THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 11 - 16)

I think that chapter eleven is a really interesting chapter in the book, because it really opens up a whole new side to Gilead that the reader hasn't yet been able to see, because of Offred's restricted view of the world. Looking back in previous chapters, we have seen that there have been rebels who have been executed for going against the system, and naturally you would think that this would deter people from committing these 'crimes' however in chapter eleven, it is more than apparent that this is not the case. There are definitely those who still attempt to rebel against Them and their new society.

Even the medical professionals who are responsible for making sure the handmaids are in full health as to be able to carry out their job; are not allowed to look at the handmaid's faces. This goes to show the restricted nature of Gilead; many medical professionals from our own time have admitted that they can only present a very restricted medical diagnosis is they cannot see the face of the patient. However, we later learn that for anything more than a sexual health check-up, the Handmaids are taken to a hospital which we hear incredibly little about. We are told nothing about what goes on in the hospitals, this is because Offred has so far never been to one of these hospitals and has possibly never been in contact with anyone who has and/or wishes to share their experience.

It is also in chapter eleven when Atwood really hammers it home how important getting pregnant to these women is. Offred genuinely considers accepting the help of this doctor, who is offering himself and his services to her so that she might conceive and not receive the fate of an Unwoman. Despite it being illegal and extremely dangerous, she still considers risking it to make sure that she fulfills her duty as a handmaid.
However, Atwood lures you into thinking that Offred is going to accept so when she turns his offer down, it comes as a slight surprise, not enough to throw you but just enough to make to have to step back and review the situation. This shows us that Offred is afraid that by accepting the doctors offer she will be giving in to the new world she is being forced to live in, doing anything to please her commander and fulfill her job; but by rejecting it, she is holding onto the little bit of her self control and herself. For Offred it can't all be about getting pregnant in anyway possible because then she does what she has tried not to do for so long; give in.

I think it is really effective that chapter twelve starts in the bathroom, as if the events at the doctors have left her feeling dirty and unclean. That she has had a bath immediately afterwards to wash away the unclean and illegal actions of the doctor. To remove every last speck of their conversation from her conscious.

The way she describes 'my nakedness is strange to me already' allows the reader to understand that not only has Gilead managed to alter society's view of women, but it has managed to to change women's view of themselves. In what appears to be a fairly short period of time; one, maybe two generations, women have stopped being comfortable in revealing clothing and makeup and now they are uncomfortable even in the bath with only themselves there. This is a really good example of what Aunt Lydia meant when she said 'This may not seem ordinary to you know, but after a time it will. it will become ordinary'. For so long, all the women have been forced to cover themselves from head to foot that now they cannot stand to be uncovered, even in front of themselves.

This bath time event acts as a trigger for Offred, causing her to think about her own daughter from the time before. However these are not happy memories. Initially she remembers her daughter being stolen from her in a supermarket, which allows us to sympathize with Offred because we know that her daughter has not been the only thing that was taken from her, but also her freedom and the rest of her family. She recalls thinking at the time that it was an 'isolated incident' which we know wasn't the case. This backs up the idea of the unreliable narrator, admitting that she got it wrong, so how do we know now, that elements of her life now are not being recalled incorrectly or that she wrongly informing us of things that are happening.

About half way through this interesting chapter, we learn that Offred has a small tattoo branding her with her new life and role, at the time when I read this I thought little of it, however in chapter twenty-four, Offred talks about the Nazi concentration camps and this allowed me to make the link. Prisoners in the concentration camps were branded with a tattoo of a number just as Offred has been in her world, signifying that Offred is in fact a prisoner, with orders to carry out and strict rules to stick to, or suffer the consequences.

Chapter thirteen is a nap section, which I believe in itself is unusual, throughout the rest of the book, it has always been Night sections that have been slotted in between the rest of the story, allowing us to alternate between the two, however this time rather than night, it is a nap which we are welcomed into by our narrator. Letting us see that they have some 'freedom' during the day. The same sort of freedom that Offred always seems to take full advantage from and her we are informed about the arrival of Moira; and the arrival of Moira also reveals even more information to us about the strict culture that has been forced upon them. She talks about how friendship are frowned upon and suspicious and her secret meeting with Moira reveal how strict the Aunts are even about small things like going to the toilet.

I find it interesting how, during her nap time, Offred is thinking about a nap time along time ago from when she initially started as a handmaid. Through out the rest of this Nap, Offred recalls (or dreams) about a number of different memories, she remembers being in her old apartment with everything packed into boxes apart from her clothes which are hung up in her wardrobe. I feel this is a really important part in showing Offred's current emotional and mental positioning. The fact that she doesn't recognize her own clothes in the wardrobe, isn't because she couldn't recognize them at the time, but because now, in Gilead, Offred has been conditioned to the ways of the world to such an extent that she can no longer remember or imagine herself wearing such clothing. Also the way she calls out to Luke and then as a side, say that it 'Occurs to me that he may not even be alive.' You would only think something like that looking back on it, not at the time the memory took place.
This in turn, triggers another memory, of her running through a forest with her daughter trying to escape, however she had drugged her daughter to keep her quiet, but that made it difficult to travel with her, it showed her that doing WHATEVER it takes doesn't always payoff, this could have been one of the reasons that she turned down the doctor on his offer, but this isn't the only time she admits to drugging her daughter as we see later on in the book.

Offred also reveals; whether on purpose or not, that she has been having the same dreams over and over again: Of all the dream, this is the worst.

Now then, I feel that chapter fourteen, fifteen and sixteen should be tackled as one element,especially as it is all part of the same Ceremony.

Before the Commander arrives, we see for the first time the smallest glimmer of compassion from the Commander's Wife; Serena Joy. Despite the fact that they are not aloud to read or watch any form of television, Serena Joy allows them to watch the news before the ceremony begins properly, however the way that she switches it off before the Commander arrives suggest that he himself is unaware of this that his wife is doing causes us to think that maybe, he also is hiding things from his wife, however at this point it is just an assumption. While all this is happening, the seemingly unimportant Nick (the car man) suddenly makes a move on Offred, Touching his toes to her and stirring a reaction in her which takes her by surprise, not only because what he is doing is forbidden, but also because she didn't realize that she could still respond to men in this way.

After the commander enters, the atmosphere seems to change quite dramatically, it goes from silent excitement and gratefulness to being extremely formal and serious. The commander has arrived and therefore, the proceedings can begin.

I'll admit that I'm struggling as with what to write in terms of chapters fourteen and fifteen, a lot of it is just seems to be Offred trying to postpone telling us about what happens in chapter sixteen. Its almost as if Offred is trying to get out of telling us what she has to go through by explaining the first part of the ceremony in such detail that it takes up two chapters.

I think this is very clever of Atwood because she has drawn out the wait for this moment for so long that when we do finally find out what Offred's purpose in this life is for, it hits us like a bomb shell.

When I initially read chapter sixteen it made me feel incredibly awkward and almost embarrassed at what I was reading. Sex is something that traditionally is kept between the two people involved, so the fact that three people are there is uncomfortable in itself, but as a reader I felt like I had walked in on something that I shouldn't have done. I think we can all agree that in this case, Atwood has definitely succeeded in creating some rather Avant Garde emotions in her reader.

The thing that made this the most uncomfortable for me was Atwood use of the word f**k. However, even though it is a word that I myself am uncomfortable with, I believe that it was the right word for Atwood to use and she explains it beautifully in the chapter itself.

I do not say making love, because this is not what he's doing. Copulating would also be inaccurate, because it would imply two people and only one is involved. Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven't signed up for.

I think that sums this point up to be honest with you.

Another point of interest for me was when Offred talks about the Commander not being as bad as the last one, which suggests that there is more than one man that she has been made to have sex with, which seems to contradict the so called christian nature of this society. So if this society is so religious, how can they permit it that woman can be forced to have sex with multiple men whoever they are assigned to? But then she talks about how this is the life she chose, it's almost like she's hedging it a bit, because in fact, it was either this life, of being sent to the colonies which was almost certainly resulting in a slow and painful death from radiation poisoning.

I think I will be glad to move away from this section of the book and move on, in a hope that something more positive is to come for Offred.... one can always hope.

THE DEAD HOUSE by Anne Cassidy

Wow! What a book. I must say that this has been one of the most thrilling and hooking books I have read in a long time.

Ten years ago, Lauren's mother and sister were murdered and an attempt was made on Lauren's own life. After the tragic event, Lauren moved to Cornwall with her Aunt Jessica and Uncle Donny, but now ten years later, circumstances have unfolded and brought her back to the London house where she lost her family. Throughout the novel we join Lauren on her hunt to find the truth about what really happened that night.

The best thing about this book for me is the way that there is more than one genre all rolled into this one, fantastic book. Teen romance, horror, mystery, family, crime all feature in The Dead House.

In addition to this, Cassidy has very cleverly slid in to plots into a single story, which makes for a very interesting read, because although Lauren's story doesn't affect Jess and Donny's, their story does have an incredible impact on how Lauren's story unfurls.

My favorite character through out probably has to be Donny. Despite that fact that he causes to much pain and anguish to Lauren's Aunt Jessica, I couldn't help but feel like he was the victim in this side story which runs parallel to the main plot of the story. I feel like you have all these stereotypical story book characters like like Lauren who is a survive trying to get on with her life, Nathan the night in shining Armour and Julie who is very much the girly best friend who is obsessed with anything male. Then you have regular old Donny who gets it wrong and tries to set things right, its a place we've all been in isn't it. You mess up big time and then you try your best to fix it up. I really like the way that Cassidy has given him human emotions rather than fictional. What I mean by that is, when he goes to fix things with Jess, he isn't all bravado and laid back, he's scared and nervous like any normal person would be.

I think that the way the chapters of the book are set out is really effective. As well as having the conventional chapters, the book is split into four part:

• House of ghosts
• House of memories
• House of revelations
• House of secrets

I think these four titles really reflect the way that Lauren's emotions progress throughout the book.

I have never been a fan of traditional clowns with all their makeup and costume, so this element of the story made it particularly spine tingling for me. Initially the motif of the clown appears occasionally during the first chapters however it soon becomes evident that it is much more than that. I think this works so well because Cassidy has taken something that many people fear and turned that fear into reality.

I found I was able to connect with Lauren on a basic level, in terms of the fact that she is very determined, and although I have never been through anything as horrific as Lauren went through, I understand how hard it was for her to change her mind about her Dad, in fact the author had so well made up MY mind that I wanted Lauren to stick to her guns and not give in to the idea that she might be wrong. When I make my mind up about something, it takes a lot to change it and I see this element of myself in Lauren.

I would highly recommend this book to all people young and old, that's the beauty of this book, it fits into so many categories that everyone can enjoy it!

FROM THE MOUTH OF THE WHALE by Sjon

If you're the kind of person that enjoys sitting with elderly folk and listening to the tales they have to tell from their former years, then this book is most definitely for you.

It is quite difficult to write about this book because there is no real plot to follow and the narrative extremely fragmented. However I think ths works well in the context of the story. If Sjon had followed a linear plot, I feel that the book would indeed have been much more boring than it otherwise was.

Poet and self-taught healer; Jonas Palmason has been exiled for some hereticle crime which is unknown until the end of the book. Jonas begins his tale talking to a Sandpiper who has joined him on his island, and throughout the year and a half that we accompany Jonas on his island he tells us stories from his past; how he met his wife, childhood ceremonies he was made to attend, escapades in trying to flee his exile, and in many ways I felt more like I was at the feet of my Grandfather, listening to his own tales and stories rather than sat reading a book. As his tale unfolds you begin to develop a respect for Jonas that you would normally find yourself feeling towards an elder or a Father.

This is very different to the contrasting hatred that I felt toward Ari Magnusson, who I felt abused his power and I felt it should have been him that was exiled on the island. When you juxtapose Ari with Jonas, it becomes very clear that they are two very different people. They both have power, Ari has the power through law and authority, whereas Jonas has the power of knowledge and speech. The thing that seperates these two men apart, is Jonas is very humble in his acknowledgment of his power where as Ari is very selfish and self centered.

The thing that mosts excites me about this book is the extravagant description that Sjon uses throughout the novel. I find it inspiring and I feel that it is this description that draws you through the book. My favorit example of this is actually in the prelude describing boar:

"But this huge-tusked boar was without doubt the most savage brute the north had ever snorted out of its icy nostril."

The other thing that I believe contibutes greatly to the success of this story is the use of Icelandic beliefe that has become a motif, popping up throughout the story. As it recurrs so frequently and the narrator keeps coming back to it time and time again, it gives the reason to hope and keep them willing that Jonas will survive his ordeal of exile. This is what makes it so heart wrenchingly terribly when Sigga (his wife) passes away. As a reader, you begin to almost pray that his God will protect him, hoping desperately that they will both survive, so when this doesn't happen and she dies, you feel let down and upset because Jonas has been let down by the one thing that all his hope and security has been held in all this time.

The only thing I must say that I didn't particulaly like was the fact that there are not chapter as such, just the whole book split into five seperate parts. I prefer reading with chapters as I dislike stopping half way through a chapter, however I think in this instance, it did not detract too much from this fabulose book.

I have very much enjoyed reading this book and would deffinately recommend this to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction and/or, as I said, just sitting and listening to tales of the past from our elders.

NB: Please excuse the missing accents above the letters in the Icelandic and Nordic names, I have yet to find out how to do this on blogger and will change it as soon as I know how to. Please comment if you know how to do this.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 7 - 10)

So at the end of chapter six we left Offred and Ofglen looking at the hanged men on the city wall on their way back to the houses they have been assigned to live in, and our Handmaid narrator recalls something that Aunt Lydia said, which proves to be rather unnerving.

"Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what we are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary".

Personally, I find this thought quite scary, the idea that everything that I once knew and did as part of my daily life, would soon become so far separated from who I am that it would no longer seem ordinary. By using this quote, Atwood had gotten deep inside the head of her reader, making them feel like the narrator, helping us deepen our connections with Offred.

However throughout the story, Atwood uses fragmented narrative. All the chapters are broken up with flashbacks, varying in the time of the memory, sometimes they are memories merely months old; recalling when she first started her new life as a Handmaid as we see on page 23, and some times they are much older, going back many years before the 'war'; such as when she remembers holding her daughter on page 73 later on in chapter twelve. Another way that Atwood achieves this fragmented narrative is to add chapters to the book when Offred isn't restricted to the ways of Gilead.

This is what we have in chapter seven. 'The night is mine, my own time, to do with as I will'.
Initially, as the reader I felt a sigh of relief when I read this first sentence because from the beginning I have wanted her to be able to have even a small time to herself, but that relief I felt for her was short lived as she goes on to explain that 'as long as I am quiet. As long as I don't move. As long as I lie still'. Even the time she is given to herself is controlled by the people who own her. But I feel that this is where Atwood most reveals the resolve of the Narrator; Offred. She uses this time to do what she is advised not to; she uses it to think, to dream, to be her own soul. This is also when we first meet Moira.

She also refers a lot to the reader in chapter seven more so than in the rest of the book, explaining the versatility of the word 'you' and how it can mean a number of different things, almost as if she is trying to catch the readers attention, like a plea for help, we are outside this society and therefore the only ones who can help her.

Chapter eight returns back to the main story-line where chapter six left off, looking at the bodies on the city wall (which have now been changed which indicates they have been waiting and watching a while).

When Offglen says to Offred 'it's a beautiful Mayday' it triggers another flash back to one of her discussions with Luke (her husband before Gilead) to the origins of the distress call 'mayday', this is just another example of Offred trying to retain her sanity in the midst of a culture where she cannot, think for herself or read or do anything remotely similar to her old life. She is clinging on to what is left of her old life and refusing to let go.This mention of 'mayday' and also 'SOS' could also once again be Offred's subtle attempting at calling out to the reader for help and salvation. However on page 59 when she sees the Commander out side her room, she actually refers to it as her room; her personal room, and she acknowledges that she calls it her room, which shows although she could be slipping into believing that this is a normal life, she still has the opportunity to stop herself from falling out of reality.

Chapter eight is quite long and covers a number of different settings, including the town, the kitchen with the Marthas and the hall outside of the room Offred has been assigned. We spend every little time in the town and the return journey to the house is very short and to the point, almost rushed which could reflect how They feel about the Handmaids being in the town with other people. Earlier we learn that the university has been shut down; this can implore the idea that 'knowledge is power' and university is a source of knowledge. This shows us that They don't want anyone to pose as a threat to their position of power. However people can also gain knowledge by talking to other people, so by controlling the language used and the topics of conversation which are acceptable between Handmaids, keeps the passing of information to a minimum. The short amount to time spent talking about the time spent in town and the journey home, also suggests that the people in charge, don't like the Handmaids to be away from their houses for too long.

This though is continued on into chapter nine, when Offred finally gives into the idea that it is her room and that if she is to keep hold of her sanity, she really must have somewhere to call her own, something more than just a hotel room, as she refers to it when she recalls exploring the room for the first time.  The fact that initially thought of it as a hotel room, showed that Offred had a glimmer of hope when she had first entered her current situation however the way that Atwood has juxtaposed the past and present, it is really clear that by accepting this 'hotel room' she has accepted that this new world is not a temporary measure and it is more than likely that she may never see the end of it.

Throughout the rest of the chapter, Offred talks us through the search of her room that she did, which I think is a very personal thing to do. This is the only place that she has to herself and she chooses to share that with us. Even down to the one thing that she is strictly forbidden to do; reading, when she finds those few words (Nolite te bastardes carborundorum), Even though Offred doesn't know what they mean, she still holds them very close to her, something that no one else knows about and that she can keep to herself, but even these she chooses to share with us.

Atwood uses another religious reference when she says, 'I saved the cupboard until the third day'. In the Christian belief Jesus rose again from the death on the third day after his crucifixion to bring salvation to man kind, I think this could be a metaphor that whatever Offred found in that cupboard and what ever those words mean, could be the key to her salvation from Gilead.

About half of chapter ten is about Offred remembering memories of her songs she used to sing with her other and also memories of chatting with Moira. Flitting between the two - past and present - ever couple of paragraphs. These past parts of the chapter are very familiar to us, not only because Atwood has written one similar to it earlier in the novel but also because it include things that we ourselves can relate to.

The other half of this chapter is Offred narrating her current situation. The way that Atwood describes and writes about the new summer dresses make them sound almost pleasant, and less like the habits that they are forced to wear as their uniform. Atwood's use of the word Things makes it very clear about how sexual behavior and harassment is felt about in Gilead. 'Such things do not happen to nice women', Linking this back to the comment that Aunt Lydia made about 'Freedom to and freedom from', we can see that this society is trying to convince Offred and the other Handmaids that they're much better off where they are now, than where they were before. They are selling Gilead to the women as a place where they are free from the harassment from men and they no longer have to be embarrassed by showing to much skin or being groped by old men because non of that will happen to them in Gilead.

I feel much happier now that I have a name for the Handmaid, although we will never find out what her real name is, I still this it is important that we can refer to her with a name, to treat her with the humanity that no one else does, however this just goes to show that to Them, she is nothing but an instrument in their wider plan.

Finally, in chapter ten, we really hear Offred's thoughts about the commander clearly for the first time. we get a description of his grey hair, 'silver you might call it if you were being kind'.  And the Handmaid also tells us about how she feels about him; where as you would expect her to feel anger, hatred and respect for this man she explains how she has a feeling for him she doesn't know how to describe, however makes a point of telling us that 'I don't know what to call it, It isn't love'.  this could be an indication that the narrator is hiding things from her audience and that she may possibly be unreliable.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (chapters 1 - 6)

Initial thoughts:

Even before I had been given a copy of the book, I had begun to form some initial thoughts and feelings about the book. Just on hearing the title of the book, my first reaction was to think I would be reading a period novel set in a medieval time period. I assumed it would be told from the point of view of a servant girl/maid who served the Queen/Duchess etc.... and we would be following the story of her life in the palace and we would endure her hardships together. However this could not have been further from the truth. Initially it stood out to me as a book that I would not normally pick up although I was not reluctant to read it and up to now I have been pleasantly surprised.

The book:

I have found the first chapters of the book rather overwhelming but equally I have found them incredibly interesting and intriguing. I feel that Atwood has been very clever in the way she has started this book. She provokes so many questions in the reader's mind that it leaves them no option but to carry on reading in order to discover the answers.

In my opinion, The Handmaids tale strikes me as a novel set in the future (although, there is no mention of a time period so far), and something has happened to society, causing it to take a step back in order for it to be able to move forwards.

In chapters two through six, we learn a lot about the environment and it seems that Atwood is gradually introducing us to this strange, new, dystopian world. In chapter two, the reader is still fairly familiar with the surrounding environment. 'A chair, a table, a lamp' are all things that we are familiar with and use in everyday life. However the fact that everything in the room has been modified to make it suicide proof is the first real clue that we get into the attitudes of the society that our main character is dwelling in. It suggests that the main character (who is still unnamed at this point), is living in a world where her own actions are being controlled by other people, it also point to the suggestion that these people don't trust her and that she is not here because she wants to be.

When 'The bell that measure time is ringing' and the Handmaid ventures out of her room in chapter two, Atwood begins to reveal the hierarchy of the society that the story is set in. When we first meet the Martha, it is immediately clear to us that she is of lower status than the handmaid however it is not immediately obvious why. It is only when the handmaid recalls the Martha Cora recall the fact that it could have been her if she hadn't had her 'tubes tied' we get the first inkling into why the handmaid might be here even if it is not to clear, this is supported later in the book when her and Ofglen are sent into town and they see the men in white coats still hanging from their nooses and they describe 'the placard hung around his neck to show why he had been executed: a drawing of a human foetus'. This indicates to the reader that these men were executed for carrying out abortions for women. This suggests that abortion is forbidden in this society and leads us to believe that this has something to do with the purpose of the handmaids. I say purpose because as the name of her partner suggests (Ofglen = Of Glen. Ofwayne and Ofwarren are other examples) these women no longer have a life of their own but they are owned by their commanders and are treated as so. Therefore, it can be concluded that the handmaid narrating the story will have a similar name to that of her partner.

The colours of each woman's dress also tells us a lot about who they are, what their job is and their position in in the sociological hierarchy.

The red dresses that the Handmaids are made to wear could represent women in scarlet, and seduction which inferences towards the job she has been given, yet not revealed to the reader. The red could also signify the fact that she is a possession of the Commander, she has a contract with him that cannot be broken; almost like a blood contract (blood red). Also this can be liked to page 18 when Atwood uses the phrase "Sister's dipped in blood". Nun's have an agreement with God to serve him, so likening the handmaids to Nuns, not only reflects the religious nature of the society, but it also suggests that they have a contract or an agreement with someone, to serve in some way.

The blue dresses that the Commander's Wives wear, represent their purity and the respect they expect to receive from the handmaids and the marthas. These blue dresses can be likened to the blue dress that the Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing.

Catholic and High church views are a recurring theme throughout the story so far and I believe that this will be no different as the story continues. Not only in the dress that the women are forced to wear, but also in the way that they are made to speak. 'Blessed be the fruit' is the preferred greeting between the handmaids and 'may the Lord open' is the preferred response, however other phrases such as 'praise be' are commonly used in conversation when such conversation is permitted to take place. The term 'blessed be the fruit' could be another nod towards the handmaids purpose and place in this society, Which I think we can now conclude has much to do with bearing children and children are often referred to as the 'fruit of the womb' in religious circles.

The thing I have noticed the most about these first chapters of the book, is that Atwood has used an incredible amount of inference to point towards major points in the book without actually giving to much away too early in the book.

The 'GONE' series by Michael Grant

Despite it being a series of six books, there is no way I could ever review them as individual books; it would be like trying to write a book review for on a chapter of Harry Potter or the first half of the Hobbit. The GONE series is less like a collection of book that follow on from each other, and more like one single story that is just too voluminous to be pack into a single book.

Initially I was reluctant to pick up the first book as I thought it was going to be below my usual reading level and I didn't want to think of myself as reading a book that was aimed and written for much younger people than myself. I now see what a terrible attitude this was to have. However, in the end it was the brightly coloured pages and the contrast between black and neon that drew me to the book and force fingers to turn the first page, and I must say that after the first page was turned, there was no stopping them.

When a melt down happens at the nuclear powerplant, Little Pete Ellison uses his unknown power to create the FAYZ, a 'protective' barrier around Perdido Beach and all of its residents. However in his ignorance, Little Pete teleports everyone aged fifteen and over outside the dome, leaving hundereds of children to fend for themselves in a world riddled with mutant creatures. Fortunately, Sam Temple steps up to the plate and takes the role of mayor in this very different town. Through out the story, you will follow these children as they prematurely become young adults, as they fight to survive the FAYZ.

The thing that shocked me the most about these incredible books if the connections that you create with the characters and the way these feelings change so dramatically. The best example of this would be the connections I made with the character 'Diana Ladris'. Diana is the girlfriend and companion of the sociopath Caine. At the start of this journey I hated Diana with everything I could muster within me. I thought she was an evil witch who would do anything to get her own way or allow Caine to get his. This is very much how she was for the first three to four books in the series. I despised her character and genuinely wished ill of her if there was ever a battle or an argument between her and Caine. I wished for Caine to use his mutant telekinetic powers to destroy her in some brutally horrific way that would cause her to suffer as much as the people she herself had damaged. However when she becomes pregnant and leaves Caine to live with Sam (the other main character (the good one)), I began to truly believe that maybe she had a good seed in her heart that just needed nurturing in order to flourish. It was then I began to feel bad at myself for being so hostile towards Diana and not giving her a chance to show herself for who she really was when she didn't have Caine to perform for twenty four hours a day. I thought the way the Grant lures you into thinking to that you can trust her and that she is a changed woman, is very clever. He appeals to the human nature of his readers. It doesn't matter that you hated her before and that you wanted her dead, now she is pregnant and our own human instinct is to look after and care for this person so that they don't die and the don't get hurt; just by changing one element of Diana's situation, Grant has cleverly turned our opinion of her on it's head.

Later on in the story though, when Diana gives birth to her child, the baby is taken over by the Gaiaphage which takes the baby to use as its own body. Understandably Diana follows that dark and evil creature, following her newly found mothering instincts to look after what she believes is still her baby girl. Even though as a reader I understood that Diana couldn't possibly tear herself away from her child, I still felt deeply hurt and disappointed in Diana  that she had turned and followed the Evil one. I really felt like I'd been let down, as if I'd put my trust in a close friend and they had turned they're back on me. This really knocked my opinion of Diana for the rest of the story and even right at the end when Sam and Astrid (his girlfriend) offer hospitality to Diana, I still felt unsure of her however, because Sam had been the leader and the hero from the beginning I felt obliged to trust his judgement and not to question his decisions as after all, they were the reason so many people had survived the FAYZ.

This deep connection that I built with many of the characters, lead me to start thinking in the same way as the children trapped beneath the barrier. At the start I desperately wanted them to escape so they could be with their parents again, but as the story progressed and I journeyed with the characters, I almost became adverse to the idea of the of the FAYZ wall coming down. The young people had learnt to build a society on their own and I as a reader had been there with them while they had committed atrocities that would appear outrageous and worthy of various prison sentences to the outside world, however being there with them, I understood that these children had no other choice and that the majority of them only did what they had to in order to survive. I wanted the wall to come down only because no one would survive very long unless it did. I was scared for the young people because I knew the outside world would not understand what had happened and they would try and prosecute and drag them through councelling and various therapies. The people who had survived the trauma of living in the FAYZ would not get the medals and the heroic welcome they deserved so badly.

Right at the end of the final book, after the acknowledgements, Grant wrote a short letter to his readers, thanking them for reading his books and taking the time to take the journey with Sam, Astrid, Diana, Caine and all the others. During the letter he explains that the main thing he wanted to achieve was that his readers would be able to feel for the characters and feel as if they were really there with them.

I feel that the author has achieve his goal many times over in the course of these books, and I feel that this is only emphasised by the fact that each relationship between reader and character is completely unique from any other one.

Finally I would just like to add that I would highly recommend this series to just about anyone, no matter how old you are.

This book probably should not be read by people who feel strongly against children being exposed to violent and life threatening situations.