The Twelve, by Justin Cronin
The sequel to The Passage, The Twelve
takes place more than a century after the initial effects of Project NOAH. It is
set in a fortified enclosure in which some of the last remnants of humanity call
their home. Surrounded by floodlights and concrete walls, it nevertheless needs
some people to venture outside the walls to gather supplies and maintain the
giant windmills that power the place, and more importantly, keep the floodlights
on. Everything starts with the arrival of a young girl, who was there a hundred
years ago when the first virals/jumps/shades/vampires were unleashed upon the
world.The Twelve, by Justin Croning, at its start at least, has a very City-of Ember-ish vibe to it. There are a couple young protagonists in a city, powered by a failing source, surrounded by inhospitable darkness. But the characters know what lies outside the walls, and what's more, they know how it can be killed. I still love The Twelve, but in a much different way than its predecessor. I like how it switches from a tale of destruction to more of an adventure through a dystopian Southern California filled with monsters. I also think the addition of the divine elements was a good idea: it provides a welcome contrast to the evil hunger of the vampires and seems to fit in well in a world filled with creatures that are described almost as supernatural.
Reviewed by Adrian G., grade 12
Grandview Library
Comments
I enjoyed reading this book, but it was kind of a letdown compared to The Passage. The action was top notch and the characters all seemed very realistic (just like in the previous book), but the story felt disjointed- there were a lot of pointless parts and some parts didn't seem to have much to do with the story. Especially compared to the previous book, it's not as good. However, I still recommend reading it if you have read The Passage and enjoyed it, as it continues the story on very interestingly. Overall, I still do recommend the novel
Reviewed by NK, Grade 10
Montrose Library