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Silver
The final exam is survival. Paul is the new kid at Mortingham Boarding Academy, and he has a dark secret. Caitlyn admires Paul from afar and resents that he only has eyes for Erika. Erika thinks that she and Caitlyn are best friends, but she's wrong.Adam is a bully with a major chip on his shoulder.Mark is outgrowing his old friends but doesn't know how to make new ones.In a few short hours, none of this will matter. Without warning, a horrifying infection will spread across the school grounds, and a group of students with little in common will find themselves barricaded in a classroom, fighting for their lives. Some will live. Some will die. And then it will get even worse.Fast-paced and frightening, Silver is a tale set on the fringes of science and horror - a story about the struggle to survive in the face of impossible odds.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
162 people are currently reading
1526 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wooding
79 books2,190 followersChris Wooding grew up in a small town in Leicestershire, where not much of anything happened. So he started to write novels. He was sixteen when he completed his first. He had an agent by eighteen. By nineteen he had signed his first book deal. When he left university he began to write full-time, and he has been doing it professionally all his adult life.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 422 reviews
May 25, 2017
I have always loved Chris Wooding's books and this one did not disappoint. Thrilling and unexpected from beginning to end. I would like to see this book turned into a movie. Or a sequel book!
May 4, 2018
Not at all what I expected this to be! (In a good way) RTC
November 3, 2016
I usually like Sci-Fi books.
Normally, I love it when the suspense and plot immediately begins.
When an author tells a story through multiple viewpoints, I get excited to understand so many different characters and their thoughts and views.
All of that, yet absolutely none of that happened in this book.
I get the gist of what the author was trying to do with this plot….I understand that some of the character development was compromised in order to move along the suspense of the story line.
What I didn’t like about this novel was that I never connected with the characters.
In fact in a very rare occurrence, I didn’t even finish the book. I read about half of it….was disgusted with not being able to like it….flipped to the end to see if I would at least like that…..was still super disappointed. Decided I couldn’t deal with opening it again.
I am sure there are people who will love this book. In fact before writing this I looked at the reviews on Goodreads. Although there aren’t a ton, there are enough to see that some people like it.
Basically there a cockroach that is found at a boarding school. It is silver, a mixture of life and circuitry. As it bites people (and other animals) they too turn…into these hybrid, zombie like creatures who become rabid in a sense. So there is a group of students, the new kid, bully, the popular girl, her follower and the outcast who barricade themselves in a classroom and try to survive and escape while everyone else either dies or turns silver. See….it is an interesting concept. Not well-developed. The ending was anticlimactic and leaves you with no closure of what is next. Not sure if it is the set up to a second novel (although I assume it is). Regardless, I am stopping here on this one. This is rare, I take pride in finishing books I don’t love, series I am not interested in and to see the fate of characters I dislike. For this book though, I feel nothing except disinterest. Blah.
As reviewed on my blog, http://readingyarocks.wordpress.com/2...
Normally, I love it when the suspense and plot immediately begins.
When an author tells a story through multiple viewpoints, I get excited to understand so many different characters and their thoughts and views.
All of that, yet absolutely none of that happened in this book.
I get the gist of what the author was trying to do with this plot….I understand that some of the character development was compromised in order to move along the suspense of the story line.
What I didn’t like about this novel was that I never connected with the characters.
In fact in a very rare occurrence, I didn’t even finish the book. I read about half of it….was disgusted with not being able to like it….flipped to the end to see if I would at least like that…..was still super disappointed. Decided I couldn’t deal with opening it again.
I am sure there are people who will love this book. In fact before writing this I looked at the reviews on Goodreads. Although there aren’t a ton, there are enough to see that some people like it.
Basically there a cockroach that is found at a boarding school. It is silver, a mixture of life and circuitry. As it bites people (and other animals) they too turn…into these hybrid, zombie like creatures who become rabid in a sense. So there is a group of students, the new kid, bully, the popular girl, her follower and the outcast who barricade themselves in a classroom and try to survive and escape while everyone else either dies or turns silver. See….it is an interesting concept. Not well-developed. The ending was anticlimactic and leaves you with no closure of what is next. Not sure if it is the set up to a second novel (although I assume it is). Regardless, I am stopping here on this one. This is rare, I take pride in finishing books I don’t love, series I am not interested in and to see the fate of characters I dislike. For this book though, I feel nothing except disinterest. Blah.
As reviewed on my blog, http://readingyarocks.wordpress.com/2...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2014
I don't really know what to say about a book that is literally a horror movie that puts aside much of the way of character development and setting in favor of dropping a bunch of kids into a major scientific disaster. I have plenty of respect for books or movies that do this skillfully - after all, there is plenty of room in the literary/theatrical diet for candy.
Silver succeeds at being a fast-paced big-budget horror piece, but doesn't do much else. The plot involves nanotechnology and infections, so it's sort of a futuristic zombie tale, and it follows up with plenty of action and okay pacing. The problem is that, if you're going to abandon other storytelling tropes in favor of this sort of thing, you either need to kick it into very high gear or go over the top, neither of which this book achieves, or even appears to strive for.
I can see this being good for reluctant readers, but if you're well-versed in this sort of sci-fi, you might have more fun elsewhere.
Silver succeeds at being a fast-paced big-budget horror piece, but doesn't do much else. The plot involves nanotechnology and infections, so it's sort of a futuristic zombie tale, and it follows up with plenty of action and okay pacing. The problem is that, if you're going to abandon other storytelling tropes in favor of this sort of thing, you either need to kick it into very high gear or go over the top, neither of which this book achieves, or even appears to strive for.
I can see this being good for reluctant readers, but if you're well-versed in this sort of sci-fi, you might have more fun elsewhere.
February 1, 2015
I could neither connect with the characters or get behind the introduction of a silver beetle creating silver zombies of animals and people in this middle grade science fiction title.
The cover will be enough to grab readers but I wonder what they'll think of the book. It seemed slow-- I waited about fifty pages before realizing that the bites I were taking were unappetizing. The standard "you're not living up to your expectations here are our boarding school" was so cliche that I already gave up on Paul and how we were going to meet the other characters. Couple that with the need to have multiple characters (all who wouldn't necessarily hang out or be together normally) locked away together to battle these zombies makes the cliche just a little too much for me to handle.
The cover will be enough to grab readers but I wonder what they'll think of the book. It seemed slow-- I waited about fifty pages before realizing that the bites I were taking were unappetizing. The standard "you're not living up to your expectations here are our boarding school" was so cliche that I already gave up on Paul and how we were going to meet the other characters. Couple that with the need to have multiple characters (all who wouldn't necessarily hang out or be together normally) locked away together to battle these zombies makes the cliche just a little too much for me to handle.
June 25, 2014
Wow! I read this in a day and could hardly put it down! Super fast-paced but with enough character development and internal conflict to make you root for the characters and goes a little deeper than your average action flick. Think of a cross between The Host, Alien, 28 Days Later...and Dead Poet's Society meets Lord of the Flies?
Set in an English boarding school out in the country--read that completely and utterly isolated, Paul kind of keeps to himself. He's got a crush on a girl that doesn't give him the time of day, a semi-awareness of a crush that a different girl has on him and is seen as popular, if not a little standoffish.
When some of the kids find a strange metallic-like creature down by the river and unfortunately are bitten, Paul must band with a science-loving unnoticeable, well-meaning instructor, his crush and crusher and the campus bully to figure out what is happening to the world as they know it and save their school.
I will leave the details of what happens out because they are just too deliciously scary, gory and thrilling to give away. If you love horror and/or sci fi, I think this is a MUST read. I will definitely seek out Chris Wooding in the future! Grades 7 and up -- for the gore.
Set in an English boarding school out in the country--read that completely and utterly isolated, Paul kind of keeps to himself. He's got a crush on a girl that doesn't give him the time of day, a semi-awareness of a crush that a different girl has on him and is seen as popular, if not a little standoffish.
When some of the kids find a strange metallic-like creature down by the river and unfortunately are bitten, Paul must band with a science-loving unnoticeable, well-meaning instructor, his crush and crusher and the campus bully to figure out what is happening to the world as they know it and save their school.
I will leave the details of what happens out because they are just too deliciously scary, gory and thrilling to give away. If you love horror and/or sci fi, I think this is a MUST read. I will definitely seek out Chris Wooding in the future! Grades 7 and up -- for the gore.
August 4, 2022
3.5 - 3.75 ?
i read this when i was younger but i forgot the name and now i finally found the book <3
i read this when i was younger but i forgot the name and now i finally found the book <3
July 4, 2020
I LOVED THIS BOOK! But I do think that this book was not one I should have been reading during this pandemic. As a result I am not going to strike fear into your hearts by going through this book (lol). It is a lot of violence and actually HAS SOME ROMANCE, but (sadly) there is no kissing.
NOTE TO PARENTS: I would suggest that a mature 13 year old at youngest, read this, but if you have any doubts (parents) you should read this one and take your own opinion. This book will appeal more to a slightly older audience in my opinion as well so you should enjoy it as one of your big reads.
AGE RATING: A mature 13 year old at youngest... see parent note above for more detail.
(Friend me or follow for more age appropriate reviews!)
NOTE TO PARENTS: I would suggest that a mature 13 year old at youngest, read this, but if you have any doubts (parents) you should read this one and take your own opinion. This book will appeal more to a slightly older audience in my opinion as well so you should enjoy it as one of your big reads.
AGE RATING: A mature 13 year old at youngest... see parent note above for more detail.
(Friend me or follow for more age appropriate reviews!)
October 17, 2021
not sure i liked the romance aspect of the book, but i did like the whole "it's the apocalypse!" the pov switches were nice, although there were times i wished it was someone else's pov. didn't hate it the book but i'm not sure if i completely loved it!
May 9, 2018
Chris Wooding has become a reliable author for me. I haven't been disappointed yet by any of his books. Some works have been better than others, but he's creative and has always entertained. In Silver, he gives a unique take on the zombie which was fun along with decent characters and a fast pace.
September 9, 2013
I debated about buying Silver for quite a while. Despite Chris Wooding being one of my favourite writers, I wasn't sure I would like it. I'm very interested in YA fiction involving androids and cyborgs (I'm writing a novel along those themes myself), but since this is written more along the lines of a 'zombie invasion' style story, which I don't generally like, I was unsure.
The students at the remote Mortingham Boarding Academy discover some mysterious silver beetles crawling around the grounds, and when one of them is bitten by one, things start to turn extremely nasty. The students begin to infect one another and to change into warped creations of mixed flesh and metal. From there on, the one goal for those who have not yet been infected is survival.
Silver is a very fast-paced book. The entire story takes place over the course of less than 24 hours. Wooding is a master of suspense and brings a new shock every few pages. From a few chapters in, I couldn't put it down.
At first I thought the characters seemed a little clichéd - the moody loner, the popular blonde girl, the bully etc. - but they are fleshed out better as the story goes on. However, they are not as well-developed as most of Wooding's characters tend to be, which could be because of the fast pace of the story - there's not much room for character development in a one-book story that takes place in one day, versus some of his other series, which take place over multiple books and many weeks. However, the characters do change and learn about one another and themselves in the short span of this book, though we don't really find out much about their backstories. The simpler character descriptions in comparison to the rest of his novels may also be down to the fact that this is more of a teen novel rather than an adult one.
The main reason I gave this novel three stars despite finding it gripping, is the ending. I just wasn't satisfied with it. I felt that a lot of things were explained in the middle of the story and then the ending tailed off with little conclusion. It felt bleak, but I guess it was intended to.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for something that will scare them and keep them gripped. Personally, I prefer a lot of Chris Wooding's other novels, but this was still a good read.
The students at the remote Mortingham Boarding Academy discover some mysterious silver beetles crawling around the grounds, and when one of them is bitten by one, things start to turn extremely nasty. The students begin to infect one another and to change into warped creations of mixed flesh and metal. From there on, the one goal for those who have not yet been infected is survival.
Silver is a very fast-paced book. The entire story takes place over the course of less than 24 hours. Wooding is a master of suspense and brings a new shock every few pages. From a few chapters in, I couldn't put it down.
At first I thought the characters seemed a little clichéd - the moody loner, the popular blonde girl, the bully etc. - but they are fleshed out better as the story goes on. However, they are not as well-developed as most of Wooding's characters tend to be, which could be because of the fast pace of the story - there's not much room for character development in a one-book story that takes place in one day, versus some of his other series, which take place over multiple books and many weeks. However, the characters do change and learn about one another and themselves in the short span of this book, though we don't really find out much about their backstories. The simpler character descriptions in comparison to the rest of his novels may also be down to the fact that this is more of a teen novel rather than an adult one.
The main reason I gave this novel three stars despite finding it gripping, is the ending. I just wasn't satisfied with it. I felt that a lot of things were explained in the middle of the story and then the ending tailed off with little conclusion. It felt bleak, but I guess it was intended to.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for something that will scare them and keep them gripped. Personally, I prefer a lot of Chris Wooding's other novels, but this was still a good read.
March 4, 2015
Wow. This book really had me on the edge of my seat! Think zombies who are not dead. Instead they are being transformed into metal, mechanical monsters whose only instinct is to infect others. I loved the different perspectives throughout this horror story - including that of one of the monsters who was being transformed. I can't wait to book talk this one to my students and get a copy of it into the hands of one of the boys looking for something different. There are so many dystopian books out there that are girly (full of romance and angst), and the boys are wanting to read those kinds of things but aren't happy with those parts. Although not dystopian, this one lends itself to that genre quite well and will satisfy many of the boys wanting a book to keep them on the edge of their seats. And I can think of a few girls who just might fight them for it!
October 17, 2021
Super fast-paced and exciting sci-fi/dystopian/horror book, which is what so many of my middle school students are looking for. Not terribly deep or thought provoking, but not every book has to be. I appreciate that this is something that will keep my reluctant (and not-so-reluctant!) readers turning pages. This book was recommended (enthusiastically) to me by a student, and I always love when that happens!
March 16, 2018
I fairly enjoyed Silver. It had quite a good story line. It begins to spiral downwards though as it comes to an end. For one, it is way more scarier than the beginning makes it out to be. I feel that it is the scariest book I have ever read! Even more so than the Woman in Black. Also the fact that Pudge and Freckles were alive at the end was completely unnecessary. I thought that it had ok characters though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2014
Paul is a pre-teen and is new to Mortingham Boarding Academy in the first few months he got in a fight and had to stay indoors on a rainy day he was going to until something silver out side caught his eye. If you like suspense and drama this is definetely your kind of book that everybody should read. Im upset its over though hoping that Chris Wooding will carry on with the story.
December 13, 2022
this is the dumbest fucking book i've ever read in my life and thats saying something
Read
June 23, 2018I don't like terror and suspense, but this book had plenty! My 13 yr old son read this and told me to read it bc it was interesting. I couldn't put it down until right before the end when there was a moment of calm before the climax. The ending was satisfying and though there's room for a sequel, it works as a stand alone.
The idea of a nanomachine plague is a realistic twist on the Zombie apocalypse. I liked how the author was able to take the main characters and have them grow and develop in such a short amount of time due to the circumstances they are placed in. We see each of their thoughts and they are all really relatable.
The book seemed to challenge the facades we wear and the roles we take on - especially as adolescents, but even as adults. It is easy to take life and our relationships for granted.
The idea of a nanomachine plague is a realistic twist on the Zombie apocalypse. I liked how the author was able to take the main characters and have them grow and develop in such a short amount of time due to the circumstances they are placed in. We see each of their thoughts and they are all really relatable.
The book seemed to challenge the facades we wear and the roles we take on - especially as adolescents, but even as adults. It is easy to take life and our relationships for granted.
May 24, 2017
Fast paced and gory, this is much more of a horror story than I was expecting. The biomech zombies were terrifying. And, really, that's why I've given this four stars instead of five - because tonally it felt a bit weird to me. It starts out definitely as a children's book (the main character is 15; most of the supporting cast is younger) but then people (including young kids) start getting killed in pretty horrendous ways, and the tone abruptly shifts to something way darker. It's kinda like if [rec] was set in Grange Hill. Once you shift your thinking to the new tone, it's a fantastic book. I think I'd like it better on a second read-through, now I know what to expect.
November 4, 2020
I couldn’t put this book down! It was a great thriller and truly exciting. The concept was really interesting to me. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an electrifying suspenseful story.
June 7, 2017
Like any horror story, Silver is filled with tension and fright. However, it does fall into the problem of killing off characters needlessly in my opinion. Personally, I don't think you need to kill off characters in a horror story. However, I do think if you like the kind of horror where the protagonists lock themselves up and have to wait out a zombie horde, then Silver might be for you.
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May 13, 2019"Silver" is a book about a mysterious virus that spreads through an isolated boarding school. This virus turn people into killing machines, as computers take over their brains and turn them into metal. Paul, Adam, Mark, Erika, and Caitlyn, as well as other students, must use the materials around them and their own ingenuity to survive against the wave of machines that has descended on their school.
My favorite part of the book was when the disease initially spread. It was chilling to experience how the students slowly found out about the disease, and how they all reacted. It was interesting to see how each main character reacted, and what this revealed about them. Also, since the concept of a metal virus is so unique, I had no idea how it would work, and what effects it would have. This book is intensely about survival, as the kids have to survive physically and avoid death at the hands of metal, but also through the mental struggles that the kids had to endure in order to adapt to this violent new world. The story is told between multiple points of views, which is interesting because you can see how each character rationalizes the catastrophe and how they readjust to the scenario quickly.
If you like "The Maze Runner", by James Dashner, then this is a good book for you. Both stories deal with children adapting to deadly circumstances, and both are centered around a plot line highlighting a futuristic disease that threatens humanity.
Will the students learn to adapt to this mechanical world? Or will they fade into the cold metal like the rest of their peers?
My favorite part of the book was when the disease initially spread. It was chilling to experience how the students slowly found out about the disease, and how they all reacted. It was interesting to see how each main character reacted, and what this revealed about them. Also, since the concept of a metal virus is so unique, I had no idea how it would work, and what effects it would have. This book is intensely about survival, as the kids have to survive physically and avoid death at the hands of metal, but also through the mental struggles that the kids had to endure in order to adapt to this violent new world. The story is told between multiple points of views, which is interesting because you can see how each character rationalizes the catastrophe and how they readjust to the scenario quickly.
If you like "The Maze Runner", by James Dashner, then this is a good book for you. Both stories deal with children adapting to deadly circumstances, and both are centered around a plot line highlighting a futuristic disease that threatens humanity.
Will the students learn to adapt to this mechanical world? Or will they fade into the cold metal like the rest of their peers?
December 8, 2023
3.5⭐️ was way more invested and on the edge of my seat than I expected to be
March 6, 2022
Probably one of the best books I’ve ever read, couldn’t put it down
November 21, 2018
Didn't finish cuz it was boring
March 7, 2017
I think this book is fantastic! The ending made me feel so happy because Paul had said that "As long as they stuck together. That was all they needed. They could do anything together." I just loved the book. After all they went through to just to get rescued, they learned to work together and have each other for anything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2015
I first saw the book Silver by Chris Wooding in the classroom library when I got a recommendation from one of my classmate to read this book while I was looking for a book to borrow. The book seemed very attractive, so i decided to give this book a try.
The plotline of this book is what captivates me the most. It all begins with a fight in a normal boarding school, Mortingham Boarding Academy. It turns out to be Adam, the bully, and Paul, the new student in the school and has a crush on Erika. Erika is a goody-two shoes with a pretty face but no one really knows her well and saw her for who she really is, as Paul described her, "A girl like that, everyone wanted to be around her. It was somehow wrong to see her on her own." (130) Many people probably just wants to be around Erika to be in the popular group or just because of her looks and abilities, like Caitlyn who is jealous of Erika for taking Paul, her crush, but is pretending to be her bestfriend just to be in the popular group. And mark is just another kid in the school who doesn't know how to make new friends. However, a virus that was first found when someone spotted a silver beettles and then a silver dog spread across the school when the silver beettles and the silver dog went attacking anything they saw. The virus turned anything it scratches or bites into one of their own, silver metal spreads across their victim and takes over them. It didnt matter who was who anymore, they needed each other to survive the virus, Mark, Caitlyn, Erika, Paul, Adam, and the ones who didnt catch the virus yet. Soon, the lucky ones who didn't catch the virus yet were fighting hard to protect them from the 'Infected' and were fighting to survive. It felt like I was going through the calamity myself, struggling to survive. At last, "rescue" came, two people that came from where the virus was created arrived in a helicopter. Even though the helicopter was in a bad condition and needed repair, the surviviors did all that they could to fix the helicopter, and their hard work lead to success. However, Caitlyn sacrificed herself even though she was already infected and many other students and staff members of the school was gone. There were only seven surviviors who took the helicopter and left this tragedy.
This book lit up the path for me and probably for other people who is troubled by the world they live in too. Things doesnt always go the way you want them to or the way you expect them to, so you have to make it your own. As adam beleives, "the world to him was a mean and unforgiving place, and you had to fight at every opportunity to defend the respect you'd gain. Otherwise people would just walk all over you." (15) Just like the virus, you have to protect yourself or else you will get swallowed up by it.
The plotline of this book is what captivates me the most. It all begins with a fight in a normal boarding school, Mortingham Boarding Academy. It turns out to be Adam, the bully, and Paul, the new student in the school and has a crush on Erika. Erika is a goody-two shoes with a pretty face but no one really knows her well and saw her for who she really is, as Paul described her, "A girl like that, everyone wanted to be around her. It was somehow wrong to see her on her own." (130) Many people probably just wants to be around Erika to be in the popular group or just because of her looks and abilities, like Caitlyn who is jealous of Erika for taking Paul, her crush, but is pretending to be her bestfriend just to be in the popular group. And mark is just another kid in the school who doesn't know how to make new friends. However, a virus that was first found when someone spotted a silver beettles and then a silver dog spread across the school when the silver beettles and the silver dog went attacking anything they saw. The virus turned anything it scratches or bites into one of their own, silver metal spreads across their victim and takes over them. It didnt matter who was who anymore, they needed each other to survive the virus, Mark, Caitlyn, Erika, Paul, Adam, and the ones who didnt catch the virus yet. Soon, the lucky ones who didn't catch the virus yet were fighting hard to protect them from the 'Infected' and were fighting to survive. It felt like I was going through the calamity myself, struggling to survive. At last, "rescue" came, two people that came from where the virus was created arrived in a helicopter. Even though the helicopter was in a bad condition and needed repair, the surviviors did all that they could to fix the helicopter, and their hard work lead to success. However, Caitlyn sacrificed herself even though she was already infected and many other students and staff members of the school was gone. There were only seven surviviors who took the helicopter and left this tragedy.
This book lit up the path for me and probably for other people who is troubled by the world they live in too. Things doesnt always go the way you want them to or the way you expect them to, so you have to make it your own. As adam beleives, "the world to him was a mean and unforgiving place, and you had to fight at every opportunity to defend the respect you'd gain. Otherwise people would just walk all over you." (15) Just like the virus, you have to protect yourself or else you will get swallowed up by it.
June 29, 2016
Paul is fairly new to Mortingham Academy, a British boarding school. Throughout the book it is implied that there
Things I liked a lot about this book:
-It wasn't about an adult conspiracy against kids. At first I thought that the boarding school teachers and headmaster knew what was going on, but then I discovered it was more of a government conspiracy type of book. There are so many YA books about adults intentionally manipulating children in group situations, and it seemed like the book was heading that direction, so I was glad when it turned out to be a more global issue (biological warfare gone wrong).
-There was a lot of description of interpersonal relationships, which felt pretty realistic and relatable for teens. There was girl drama, people being left out, sports cliques, and issues around kids feeling pressure from their families.
-No one was all good or all bad. Each character had strengths and weaknesses, and each person was fallible.
-The crisis at the end of the book helped characters know themselves better, and provides a model for teens that could help them reflect on pieces of themselves that they like or dislike, and how they could see those characteristics in a new light. For example, a nerd who nobody noticed suddenly becomes useful because of his skills in electronics.
-The crisis showed kids and adults cooperating and problem-solving. It didn't go into tons of detail but you definitely get the vibe that they are working together and trusting each other. Yay problem solving!
Things I didn't love about this book:
-Not sure there was much diversity, but basically they didn't discuss culture much at all. They only talked explicitly about one child's home life. Definitely no mention of socio-economic diversity or anything explicit about racial diversity. (sometimes I skim over character descriptions and miss moments where they describe a character and I'm supposed to understand what race they are).
-It was a lot like other YA apocalyptic books. In particular, it reminded me a lot of the Ashes trilogy by Ilsa Bick. Ashes was much better, but they are good readalikes, and this one is shorter and much easier to get through. But there's not much original going on in this book.
General impressions:
The nanotechnology biological warfare premise is pretty interesting and original. It feels modern and relevant, and is also a bit evocative of Big Hero 6 so that is a good way to link kids in if they are familiar with the movie.
I found the main characters to be likeable although I didn't care a massive amount about them. But I definitely liked them enough, and wanted to find out what was happening, to keep reading.
Things I liked a lot about this book:
-It wasn't about an adult conspiracy against kids. At first I thought that the boarding school teachers and headmaster knew what was going on, but then I discovered it was more of a government conspiracy type of book. There are so many YA books about adults intentionally manipulating children in group situations, and it seemed like the book was heading that direction, so I was glad when it turned out to be a more global issue (biological warfare gone wrong).
-There was a lot of description of interpersonal relationships, which felt pretty realistic and relatable for teens. There was girl drama, people being left out, sports cliques, and issues around kids feeling pressure from their families.
-No one was all good or all bad. Each character had strengths and weaknesses, and each person was fallible.
-The crisis at the end of the book helped characters know themselves better, and provides a model for teens that could help them reflect on pieces of themselves that they like or dislike, and how they could see those characteristics in a new light. For example, a nerd who nobody noticed suddenly becomes useful because of his skills in electronics.
-The crisis showed kids and adults cooperating and problem-solving. It didn't go into tons of detail but you definitely get the vibe that they are working together and trusting each other. Yay problem solving!
Things I didn't love about this book:
-Not sure there was much diversity, but basically they didn't discuss culture much at all. They only talked explicitly about one child's home life. Definitely no mention of socio-economic diversity or anything explicit about racial diversity. (sometimes I skim over character descriptions and miss moments where they describe a character and I'm supposed to understand what race they are).
-It was a lot like other YA apocalyptic books. In particular, it reminded me a lot of the Ashes trilogy by Ilsa Bick. Ashes was much better, but they are good readalikes, and this one is shorter and much easier to get through. But there's not much original going on in this book.
General impressions:
The nanotechnology biological warfare premise is pretty interesting and original. It feels modern and relevant, and is also a bit evocative of Big Hero 6 so that is a good way to link kids in if they are familiar with the movie.
I found the main characters to be likeable although I didn't care a massive amount about them. But I definitely liked them enough, and wanted to find out what was happening, to keep reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2017
As far as teenage horror pulps go, "Silver" is not metal enough.
Paul is the new kid with a tragic past at a residential so-far-off-the-country-no-cellphone-works school. Adam is the resident bully, Mark is the nerd trying to be a cool kid (and failing), Erika is having a hard time being pretty and rich, and talented at everything becuase her parents force her to, and finally Caitlyn, much like some famous person with that name, wants to step from the shadow of her clique and be cool, but always messes up. Then a silver beetle appears and the school becomes a fast metallic zombie apocalypse.
I like me some pulp, the pulpier and campier the better. It's basically like junk food, tastes great even though it's terrible, but if you accept it's terrible and put bacon and cheese over it tastes even better. This somehow was like a bad piece of junk food, all calories and no savory bits.
The novel starts okay, introducing the characters and where they are before the silver hits the fan. When hell starts to break lose it was actually good pulpy fun watching them run from the zombies and barricading themselves and what not. But after that, and I'm talking very early on, the thrill starts to die out and doesn't recover. The attacks become repetitive, deaths are not emotional, ridiculous or gruesome enough to register, and the characters reveal themselves to be just people there to survive.
Except for Mark, who was actually endearing and interesting, I didn't care fo the rest of the characters, mostly because they were bland, their conflicts were barey there to fill and they all talked the same and no individual personality. Paul was never that likable and his tragedy seemed totally unecessary, Adam was very run of the mill and the worst offenders were the girls, who weree both dumb, stupid and their conflicts revolved around petty rivalries.
After the half of the book, everything is explained in a rather convenient way and the novel starts to run through familiar zombie territory ("it's not her anymore"). I honestly wasn't expecting an innovative take on zombies or some deep teenage drama, nor was I expecting this to surprise me with a twist. But with a pulp, if done right, you can keep the action going with simple characters and ridiculous scenes played straight. On the other hand, you can do just about that and camp it up as much as you possibly can to serve it with a side of laughter.
This however, quickly became like its monsters, stale zombie fare coated in silver.
Paul is the new kid with a tragic past at a residential so-far-off-the-country-no-cellphone-works school. Adam is the resident bully, Mark is the nerd trying to be a cool kid (and failing), Erika is having a hard time being pretty and rich, and talented at everything becuase her parents force her to, and finally Caitlyn, much like some famous person with that name, wants to step from the shadow of her clique and be cool, but always messes up. Then a silver beetle appears and the school becomes a fast metallic zombie apocalypse.
I like me some pulp, the pulpier and campier the better. It's basically like junk food, tastes great even though it's terrible, but if you accept it's terrible and put bacon and cheese over it tastes even better. This somehow was like a bad piece of junk food, all calories and no savory bits.
The novel starts okay, introducing the characters and where they are before the silver hits the fan. When hell starts to break lose it was actually good pulpy fun watching them run from the zombies and barricading themselves and what not. But after that, and I'm talking very early on, the thrill starts to die out and doesn't recover. The attacks become repetitive, deaths are not emotional, ridiculous or gruesome enough to register, and the characters reveal themselves to be just people there to survive.
Except for Mark, who was actually endearing and interesting, I didn't care fo the rest of the characters, mostly because they were bland, their conflicts were barey there to fill and they all talked the same and no individual personality. Paul was never that likable and his tragedy seemed totally unecessary, Adam was very run of the mill and the worst offenders were the girls, who weree both dumb, stupid and their conflicts revolved around petty rivalries.
After the half of the book, everything is explained in a rather convenient way and the novel starts to run through familiar zombie territory ("it's not her anymore"). I honestly wasn't expecting an innovative take on zombies or some deep teenage drama, nor was I expecting this to surprise me with a twist. But with a pulp, if done right, you can keep the action going with simple characters and ridiculous scenes played straight. On the other hand, you can do just about that and camp it up as much as you possibly can to serve it with a side of laughter.
This however, quickly became like its monsters, stale zombie fare coated in silver.
April 1, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Five teens live at a boarding school and all five are connected in some way. Adam wants to beat up Paul. Caitlyn loves Paul and resents Erika who is in love with Paul. And Mark wants some new friends and he has his eyes on Paul. None of these teens would hang out with each other unless they were forced to. Yet when strange things start going on at the Academy, including silver beetles and a contagious virus, these five teens must team up with each other to save themselves and each other.
This is a fast-paced book. There's no time for relaxing or for any type of backstory. It was just constant action as this book took place in only 24 hours. This book was very suspenseful and you couldn't put it down for one second. You had to know where the virus came from, how to stop it, and what would happen to Paul and the others.
This was definitely a unique take on how science goes too far. I mean, who ever heard of a virus that spreads metal on someone's body and makes them act like a bloodthirsty beast? The idea of nano-organisms causing this virus was original and I doubt if anyone else has ever thought of this before. It was interesting to know what caused this virus and how everything was connected.
I didn't particularly like the characters and I didn't really connect to them. The characters seemed to be a bit cliché. I mean, there's the loner, the bully, and the girls trapped in a love triangle. I didn't get invested in their backstories and I never felt as if I became any of the characters.
Though it is kind of hard to develop characters during just a single day. Most books have a timeline of weeks and months rather than just a day. It was interesting to see how the characters changed and how all of them were connected.
I like the ending where the characters finally put their differences aside. They learned more about themselves and each other.
While I did like the characters at the ending, I didn't care for the ending as a whole. It seemed as if things were a bit rushed and there wasn't enough of a climax. There wasn't much of a conclusion and the book let off on a sad point. While the book did end with a sense of something more, I wasn't satisfied with it.
This was a good read and I do want to read more of Wooding's work.
Five teens live at a boarding school and all five are connected in some way. Adam wants to beat up Paul. Caitlyn loves Paul and resents Erika who is in love with Paul. And Mark wants some new friends and he has his eyes on Paul. None of these teens would hang out with each other unless they were forced to. Yet when strange things start going on at the Academy, including silver beetles and a contagious virus, these five teens must team up with each other to save themselves and each other.
This is a fast-paced book. There's no time for relaxing or for any type of backstory. It was just constant action as this book took place in only 24 hours. This book was very suspenseful and you couldn't put it down for one second. You had to know where the virus came from, how to stop it, and what would happen to Paul and the others.
This was definitely a unique take on how science goes too far. I mean, who ever heard of a virus that spreads metal on someone's body and makes them act like a bloodthirsty beast? The idea of nano-organisms causing this virus was original and I doubt if anyone else has ever thought of this before. It was interesting to know what caused this virus and how everything was connected.
I didn't particularly like the characters and I didn't really connect to them. The characters seemed to be a bit cliché. I mean, there's the loner, the bully, and the girls trapped in a love triangle. I didn't get invested in their backstories and I never felt as if I became any of the characters.
Though it is kind of hard to develop characters during just a single day. Most books have a timeline of weeks and months rather than just a day. It was interesting to see how the characters changed and how all of them were connected.
I like the ending where the characters finally put their differences aside. They learned more about themselves and each other.
While I did like the characters at the ending, I didn't care for the ending as a whole. It seemed as if things were a bit rushed and there wasn't enough of a climax. There wasn't much of a conclusion and the book let off on a sad point. While the book did end with a sense of something more, I wasn't satisfied with it.
This was a good read and I do want to read more of Wooding's work.
March 12, 2014
If you're into exciting survival books, Silver will fit the bill.
Paul is the new kid at an exclusive boarding school in the middle of nowhere. He's trying to fit in and has and admirer in Caitlyn, but he's not feeling it. Caitlyn is tired of playing second fiddle to perfect Erika. No one likes Adam. He's mean. And Mark is invisible.
It's typical high school stuff. Until weird creatures start appearing. First the students discover huge beetles that are silver and appear to be metallic. Things rapidly deteriorate, as other larger metallic animals are spotted. These creatures start attacking the humans who become infected and turn into these zombie-like metallic beings.
The survivors are holed up in the science building, but the creatures outside get stronger and smarter as hope of rescue diminishes.
Silver is a classic teen survival story that will get your heart pumping at times. Once it gets going, it never stops. But it takes a long time to get going. The setup is slow, and after all that, I still didn't connect with the characters. I don't really care about them, I think I needed a bit more personality out of them. Also, I found Silver to be a bit repetitive. I get that Adam is beating himself up, and Paul has a big secret. Tell me something ELSE so I can bond with these characters instead of repeating the same teen-angsty thoughts over and over.
So, while the action will take your breath away, the characters and a bit of a slow start are the weaknesses. It's all about what you like in a book, and for teen reluctant readers, Silver might be one to recommend.
Paul is the new kid at an exclusive boarding school in the middle of nowhere. He's trying to fit in and has and admirer in Caitlyn, but he's not feeling it. Caitlyn is tired of playing second fiddle to perfect Erika. No one likes Adam. He's mean. And Mark is invisible.
It's typical high school stuff. Until weird creatures start appearing. First the students discover huge beetles that are silver and appear to be metallic. Things rapidly deteriorate, as other larger metallic animals are spotted. These creatures start attacking the humans who become infected and turn into these zombie-like metallic beings.
The survivors are holed up in the science building, but the creatures outside get stronger and smarter as hope of rescue diminishes.
Silver is a classic teen survival story that will get your heart pumping at times. Once it gets going, it never stops. But it takes a long time to get going. The setup is slow, and after all that, I still didn't connect with the characters. I don't really care about them, I think I needed a bit more personality out of them. Also, I found Silver to be a bit repetitive. I get that Adam is beating himself up, and Paul has a big secret. Tell me something ELSE so I can bond with these characters instead of repeating the same teen-angsty thoughts over and over.
So, while the action will take your breath away, the characters and a bit of a slow start are the weaknesses. It's all about what you like in a book, and for teen reluctant readers, Silver might be one to recommend.
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