Plague (Gone, #4)

by Michael Grant

[clementine]

I really can't believe how high this book's average rating is. Maybe I'm more discerning than the average reader, maybe I'm pickier, maybe I'm pretentious. But I really think Michael Grant is a bad writer. That struck me as I read the very first page of [b:Gone Gone 1|2536134|Gone (Gone, #1)|Michael Grant|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266904868s/2536134.jpg|2543657]. It almost impeded my ability to finish that book. I did, though, and I enjoyed the story, so I read the second and third books within the next few days.

I didn't get around to starting Plague until two days ago, because I've had a bunch of other books that I quite frankly was looking forward to much more. I was somewhat surprised by Plague. I thought the writing style had improved, but it was still a textbook case of telling instead of showing, very bare bones writing.

Plot-wise, the book was really good. That's what I enjoy about this series - the plot is really great. Very exciting, never dull. It never drags. I want to keep reading once I actually start. Grant introduces a lot of horrifying and creative plot twists, creatures, and ideas that keep the books fresh. This one was no exception: the bugs that hatch out of humans, killing them were a great addition and allowed for a cohesive plot. I appreciate that he's pushing the boundaries in terms of some of the more disturbing content in a YA series.

The characters were flat, as they always have been. We get these shells of characters, with a few traits, their archetype (the leader, the villain, the healer), and their motivation. However, none of them are complex, and I care more about Lana's dog Patrick surviving than anyone else. Another thing that annoys me is how he only seems to introduce a new character if they're going to die. Overall, I think Grant relies a lot on the shock factor to carry his books, as I don't feel at all invested in the characters and the writing style bothers me so much.

I know this seems contradictory, but I actually would recommend this series to a lot of people, because I think the story is really interesting and exciting. I'm not saying they're fantastic books, but they're definitely an entertaining read.