Barely Alive

Melissa Nicolas

Alive
By Scott Sigler

Submerged in the shadows and engulfed in the darkness, what would can one do when they wake up on their twelfth birthday, chained down and completely in the dark. A young girl awakens chained in a coffin completely in the dark and has no idea how she came to be like this and has no memory of who her family is or even her name. With all the strength she can muster she breaks free of her casket. To realize she is in a room filled with a dozen casket with bodies waiting to be awoken. The only information she knows is that her name must be M. Savage because it was in her coffin and that she is definitely not twelve years old. Soon she becomes the leader of a whole bunch of other kids who have no idea what's going on either. From what I've read, this book has been completely captivating because it isn't a typical thriller. It isn't thrilling at all. The majority of the beginning is encompassed by an anxious feeling. The characters of the novel are in shock. Something very strange and terrifying has happened to them and their memories have my seriously altered. Everything about the plot of this book is fascinating but I do not believe it would be everyone's cup of tea. I warn readers that the book is very slow paced and events happen slowly. The characters are basically trapped underground there isn't much they can do to change their situation. My recommendation goes to people who are more interested in science-fiction books. Books that often have a bit of mystery and suspense. There is a bit of a romance transpiring between the two main characters in the book but this certainly isn't a romance novel so if that is what you're looking for I highly recommend you find another book.

Yong is the fifth character to be awoken in their chamber of obscurity. The only information the audience knows about him is his race and his last name. That is all the other characters know about each other. I personally really relate to Yong because he was very combative Savage, the protagonist. Savage instantly takes the role of being the leader of the pack but Yong is not so eager to be controlled. I would be the same in this situation. I certainly would be scared but I also wouldn't like to have someone believe they're the boss and have all the answers when they are just as lost as me. Yong is sarcastic and funny but extremely guarded and I find myself having some of the same qualities so I really like this character. " His arms are crossed again, his head is tilted slightly to the right. He is a walking challenge, daring anyone to contradict him. Something about his presence promises pain" (Sigler 41). Another thing about this book that personally affects me is how the idea is to run and survive when you're not entirely sure what you're running from. This makes this book a sort of mystery and I have always been drawn towards mysteries. There is an obvious goal trying to be met by these kids but they're not sure how they're going to accomplish it and how they ended up in this position. These components make this book unpredictable and I thoroughly enjoy a book that isn't predictable." Someone please help me, this is...' my breath catches. I don't know my own name" ( Sigler 4).

Once more I stress readers that love science-fiction and some mystery this book is perfect for you. It will always keep you interested. It is filled with relatable characters. I would gear the audience to be a bit younger than the average adults, teens and young adults would much prefer the content of the book. Adults might find the content trivial and unrelatable since there isn't one adult in the book so far.