Thank goodness I finally got through this one. I feel like School's Out--Forever took me much longer to re-read than The Angel Experiment.
We pick up right where the previous book left off. The flock has just escaped the Institute, and Max has "killed" Ari, now struggling with conflicted feelings. Her Voice takes a morally gray approach and treats Max with cynicism. But soon we find out Ari isn't actually dead, and he and the other Erasers are getting clumsy wings grafted on to better take on the flock.
On the other side, the flock tries to hide in D.C. but is attacked by the flying Erasers, leaving Fang wounded. They risk a hospital visit to save him and then stay with Anne, who claims to be FBI. She enrolls them in school and talks about adoption. Max struggles with jealousy, and Fang keeps her focused on uncovering their past. We also learn Total the dog can talk.
The story spirals into odd highs and lows. From trouble at a private prep school to finding out Anne works for the School+Institute, the flock ditches the place and heads to Florida. They spend time in a swamp and then visit Disney World. I often wondered if Patterson knew where he was going with this book.
The better moments focused on Ari's character depth. His thoughts, tormented psyche, and personal hurt had more emotional impact. We also see more of Angel's powers growing and her becoming morally gray. The retcon about the Voice working with her character development later in the series.
My final word is that this book goes straight from climax to conclusion with no falling action. It's aggravating to endure while re-reading. First rating: 5 stars
Second rating: 3 stars
ENG: It is truly incredibly difficult to come across someone who doesn't relish the books of this series. The reason is simple - the story unfolds naturally, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is simply fantastic. This is one of James Patterson's remarkable abilities. The reader is hooked from the very first pages of every single one of his works, and this one is no exception.
One aspect that I felt had improved compared to the first book was the comedy. While the first one had a hint of funny personalities, this one had jokes that were so good that they actually made me laugh out loud. It added an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience.
Regarding the characters, once again, Max and Fang are my favorites. You can sense that there is something special between them, and I'm really hoping that this "something" develops further in the upcoming chapters. On the other hand, Angel is still a sweetheart, but she can be slightly scary and at times, a bit annoying.
Throughout the book, the plot thickens and intensifies. You simply can't put it down. It's addictive. As is typical with Patterson, he amazes the reader with a terrific ending. I can't wait to read the following books. As you would expect, I highly recommend all of the works of this author, not just this series.
Good Reading.
PT: Dificilmente alguém não gosta dos livros desta série pelo simples facto de que a história corre bem, as personagens são bem construídas e a ficção é fantástica. James Patterson tem uma capacidade louvável de fazer o leitor gostar do livro logo a partir das primeiras páginas, e isso aconteceu também neste livro.
Algo que eu achei que melhorou muito em comparação ao primeiro livro foi a vertente de comédia. Nos outros livros tínhamos momentos engraçados mas o autor melhorou bastante as piadas e acabei a rir alto em vários momentos.
Relativamente às personagens os que mais se destacaram foram a Max e o Fang, que são os meus favoritos, e a Angel que conseguiu ser ligeiramente assustadora e irritante em alguns momentos.
A ação vai ficando cada vez mais intensa e viciante e o autor, como de costume, brindou-nos com um final fantástico. Mal posso esperar para ler os próximos livros desta série. Como era de esperar, recomendo muito não só esta série mas também todos os livros do autor.