Well, I really didn't like this book.  We could talk about the nature of not wanting to grow up and responsibility being scary but really Peter was mostly horrible.  We all know that person who is so full of himself that anytime anyone has a suggestion he takes it as his own.  Yeah that's Peter.  He's that guy which is not at all endearing, in fact I don't think there is anything endearing about him. I spent most of this book being annoyed.  True Story this used to be one of my favorite Disney movies but I went back to it a few years ago and whole crap that movie is super racist.

Upside: Crossed another book off the pop sugar challenge (a book that's over 100 years old)

While I liked some of the aspects of this book, as a whole it just didn't work for me.  Given the generally glowing reviews I have to wonder if we read the same book. 

What I enjoyed: The idea of having to figure out the secret no one will talk about, the fairytale interludes, and the way the twist was handled. In regards to the twist(s) I really liked how everything fell into place and it didn't seem like the author was misdirecting you.

What I didn't like how it was done but I felt had potential: The way the amnesia and migraines were handled, the fact that Cady isn't a reliable narrator

What I hated: The characters, I found no likeability in them and while you aren't suppose to like the Sinclairs I didn't even like the Liars. But the biggest thing is that this story isn't new or revolutionary.  It reminded me so much of the 2009 film The Uninvited and also Shutter Island. Early on I started associating the book with these two films only to finish the book and find was stupidly similar.

I think what ruined my liking of the book was that:

1) while I enjoyed the ending, I was annoyed at the journey to get there

2) I never connected with or liked the characters

3) everyone has been going on about how this is the best book ever so I had high expectations

This book talks about maybe the 15 years before and the 15-20 years after the Georgian Flu annihilates 99% of the earth's inhabitants (well, at least around the Michigan-Chicago area). Sounds super exciting, right? Well, somehow, it's not when you read it.

You're following many different story lines that weave in and out of one another. The characters speak with the same "voice" though. Everyone is super classy and well-bred, it seems like. (which kept me at a distance from the book bc I'm super not-classy).

My main gripe is, for a dystopian book, where life has changed as we know it, the author writes better about the smaller scale issues? The regrets seem to be superficial or ... I dont know, a part of life that that everyone goes through but selfish, articulate people might describe it in a romantic way.

With a setting where only 1% of the population is around, I was kind of expecting exploration of larger themes. But I felt the paparazzi, a guy dating younger women bc he's famous during the pre-apocalypse was more pitiful and "sad" than what people were going through in the post-apocalypse (where your life is seriously in danger but I NEVER FELT LIKE THEIR LIFE WAS IN DANGER). Maybe that was the author's intention.

It comes off as shallow, pre-pretentious a little bit. The fantastic, little parts didn't translate to a fantastic, great whole. There was just a little heart and soul missing.

"People rarely want to kill, David," Abraham said calmly. "It's not basic to the makeup of the healthy human mind. In most situations they will go to great lengths to avoid killing. Remember that, and it will help you."

This book is hard for me to rate because I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. Certain parts of the book I did hate, like the first half which I found to be slow and dull; and certain parts I loved, like the action towards the end. Ultimately this book is getting 3 stars from me because while the first half may have been slow, the second half had a faster pace and more interesting events.

From the beginning of this book I had a hard time connecting with David. I can understand his need for revenge but he could be absolutely annoying at times. The only character that I disliked more than David was Megan. Her mood swings were just too over the top. How David still managed to have his little crush on her is beyond me.

If I am able to guess major plot twists from a mile away then there is something wrong. Certain twists in this book were so obvious that I was not surprised when they were revealed nor did it help me stay interested in the story.

My favorite part of the book had to be the events and action towards the end. My interest was fully in the book during those parts and I flew right through them. In all honesty I can't see myself continuing on with this series but it was nice getting a taste of Brandon Sanderson's writing style. I hope someday to read some of his other work.

File this under Everyone loved it but me and Unpopular opinion.



I really didn't like this book. I've wanted to read this for years, I heard how ground-breaking/awesome this book was.



I didn't find it that good at all. The writing was juvenile (he was no George Orwell), and the characters were racist and sexist.



I can see why people like this book and the message of treating the mentally ill better. I get that and I think the mentally ill have been treated terribly through-out history. I also have a mental illness, so that goes without saying.

I understand this book was written decades ago, but instead of coming off vintage and pulpy to me, it was grating to me. Blah.



I wish I never read this book, simply because I wanted to enjoy this, and I didn't.