Title: Hunger
Author: Michael Grant
Series: Gone #2
Publication Details: May 26th 2009 by Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young adult, science fiction
Copy: Paperback bought from National Book Store
It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ.
Three months since all the adults disappeared. GONE.
Food ran out weeks ago. Everyone is starving, but no one wants to figure out a solution. And each day, more and more kids are evolving, developing supernatural abilities that set them apart from the kids without powers. Tension rises and chaos is descending upon the town. It's the normal kids against the mutants. Each kid is out for himself, and even the good ones turn murderous.
But a larger problem looms. The Darkness, a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills, begins calling to some of the teens in the FAYZ. Calling to them, guiding them, manipulating them.
The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry. (Goodreads)
It took me a while to finish this one because I had a busy December. But finally, I finished reading Hunger, and folks it was good!
Plot
The beginning gives a picture of how it's like in The Fayz- kids getting hungry, crazy, desperate, and that thing in the cave, the gaiaphage, slowly gaining power. Though there's seem to be no action happening in the first few chapters, Hunger still gave a thrilling and an interesting reading experience as some answers to the mystery of The Fayz were given and the characters were explored deeper.
Hunger also shows more sides to The Fayz life, giving me more feel of the world they're living in. I liked how it reflects life in the real world, how very mundane and seemingly lifeless it can be to some, and adventurous and colorful to others.
Towards the end comes the action part. It becomes fast-paced, and quite overwhelming. I liked the switch of events from what seem like an "ordinary" day to a life-"more death" situation. I couldn't put the book down, and just had to finish reading though I was in the bus with a very poor lighting. Haha!
Characters
I was amazed and shocked at how these kids can be violent during desperate times. While reading, I saw their struggle in choosing between good and bad, and in striving to fight and stay alive and positive.
In Hunger, the main characters were explored deeper and more secondary ones were introduced. I am looking forward to reading more of them, and to knowing how they will try to stay alive and sane.
And if there's one thing I learned from reading Michael Grant's other works, it's that do not get too attached to any characters. Because you will never know what will happen to them. Yeah.
Writing
As the book is written in a multi-perspective style, different POVs were seen and a wider picture of the world they're living in was given. There's a lot going on, but even so the events are easy to follow.
And just like what I've said in my previous reviews of the author's books, I really like Michael Grant's style of writing. I would definitely read any of his books. :)
-o-
My rating is .5 short only because I did not feel to binge read the first few chapters. But overall, Hunger is an entertaining, still gripping read with refreshing plot elements and interesting characters. I definitely recommend this second book in the Gone series, especially if you're a fan of sci-fi, adventure.
PS: My review of Gone is here.
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| ph source: guardian.co.uk |
Michael Grant has spent much of his life on the move. Raised in a military family in the USA, he attended ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France. Even as an adult he kept moving, and in fact he became a writer in part because it was one of the few jobs that wouldn't tie him down. His dream is to spend a whole year circumnavigating the globe and visiting every continent. Even Antarctica. He lives in Marin Country, California, with his wife, Katherine Applegate, their two children, and far too many pets (Source: BZRK back cover).