Scott Sigler: Alive

Scott Sigler takes a reader to answer the question what would you do if you could not remember who you are? Would you rise above or fade to the background:

Em awakes to a stinging sensation in her neck and finds herself stuck in a coffin. She is extremely confused, she knows today should be her twelfth birthday and she should be celebrating with her family. But she has no recollection of who she is, where she comes from or even her name. When she is able to break out of her coffin, she discovers there are more in this strange room than just hers. So begins a journey of Em and those who have also survived as they try to remember who they are, where they came from and how long they were in the coffins for and why. Em's about to embark on a journey of not only self discovery but survival as well.

This book almost became a DNF book for me. I really struggled through the first half of the book, in not only connecting with the characters but also trying to figure out what where Sigler was planning on taking the story. One of my main issues with this book and why it almost became a DNF is that in the first 100 pages all the are really doing is walking in straight line, with a little bit of interactions with each other but they just keep walking never really going any where. This was just a boring and it was hard to hold my attention.

As the main characters in this book do not have any memory of their time before, I found it hard to get attached to them. You get to know them slowly as really they are just figuring out who they are and their own tendencies, personalities and strength, I guess I would equate it to very delayed puberty. They were put in the coffins when they were 12 but now they are in the bodies of around 17 year old, so their thought processes are that of a 12 year old, which for me was very hard to relate to and understand.

I struggle to figure out what age group this book is best suited for. I know this book is a YA novel but the main characters think that they are 12 years old but in adult like bodies. As an adult I was unable to connect with the characters and I wonder if a mid teen would be able to as well. That said I think the darkness (which would have been nice to have throughout the book instead of just walking) that occurs in the latter part of the book is not something that I would let a 12 year old read. So for me Sigler's book is stuck somewhere in-between all of those age categories, not really fitting for anyone.

I will say that the book is way better in the last third of the novel and Sigler was able to adds some twist in that I do not think that many people will see coming. However, I struggle to recommend a book where it takes two thirds to really come together and become interesting. I personally do not think I will continue on in this series.

Cheers!!!

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