s fine.
So everyone who’s not good with horror can read it just fine, I’m the living proof. And those who do love horror, don’t be disappointed, because the writing style is thriller-like and, like said, there a some moments that are gruesome and brutal and ugly.
~
What bothered me a bit, was the romance. Okay, not just a bit. I don’t like romance generally but the fact that they are all under 15 grosses me out. Like, you’re still a kid that age. I just can’t imagine kids kissing others and saying “I love you” to their bf/gf, when they’re 14 or younger. It’s kinda disgusting.
I know that some are more mature for their age, and especially with the plot of the book (yk, adults disappearing and fights between some groups), it shouldn’t matter that much, but it does, somehow. It’s just weird.
At least the romance wasn’t that much in the front. Sure, there were the moments with the main couple, but from the 540 pages, it wasn’t that much. I could get through these moments, that says a lot.
But, as much as I hate romance and hetero couples, there’s on more thing I hate: “I need you to hide.” - a guy to his girlfriend.
Right. Always playing the big protector over your weak girl. Fuck yourself, you-know-who-guy.
~
Okay. Well, except from the little things that bothered me, I do like the book.
It was a quick read and while it was brutal and ugly a lot of times, I also couldn’t stop reading. Michael Grant really has some writing skills. And i love the idea, although it’s creepy.
And i especially love the fact how realistic it was. For example people needing to go pee, even during a fight (as ridiculous as that sounds, it always seems in action movies that people never have to go to the toilet, which is somewhat super annoying).
There are a few things here and there that bugged me, but overall this book is really good. It gripped me from the first page on and I couldn’t put it down at all; at some point I had to, because of sleep. Finished it the next day, meaning today, right off.
The writing style, holy moly, really is amazing. Even though I don’t like some, or perhaps even half of the characters, I still enjoyed reading it. Everyone seems thought-through and each of them has their flaws as well as their strengths. No one is really perfect or overpowered. Especially not the main protagonist, which is probably the first time I’ve seen this in a book or story in general and I’m loving it.
Well, who knows, maybe sam does become overpowered in the other books, since the protagonists seem to always be the most heroic people ever. Which is annoying. But at least it’s not in the 1st book and whether or not it will happen in the sequels, I’ll have to find out. (Well, Sam did end up a hero in the end (and this is not a spoiler bc it’s a protagonist thing that happens in every storyline), he’s not overpowered, compared to the rest. The powers are pretty balanced. I love it.)
I also loved that this wasn’t horror, at least not the genre. It did have some horror aspects in it, but not like the classic jump scares you always see in movies. Besides, during reading it didn’t really occurred to me that this is horror, only afterwards, when I was trying to sleep. Rip to that, but it’s fine.
So everyone who’s not good with horror can read it just fine, I’m the living proof. And those who do love horror, don’t be disappointed, because the writing style is thriller-like and, like said, there a some moments that are gruesome and brutal and ugly.
~
What bothered me a bit, was the romance. Okay, not just a bit. I don’t like romance generally but the fact that they are all under 15 grosses me out. Like, you’re still a kid that age. I just can’t imagine kids kissing others and saying “I love you” to their bf/gf, when they’re 14 or younger. It’s kinda disgusting.
I know that some are more mature for their age, and especially with the plot of the book (yk, adults disappearing and fights between some groups), it shouldn’t matter that much, but it does, somehow. It’s just weird.
At least the romance wasn’t that much in the front. Sure, there were the moments with the main couple, but from the 540 pages, it wasn’t that much. I could get through these moments, that says a lot.
But, as much as I hate romance and hetero couples, there’s on more thing I hate: “I need you to hide.” - a guy to his girlfriend.
Right. Always playing the big protector over your weak girl. Fuck yourself, you-know-who-guy.
~
Okay. Well, except from the little things that bothered me, I do like the book.
It was a quick read and while it was brutal and ugly a lot of times, I also couldn’t stop reading. Michael Grant really has some writing skills. And i love the idea, although it’s creepy.
And i especially love the fact how realistic it was. For example people needing to go pee, even during a fight (as ridiculous as that sounds, it always seems in action movies that people never have to go to the toilet, which is somewhat super annoying).