So firstly, before I get into why I enjoyed this book, let me address the many bad reviews: (on goodreads and in various other places)
Some people have some negative comments about the character and her view:
she is whiny and annoying (yeah, she can be), she cares more about superficial shit like makeup than about her situation (at times it can seem like that), her priorities are totally out of whack (yes, it can seem like that too).
My issue with all these comments though, is that people forget that he book is written as though it is from the perspective of a TEENAGER IN THE APOCALYPSE.
If you were a mere 16-17 years old, you would be a bit whiny too, period. All teenagers are, and it's because they are going through something that is difficult, adolescence. In retrospect, being a teenager seems easy, but has everyone forgotten what a confusing and difficult time that was when they were going through it?
Second, she has plenty to whine about, it's a fucking apocalypse.
Next, yeah, she can be a bit superficial, but you don't stop being who you are, just because the apocalypse happened. If you cared about how you looked before, you're still going to. And beyond that, yes, there are entire passages devoted to how she dies her hair, or loots a pharmacy for some nice makeup, but I'll willing to bet that in an apocalypse, there's not a whole lot to do, and I'm also thinking here that if everyone you have EVER KNOWN AND CARED ABOUT is DEAD, that you probably want a distraction or two. Hence the dyeing of hair and the doing of makeup. It's simply something to distract her for maybe ten minutes fro the fact that her parents, brother, and all her friends are DEAD.
And sometimes, yes, I agree, her priorities are out of whack, or that she doesn't do enough to ensure her safety. She goes outside without bothering to look at the sky which is raining KILLER RAIN.
But I'm also going to wager that it would be hard for most of us to adjust from life as we know it to an apocalypse. That takes a little getting used to, and I don't care how quickly people think they would adjust, learning new behaviour like that takes some time. And when she reflects on those behaviours as she is writing all this stuff down (after is happened), she chastises herself for it, and realizes the stupidity of her actions.
More over though, I think it's very easy for us to all sit here from our comfy beds or couches or whatever, sitting on our nice laptops or smartphones, saying that she's stupid, and saying exactly what she should do in an apocalypse. It's easy to think clearly when you're in no immediate danger, when there isn't a constant threat, when you're not wracked with grief and sorrow, when your whole world hasn't collapsed. It is much harder to make the right decision when you're actually IN THAT SITUATION.
That's all. I think people hate this book, mostly because they forget that it's SUPPOSED to be a scared, confused, messed up KID, telling her harrowing tale of survival. And if you take it as that, I think it's great.
I think the idea is fantastic. take a general post-apocalyptic idea, but put a fresh new spin on it, Water is what kills you, even the tiniest amount, that idea feels fresh to me.
I actually liked the way Ruby tried to describe things, they seemed accurate in the sense that a teenager experiencing this madness would surely not be able to find an eloquent way to express it, but would be confused and scared, and would just try to say what it was they saw and felt.
I liked the journey she took us on with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing.
And as for the ending being kind of open, it definitely was, but I don't think that's bad thing here. The author obviously intended for there to be more to the story, for things to be continued.
i don't feel as though the first book was unfinished at all. I feel that eh first book is a tale of a young girl trying to go from a normal life to living in the most devastating of times, learning to survive and in all of that chaos, learning what still matters to her. It is simply the story of her transition from normal (is maybe a little shallow) teen, to that of a tough survivor. And I loved that story.
The second book, that is the story of her developing into an adult, and learning to fight for what she believes in. I think booth books are wonderful human dramas that a great number of kids could relate to.
And I think if you're used to the YA genre, and specifically, used to flawed protagonists telling their flawed story (especially if you like the dystopian/post-apocalyptic type books), then this is a story you'll enjoy.
Some people have some negative comments about the character and her view:
she is whiny and annoying (yeah, she can be), she cares more about superficial shit like makeup than about her situation (at times it can seem like that), her priorities are totally out of whack (yes, it can seem like that too).
My issue with all these comments though, is that people forget that he book is written as though it is from the perspective of a TEENAGER IN THE APOCALYPSE.
If you were a mere 16-17 years old, you would be a bit whiny too, period. All teenagers are, and it's because they are going through something that is difficult, adolescence. In retrospect, being a teenager seems easy, but has everyone forgotten what a confusing and difficult time that was when they were going through it?
Second, she has plenty to whine about, it's a fucking apocalypse.
Next, yeah, she can be a bit superficial, but you don't stop being who you are, just because the apocalypse happened. If you cared about how you looked before, you're still going to. And beyond that, yes, there are entire passages devoted to how she dies her hair, or loots a pharmacy for some nice makeup, but I'll willing to bet that in an apocalypse, there's not a whole lot to do, and I'm also thinking here that if everyone you have EVER KNOWN AND CARED ABOUT is DEAD, that you probably want a distraction or two. Hence the dyeing of hair and the doing of makeup. It's simply something to distract her for maybe ten minutes fro the fact that her parents, brother, and all her friends are DEAD.
And sometimes, yes, I agree, her priorities are out of whack, or that she doesn't do enough to ensure her safety. She goes outside without bothering to look at the sky which is raining KILLER RAIN.
But I'm also going to wager that it would be hard for most of us to adjust from life as we know it to an apocalypse. That takes a little getting used to, and I don't care how quickly people think they would adjust, learning new behaviour like that takes some time. And when she reflects on those behaviours as she is writing all this stuff down (after is happened), she chastises herself for it, and realizes the stupidity of her actions.
More over though, I think it's very easy for us to all sit here from our comfy beds or couches or whatever, sitting on our nice laptops or smartphones, saying that she's stupid, and saying exactly what she should do in an apocalypse. It's easy to think clearly when you're in no immediate danger, when there isn't a constant threat, when you're not wracked with grief and sorrow, when your whole world hasn't collapsed. It is much harder to make the right decision when you're actually IN THAT SITUATION.
That's all. I think people hate this book, mostly because they forget that it's SUPPOSED to be a scared, confused, messed up KID, telling her harrowing tale of survival. And if you take it as that, I think it's great.
I think the idea is fantastic. take a general post-apocalyptic idea, but put a fresh new spin on it, Water is what kills you, even the tiniest amount, that idea feels fresh to me.
I actually liked the way Ruby tried to describe things, they seemed accurate in the sense that a teenager experiencing this madness would surely not be able to find an eloquent way to express it, but would be confused and scared, and would just try to say what it was they saw and felt.
I liked the journey she took us on with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing.
And as for the ending being kind of open, it definitely was, but I don't think that's bad thing here. The author obviously intended for there to be more to the story, for things to be continued.
i don't feel as though the first book was unfinished at all. I feel that eh first book is a tale of a young girl trying to go from a normal life to living in the most devastating of times, learning to survive and in all of that chaos, learning what still matters to her. It is simply the story of her transition from normal (is maybe a little shallow) teen, to that of a tough survivor. And I loved that story.
The second book, that is the story of her developing into an adult, and learning to fight for what she believes in. I think booth books are wonderful human dramas that a great number of kids could relate to.
And I think if you're used to the YA genre, and specifically, used to flawed protagonists telling their flawed story (especially if you like the dystopian/post-apocalyptic type books), then this is a story you'll enjoy.
