Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Don't let go by Michelle Gagnon

Don't let go is the final book in a trilogy that started with Don't turn around and Don't look now so this review contains ***SPOILERS***  If you like to read series in order then read Don't turn around and Don't look now before reading anymore of this review.

Noa, Peter, Daisy and Teo are tired of running - and they are just plain tired.  It seems as though they have been running for months, and even though they always take care to cover their tracks Pike's men always seem to find them.  The constant running and hiding is taking a physical toll on all of them, but Noa is hit the worst and everyone is worried that something is very wrong.  They have been running for long that it has become second nature to stay off the grid and have back up plans and escape routes, and it is just as well because when one of you sleeps like the dead every second counts.  

After yet another close call sends them scurrying to safety, Peter latches on to the idea of finding out what is on the drives they stole - hoping beyond hope that they contain the information they need to stop PEMA in its tracks, and prove the Pike connection.  It is no easy task though, they have masses of data to wade through and they need a super computer to do the work.  Peter hatches a plan but it is not without its risks, and with Pike's men on their tail it is only a matter of time before they are captured.  Noa and Peter are risking their lives against an enemy that doesn't fight fair, but they are both fighting for something precious - Peter is fighting for Amanda, and Noa is fighting for her very life.

Don't let go is a satisfying conclusion to this interesting series.  I was not 100% convinced when I first picked it up, but after enjoying the rest of the series I decided to persevere and I am really glad that I did.  This has been an interesting series because it blends together several different "hot topic" genre - the dystopian element (a powerful entity exerting control on a small group), a science fiction element (supplied in the form of a nasty virus called PEMA), a thriller (a group of teenagers on the run against incredible odds), and the almost ever present coming of age story (following Noa, Peter, and Amanda).

There are some expected plot points here, some moments where the obvious had to be stated, but also some moments where you don't see what is coming around the corner until it hits you in the literary face.  This is a challenging read for younger teens, both because of the length of the book and because of some of the confronting content (kidnapping, death threats, cold blooded murder, etc...) but that is part of what makes this series so great, the fact that older teen readers get a treat.

I do feel that this series is best enjoyed when the books are read close together - and now that all of the books in the series have been released that is much easier to do.  Because I read these books as they were released, I sometimes had a kind of jolt trying to get back into the series because it essentially picks up straight where the last book left off - not so bad if you have just read the previous book, but not so good if you have been waiting months for the next book to come out.


If you like this book then try:

Reviewed by Brilla

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