It is REALLY hard to talk about these books without giving away major plot points. That being said, I’m starting to get the hang of who’s going to become a “collaborator” (one who works in the best interests of the ghouls). It’s a very simple formula, one that I think just about anyone would catch after the first book–if the group has to leave you for dead (for the sake of the groups’ safety), or if you’ve been ditched/voted off the island for being a rapist or a murderer (yes,there is literally a fortified island) then chances are, you will become a collaborator and reveal secrets and routines of the island/the people on said island.
Guess what? I still don’t care that it’s a little (ok, a lot) formulaic, I’m still loving this series and I’m breezing through a book just about every other day. True, this does require that I lock myself in the bathroom and reply when my kids knock,”Mom’s not here, Mrs. Torrence” but they eventually go away because The Shining reference confuses their tiny minds. The formula gets a little twist in book 3, and for that I’m grateful. Strong women continue to abound in these books even though Sisavath spends way too much time focusing on their physical attributes (it reads like the author is leering at them). In this book,with our best SWAT man Will off attempting to secure badly needed medical supplies leaving his girlfriend (and 3rd year medical student) Lara, in charge. Even though Danny (the other SWAT team guy), is there, they unanimously vote Lara the boss because while others may shoot better; she’s smarter and more tactical than all others on the island.
Within minutes of having everyone’s life placed in her hands she has to decide whether or not the newcomers/another group of survivors can be trusted. Are these good people? Or are they attempting to take over the island and all the precious resources stored for survival? The reader gets to watch as Lara makes her decision and the consequences that come from it. Meanwhile, while attempting to acquire the medical supplies Will and Gaby (the 19 year old former homecoming queen turned bad ass sharp shooter) are separated and both make shocking discoveries and separately come very close to dying in the process. (Again, this is really, really hard to talk about because I feel like everything is a spoiler since the plot continues in the following books). In previous books the group discovered that the ghouls were maintaining “blood farms” (humans in a catatonic state that were used for feeding purposes). These have all disappeared and have been replaced with something much worse and possibly more detrimental to the human race. The kicker? The gang knows the head collaborator on the project!Dun, dun, dun!
So will Will and Gaby reunite and make it back to the island? Will they even survive the night? Will Lara make a good leader and what’s to be done with the new survivors? What will Gaby do with the knowledge of who the collaborator is? Most importantly, what the heck are the ghouls up to in their latest endeavor? These questions do get answered, but you’d have to read to find out!
Expect the next review soon, I’m plowing through book four! I am a sucker for a series,this is very clear to me now.
Your “Mrs Torrence” bit killed me. I used to do almost the exact same thing, but I used my finger, like Danny in the movie. And it freaked those kids out. Nice work.