Read along with my buddy Gina: Gone by Michael Grant

Gone Gone Book One
Written by Michael Grant
Special Edition Published in Australia April 1st 2014
559 Pages
Thank you to Hardie Grant Egmont
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★★★★☆
In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young.

There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents, unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers, that grow stronger by the day. It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...
Sam temple was in history class when his teacher suddenly vanished. The same scenario played out in each classroom, and Perdido Beach was now adult free. Anyone aged fifteen and over has simply vanished, classrooms left empty, cars abandoned but still running, no internet or emergency phone services either. Deciding it'll be safer to travel together, Sam, best friend Quinn and Genius Astrid leave the confines of the now dangerous school, into the eerily quiet streets. Kids were wandering, scared or hysterical with no parents to go home to. Infants left inside their homes, the preschool children left without carers and little Pete, Astrid's autistic little brother, lost. But for Sam, the pending sense of annihilation had started weeks earlier, with a simple light inside his closet.

All over Perdido Beach, the streets tell the same story. Frightened children and teens stepping up and taking responsibility without question. From Albert who has taken over the abandoned McDonalds and Mary, who is caring for the infants at the day care center with her brother John. But the underage community now turns to Sam, who is known locally as a hero, making him an obviously leader. Until he kids from Coates Private Academy arrive.

Caine is the self imposed leader of the private academy, and is determined to take over the aptly named Fallout Alley Youth Zone. But with him, Caine brings a group of dangerous teens who aren't afraid to use a heavy hand, keeping the now small community in line with violence. But in Perdido Beach, these aren't any ordinary group of teens, and the power they wield may be their own demise.

Our Thoughts

Kelly

So we've both just finished our first Michael Grant novel together, and besides it being as thick as a doorstop, what did you think?

Gina

I really enjoyed it. It was definitely weird and unexpected, but in a really good way. I only had one major issue with the book, but other than that, it was addictive and definitely worth all the hype that it gets. What about you?

Kelly

I was a little hesitant to start, as all of the characters seemed far younger than what I was expecting. I knew what the book was about, but wondered how characters all under fifteen were going to keep my interest, it really surprised me though. But we both had the same issue with these teens and the roles their characters played. Did you find their ages believable?

Gina

I completely agree with the characters. I would have liked for the Gone age to be, at least 18 or 19. Most of the time, I would forget that they were all under 15, and think that they were older teens. Even though it's fiction, the ages are too unbelievable. I think the only character who suited their age was Quinn, I didn't like him at all, and he succumbed to peer pressure to stay out of trouble, which I would find believable for a kid that age, especially in the circumstances they were in. You didn't like Quinn either did you?

Kelly

I loathed Quinn. I understand that he was the token surfer, but who uses the word Brah? Is that slang for, I'm an idiot who can't talk properly? Maybe it's common with surfers, or morons. One person I did like was Caine, not his character as such, but he brought personality to a group of all too perfect teens and everyone needs a nemesis right? Apart from that, the storyline was pretty good, I admit that I couldn't put it down either. What did you think of Michael Grant's writing prowess?

Gina

Urgh! He was sooooo annoying. I think that might be why the characters are made to be older than 14, because if they were done as 14 year olds in that kind of situation, then they would all be Quinn's.

I really liked it. I loved how there was the short snappy sentences to emphasise points. Like 'She ate it. she ate it all', or however it goes. What about you?

Kelly

I really enjoyed them too. It sort of gave it a comedic feel in places, as it often came off as overly dramatic. Which is true for some teens even in the midst of everyone over fifteen vanishing, some can still create their own drama. What did you think of the public school kids verses the private school bullies?

Continue the conversation over at Behind The Pages.

4 comments

  1. Oh, I love this book. I love this entire SERIES. I just could hug them all and gently whisper, "There, there, it'll be okay...but THE ALIENS ARE COMING." I actually loved that they were so young. I really felt like it portrayed a really basic view of humanity, you know? How would kids react without adults? What kind of people are we without adults telling them what to do? It really fascinated me. And that sounds way more morbid then I meant. x)

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  2. Bahahahahahaha.
    THIS IS FUNNY!
    I didn't mind the slang so much when I read it but I did find it awkward.. like.... how about NO? (BRAH?)
    Off to read the second part of the conversation ^_^ (BRAH)

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  3. I still have to read this series since i've only ver heard good things about it! Glad you enjoyed it and i love the asutralian special edition cover :)
    Lily

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  4. I really enjoyed your discussion on this book ladies! I went and requested GONE as soon as I saw Cait's rave about it, so I'll keep in mind the warning about the ages. I like the mention of the writing style too.

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