*This review might contain spoilers*
The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive.
Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she'd come to love.
But she was wrong.
Now Alex is in a fight for her life against the adults, who would use her, the survivors, who don't trust her, and the Changed, who would eat her alive.
Shadows, the second book in the Ashes trilogy, can be described as a whirlwind. It starts off with a bang; Alex fighting for her life and Tom's POV, but then everything goes downhill; too many different POVs. I'm all for reading from Tom's or Lena's perspectives, but there are just too many factors. Seriously, who wants to read a book from ten million different POVs when Alex is the main character. I've grown attached to Alex, so it sucked balls not having her around much.
Having said that, I did manage to move past my attachment to Alex and thought the story was a lot richer with the other POVs. Peter was a pain, and so was Chris, but to really understand the story and plots there had to be different POVs so you knew what was happening all around. I think the real reason I hated the whole multiple POVs thing was because the first book was all from Alex's point of view, and it's almost uncomfortable to have to follow the story from a different angle.
The book picks up where the last left off, Alex has just left Rule and is fighting off a few brain-zapped kids. She doesn't exactly succeed and is taken hostage by them. Alex has a habit of giving the kids she meets nicknames, so Wolf, Acne & Spider take her back to suffer with the others they've captured.
Why are all the other captured victims old?
Because, conspiracy theory. Deh. All the towns have a policy: every now and again, force a few people out of the town to make room for the Spared (young adults who haven't Changed). I'm not going to give away any more big spoilers, but it all gets extremely screwed up. Especially when Alex feels like she might be bonded with the Changed or something.
People Alex knew back in Rule have decided to follow Alex's lead and make a run for it. After Nathan, Chris & Lena kind of screwed up any chance at a good life in the small town they decided the only choice was to run. Shitty decision. Their journey is a roller coaster. Chris is assumed dead. Lena is assumed Changed. And Nathan is most definitely dead. All this happens towards the end of the book, which sucks, because you're basically hit with an emotional brick all at once. Fun.
Plotwise, this book kicks ass. Some points aren't action packed at all, but you're still freaking out while reading and doing that rocking back 'n' forth mental patient thing. I was also doing a little bit of whimpering when Ilsa kept setting up characters to die, but then they survived. Can you not? Do you not care about my mental state? I felt like crying and screaming rolling my eyes. I couldn't even deal.
Pros
1) Excellent writing. I've said that about this series a lot, but I mean it. The writing quality is really good.
2) Part 5: Kill All The Enemy is heart breaking, so's Part 6 (although it's very short). Very briefly, Tom and Alex are almost reunited but then Alex almost dies. Fun, no? This all happens in a mine that is literally falling apart as you read. Just thought I'd let you know!
3) This book pulls on your heart strings like there's no tomorrow. If you are invested in this series, you will cry.
4) Plot twist; you're led to believe that Ellie is alive. I've always known deep down that she was. But Lena hears a little girl call out for a dog while she's on the run (Lena is Changing into a Chuckie or brain-zapped kid and is fleeing from Chris's dead body). That dog is Mina! So, of course, the little girl just has to be Ellie, right? I hope so. I listed this as a pro because in Ashes there were a lot of loose ends, so it seems to me like Ilsa J. Bick is slowly tying them all up throughout the series. Yay!
5) You never quite know what's around the corner. Granted, you'll probably be able to guess what's going to happen next, but it's a nice feeling to be surprised while reading. Most books are so predictable, and while you just want to die when something knocks you over outta the blue, that's a good thing when it comes to books.
Cons
1) This series is written in parts, that's fine and all, but what really pissed me off was that it was like all the boring parts were in scheduled to happen throughout certain parts of the book. For example, while I did love Shadows, I just couldn't get into a lot of parts 2, 3, and 4. I just wanted to give up, I was so done. It wasn't even boring for some of it, but the second half of the book meant barely any Alex. She's the main character! God dammit.
2) It's a little bit confusing. The way Shadows is written makes it hard to follow things. Characters might find clues and piece things together, but you'll have no idea what's going on. For most of the book, that's kind of how it goes. You feel like there's a piece missing.
3) Similar to that feeling of something missing, I noticed that because of the whole split POV thing, Shadows is kind of off centre. Do you know what I mean? Everything is just not quite right, and I feel like Alex is ignored for a majority of the book.
Shadows was a much better read than it's predecessor, Ashes. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to stick it out and read the rest of the series, but I'm extremely glad I did. Shadows was an emotional roller coaster for me. There were dull parts, but that's just part 'n' parcel of going on a roller coaster ride - right? I'd recommend this book (and the rest of the series) to anyone with a love for dystopian, off centre books. There's an element of friendship, and a little bit of romance, but I just can't shelve this book into one category.
Because this review is kind of short, and I'm not sure what else I should say, I'll leave you with an excerpt from the book. Enjoy!
~~~~
First, there had been a fine snow spilling like white sand. Not a lot, but enough that some sifted into her hair.
Then, incredibly, a scent of musk and sweet smoke and spice that tugged her heart.
And, finally, a voice. Distant. So small.
But she made out one word.
Ellie.
"Oh God." For a second, she just hung there. Her heart stuttered and then banged into life.
It's time. It's him! He's alive. He's the only one who knows. That's his scent. It's him. It has to be. It's–
"Tom!" she shrieked. "Tom! It's Alex, it's–"
~~~~
~Au Revoir!~
Having said that, I did manage to move past my attachment to Alex and thought the story was a lot richer with the other POVs. Peter was a pain, and so was Chris, but to really understand the story and plots there had to be different POVs so you knew what was happening all around. I think the real reason I hated the whole multiple POVs thing was because the first book was all from Alex's point of view, and it's almost uncomfortable to have to follow the story from a different angle.
The book picks up where the last left off, Alex has just left Rule and is fighting off a few brain-zapped kids. She doesn't exactly succeed and is taken hostage by them. Alex has a habit of giving the kids she meets nicknames, so Wolf, Acne & Spider take her back to suffer with the others they've captured.
Why are all the other captured victims old?
Because, conspiracy theory. Deh. All the towns have a policy: every now and again, force a few people out of the town to make room for the Spared (young adults who haven't Changed). I'm not going to give away any more big spoilers, but it all gets extremely screwed up. Especially when Alex feels like she might be bonded with the Changed or something.
People Alex knew back in Rule have decided to follow Alex's lead and make a run for it. After Nathan, Chris & Lena kind of screwed up any chance at a good life in the small town they decided the only choice was to run. Shitty decision. Their journey is a roller coaster. Chris is assumed dead. Lena is assumed Changed. And Nathan is most definitely dead. All this happens towards the end of the book, which sucks, because you're basically hit with an emotional brick all at once. Fun.
Plotwise, this book kicks ass. Some points aren't action packed at all, but you're still freaking out while reading and doing that rocking back 'n' forth mental patient thing. I was also doing a little bit of whimpering when Ilsa kept setting up characters to die, but then they survived. Can you not? Do you not care about my mental state? I felt like crying and screaming rolling my eyes. I couldn't even deal.
Pros
1) Excellent writing. I've said that about this series a lot, but I mean it. The writing quality is really good.
2) Part 5: Kill All The Enemy is heart breaking, so's Part 6 (although it's very short). Very briefly, Tom and Alex are almost reunited but then Alex almost dies. Fun, no? This all happens in a mine that is literally falling apart as you read. Just thought I'd let you know!
3) This book pulls on your heart strings like there's no tomorrow. If you are invested in this series, you will cry.
4) Plot twist; you're led to believe that Ellie is alive. I've always known deep down that she was. But Lena hears a little girl call out for a dog while she's on the run (Lena is Changing into a Chuckie or brain-zapped kid and is fleeing from Chris's dead body). That dog is Mina! So, of course, the little girl just has to be Ellie, right? I hope so. I listed this as a pro because in Ashes there were a lot of loose ends, so it seems to me like Ilsa J. Bick is slowly tying them all up throughout the series. Yay!
5) You never quite know what's around the corner. Granted, you'll probably be able to guess what's going to happen next, but it's a nice feeling to be surprised while reading. Most books are so predictable, and while you just want to die when something knocks you over outta the blue, that's a good thing when it comes to books.
Cons
1) This series is written in parts, that's fine and all, but what really pissed me off was that it was like all the boring parts were in scheduled to happen throughout certain parts of the book. For example, while I did love Shadows, I just couldn't get into a lot of parts 2, 3, and 4. I just wanted to give up, I was so done. It wasn't even boring for some of it, but the second half of the book meant barely any Alex. She's the main character! God dammit.
2) It's a little bit confusing. The way Shadows is written makes it hard to follow things. Characters might find clues and piece things together, but you'll have no idea what's going on. For most of the book, that's kind of how it goes. You feel like there's a piece missing.
3) Similar to that feeling of something missing, I noticed that because of the whole split POV thing, Shadows is kind of off centre. Do you know what I mean? Everything is just not quite right, and I feel like Alex is ignored for a majority of the book.
Shadows was a much better read than it's predecessor, Ashes. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to stick it out and read the rest of the series, but I'm extremely glad I did. Shadows was an emotional roller coaster for me. There were dull parts, but that's just part 'n' parcel of going on a roller coaster ride - right? I'd recommend this book (and the rest of the series) to anyone with a love for dystopian, off centre books. There's an element of friendship, and a little bit of romance, but I just can't shelve this book into one category.
Because this review is kind of short, and I'm not sure what else I should say, I'll leave you with an excerpt from the book. Enjoy!
~~~~
First, there had been a fine snow spilling like white sand. Not a lot, but enough that some sifted into her hair.
Then, incredibly, a scent of musk and sweet smoke and spice that tugged her heart.
And, finally, a voice. Distant. So small.
But she made out one word.
Ellie.
"Oh God." For a second, she just hung there. Her heart stuttered and then banged into life.
It's time. It's him! He's alive. He's the only one who knows. That's his scent. It's him. It has to be. It's–
"Tom!" she shrieked. "Tom! It's Alex, it's–"
~~~~
~Au Revoir!~
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