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A review by meemzter
The Message by K.A. Applegate
5.0
This was my very first Animorphs book I ever read. I was 7 years old. I wanted to read it because it had a dolphin on the cover. I remember having absolutely no clue what a "Visser Three" was. This was the book for me that started it all.
I think this is a really solid installment. This is a great introduction to Cassie as a character, and this book also does a lot to establish characterization of the others (perhaps because Cassie is so observant). I loved little touches like Cassie being glad that Tobias is becoming more comfortable with himself, Cassie showing up at Marco's after his close call (which like, that whole scene, 12/10). Cassie is our queen of compassion, and it shows in the way she describes and interacts with the characters. She also feels wildly uncomfortable making decisions because she doesn't want to own the consequences, which is a really interesting aspect of her character that I think we see a more nuanced take on later on.
I rolled my eyes and laughed when Cassie asked if morphing is the same as what the yeerks do. Animorphs deals with a lot of very interesting ethical questions but this is NOT one of them. Put it away and let it never return. (I am pretty sure it returns.)
I suppose we should address the whales that have some sort of telepathy with dolphins.
I'm.................. fine with it.
This is also the first book where I've registered anyone talking about how Rachel was born to be a warrior and seems to thrive in battle and seems maybe a little happy they found this war. We love to see it!
Cassie and Jake are just the most beautiful romance like... him having a picture of her working in the barn??? and them shoveling manure together in silence like STOP THIS.
There were lots of small interactions between the characters that I really enjoyed, but I think at the end of the day this book just made me happy because it FEELS like Animorphs. This is a major adventure, with some really iconic morphs, the stakes are high and the outcome? We get the final Animorph! I am soooooo hype for The Predator.
Highlights: seagull morph, dolphin morph (!!!!!), a big multi-morph adventure, really great Cassie development, AX!!!!!!
I think this is a really solid installment. This is a great introduction to Cassie as a character, and this book also does a lot to establish characterization of the others (perhaps because Cassie is so observant). I loved little touches like Cassie being glad that Tobias is becoming more comfortable with himself, Cassie showing up at Marco's after his close call (which like, that whole scene, 12/10). Cassie is our queen of compassion, and it shows in the way she describes and interacts with the characters. She also feels wildly uncomfortable making decisions because she doesn't want to own the consequences, which is a really interesting aspect of her character that I think we see a more nuanced take on later on.
I rolled my eyes and laughed when Cassie asked if morphing is the same as what the yeerks do. Animorphs deals with a lot of very interesting ethical questions but this is NOT one of them. Put it away and let it never return. (I am pretty sure it returns.)
I suppose we should address the whales that have some sort of telepathy with dolphins.
I'm.................. fine with it.
This is also the first book where I've registered anyone talking about how Rachel was born to be a warrior and seems to thrive in battle and seems maybe a little happy they found this war. We love to see it!
Cassie and Jake are just the most beautiful romance like... him having a picture of her working in the barn??? and them shoveling manure together in silence like STOP THIS.
There were lots of small interactions between the characters that I really enjoyed, but I think at the end of the day this book just made me happy because it FEELS like Animorphs. This is a major adventure, with some really iconic morphs, the stakes are high and the outcome? We get the final Animorph! I am soooooo hype for The Predator.
Highlights: seagull morph, dolphin morph (!!!!!), a big multi-morph adventure, really great Cassie development, AX!!!!!!