"Time for the world to end"

As in any book, the last part is always the most intense. Tests are made and or heroes take critical decisions. Normally, the character would found himself in a dilemma, dancing in the line between two ideas, two choices; but not Cassie, she knows what she wants and she knows what she's going to do, even though she discovers something that could have destroyed any other person, if not at least weakened in their decisions she doesn't take it like that and overcome's it, use it to her advantage...something that I think was really clever and also made me like the book a little bit more “I am a shark, Cassie," he says slowly, (..). "A shark who dreamed he was a man.”  She was kind of betrayed, someone kept a secret from her and I thought she was going to react differently, but she decided to trust, to overcome the situation. That's really important for her because her main rule was not to trust anybody, but she knows now that there are other ways besides the constant fear. In that kind of world in which you have to constantly make the decision between kill and been killed, people are forced to mentally grow much faster so that makes people more mature, more focused. If Cassie had acted like a drama queen and go all 'I hate you, I hope you die' attitude, well... it would have really bothered me. Also, something that improved was Cassie-Evan relationship. It's still an insta-love, but it was well managed after that and I like how they act as a couple and the extra plot that gives to the book.

So, (in my opinion) Cassie grew a little bit as a character, but she's not the only one. Zombie a.k.a Ben is less upsetting. In the beginning, he was like clay. He had no opinion, no personal thought and he didn't take any actions for his own; he had some kind of internal fight and really deep reflexions, but that was all. He thinks a lot but doesn't do much. NOW things are different, he had this idea inside of his head the whole time and as it grew I began to realize that he was going to take action so time soon. I was right, and now I actually like Ben. He is much focused and has taken this role of the leader which is great.

“The kid who didn't go back when he should have and now goes back when he shouldn't. The kid called Zombie, who made a promise, and if he breaks that promise, the war is over - not the big war, but the war that matters, the one in the battlefield of his heart.

Because promises matter. They matter now more than ever.” This quote is so intense, the moment and the reason he thought this were a great combination and created this feeling of anticipation and excitement. A lot of things had happened to Ben, but now he is making everything right and this just gain strength is great, I really like it because it makes the whole book a lot more intense and it made me jubilant to see how he evolved and took risks 

 The end of the book its filled with action, it's pure action and running away. Cassie is in the final lap and her loved ones depend on her if she takes a false step now everything could be lost “It's almost dawn. You can feel it coming. The world holds its breath because there's really no guarantee that the sun will rise. That there was a yesterday doesn't mean there will be a tomorrow.” This part of the book is so great, it's intense and filled with strong emotions because the danger is in every corner. After the kind of boring second part of this book, I liked it a lot, I was pleased and by the time I finished the book I was eager to buy the second one and start reading. 

VOCABULARY

1. Blurting: to emit a sound suddenly.
"And in the middle of silence, she came back, blurting and running without control"






2. Wanly: of an unnatural or sickly paleness
"She looked sick, without strength and wanly. It seemed as she hadn't bee outside in months"








3. Reluctant: unwilling. struggling in opposition.
"He grabbed the reluctant bride by the legs and dragged her to the altar"







4. Assure: to inform or tell positively. State with confidence
"I assure you that everything's going to be alright. You studied all night for this exam, you are going to be just fine"







5. Holster: a carrying case for a firearm.
"He ran outside, grabbing his holster on the way and adjusting it tho his belt without stoping"

Ben, Evan and the Silencer

In the book, we can also find a second "main" character: Ben Parish. I was really shocked when I discovered who he was (because in at first they don't mention his name), and that shocked lead me to believe that he was going to be an interesting character with an interesting plot on his own...I was wrong. I hate this character for three simple reasons:

1) He is dumb and really weak. I mean, I know that living in a world like that most be frightening and really exhausting, and sometimes people break down but I mean he is in a constant state of controlled fear and insecurities wich leads me to the second point...

2) He is SOO malleable, like Ben himself, says it:  “What doesn't kill us sharpens us. Hardens us. Schools us. You're beating plowshares into swords, Vosch. You are remaking us. We are the clay, and you are Michelangelo. And we will be your masterpiece.” Even his nickname -"Zombie" - agrees with me.

3) Everything that he narrates is BORING.

So, while we are listing all the bad things that have emerged in this second part lets not forget Evan Walker, a new character. He is cliche, don't get me wrong, I like his character and how he thinks and his personality, but the only reason of his existence is being (of course) the guy Cassie falls in love with. This couple is the biggest insta-love that I have aver read in my whole life. “I had it all wrong," he says. "Before I found you, I thought the only way to hold on was to find something to live for. It isn't. To hold on, you have to find something you're willing to die for.” I mean, they haven't been more than a MONTH together.


But, it hasn't been all bad. There has been some good stuff at the end of this section. She is getting prepared for fighting, rescuing her loved ones and things are about to get exciting.  “But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way. I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield.” (Pg. 101). DAAAAMMMMM GIRL! that's some kind of unique peep talk.

Up until now, it has all been about sadness, destruction and healing up wounds; but the time for fighting has come and I can feel Cassie getting ready for it. I like this part of the book because, even though I have to read Ben's narration it's kind of a break from all the madness she has been trough. She meets Evan, which I liked (I mean, she can't bee just wandering all by herself for 500 pages); the introduction of another character is never boring it's just that I don't like this two as a couple. They are so freaking perfect, and Cassie went from Terminator to Hellow Kitty in no time.

I keep saying bad stuff but, believe me, it's not all bad. Things are getting interesting.

Extra bonus round of why I hate Ben:
"Before the alien Armageddon happened, I was known for my smile. Not bragging too much, but I had to be careful never to smile while I drove: It had the capacity to blind oncoming traffic. But it has absolutely no effect on Ringer. She doesn’t squint in its overwhelming luminescence."

Nop...please, just die.



VOCABULARY:

1. Squad: small group or party of persons with a common purpose.
"The squad gathered around the table and began to plan the next movement for tomorrow's battle"




2. Bragging: to show of.
"I mean, Im not bragging but my dad knows the president and once he invited me to the white house. Im so important now"










3. Coax: to attempt to manipulate or influence with nice words, persuasion.
"Oh my God, you are so strong. I have never seen such muscles in my whole life do you think you can carry this boxes for me? Im sure it not that big of a deal, at least for you"

4. Boring: to be bored. Something not interesting or tedium.
"The class was so boring that every 3 minutes seemed like 3 years. I thought I was going to die"










5. Limp: to progress slowly and with great difficulty.
"He was shoot and when he tried to get up, the just acquired limp didn't allow him to go anywhere"

The Four Waves

The main character in this book is Cassie, a teenager that's living in the middle of the end of human kind. This alien-apocalypse had four stages, - better known as four waves-. The first one: "lights out" an electromagnetic pulse fries every electronic device in the world. When I read this I couldn't imagine the world know, so dependent on technology without it. We have lost every surviving skills, we are kind of useless without a phone in our hands and there's no way to communicate, no way to ask for help or found your loved ones. That really, really scared me.

I also thought a lot about the psychological state everyone was at that time, denying that the end was close but also with constant fear every second of the day. I couldn't imagine living in the world like that, but what troubled me the most was Cassie's family because it was identical to my family and I thought in parents in that situation, trying to calm us down as Cassie's dad: "He looked at me and smiled reassuring and said, -everything is going to be okay- because that's what I wanted him to say and it's what he wanted to say and that's what you do when the curtain is falling -- you give the line that the audience wants to hear."(pg. 36)



When I began to read the book I thought that it would be really cool you know? I mean, apocalypse, aliens, survival it sound like a really great book to read, really exciting actually; but then, as I read I realized it was just awful. I felt completely identified with Cassie and that made me understand her and imagine what it would feel like to be her and live what she was living more deeply. Everything that happened to her, every single lost she had I could feel it too and it was really easy for me to be in her place and feel what she felt. "When he came to tell me she was gone, he was calm. He didn't lose it. He held it while I lost it."(pg. 52). I wouldn't want to be her for any reason in the world, because as I read (and picture me in her life) I realized that I wouldn't be able to survive 3 days in her world.

Finally, the worst part of all the waves was the fourth one. In situations like this, us humans look for groups, to stay united so we have better chances to win a fight and survive, but when someone give's you a reason not to trust the person beside you and fear takes control over you then everything's lost  "This is what the Others have done to us. You can’t band together to fight without trust. And without trust, there was no hope. How do you rid the Earth of humans? Rid the humans of their humanity."

This first part of the book is all about destruction and lost, I think this is a compilation of humanity's worst fears, all together in a book. I think that I would be part of that background-non-important group that dies in the first week. I don't think that I would be physically or physiologically strong to survive in a world like this.





VOCABULARY:

1. Clutching: to hold real tight, to seize.
"As he ran, I clutched his hand, trying not to let go. If I tel go, I'm lost" 





2. Strayed: without a fixed way or purpose.
"I walked and walked. So tired I didn't noticed i have strayed from the main road"





3. Obliteration: to remove or destroy completely.
"The never ending obliteration of the place made it impossible to ever heal"






4. Contingency: a possibility, something uncertain
"He's always prepared. Sheldon has contingency plans for every single posible -or imposible- disaster"




5. Embankment: enclose or protect. Raised to hold back water, carry a road way.
 "The plane settled about 400 yards from the runaway in an embankment"

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.