The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) - Rick Yancey

After all the mixed review this book got on Goodreads, I was a bit hesitant to read this book. But it turned out to be a great read, revolving around an alien invasion of the Earth. This invasion goes in waves, the first 3 have already taken place (1: electricity out, 2: flood, 3: pestilence).

There are 4 different POV's in this book, which gives you different views of the invasion.

The book starts with Cassie. She's a 17 year old girl, she survived the the first three waves and she is determined to survive the following waves too. She is a very strong character, she has a gun and is not afraid to use it and makes sarcastic comments about the world. From her we learn step by step about the first three waves and who the 'Others' (the aliens) are (reminded me of Game of Thrones everytime I read that word.). Her father has been killed and her brother Sam taken somewhere by the military and Cassie is trying to find him.

Then we meet Ben. He is sick from the 3rd Wave (pestilence) when his refugee camp is taken over by the US military (the 'good' guys). We find out what the remaining humans are doing to stop the Others and how they have infiltrated the human world long before the Waves. In the end of his passage we find out he is actually the childhood crush from Cassie, I liked that there was a connection between these POV's.

The third POV is Sam, Cassie's brother. I did not really like his point of view. Probably because he is a five year old which made his understanding of the world quite limited. He was taken to the same place they took Ben and they are placed in the same squad of the army together. I liked their interaction, Ben kind of became a brother to him. We also meet the other kids in Ben's squad. I particularly liked Ringer, she was pretty bad-ass.

The fourth POV is Evan. I absolutely did not like this character. In the beginning we find out he is an alien, who shoots the surviving humans. He has set his eyes on Cassie, but for some reason cannot shoot her. This made me interested, the enemy has a consience?
But then after he rescued Cassie after shooting her in the leg.. The book switches to Cassie again and slowly the strong character from the beginning of the book turns into a too-trusting blind girl in love with someone she barely knows.
Evan really creeped me out. He kept lurking outside her door, keeping secrets and constantly making comments about how connected they are etc.. Cassie's instinct tells her something's wrong with Evan, but she just waves it away because he is handsome. This really disappointed me. I hate it when writers turn strong female characters into weak ones when they meet a boy they like.. Luckily she comes round later when they go look for Sam. She takes the strings into her own hands again and confronts Evan. They start a relationship, but this is not really developed in the rest of the book.

There are some major plot twists and everything you think you know about the Others turns out to be false. (this you have to read for yourself:D)

In the end all POV's meet when Cassie, Evan and Ben try to rescue Sam from the Others.
The end itself was pretty open, but it looks like there is going to be a second book. Can't wait to read it!

What I liked most in this book whas that when you started to get bored a little, the writer would throw in some action or new information. This kept you interested throughout the whole book.

I would definitely recommend this book. The whole concept of the alien invasion was pretty cool and the different POV's gave the reader different views of the world. The romance was bad, mostly because Evan really creeped me out. But as a dystopian book it was good.

http://www.evelinesbooks.blogspot.nl

*slightly spoilerish review*

Even though it's doesn't take much effort for me to write negative reviews because it's easier for me to express those not so good things about a certain book. Believe me, I didn't wanted it to happen with The 5th Wave since I bought it and I've been hearing such great things about it for months.

There was this huge hype even before it got out and it drove me crazy when someone posted a 5 star review. I eventually got the book but I was reading the first 50 pages for two days. It was nothing but empty pages. Nothing was happening. Only pages and pages of info dumping. I usually prefer getting info dumped here and there, not right from the start and all through the whole 460 pages long novel. It didn't work well for me. I couldn't ignore it. Or maybe I was just so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open. Or maybe those twitter chats were more interesting. Maybe it all of those things put together.

One of my GR friends told me to keep reading because it gets better and surprise! It did. It was so good I started comparing it with Angelfall. At certain points of the novel I liked it more than The Hunger Games. Mayfly was this awesome post-apocalyptic warrior with a soft heart. There was this crazy killer called The Silencer, Zombie was giving me these tingly feelings and Nugget was just precious. Everything was super-duper. *insert intense music* DUM DUM DUM then the dreaded romance started. Oh, Mr. Yancey! I usually enjoy reading romantic scene but you, Mr. Yancey, failed me this time. You gave me a girl who talks more about those deep brown eyes and his chocolate breath; the guy who creeps around the girl, reads her diary and hides the truth. Thank you, dear author. Thank you.

Everything went downhill from there. I kept reading it and hoping things will turn around and be great again but it never happened. Out of all characters I found Zombie's POV most interesting. Everything else just didn't capture my attention. I kept glancing when his part is coming next. Other parts were, dare I say, boring? At least they were up until the very end when shit got done.

The reason I gave it 3 stars and didn't go any lower is because of awesomeness which is Mayfly (At least before she met The Silencer), Zombie's change from a coward to a hero, Nugget being such a brave little soldier and Ringer giving me Allyson (from The Immortal Rules) feels. In the end, I think I will buy the sequel. I need to find out what the 6th Wave is! Right now!

Nothing...

Where to even begin with this book? I guess I'll begin with the writing style since that was probably my favorite aspect.

I went into The 5th Wave thinking it was going to be all about Cassie (I even forgot about Evan Walker somewhere between reading the synopsis and starting the book) so I was very surprised and a little confused at the first POV change. I didn't really like it at first because I didn't see it coming and I just wanted to find out what would happen to Cassie next, but I eventually fell into the groove of POV switching and was just as interested in Cassie as the other main character (don't want to spoil you) and even enjoying the random little here and there's of other characters' POVs.

I really liked the way the first section was set up. We start out hearing about Cassie's Now and then she starts working in some Then bits before kind of fully switching over to Then storytelling with a few flashes of Now mixed in. It was a good way to get a feel of her character, learning about her life before and after the attack, not to mention the little mysteries that get solved along the way as well. What happened to her mom, dad, and brother? Why does she have a teddy bear? What is this promise she's talking about. I like that instead of dumping it all on the reader at once, by having Cassie just kind of blurt it out, Yancey makes it a real, tangible part of her story.

Am I the only one who feels the aliens are always better before you see them? Don't get me wrong, if there's an alien involved I'm dying to see it, but more often than not, I'm disappointed and not especially scared anymore. Things are much scarier without a face. That's why I love that the aliens' presence is everywhere in The 5th Wave, but the only knowledge you have of their looks is that they appear human just like everyone else.

Yancey is a master of making me second guess myself. I would keep telling myself I believed this or that person was bad/good no matter what, but then I'd start going “but he could be good because...” “but he's obviously bad because...” I was kind of driving myself mad with the hundreds of theories floating around in my head, but that's the sign of good storytelling, right? Another sign of good storytelling? I was constantly tensing up just waiting for the bad thing that was most certainly around that corner.

I'm not a hater of series'. I'm not a hater of cliffhangers. That being said, an ending will come along every once in a while that has me going “no, that's not it, this is unfair. Somebody give me the last five pages that have been so obviously removed from my copy.” The 5th Wave was one of those endings. The ending where I turn the last page fully expecting to see more and nothing (or in this case, the acknowledgements) staring back at me. Not cool. However, it did ease the sting a bit to find out it will be a series (trilogy?)

The Nutshell: I fully enjoyed The 5th Wave. It had me on the edge of my seat and kept throwing surprises at me when I thought there couldn't be any left. It's certainly the best (not the I've read many) alien book I've ever read.

Direct Hit

Let me just start by saying Wow! This book was so good! All I've heard about this book are rants and raves...well let me tell you why I am ranting and raving about this book. I haven't read much science fiction but this book has got me wanting to read more. The world in this book is unlike any world I've ever read before. We are there with Cassie as she goes through each wave that arrives and kills those around her. Yancey does a fantastic job of keeping you on edge with Cassie as she strives to figure out just what exactly is going on and what the 5th wave will bring.
There are multiple perspectives given throughout the book of the characters and how they weave around each other and interconnect is just brilliant. I loved all the characters and found myself rooting for each and every one of them. The romance was like a candle in a pitch black room - a light that steadily grew brighter with each page.
The action in this book is never ending with plot twists galore. This book will keep you up at night wanting to know what happens next and will keep you up after reading it, wondering what will happen next. Just when you think you've got something figured out, something happens that makes you rethink yourself. When I was about a third of the way in, I was so confused that I was getting frustrated with the book but I pushed through and it didn't take long to figure out what was going on. This book will keep your nose between the pages and your brain quickly thinking up what will happen next. I highly recommend this one!

The 5th Wave is a thrilling novel about an alien apocalypse. The aliens on the mothership are slowly wiping out the humans in Waves to study their behavior. There have been Five Waves-- Wave One: The Silence. At this time all electronic equipment was wiped out by a very powerful EMP-Powered Cannon. In this Wave planes crashed, boats sunk, cars stopped, and cell phones and lights were no longer able to be used. The world was dark to the extreme; Wave Two: Surf's Up. A HUGE flood occurs over the Earth; Wave Three: Pestilence. A disease known to many survivors known as the Red Plague has conditions such as constant bleeding and fainting has only a ten percent chance of being cured. Only a select few are immune to the Plague; Wave Four: The Silencers: Aliens disguised as humans wipe out any of the resisting humans; Wave Five: They Are Coming For Us: The extraterrestrial beings have created a program called Wonderland, which the US Government has claimed to have discovered, but can the survivors trust them after the first four waves? Can they trust anybody but themselves? It turns out the Government has a dirty, big, secret that will change the world forever...

The 5th Wave is a book written by Rick Yancey. It follows the life of 16-year-old Cassie (Short for Cassiopeia) through her journey to save her adorable, innocent little brother (Sam) from the aliens. As she reminiscences on her misfortunes from the past events of the apocalypse we learn how the Waves and attack started. The aliens are referred to as 'Others' by the surviving humans because they have no true form. The Others often do appear as humans and it causes a large distrust among the scavengers. The Others are a highly advanced and intelligent race of extraterrestrial beings who have been able to give up their bodies to become micro-organisms who can merge with the minds of humans in a hope of starting a new lifestyle on the ripe planet, Earth.

The plot of this novel is absolutely fantastic and the style of writing is decent. You really wish that, although the realistic circumstances are absolutely horrifying, you could me put in Cassie's shoes.


This thrilling book had me on the edge of my seat for the length I was reading it. It was so good that I would secretly keep the light on in my room just to finish this. I would recommend The 5th Wave to ages 12+ because of the violence. If the reader is at a 6th grade reading level it will be okay for him/her to read.

This book was so good. I loved reading it and I can tell you right now I will definitely reread this book. It was a great book to read.

So what I really liked the beginning and how it shows us Cassie's past and what happened to make her where she is today. It gives us insight into her life and I really liked that. Also, I like Cassie as a character. She knows enough to stay alive and be independent but is also lonely with only a bear to keep her company. I felt bad for her because she was alone and I commended her because she was still alive after everything that has happened in the world.

I liked how Rick Yancy doesn't just stay in one point of view, he deviates perspective. I personally love when there is more than one point of view to read from because it gives you more insight into what is happening.

Also, Rick Yancy does a great job of keeping you interested by not revealing everything that has happened right at the start of the book. He slowly reveals things which makes the book suspenseful and makes you as a reader curious so you read on. So he doesn't just flat out and say what the 4 previous waves were which I liked because it kept me interested throughout the whole book.

This was a good book. At first I was reluctant to read this book, but once I got started, I couldn't stop. I know that Evan Walker didn't die, thankfully. I couldn't believe who he really was and his true love for Cassie. This is an amazing book and I totally recommend it. It can get confusing, but it will clear up later in the book. And I liked how there were different perspective throughout the book including the Silencer!

This book was a thrill ride! We start with Cassie. She's lost her mother in the 3rd way and her father was killed in front of her after the 4th wave. Her baby brother was taken by the 'others' and little does she know that they will prepare him to be the 5th wave.

Cassie is alone, living in a forest, afraid to trust anyone. Not that she sees many people of course. Almost everyone is dead. Seven billion humans on earth and less than a few thousand left. She's trying to survive and at the same time find a way to get her baby brother back. Just like she promised him before he was taken.

When she finally decides to leave the forest, she gets shot on the highway by a Silencer - the 4th wave. she gets die from the leg wound. She passes out and wakes up in a house. A very good looking young man had saved her. She grows to love this man - Evan. He loves her too. Cassie can't bring herself to trust him... she tells Evan that she has to rescue her brother. He tries to keep her there with him. Doesn't work. Soon they go together to find her little brother. In which time she discovers that Evan is an alien. One of the 'others'.

Ben Parish survives the 3rd wave, barely. Now he's being trained to what he thinks are the aliens... but he and Ringer find out the truth and it messes with his head. Ringer says they should all just run away but Ben made a promise to a young boy in boot camp. He has to go back to the alien lair for the kid. He won't leave him behind like he left his younger sister.

That's where Ben runs into Cassie, she's already gotten into the boot camp and got her brother. Cassie is stunned to see her old crush. She'd spent so many times before the arrival daydreaming of him. With the help of Evan and later Ringer, they make it out of the alien fort. With nothing much left behind...

I was hooked from the first page of this book. Cassie just has this voice that made me want to see what she said next, what her plan was. I also felt so sad for her, not being able to trust anyone. How was she to know if they were alien or human? I love the slow building relationship between her and Evan. I really hope he lives as I really like Evan. For an alien he's pretty awesome. You can see how much he loves her. It's so sweet.

The writing was very forward, and flowed together nicely. I found myself unable to put the book down. I read it all in one day.

I choose to read 5th Wave for New Year’s Eve because what better way to end the year, right? I was so glad I did. The book entrapped me from the first page – it was so realistic and I was immersed in the experience. The whole body-snatcher alien theory was turned around in such a way that made you question the limits of humanity. I was pin-balling between dread, anxiety and horror throughout; it was quite intense to read it.

Told from different perspectives, but majorly from the first perspectives of Cassie and Ben, the story questions your deductions at every turn. It is obvious that the boot camp is shady from the start but until halfway through the book, it is very difficult to pin down the real baddie. Cassie was such an amazing character – strong, resourceful, smart and alien-apocalypse-ready. Evan comes off a bit creepy at times, and Ben was annoying in the start with his hero-worship. The writing was brilliant and utterly 3-dimensional and the voices so distinct – Cassie being dry-sarcastic, Ben with his guilt-hero thing, Evan in conflict and Sam through his childish eyes. I wouldn’t go into the details of the alien construct, because that would be spoilery, but the whole process of their invasion – totally fabulous. One of the best alien sci-fi I have come across!