Quarantine: The Saints by Lex Thomas

 

Published: July 9th, 2013

Publisher: Egmont USA

Pages: 400

Copy: Publisher via Edelweiss

Summary: Goodreads

A cross between the Gone series and Lord of the Flies, Quarantine #2: The Saints continues this frenetically paced and scary young adult series that illustrates just how deadly high school can be.

Nothing was worse than being locked in—until they opened the door...
McKinley High has been a battle ground for eighteen months since a virus outbreak led to a military quarantine of the school. When the doors finally open, Will and Lucy will think their nightmare is finished. But they are gravely mistaken.

As a new group of teens enters the school and gains popularity, Will and Lucy join new gangs. An epic party on the quad full of real food and drinks, where kids hookup and actually interact with members of other gangs seemed to signal a new, easier existence. Soon after though, the world inside McKinley takes a startling turn for the worse, and Will and Lucy will have to fight harder than ever to survive.

The Saints brings readers back to the dark and deadly halls of McKinley High and the QUARANTINE series

 As bloggers we are often given the opportunity to review a new book in a series.  If you're like me, you look at it and turn it down, because you haven't read the first book in that particular series.  Occasionally, we are lucky enough to be given access to the original book as well.  That is the case with Quarantine: The Saints.  I reviewed the first book in the series Quarantine: The Loners a short while ago - check it out here - and absolutely loved it.  Of course, this led to some trepidation when I started 'The Saints'.  Would it measure up, or would it fall short?  I am thrilled and delighted to say that not only did it measure up to 'The Loners', it actually surpassed it.

Mr. Thomas has put together a very large group of kids and has them separating into groups, or cells, according to type.  We have Varsity, Sluts, Skaters, Loners and many more.  Then in this volume we add The Saints into the mix.  If I tell you where they come from it will be a huge spoiler, so I'm not going to do that.  The introduction of a new group completely screws with the dynamics of the situation and upsets the status quo. From first book to second, the situation has deteriorated completely, but not in any way that I expected.  There was surprise after violent surprise, most of them coming at me from out of left field, and I was constantly changing my mind about what was going to happen.  I loved that about this book.

Mr. Thomas has also managed to give his characters huge growth as the story develops.  As each new situation develops Will, Lucy and the others have to change and adapt just in order to survive.  Some characters adapt positively, and others - not so much.  I'm not going to get into specifics, as it would spoil the surprise, but just say that I'd love to have Lucy on my side.  What a girl. 

 Quarantine: The Saints, is a roller coaster disaster ride that will pull you in from the very beginning.    There is just so much more going on in the story than just the action.  Society - or in this case a microcosm of society - is breaking down irrevocably and whether the characters survive or not isn't always just up to them. Fast-paced, violent, thrilling and surprisingly romantic, Quarantine: The Saints is a superb book that should be an absolute must read for fans of Gone, Divergent, The Hunger Games, Dust and Decay and others in this genre.  It is a treat to read.

 This series is right up there at the top of my favourites list along with Jonathan Maberry's Dust and Decay series.  I continue to believe that Mr. Thomas must have read and loved The Lord of Flies, if you read 'The Saints' you'll understand why.  Go out and buy, borrow or steal a copy asap.  You're missing out if you don't.