In a world filled with manipulation, who can you trust? “The 5^th Wave” by Rick Yancey is a sci-fi narrative set in a desolate future. When aliens attack mankind, survivors call these attacks “waves”. The first Wave took out half a million humans, the second wave killed even more, whilst the next wave (three) caused four billion deaths. Then came wave four where aliens disguised themselves as humans and invaded earth, which now leaves the fifth and final wave.

Cassie, the main heroine’s dad dies when she is at camp and she is forced to take on a parenting role for her brother but he quickly goes missing so she goes looking for him and is forced to run from the danger. But is the real threat human or alien?

I believe the book dragged out and I also could not get attached to any characters because who knows if they’re really humans or aliens. Finally, it was wasted potential as I felt like the story idea is great and it’s an amazing thought experiment that makes you question our society.

I felt like this book would be more suitable for people who like reading longer, drawn out books. Long books such as Harry Potter and Hunger Games are good but they twist and have an interesting story but ‘The Fifth Wave’ should have been way shorter as it has less twists and turns and is, worst of all, boring. It dragged out and was long and I didn’t get attached to any characters because they may be an alien. Overall I give it 3/10.

Flynn D., Year 8.5