Title:
Never Say Die
Genre:
Middle-Grade, Young Adult, Spy
Publication:
June 1st 2017, Walker Books
Pages:
377 pages, Hardcover
Source:
Library
Rating:
4.5/5 Cupcakes
Alex Rider is back in this brand new, explosive mission in the number one bestselling series. In this brand new, explosive adventure in the number one bestselling series, Alex Rider is trying to get his life back on track after the traumatic events of his last mission. But even Alex can't fight the past ... especially when it holds a deadly secret.
This
is the first book review I've written in FOREVER. Like, I feel as if
I've forgotten how to form words?? Coherent thoughts?? Exams, what
have you done?
I
just finished Never Say Die, the latest Alex Rider book, and I LOVED
IT. I closed the book and immediately Googled when the next one was
coming out. It has a title but no release date. EXCUSE ME WHILE I
CRY. I NEED MORE ALEX RIDER. This book was so good and I was a mixture of anxiety and happiness whilst reading it. Anxiety because ALEX CAN YOU STOP TAKING SO MANY RISKS, YOU'RE GIVING ME HEART PALPITATIONS. Happiness because ALEX (precious cinnamon roll) RIDER. I'm just so hyped up for more books, guys. I have very fond
memories of spending the summer of when I was sixteen marathoning the
Alex Rider books. I'd read a couple of them when I was around twelve,
but then I'd left the school that had the books and never got around
to finishing them until four years later when I found a bind-up of
the first three books. I was hooked all over again and spent many
days completely absorbed in them. These books are part of me, guys.
I
was so sad when it ended. I may have cried.
BUT
THEN, Anthony (the legend) Horowitz, decided to write another book.
HAPPY DAYS!!! I finally
got around to reading it (post-exam treat)...and I fell completely in
love with it. It was emotional, it was fast-paced and it was every
bit as brilliant as all the other Alex Rider books I'd previously
fallen in love with.
I'm
not going to speak too much about the plot because SPOILERS, but it
was incredible. It was fast-paced, action-packed and gripping – the
classic Alex Rider book. The villains were chillingly evil, the
scrapes Alex managed to get into had me fearing for his safety (I was
sitting outside in the sun with the book right by my face, muttering
“no no no no”. The neighbours think I'm mad). The character
development was brilliant and the writing was as wonderful, as
always. I forgot how much I love the way he writes. I find a lot of
books written in third person quite impersonal and I'm not as
engrossed in them, but not with the Alex Rider books. Anthony
Horowitz writes third-person brilliantly. He zooms in and out on
different characters in the book and on different scenes, that richly
layer the book with an intertwining plot that has me on the edge of
my seat and that results in a genius revelation blows my mind. Man, I
love these books.
One
of the things that most stuck out to me was how Alex had changed as a
character. He seems older now. More mature, and more confident, and
throughout the majority of the book, slightly more broken. The plot
and the writing and other ingredients combined were the classical
elements that form an Alex Rider novel and this glorious
conglomeration made me feel like I'd been reunited with an old
friend, but the subtle change in his character gave the book a
slightly different feel. Alex Rider is growing up, but he's still the
incredibly smart, witty, brave and kind character I fell in love with
when I was twelve. I love that Anthony Horowitz has shown his
evolution as a character, though, it makes him feel that much more
real. However, although Alex Rider has changed slightly, the books
are still fun and light-hearted, making them the perfect read for
escapism.
I
absolutely loved this book.
I give it: 4.5/5 CUPCAKES!
