12 May 2013

Willow Reads: Gone by Michael Grant

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents--unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers--that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else.


Title: Gone (Gone #1)
Author: Michael Grant
Page Count: 558 pages
Book Website: http://themichaelgrant.com/gone/
Published: June 24, 2008
Source: Re-read

Spoilers Ahead- Beware. :)

I first picked this book up when I was 16 years old and couldn't put it down. At the time, this book was a stand-alone, and I remember finishing it and being so mad that there wasn't a new one out. Then I moved on to other books and later found out it had been turned into a six-book series. So, I'm reading  it all and I had to re-establish the beginning of the story. I had to remember everything before I could move on, right?

Gone is set in Perdido Beach, California. One day in this fictional town, everyone over the age of 15 just disappears... Teachers, parents, grandparents. And right along with them, phone reception, internet access, and television broadcast is cut off. So, of course, kids are scared and all literal hell breaks loose. Kids are scared, hungry, and looking for someone to ensure that they'll be ok.. And that their parents will be back soon. Because they have to come back, right?

Enter Sam Temple, also known as School Bus Sam after he saved an entire bus full of classmates when the driver went into a heart attack- by taking control of the bus and calling the police on the driver's phone. After the event cooled down, Sam backed away from the attention, because he really didn't like it. After the adults disappear, though, kids naturally flock to him with their questions... Obviously he's just as confused as they are and doesn't know what to do.

Eventually bullies take over Perdido Beach... Which they have now nicknamed as the FAYZ- Fallout Valley Youth Zone- and there's a general struggle throughout the book about who should lead and who does what. Obviously, something has to be done- food perishes, and what are they going to do? Especially after they find a glass wall surrounding the town that burns at the smallest touch and won't break when someone throws something at it. And, like any other book that I like reading, there's a little romance in there.

I find this book so interesting because it's an idea of what would happen in this situation. Did I enjoy this book as much as the first time around? No, I think that I've read better written books. But I still want to know what's happening, and I'm well into the second book by this point. :) It's not much of a read if you like the classics, but if you like bigger books that don't require much thought... This is a good read for you.

Happy Reading!

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Share what's on your mind!

Template by:

Free Blog Templates