The Infinite Sea

I have to admit, it was hard to read The Infinite Sea. I absolutely adored The 5th Wave, and I was so afraid The Infinite Sea would not live up to my expectations. I shouldn't have worried, even though there were things I really wanted that I didn't get. And that's still okay.

Be forewarned...things might get a spoilery ahead.

Still reading? Okay, here's what I didn't like. I was put off that the story basically opened on Ringer's point of view, especially since I considered her a secondary character and I am so. emotionally. invested. in Cassie and Evan. It's not that I dislike Ringer, but I wanted to get right inside the action with Cassie immediately, and that didn't happen. But okay, I can cut some slack, even if Ringer was acting a bit like an automaton and still seemed very distant. But what happens...well, let's say it sets the stage really well for a big, big reveal later on, so all is forgiven.

I also feel let down on the Cassie/Evan front, mostly because my time spent with each was separate and quick. I still got a lot from their interactions, and Evan still managed to make me mad with all his self-sacrificing stuff. Necessary story building, but still frustrating. Plus the constant bickering between Ben and basically everyone felt a bit like filler material. More story building.

BUT...the story really took off mid-way and didn't let me go until I closed the last page (and even now, I'm still thinking about it). I totally love how Cassie has developed over the course of the books, and what happens with Ringer...well, my perseverance paid off big time as what I'd begun to suspect was confirmed. There's so much left unanswered, I know the author will never get it all tied up. But I have faith that he will. Right?

The Infinite Sea is a solid second entry in the series, one that furthers the story while making it murkier still. I'd say that's a confusing statement, but it's not. While it's not the mind-blowing plot that began the series, it still packs a hard punch and offers its own twists and turns. Now I'm just mad that I have to wait another year for the final book.

~taminator40

In a Handful of Dust is the sequel to Not a Drop to Drink, a post-apocalyptic novel I enjoyed greatly. While this one is good, it's not quite as enthralling as the first installment. Let's recap.

In a Handful of Dust focuses on Lucy, not Lynn, and it's obvious that Lucy is still young in many ways, though we learn she's sixteen. Still living in Lynn's house, disaster breaks out when polio hits the small community and many children and adults die or are paralyzed. As the epidemic is studied by Lucy's grandmother, it becomes obvious that the outbreak is centered on either Lucy or her friend Carter as a carrier. Forced to leave the community, Lynn and Lucy trek across the country with a goal of California, which they've heard has desalinization plants for ocean water. Along the way, their path is filled with peril, not least of which arrives in the form of other people, including a horrifying stop in Las Vegas.

This novel seemed to move much more slowly for me than Not a Drop to Drink; there's a lot of action but I just wasn't as engaged for some reason. Not that it's not good by any means; the dangers the women face are real and brutal and there's never an assurance that they will reach anything worth the travel. I suppose I just got tired of Lynn's continuously dour demeanor and Lucy's rather childish actions. The final payoff is quite short and could have stood at least a couple more chapters of explanation and resolution. But overall this is a good book and it continues the story in a mostly satisfying way.

~taminator40