Monument 14: Sky on Fire Author: Visit Amazon's Emmy Laybourne Page | Language: English | ISBN:
0312569041 | Format: PDF
Monument 14: Sky on Fire Description
From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up–This action-packed sequel to Monument 14 (Feiwel & Friends, 2012) is darker and more suspenseful than the original.. It begins with a note to “whoever finds this,” which reacquaints readers with the characters and plot of the first book. They are then plunged back into the chaos of postapocalyptic Colorado, without a moment lost between the ending of the first book and the beginning of the second. Brothers Alex and Dean are back, alternating chapters with their clear, riveting narratives. Alex, 13, and half of the contingent of children and teens sheltered at a Greenway superstore, set off on a bus to find medical help for severely wounded Jake and a rescue party for those left behind. Dean, 16, remains with the rest, those whose blood type causes them to become psychotic in the post-disaster air. Both Dean and Alex are no longer the children who boarded the school bus on the fateful day the world changed. Their childish optimism has gone. They are both world-weary and have matured, but neither one is fully prepared for the events that befall him in this survival tale. As the days and tragic events mount, patience and tempers wear thin, creating a realistic but less appealing group of characters. The well-paced plot leads to an ending that provides just enough closure to satisfy and a clear opening for a third book. Libraries that own the original need the sequel. Those without it should consider purchasing both titles.–Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CTα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
From Booklist
The toxic cloud released in Monument 14 (2012) split our struggling group of kids into two factions: those like Alex, 13, who are using the junked school bus in hopes of reaching the Denver airport, where supposedly assistance awaits; and those who remained barricaded inside the superstore, including Alex’s 16-year-old brother, Dean. There is some hastiness to Laybourne’s prose here, but the trade-off is a fair one: the split point of view accelerates the drama as the bus is hijacked, the superstore breached, and certain characters learn to use their toxin-induced homicidal rage to reach their goals. Pretty darn breathless by the end. Grades 8-11. --Daniel Kraus
See all Editorial Reviews
- Series: Monument 14 (Book 2)
- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 28, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0312569041
- ISBN-13: 978-0312569044
- Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6 x 0.8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Sky On Fire is a great second instalment in the Monument 14 series. I am happy to report that I enjoyed it just as much (OK, maybe even a little bit more) than the first book. In this gritty and blood-chilling tale of survival, Emmy Laybourne takes us on yet another wild roller coasted ride filled with scenes of true epicness, including a chainsaw massacre moment and a bus ride through hell on earth.
The second book picks up exactly where the first one left off. The kids are no longer together. The hiding place at the local Greenway supermarket is no longer safe. Bad things happened there, one of the kids got shot and he requires immediate medical attention in order to survive. And so the kids decide that it's time to take matters into their own hands and try their luck on the road. Their plan is to get to Denver International Airport where the government has set up an evacuation centre. Not all the kids can go, though. The moment they breathe in the toxic air, those with B blood type turn into bloodthirsty monsters. They decide to stay behind and wait for the others to get help. Separated, mentally and physically exhausted and terrified beyond words, the kids from Monument continue to fight for survival.
Sky On Fire is definitely an exciting and entertaining addition to the series. I had a lot of fun reading this book, though I was also a little bit disappointed to see that there wasn't much improvement in terms of character development. Like in the first book, the plot was filled to the brim with gasp-worthy action sequences and unexpected plot developments. There were no slow moments or boring passages. Quite honestly, at times reading this book felt more like reading a script for a Hollywood action movie.
I’m not sure if I can call this book the last book, because the ending leaves it open potentially for a third book. I enjoyed Monument 14 because it was a quick read with a concept that I have always considered, what would I do if something awful happened. Where would I go? This book was, for some part, the best case scenario, it was also pretty bad with the whole air making people crazy and whatnot, but still a really great concept. When we ended the last book, the group had decided to split up with most of the group going to attempt to make it to Denver and the rest staying in Greenway. Dean gave his brother Alex a notebook to tell the story of the group that traveled to Denver.
Everyone sort of guessed that Alex would be telling the tale of the group that left, and that was exactly what happened. We were given this glimpse into what was going on with them, and they did not have it easy as they tried to escape. I didn’t find it that shocking that they were na?ve about everything because, lets face it, they were kids, and there is only so much forward thinking that they were able to do and only so many variables that they were able to take into consideration. I wish that Alex’s tone had differed more from Dean because they both seemed to write the same way. There were some differences like that Alex was a little more blunt about things.
In this book we did get the added benefit of a romance kindling. Astrid and Dean were seemed the Mommy and Daddy of the group for the little ones. I felt that there wasn’t enough for me to feel like their relationship had any solid ground to stand on. There was Dean’s long time crush and then Astrid was just a bitch about everything.
Monument 14: Sky on Fire Preview
Link
Please Wait...