The Infinite Sea: The 5th Wave, Book 2

*Deep sigh*. Oh my. That was a roller coaster. The Infinite Sea felt like a George R R Martin novel because absolutely nothing good happens to these characters. That’s not me spoiling this book. That’s me trying to prepare you for this ride because just when things are looking up…….WHAM! Not so much. Even though The Infinite Sea was an exhausting book, it still was a great second installment to The 5th Wave series.We pick up The Infinite Sea a little while after The 5th Wave ended. I don’t remember how much time actually passed, maybe two weeks, but regardless, I didn’t feel out of the loop or like too much happened between the end of the first book and the beginning of this one. Like The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey writes from multiple POVs. The largest portions were Cassie, Ringer, Evan, Ben/Zombie, and then Poundcake had a few short sections similar to the sections Sam had in the first installment. I really enjoyed Ringer’s sections even though I wasn’t excited about reading from her POV at first. And even Poundcake’s short little sections added to the depth of the entire story.When we start The Infinite Sea, Ringer has been tasked with the job of scouting ahead. The group has plans to travel to a more permanent hiding place for the winter because the hotel they’re staying now just isn’t far enough from Camp Haven where everything went down at the end of The 5th Wave. The hotel was supposed to be Evan and Cassie’s rendezvous location, but Evan has yet to show up. Zombie/Ben is ready to move on assuming that Evan is dead, but Cassie isn’t ready to give up yet. Thus Ringer has been sent out to scout out these caves as a potential winter shelter. Without giving too much away, Ringer finds herself back in the hands of the enemy, and eventually Evan finds his way to Cassie. But life isn’t blue skies and rainbows for any of these characters. More terrible things continue to happen as the enemy closes in around them.Anyone who wasn’t digging the Cassie/Evan relationship from The 5th Wave can relax because their relationship is not the focus of this book. But don’t relax too much because there still is a relationship to be had. I personally love Cassie and Evan. I see no difference between them and Wanderer and what’s-his-face from The Host. And they’re probably less creepy than Katie and Daemon from The Lux series. At least Evan’s DNA is human. Anyway…loved them as individual characters and loved them together. Cassie surprises me sometimes with her temper. She isn’t as timid as you might think. And that spark inside her is what drew Evan to her to begin with. When everyone else would have hid, Cassie stood up to fight. Evan’s fighting his nature at every step. Or maybe he’s actually following his nature, depending on how you look at it. But it’s a battle nonetheless, and one he doesn’t always understand. He has Cassie set at # 1 for every single turn. Everything, for him, always comes back to her. And I love that.I was hoping for a Zombie/Ringer hook up, but that didn’t really happen since Ringer is not even with the group through 99% of the book. Remember from The 5th Wave that Ringer shot Ben so he’s injured now. That being the case, he is not at the top of his game throughout The Infinite Sea, but even still, Zombie is not a character to mess with. Speaking of Ringer, as what typically happens with me…now that I was allowed a glimpse inside her head she became a much more likeable character. She, like the others, is just trying to cope in a very broken world, and she’s trying to survive. She easily has the toughest road out of all the characters in this book, and I liked her more and more the further along things went.Enter a new character…everyone say hi to Razor. *Waves* I wasn’t sure, at all, what to think about him. He’s charged to essentially take care of Ringer while she’s in the enemy’s clutches and you can see him transform from stoic soldier, to confused pawn, to potential help, to more, and back again. It’s a process that truly kept me guessing. And I should have seen some events surrounding him coming but I just didn’t. He surprised me through and through.As with The 5th Wave, I just really enjoyed Rick Yancey’s writing. He’s smooth, free-flowing, and poetic. Here are some of my favorite quotes:-Five men and two women, strangers to one another on the eve of that final growing season, now bound by the unspoken promise that the least of them was greater than the sum of all of them.-He was squeezed between what the world had been and what the world had become, who he was before and who he was now, and the cost of all the unspoken promises weighing on his heart.-Promises are the only currency left. They must be spent wisely.-“What’s the first priority?””No bad thoughts,” she answers dutifully.”Because bad thoughts do what?””Make us soft.””And what happens if we go soft?””We die.””And do we want to die?”She shakes her head. “Not yet.”-“One day, Private Ringer, you’re going to smile at something I say and the world will break in half.””I’m not prepared to take on that responsibility.”-When you look death in the eye and death blinks first, nothing seems impossible.-Promises are priceless, and a kiss is a kind of promise, too.-I’ll find you, Cassie. Don’t I always find you?-You never know when the truth will come home. You can’t choose the time. The time chooses you.-“Who is Cassiopea?” … “The one who stood up when anyone else would have stayed down”…-He’s violated more than my memories. He’s molesting my soul.-My reaction is months in the making. And instantaneous.-Lies within lies within lies. Feints and counterfeints. Like a desert mirage, no matter how hard you ran toward it, it stayed forever in the distance. Finding the truth was like chasing the horizon.The Infinite Sea was a great second book in The 5th Wave series. It was packed. It was emotional. It was exhausting. It was great. The Infinite Sea gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read The Infinite Sea? What did you think? Let me know!For more book reviews, check out Somewhere Only We Know - http://sandyfarmer.blogspot.com.

Actual rating: 4.5 starsBefore I start this review, you need to know that I absolutely ADORED the first book in this series, The 5th Wave. It was one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read, and I was extremely eager to read the second book. Over the past year, I was imaging what was going to happen and how everything would play out; what new secrets would be revealed; and most importantly, convincing myself that Evan couldn't possibly be dead because no author could do that. Well, while I still loved this book, it didn't live up to my expectations as much as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great book and a worthy addition to the series. However, there was something missing for me, especially in the beginning, and I had to go down a star.There is something that I absolutely love about Rick Yancey's writing. It draws you in and never lets you go. The book plays out like a movie, and everything is vividly described so you know exactly what the characters are experiencing. Mr. Yancey takes us on yet another thrill ride that raises far more questions than supplying answers, and gives us some extremely surprising information that makes us (and the characters) question everything. However, one of the things that contributed to the lower rating was the lack of character development. There was virtually none in this book, and it was a bit of a disappointment. The first 2/3 of this book is spent in alternating POVs between Ringer, Cassie, Evan, and even Poundcake (we find out why he never speaks!). Then the last 1/3 is experienced from Ringer's POV. This was also a bit of a flaw for me because it didn't match up with the rest of the book. I would have rather had Ringer's POV spaced throughout the book than just all at once because this was something I greatly enjoyed in the first novel.The one other problem I had was that the first 1/2 of this book dragged a bit for me. There was plenty of action, but at the same time, it was in these short bursts followed by long periods of not much happening. I did like the introduction of Grace because it allowed the reader to find out more about Evan's past. That chick is definitely a force to be reckoned with. In the first book, I greatly enjoyed Cassie's character, however in this one, she kind of drove me a bit crazy. She got annoying after a little bit, but then again we are really only reading from her perspective for 1-2 days. Not much.Nevertheless, the book picks up after the first 1/2, and takes off from there. You will not want to put this book down once you reach a certain point because you will be so enthralled and begging to find out what happens next. The ending is explosive (literally), and reveals new information about the Others that will leave you shocked and questioning everything. Mr. Yancey has definitely set up a story for the third book that is surely going to be gut-wrenching and heart-stopping. The ending may be confusing to some (there were sometimes that I needed to go back and re-read passages to fully understand what was going on), so I recommend reading the ending a bit slower than normal. It helps, trust me.While this wasn't the strongest installment in the series, I definitely am still very much invested in the series, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I know that the finale will be fantastic and will be one non-stop, action-packed story. I do recommend reading this novel if you are a fan of The 5th Wave, however just be prepared that you might not like it as much as the first. Happy reading :)

3.5/5 Stars"How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans?Rid the humans of their humanity..."I adore The 5th Wave, the first book in this alien-invasion trilogy. It's damn near young adult perfection. The Infinite Sea is no slouch as a sequel, but it's a mixed bag. Certain parts are phenomenal with their content and execution, while others severely impact the story's flow and cohesion.The post-apocalyptic landscape and atmosphere are both still there. The ongoing battle is still a smorgasbord of action, misdirection, and intimate insanity. New developments shift the overall understanding of the world, and the characters leading the way are fantastic fellows.All in all, a solid, surreal sequel.Synopsis (Not a copy from the book, but I always keep my interpretations close.)Cassie, Sam, Ben and the squad are hunkered down, licking their wounds after their explosive assault of an alien compound.But the war is far from over.They haven't even made a dent.Awaiting the return of an ally, the group tries to plan their next move, namely a way to survive the impending winter.But distrust has been sown deeply into their hearts, and when the unthinkably heartbreaking happens, it sets off a series of events that'll rock the survivors to their core.Everything they thought they knew is about to be destroyed and rebuilt.Everything they've survived is about to look like child's play...Plot - 3.5/5 StarsThe Infinite Sea gives us a mysterious start that transitions into a mind-blowing twist. It's rapid and unforgiving, setting the story up with aplomb. It easily sets the tone, driving home to the reader that themes of survival and morality are going to be massive parts of the journey ahead. And much like the previous entry, they are. Yancey nails the post-apocalyptic feel, surprising the reader with thoughtful questions that force us to face the reality of what we'd do in such a drastic landscape.From there, though, things dramatically drop off. Whereas The 5th Wave has a slow, steady structure that is emotive and focused, The Infinite Sea tries too hard to replicate it while speeding things up a little. There are bouts of chaotic action that send your heart racing, only for long periods of contemplation and repetition to overshadow it.It's also very stationary, spending large parts in static places. There are a few fantastic developments and twists, but not all of them build well.We are treated to a nice, climactic, action-packed end that will no doubt have you running for the final entry, so the slow-burning elements aren't entirely useless.Pace - 3/5 StarsThe Infinite Sea blasts off, then slows down, then, with intermittent scenes of chaos, blasts off. 3/4 of the way through left me infuriated, though. The pace ratchets down to a near stop, and while it does build an impressive climax, certain chapters can be a slog. It's this inconsistency that sometimes fractures the plot, helped along by things I'll elaborate on when it comes to the writing.Characters - 4/5 StarsI love this series' cast of characters. They're dark, haunting, and complex. Each is distinctive and engaging, whether you hate or love them. Cassie is my favourite. She's a wonderful protagonist that I feel is underutilised in this entry. She's funny, tough, intelligent, resilient and, despite her best efforts, vulnerable. The rest are integral too, offering the novel unique elements that are never wasted.Development is a little murky across the board, and relationships, both romantic and platonic, don't really face anything they haven't already faced. But it's a strong collection of characters, so I'm hoping the final book does them better justice.Writing - 3/5 StarsYancey's writing is lyrical. It's smooth and often beautiful, conveying scenes and emotions with vivid detail that rivets the reader. The philosophical aspects of the story provide some intense thought and comedy is portrayed with great timing and wit.But, The Infinite Sea is a novel that sometimes loses itself in its own eagerness. It prefers to show rather than tell. A good technique, usually. With its lyrical prose and philosophical awareness, the reader is often left confused by what the author's intentions are. Answers don't always come easily and the nuance can be a bit extreme. The disjoint is further aided by the whiplash-inducing switches in character viewpoints. We also haphazardly switch from first-person to third, present tense to past, and while, overall, I'd say things aren't too badly affected, it can be frustrating.Overall - 3.5/5 StarsYou can't argue with how exciting an alien invasion with a post-apocalyptic backdrop is, and The Infinite Sea proves that. Despite its flaws it's thoughtful, engaging, and emotive. There are worse middle novels to trilogies, and I cannot wait to pick up the final entry for this series.I apologise if this review is all over the place, it's been a long day and I'm absolutely knackered. I was hoping I'd be more cohesive, but hopefully I've managed to express how I feel.Until next time, folks!

This is a great book. Every bit as good as the first book, but also different enough to make it interesting and not just living off the book it is as sequel to. I read in the acknowledgment page, Rick Yancey say he has a habit of getting too involved with his characters. This really comes across in his writing. I challenge anyone not to care about one of the characters in this book. Even when you know something bad is going to happen to them I was sucked it to empathising with their situation. The characters in this are not much older than my kids, so it is heartbreaking for me to think choices and situations these kids are in.In this book Ringer takes the lead role. She narrates most of the book especially the second half of it. We learn more about Even and Pound Cake as well. Ben/Zombie and Cassie are relegated to more support characters in this book. The still tell parts of the story but other characters have their time to shine, where as others others try to find answers to what are the Others actually after. Why the games/waves? Why not just wipe us out? I admit I was cheering along with a couple of moment in the books where characters would just not back down. This book starts with a bang and just keeps gaining momentum from there. The book also leaves the readers and characters with more theories and questions than actual answers. As much as I find some of the book disturbing, but definitely compelling.

The Infinite Sea continued much like The 5th Wave was. It kicked off bleak and carried on bleak, with a side of “wait, what?” for good measure.A lot of the focus this time was on Ringer, fleshing her out and giving her more of a backstory and role to play. She was an interesting character, though I still think there’s more to be revealed about her. She acted like she didn’t care, but she actually cared a lot, I think. I also had a personal win moment with her when I guessed her heritage based on her real name (and then proceeded to picture the girl I went to school with who had that same name for the rest of the book). She had a really long part that was all mind games, and while it added to her character and the story’s long game, it was a bit of a slow read.The weird thing about this book for me was that Ringer and Cassie were very different, but I was able to relate to both of them. Part of me is as pessimistic (we prefer to refer to ourselves as “realists”) as Ringer (basically me in real life), while the other part (the hopeless romantic reader part) wants to trust in love. I like that Yancey was able to create these complex and relatable characters that could represent different parts of ourselves.The world-building was, as with the first book, very good. The book is pretty depressing, and Yancey crafted the setting and the mood so well to really put you in the same frame of mind, questioning what the point of it all is. I felt like I was right there in the scenes, witnessing and feeling the same combinations of anger, despair, apathy and fleeting moments of hope. I mean, I’m not even joking when I say I can completely understand the logic for the Others behind exterminating humans. When we move into a home, don’t we get rid of pests? Just saying…The plot was fairly low-key for most of the book. To be fair, this was appropriate given that it played on human fears, anxieties and weaknesses more than cheap action scenes and gore. The point of this book was less about getting your heart pounding and more about completely messing with your head. The last 20% particularly screwed me up. So much was revealed that had me going to my best friend (who'd already read it) with unintelligible, all-capped exclamations.Overall, I thought the book was slow in parts but ultimately a great read if you don’t necessarily want something happy and easy. Though I liked Cassie in the first book, I know a lot of people didn’t, in which case they might appreciate her relative sparsity in this book. The big reveals in The Infinite Sea have left me grasping for The Last Star, which has thankfully come out as of last month!

I enjoyed this trilogy. I wouldn’t say it was the greatest of reads but I did buy into the story and it’s characters. Maybe I left it too long in between books as it took time in book 2 to remember who's who and what they’re about in the plot. It isn't always easy to quickly follow the thread of who’s narrating their story and thoughts now as it switches from character to character regularly, which isn’t a common style of writing one finds too often. I wouldn’t keep the trilogy for re-reading but I would pass it on as a good read

Taking off immediately after the events of The Fifth Wave and set in a pretty barren world following the first four attacks, Cassie and her friends must figure out how to infiltrate the system and stop the final attacks.I like how this novel is told from multiple perspectives; Ringer in particular had some of my favourite chapters - she's a rip roarer of a character. Actually I liked her much more than Cassie. Cassie actually takes a bit of a back seat in this novel as we learn more about the secondary characters such as Poundcake, Zombie Ben and Ringer and how they contribute to the new squad. Yancey kept me guessing all the way through and I really enjoyed finding out more about each character.Evan and Cassie have a less convincing relationship in this book; Cassie basically spends most of the novel being teenage angsty and swooning after the fabulous extra terrestrial boy who originally tried to kill her. Despite this, I did appreciate that Yancey swiftly avoided a potential love triangle that many readers might have predicted could be on its way. Thank the stars, this never really materialises!The plot was more disjointed for me in this second instalment. It was all over the place and didn't ever really get anywhere - lots of character development and not a lot of new information for the plot. Nevertheless, I did really like the way Yancey has drip fed us this story and the unexpected twists throughout - I absolutely didn't see this trilogy going off in the direction it has and I'm interested to see where this might go in the final book. I think the ever faceless aliens are starting to become much more interesting!Overall, a clever layout with great insight into some of the secondary characters; I feel so much more connected with these characters, especially Ringer, now. It can't be said that this book flows nicely, but it's a fun read despite being a little disjointed and has set the scene well for the next part - these aliens are really crafty!!