Okay, let's do this a little differently this time because, even though I'm freaking out about this book I think I should at least let you know what it's about before I give my short review. And then the spoiler filled one that I suggest NOT reading until you've read this book.
Like seriously.
MERMAIDS.
That is all.
Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s only hope of survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.
Does that not intrigue you??
It should. But to be honest I wasn't the one who bought this book... I had gone to a book signing for a few authors at my most favorite place to go to: Books of Wonder. They are literally THE BEST place to go to meet a bunch of authors, especially if you need suggestions on what to read next.
And so I went. And there he sat, Michael Buckley, and after listening to what he had to say I turned my face towards my father with puppy dog eyes as wide as saucers... and he rolled his eyes and bought me my own copy. So it's been sitting here. For quite some times now. And so I read it.
And loved it.
You've got Lyric Walker who is the most bad-ass girl I've read about - I should specify, she WAS a bad-ass girl before the arrival of the Alpha. She's still smart, and a "wild thing," but she's more timid, more hide-in-the-crowd now. SECRETSSSSSSS
Also you've got the Alpha who are like a bunch of sea creatures with legs. I'm totally serious. Like one looks like a jellyfish, one looks like coral, one's got barnacles growing on them, another with suction cups on their chest. Like seriously. It's awesome.
And then there's this war between them and humanity... sort of. Not really. But you'l find out!
SO. Go and read this please!!! My overall rating is 4 Stars.
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Below this line my review is FILLED with spoilers. So please, go and read, come back, and then see what you agree with. What you disagree with. If you loved it tell me. If you hated it tell me. BUT GO AND READ THIS. It's worth the read.
OK! Whew, not that that's over I'm done. I have nothing left to say.
Except, well, EVERYTHING.
Story - It kept me interested, to say the least. You've got this girl who suffers from awful migraines (I feel your pain, Lyric) and she's got her mom and dad and a bestie named Bex, and they live in Coney Island. Inside the Zone. Because they can't leave.
That sucks.
And the reason they can't leave? Three years ago the Alpha walked out of the sea and onto the beach. And they haven't left. And they refer to themselves as the First Men. Why? I don't know. They're more like fish than man, but whatever. They're awesome and powerful and fight like non-stop. All the time. Because they're warriors.
Insert eye roll here.
Anyways, Her BFF Bex comes from an abusive home, theirs a gang called the CI9 - the Coney Island Niners (named after nine soldiers who died in their first contact with the Alpha) - and they are a hate group. There's no way around it. They are a hate group filled with thugs. And they begin recruiting children in the school. Why? Because the Alpha are being allowed to attend.
And then there's Governor Bachman. That Witch. (Subtract the W add the B, if you know what I mean.) And she's all like "We need to keep them out!" and "They're filthy animals. We don't educate our dogs."
Some really messed up stuff.
And of COURSE Lyric is chosen for a secret project: Help the Alpha prince, Fathom, to become more HUMAN. That's right, because what's wrong with being their people? Nothing except everything. They might have a society and culture and language and religion, but they don't want to adapt our culture? THE HORROR!!!!!
Anyways... to make this a bit short, let's sum this up: Everything is going ok and then a shooter comes into the school, shutting it down, and then Bex gets with their other BFF Shadow, and Lyric helps the Prince still until they get jumped, and then Shadow gets jumped by Bex's cray CI9 step dad who beats her and dies, and so they go back to school and her and Fathom have a hot and steamy make out sess (YESSSSSS) and then the Niners are allowed back in school (because they've been getting arrested but Bachman - witch - brings them back which results in one of the Alpha kids getting beat up. So she kills the human child, as is their way of life (Like I said, ALWAYS FIGHTING) and then goes missing. And then the Governor releases a news story about Lyric. Because her mother is Alpha, Sirena to be exact, and that makes her a half-breed.
And so they get jumped, and they run, but the father gets injured in a car accident. So they go to the Alpha for protection but - not surprising - Lyric's mom is a traitor to her people and needs to prove her innocence. Which apparently she doesn't. So she ends up having to fight to the death against the Prime. But Fathom fights for him. And so Lyric fights on behalf of her mom and they slip this awesome gold glove on her hand and she can CONTROL THE WATER. LIKE WTH BECAUSE THAT IS AWESOMEEEEEEE.
And so you find out the the true enemy are these weird creatures that were the lower class of the Alpha world: the Rusalka. They're like toads with legs and claws. And you also learn that the Prime is stark-raving-mad. Like total psycho. And then they invade but Lyric and a few of them escape to go find the Alpha (and the half-humans children) that have been taken captive.
And that's it.
My issue was that there were some events that were mentioned, and then never spoken of again. I'm sorry, if a shooter came into my school with GRENADES I would still be talking about it. Same with a few other events. So I have to take a half star away from the total because of it. Which makes me super sad because I REALLY liked this book.
4/5
Characters: I NEEDED the physical descriptions of the characters. And I'm sad to say that, if there was one, I don't remember it. It was never addressed again. Like the author never said Bex brushed her brown hair back, or gold hair, or anything to remind us of what they looked like. No eye color, nothing.
Otherwise you have another "pants" situation. For those who don't know, a couple of years ago this Blog (I can't remember the name of it at the moment but will add it when I find it) posted a review of Twilight, and compared Bella to a pair of pants because her lack of physical description allows the reader to just slip on those pants and pretend it's them. I need to take away a half star for this because I feel like it's so important. But otherwise the characters were flushed out enough for their personalities to shine through.
Like she ISN'T Bella because she actually has a spine. And a mouth. And she's not okay with a 117 year-old stalker who watches her sleep. But I digress.
4/5
World: It was perfect. I could picture this world, especially since I just went to Coney Island recently and realized where everything was. So that was awesome. And I could totally picture the Alpha on the beach, living in a ghetto of sand and scrap, junk.
And the FEAR is palpable in this book, running the show from the get-go. It was intense and yet I BELIEVED it. I wanted to punch people. I cried for others. (SHADOW!!!!! ::wails in the distance::)
5/5
I'm actually going to combine Writing and Originality in this one because they worked hand in hand to create a unique story with beautiful language.
"I am not without fear, but my curiosity gets the best of me every time. I leap from my bed, pull up the blackout blinds, press my face against the windowpane, and squint hard before they melt back into shadows. Like most nights, I am too late. They're here and then they're gone, like lightning bolts stabbing at the flesh of night. The only evidence they were here at all is the ragged wound in the peace and quiet.
"But there's still plenty to see. From not far behind comes a mob of men and boys armed with bats and booze, our neighborhood's self-appointed guard dogs. They bark threats and give chase. And then, to close the show, here come the police with their lights and squealing squad-car tires. An amplified voice demands that everyone clear the streets, while a helicopter hovers overhead, poking into backyards and abondoned lots with its frantic spotlight. I hear a gunshot. Pop! Then more. Pop! Pop!
"It's after curfew in Coney Island."
Beautiful imagery brings this book to life, and the way it's executed is delightful.
5/5
Overall I have to grudgingly give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I wanted to give it more, but I can't. But yeah, this is my review of "Undertow." Yes, I already bought the sequel. Of COURSE I did.
Did you expect anything less?
I feel like I keep reading great books one after another.
It's amazing.
My next read is actually a sequel to a book I read when it had first come out: "the King Slayer" by Virginia Boecker. I had read "the Witch Hunter" in June of last year shortly after meeting the author, and I'm so excited for part two!!!!!
So for now I have to say goodbye.
Until next time.
And I swear, I won't be as tired as I am now.
(I had dreams of fish people that had me tossing and turning. DAMN YOU MICHAEL BUCKLEY FOR WRITING A BOOK WITH FANTASTIC DESCRIPTIONS!!!
But, like, don't stop writing.)
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