All the stars for The 5th Wave. It is the first book I have read by Rick Yancey and based on how this went, I will definitely be checking out more. Here is my warning – I may end up writing a lot but I’m going to try not to give anything away because I want everyone who reads this to get to experience the story without me giving away the whole thing.

The 5th Wave is a story about alien invasion and the impact on people’s survival and humanity. 1st Wave: lights out. 2nd Wave: surf’s up. 3rd Wave: pestilence. 4th Wave: Silencer. The big question now is what is the 5th Wave? Cassie’s story opens with her thinking she may be one of the last humans left on Earth. She’s not very optimistic about her chances surviving the next Wave much less whatever happens next in the 4th Wave. She has been through so much and she has been living in a tent in the woods off the interstate. She knows better than to trust anyone and her bestie is her M16.

I loved Cassie – she is tough, sarcastic, loyal, and smart. Example: “In case you’re an alien and you’re reading this: BITE ME.” There were so many lines that I highlighted just because I loved her voice.



Keep in mind, Cassie is a teenager and she acts like a teenager but she is also someone who has been through a lot….and survived. She is on a mission to find her little brother; Sam after they were separated and it turns out a Silencer has been following her. The Silencer has decided to take a shot at her while she is on the interstate on her way to Fort Wright-Patterson and hits her in the knee. Eventually she passes out in a snow bank and ends up waking up in a strange house where Evan enters the story.

Evan is the character I was second guessing myself on. I loved him and then something would be revealed that would make me say to myself “wait a minute…does that mean what I think it does?” The answer to that question is yes.

Spoiler

It turns out, Evan is the Silencer that has been following Cassie. He has been drawn to her and eventually comes to the conclusion that he can’t fulfill his mission because he cares about her.

Some of my favorite parts of the book were when Evan and Cassie were together mostly because it is clear that Cassie is drawn to him, just like he is drawn to her but she knows better than to trust anyone. She just can’t seem to help herself. I don’t blame her, especially when he tells her:

“I didn't save you,” he whispers, lips tickling my eyelashes. “You saved me.”

Or…

“To hold on, you have to find something you’re willing to die for.”



It takes some time for Cassie to heal and over that time she and Evan become closer – she still doesn't fully trust that he is just a boy who has survived. She knows he has a secret and she has an idea of what it is. Regardless, she figures if he wanted to hurt her, he never would have saved her in the first place. Despite the trust issues, they make a plan to go together to find Sam. On the way, Evan reveals a lot about who he is and what is coming. It in no way relieves Cassie and she has a bit of a freak out but he just can’t let her go and knowing that, they come up with a plan.

This book isn't only from Cassie’s point of view. Another major character is Zombie

Spoiler

who we find out is Ben Parish…the guy that Cassie has had a crush on since grade school.

He has a fairly complex background as he is carrying around some guilt. When we are introduced to him, he is dying and he knows it. He has the plague that has killed millions of others and knows that things probably won’t end well for him. Just as he is having these thoughts, soldiers come to the tent city where he is and what saves him is the order that they are to bring in all uninfected (by the aliens, not sickness) civilians. After being taken to the base, Zombie goes through an intake process that includes eliminating the virus, embedding a tracker, and mapping which is called Wonderland.

After Zombie’s indoctrination, he is put into a boot camp where he and his squad are trained to find and destroy the aliens who have infested the humans on Earth. We find out a lot during Zombie’s point of view. Not only about what is going on at the base but also what the plans are for the next wave.

Here is where my review will end. If you couldn't tell from my updates (or from this slightly rambling review), I really enjoyed this book. It was full of action, a bit of romance, an alien invasion and Yancey does such a great job of keeping the reader guessing. It is written in such a way that I thought I knew what was going to happen and then there would be a twist that would have me guessing if I was even on the right track. Don’t be intimidated by the size of this novel. It goes quickly and honestly, I didn't want to put it down so it doesn't even seem that long. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book and picking back up with these characters.