The Shade of the Moon, 4 (Last Survivors, #4)

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

[nitzan_schwarz]

YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG

PART ONE - PRICK JOHN
While this book is probably my second favorite in the series, it's also the one with which I had the most complicated relationship with.

For the majority of the first half of the novel, I hated it. Not the novel itself, per se, but the reality it was portraying. I felt angry while reading this novel, which I think was very intentional, because our protagonist, Jon, was appalling with his flawed and aggravating thought process, degrading his own family to, essentially, sub-humans. Feeling entitled when he should've been a "grub" himself. Doing all those awful things to be part of the elite, even while he knows they will never truly regard him as one of them. I wanted to literally smack some sense into him on more than one occasion.

First-Half Jon was a big, fat prick.

So, yeah, I wasn't too thrilled about that. And if that's not enough, we have yet another insta love in this installment, this time between Jon and a newbie named Sarah. A le sigh. At least this time I somehow shipped the two of them, even though they were fighting about 90% of the time.

And how could they not? Sarah was a lovable character who stood for what was right and wasn't afraid to say and do the hard things, and Jon was... still prick-Jon. And a prick-Jon who followed orders to keep his position (while still somehow thinking he's above everyone else), so I guess he needed to get a fix somewhere... I hope my bitter isn't showing too much.

The only upside to the first half of the novel was that I finally shipped Alex and Miranda. It took seeing their relationship through someone else's eyes and knowing in the back of my mind that they've been together for about three years at this point for me to finally buy it. Too bad the really interesting conflict between them happened off screen.

On the family front, two things happened. First, can we just talk for a second about how Hal deserved better than being a footnote in this story?? Second, Carlos is a major a-hole. In the last novels, I was kind of disappointed we didn't get to meet this character and judge him for ourselves, as he sounded kind of dick-ish, but I wasn't sure whether our image of him got distorted because we were reading Alex/Miranda's view of him. It wasn't it. He's just a dick.

PART TWO - THANK GOD
Can I get an amen? the second half of the novel was wonderful. It made me love Jon--finally!--as his character developed and evolved, taking the blinders off and finally seeing. It made me cry my eyes out, smile, and respect everyone involved for being able to hold on to their hope even in the face of the worst of situations.

Warning: shit happens. Bad, bad shit. It was nice to see that while this novel wasn't about the end of the world but rather on re-building humanity... and how badly that endeavor could be screwed... this stayed the same. Or I mean, really really not nice but there you go. People die, and humans are proven to be the cruelest of animals, but so long as there are people who would fight and rebel for what's right, we can win.

It was poignant, heartfelt, and somehow hopeful, making for a story I couldn't put down.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: IT'S COMPLICATED
The thing is, I'm really conflicted about this series as, well, a series. On the one hand, I kind of wish Pfeffer left it with just that first, perfect novel. Life as We Knew It worked, and arguably didn't need this saga it developed into.

But at the same time, another part of me wants a fifth novel, about this new community and how things evolve from there, perhaps from Opal's pov, who is a character I feel was largely underutilized.

And how could those two things exist in the same head at the same time is a complete mystery...


Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr


unedited thoughts
This book and I had a really complicated relationship.

I practically HATED the first half of the novel. John's thought process was appalling, and I wanted to smack some sense into him on multiple occasions. Calling people grubs, when your family is on of them and you would have been if not for a grub? Feeling entitled just because you got lucky? Doing all those awful things?? URG. I did not like that first half Jon.

And to add that another insta love, this time between Jon and Sarah, and you have a very unhappy me. Especially since this insta love - while I did ship it because I loved Sarah and how she fights against everything that she finds wrong - was one of which the two fight more than not. But at least they knowledge their relationship is 87% fighting. I guess they like to argue with each other. Probably because Jon doesn't argue with anyone and instead follows orders in order to keep his position, while still thinking himself above everyone else. Oops, is my bitter showing?

The only upside to the first half was that I FINALLY shipped Alex and Miranda. It's much easier to believe their love after they had had three years to build it, and through someone else's eyes.

Also, can we all just admit that HAL DESERVED BETTER than to be a footnote in this story????

The second half of the novel was much, much better. WONDERFUL BETTER. Crying my eyes out better. Finally loving Jon better. Jon started opening his eyes to reality. To the unfairness of the situation, to how Clavers were not above other people, but had no problem acting this way. About how "Grubs" are people, and giving excuses to why it was okay to treat them as sub-humans is disgusting.

Bad things happened in the second half, which I had come to expect from this novels. Up until that point, I kind of felt I was reading a different story than the first three books. Three novels about the end of the world, and then one about the construction of human life again... and how bad it was made.

People died in this novel. Again. Prejudices were met head on, minds changed, and human nature still leans toward cruelty... but so long as there are people who will fight it and what's right, it can be conquered.

I'm really split about my opinion on this series. A part of me wishes it had been just the first, perfect novel. Without the whole of Alex's story, and the annoying insta loves, and the drastic change in tone to Enclaves and Grubs. Another part of me wishes for it to be another novel, perhaps from Opal's POV, about life in this new community and how things evolve from there.

So, yeah. Relationship Status: Its Complicated.