Five Survive
Ratings184
Average rating3.9
- 1 for slow pacing
-1 for the ending...that was absurd and I'll defend the last book of agggtm.
Si bien es todo el cliché americano, gringos VS italianos, claro los gringos siendo los buenos y los italianos siendo la mafia, al principio es un tanto aburrida y fastiosa la lectura, ya como un poco más de la mitad del libro se pone bueno, Oliver es el clásico supremasista blanco privilegiado qué hace menos a sus "amigos" pobres y de diversas nacionalidades. De personajes destacables creo que esta reyna y Arturo, red siento que tenía una condición o no se, pero llego momentos donde me desespera a mucho, realmente el final lo disfrute y la carta se me hizo hermosa. No lo volvería a leer definitivamente pero tan malo tampoco está.
It's a disarmingly simple premise: take 6 friends, trap them in an RV in the middle of nowhere, with no cell reception at all, and a sniper outside ready to kill anyone who runs, and who is waiting to kill the one person who is holding a deadly secret.
Every one of the friends has a secret, and as the night progresses, they all unravel as time, tiredness and death creep up on them.
It's tense and claustrophobic. I found myself rooting for all of them, to start off with, until true natures began to be revealed, then I was very firmly not liking one specifically.
One of the characters says at one point, that they shouldn't go all Lord of the Flies, which is a really great description of how the friendships start to deteriorate and suspicions grow.
I took so many notes while reading this, about layering secrets, and hinting at deeper motives.
It was such an enjoyable read. If you like something to keep you guessing, and on the edge of your seat, this is a good bet!
Holly Jackson is one of my favourite authors, always giving us an easily digestible story with a lot of mystery and nuance throughout.
Having read the agggtm series, I did spot a few similarities - No one ever believe Holly if she says she's fine. Pip and Red are so similar in their thought patterns, especially with being distracted by their ptsd, but they're also different in their backstories, it was a little frustrating as I'd be really into the story and then Pip would pop up in my imagination instead of Red.
I did guess that Arthur would be involved in it all but I'd only guessed he'd have the secret, just because he was the most likeable character and that always sets off red flags for me as a reader in a story like this. Although with how everything panned out, he wasn't really the big bad villain as it would be easy for an author to lean on. I think that's why I like Holly Jacksons books so much, there's so much nuance that the bad guys aren't really that bad and the good guys aren't really that good Oliver is the true villain in this, he was so ready to sacrifice everyone in that van for his own sake, like mother like son I guess. And yet, he was not involved in anything that put them in the situation so technically he's not at fault, just an awful selfish human being and thankfully he had a satisfying ending.
Any greys anatomy fans: Did anyone else's imagination of Catherine Lavoy change to Catherine Fox as the book went on?
I did find that the story dragged on at times when they were trying out different escape attempts as they were described in more detail than necessary, but I also understand that the pages long explanation was so you felt the time moving along as though you're actually in the situation aswell, it just got a bit old after a while cause you knew it wouldn't work.
The twists and turns at the end made this book worth reading until the end, and it definitely did not disappoint. If you're looking for an easy read, which makes you feel a little scared, upset for the characters and left feeling satisfied with the outcome, this is the book for you.
I really wanted to like this book. I love horror movies and the game Until Dawn, and I thought I would be a perfect short read.
The book starts out rough and choppy. The sentences don't flow well, and it's hard to get an idea of the pacing. However, it improves slightly as the book goes on.
Additionally, none of the characters are likable and are one-dimensional. I'm not sure why I should care about their situation, and I'm also not convinced I should care if any of them make it out.
There is also the over-reliance on tropes. If there's a trope you can think of, then it's likely in this book. There is also twist after twist after twist. At some point, I wasn't even surprised at the “shocking” twist. Lastly, The wrap-up at the end is somewhat predictable and not very fulfilling. It feels like there are still a lot of loose ends where there shouldn't be.
However, what the author does do well is suspense. It's not great, but it did keep me intrigued enough to finish the book.
Overall, I don't think I'd ever reach for this book again or anything else by this author.
This is an absolute MASTERPIPECE that will make you feel like you're on a crazy rollercoaster. The drama, THE BETRAYALS, the lies, the fast pace - all of this will HOOK you.
Is it bad I was REALLY REALLY happy when Oliver finally got shot?? I had been WAITINGGGG - so i don't condone violence per say HOWEVER the fact that he killed for her
Red dan teman-temannya sedang dalam perjalanan darat untuk Liburan Musim Semi. Sayangnya, ban RV yang mereka kendarai mendadak bocor di tengah antah-berantah. Tanpa sinyal, tanpa bantuan. Anehnya, satu per satu ban RV pecah ditembak, membuat mereka tersadar: ini bukan kecelakaan.
Ada seorang penembak di luar sana, bersembunyi dalam kegelapan mengintai mereka. Seseorang yang tahu identitas mereka dan memaksa keenam sahabat itu mengakui rahasia masing-masing—kalau tidak mau mati tertembak.
Dalam RV yang sempit dan klaustrofobik, Red dan teman-temannya yang ketakutan berusaha terbebas dari teror sang penembak. Dalam kondisi semakin tertekan, mereka terpaksa mengakui rahasia tergelap mereka dan salah satu di antara mereka tidak akan selamat melewati malam itu.
Percobaan kedua membaca karya Holly Jackson. Menurutku ada beberapa hal yang rasanya kurang masuk akal. Tidak bisa kusebutkan tanpa menjadi bocoran cerita. Aku tidak menduga plot twist nya. Setidaknya untukku yang ini lebih seru dibanding A Good Girl's Guide For Murder.
Namun bagi penggemar thriller, menurutku buku ini layak dicoba.
The right one died- “that's the whole point [by Red]”. And Holly Jackson, Thank you; No one does it like you do.
Contains spoilers
It was Good
I came to this book because I needed a thriller in the mix of my reading activities. I came to this choice because I loved A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. I came from the heels of watching the show, which I enjoyed. While Five Survive kept me turning the pages, there’s not much I can say that was a "wow" moment.
The suspense was palpable, and Holly Jackson knows how to set the stage for a nerve-wracking plot, but I found the twists somewhat predictable. The characters, while intriguing, didn’t have the same depth or spark that made me connect with them as I did in her previous work. The tension built up nicely, but when the big reveals came, they felt a bit underwhelming.
In short, Five Survive is a solid thriller, perfect for a weekend read, but it didn’t quite live up to the high expectations set by its predecessor. Three stars for keeping me entertained but not entirely hooked.
I couldn't put this down once I got through the first 20%! I grew to love the main character, I am assuming the main character was struggling with anxiety or ADHD or something similar, and Holly did a great job narrating what goes on in the head of a neurodivergent 16 year old. She also did a great job making me DESPISE a character... IYKYK. Part of the plot was pretty obvious from the beginning, but the PLOT twists were so much deeper than you expect! I loved this more than the Good Girl's Guide to Murder! Moved at a faster pace, less fluff. Great YA thriller!
4/5
Five Survive was an intense, suspenseful thrill ride that left me on the edge of my seat. Set mostly inside the cramped quarters of a blown out RV in a span of 8 hours, the story creates an inescapable atmosphere of dread and claustrophobia from start to finish.
Holly Jackson masterfully controls the pacing and constantly shifts focus between the six individuals. Just when you think you can trust one character's motives, another contradicts it, making you doubt everyone. This uncertainty extends to figuring out who the vicious sniper is hunting them. Though I tried figuring out who it was at first, I just let the story unfold without constantly guessing, which heightened the shocks for me once the mole was revealed.
And can we all talk about Oliver? That dude is particularly detestable - a misogynistic, toxic man that you can't help but hate. Jackson uses him effectively to mislead the reader and made him some sort of a faux antagonist. His repugnance makes you suspect him all throughout, even though it's too obvious that he may not be the one who we think he is.
It's the ambiguous ending that truly disturbs and sticks with you after finishing. The really long letter. We never learn what decision Red will choose, leaving you to ponder how the events have turned out next.
Ultimately, this book taps into deeper fears about selfishness and self-preservation, that makes you question humanity's dark impulses just to survive. This was such a harrowing, claustrophobic experience that burrows into your psyche long after the final page.
i mean... was i invested in the drama? definitely. the last 50 pages or so ramped up the action, and the twists were genuinely surprising, but everything else about this was underwhelming.
none of the six main characters were all that likeable or even memorable, with the exception of one that absolutely infuriated me, and the ending felt underwhelming. i found myself often skimming pages either because red's inner monologue felt overdone, or because the main characters were all planning something too ridiculous to even be plausible.
overall, i don't fully regret my time reading this book since i did find some enjoyment in the sheer dramatics of the plot, but i really don't see any reason i'd ever come back to this.
2.75 ⭐️
3.5 stars
A good plot kept me on the edge the whole time but some details were unnecessary and annoying at times. The protagonist was really annoying but it's a plot driven book with no character which was likable.
4.8/5 :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧
Do you like high stakes, drama in every chapter and unexpected twists & turns? This is for you.
I honestly think I could give this 5/5. In my opinion, the flaws were so minor I didn't notice them at all. I could not put this book down at all. Every page I wanted to know what happened next. I was glued to it for 4 hours I think? It did not leave my hand.
I thought oh man I guessed the plot twist - and I mean I sort of did - but it was so much bigger than I expected, so much more jaw dropping. For my first Holly Jackson book - I have such high praises for her and will most certainly be reading everything else she has to offer.
I don't know if it's naive of me that I can't find a fault in this book. The pacing, the characters, the plot - all amazing. My own personal enjoyment, 5/5. My heart was thudding in my chest.
If you read my reading log, you'll see I looked a tad silly (I've marked the spoilers.)
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Plot
Okay so hear me out. My heart was thudding, this wasn't like every other thriller I've read. It was fast paced, easy to read so if you need out of a slump, this would be great. It gave of very Lord of the Flies vibes and I did shed a tear at the end. Something new happened every chapter, full of drama. Every character had drama. Everything felt like it was relevant, had a point, and tied together in the end in a neat little bow.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Characters
Red, wasn't as unlikeable as I thought she was going to be. Usually I dislike a YA FMC, but she wasn't ‘perfect'. She makes mistakes. She felt like a genuine person, and I could feel her emotions. I liked her gut instincts. A problem solving brain, muddled with a sliver of trauma. Sounds relatable to me. Her weird thing with the curtains - I don't know man. If that bothers you, it bothers you.
Oliver - I didn't like him from the beginning - because he was a written to be unlikeable. He's the ‘alpha' in this group, and he gave off very - the eyebrows guy from The Maze Runner.
Maddy - We love a girl's girl. That's all I can say on her. I doubted her because she comes across very shy and sheepish.
Arthur - Youuuuu little minx. Lots of girls will love him. His whole personality is his moral compass, and you will either love that or hate it.
Simon - Our comedic relief. He genuinely made me chuckle, I highlighted quotes that I would hear come out of my friends mouth.
Reyna - I liked her the most. Weirdly, she's the cool, calm and collected one. Pre-med, I think she'll make a great doctor some day. Let's just ditch the infidelity and I have a bad feeling she voted yes.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ World/Setting:
I mean the RV was described in great detail. I feel like I could imagine the bullet shots and them making a make shift sort of fort. I just didn't love the world so much, it was a little ordinary for me, it wasn't as creepy as other thrillers but I think that's made up for in the plot/pacing.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Pacing
I was glued to this book. I could not put it down. The pacing was action from the start, continuously - I was genuinely amazed at how well this was nailed because usually I am never satisfied with pacing.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Enjoyment
I loved how everything came together so well. I think I've praised this book enough to understand how much I enjoyed this. 3 hours? That's the fastest I've ever finished a book in my life.
Would I recommend this? YES.
More in depth RTC - I just need a minute to process.
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score card:
plot: 5/5
characters: 4.5/5
world/setting: 4.5/5
pacing: 5/5
enjoyment: 5/5
total: 4.8/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
hours of reading: 3.3
avg. minutes per session: 33
avg. pages per minute: 6
17/04 11:37am
oh biscuits
whoever has read my last update and also read the book you must be secretly laughing to yourself
17/04 10:31am
I CALLED it I was right (I literally physically celebrated) - I have not been able to put this book down, I'm on pg 268 I am literally addicted what is in these pages
17/04 8:51am
i can tell i'm going to eat this up in one setting i'm genuinely scared like my heart is thumping. it's called 5 survive right so i'm assuming one of them has to die, or one of them is the ‘villain' and i'd also like to predict that the secret witness that everyone is referring to is red. i'm going to leave this here, and if i'm right i want infinite bragging rights.
16/04 3:00pm
the YA vibes are strong with this one - I mean the main characters name is Red, what's more YA then a FMC with an edgy name
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
as dictated by my spinner wheel to help me get through my owned tbr - up next is another thriller! my first holly jackson book so it'll be interesting to read this before eventually reading the hyped up ‘The Reappearance of Rachel Price'. I also haven't read GGGTM or anything like that so I'm going in completely blind
rest in piss oliver
people might be dead but i guess romance isn't? bit of an odd side plot with what's been going on but i had to laugh at the letter at the end from arthur. what the fuck.
I liked this book! Definitely gave me A Good Girl's Guide to Murder vibes ofc! Kinda wished it continued on to know what happens but it was good!
First and foremost, I did like the storyline and the ending of this book. It was interesting and woven well. There was only one “convenient coincidence” that I found to be a bit of a stretch, but it was minor. Everything else came together and was explained by the end.
I dropped it to 4 stars because there were particular parts that seemed to drag on and almost felt added to lengthen the book. By the end, I saw how they were important and everything was relevant, but while reading those parts just felt unnecessary and made me a bit impatient. Again though, it all makes sense in retrospect and I now see how everything was important.
4.5/5 ⭐
This is my favorite thriller that I've ever read. Granted I'm still a newbie in the thriller genre but it was soooooo good. I hated almost all of the characters (especially Oliver) but that was good because it made it so that you couldn't trust anyone. It was so fast-paced and incredible how Holly Jackson could make 6 friends stuck in a 31-foot RV for 8 hours straight entertaining. The plot twists were shocking to me although somewhat far-fetched, it's not nearly as ridiculous as other thrillers that I've read.
i was literally biting my nails and feeling incredibly stressed, but so invested in this story from start to finish. holly jackson never disappoints
I debated what to rate this since I absolutely loved it and loved that it kept my on the edge of my seat the whole time and the ending was amazing but what kind of ruined it for me was Oliver, I could not stand him and just started to skip over his dialogue because I couldn't read anymore. But because this has been the best thriller I've read in a long time I couldn't not give it 5 stars