Friday, July 8, 2016

#Saturday Review - NIL ON FIRE by Lynne Matson (YA, Science Fiction) @LSMatson @HenryHolt

Series: NIL # 3
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: May 31, 2016
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Source: Library
Genre: YA, Science Fiction


Despite Rives and Skye's attempt to destroy Nil, the island remains. And back in this world, Nil won't let Skye go. Haunted by a darkness she can't ignore, Skye wrestles with Nil nightmares that worsen by the day and threaten to tear her apart. As Skye fights to keep her mind intact, she realizes that to finally break free of Nil, she must end Nil's vicious cycle once and for all--and she can't do it alone.
Who will return to Nil, and in the end, who will survive? In this thrilling final installment of the Nil series, the stakes have never been higher: everyone's fate hangs in the balance, including Nil's own--and Nil will fight to the death. When the full force of the island is unleashed, Skye faces an impossible choice, a cruel one she'd never imagined she'd have to make. Soon one Nil truth becomes painfully clear: only one side can win.
Losing isn't an option, but winning will cost Skye everything.
Perfect for fans of Lost and survivalist stories, NIL ON FIRE is a stunning conclusion to the Nil trilogy that will leave readers breathless.




NIL ON FIRE is the third and final installment in author Lynne Matson's NIL trilogy. Just when Skye Bracken and Rives thought they had finally left the island of NIL behind them for good, NIL reaches out and makes their lives rather unpleasant. Skye believes that something came back with her from NIL, and that darkness is taking up every moment she should be resting. She's even seeing a girl in every nap, and every time she lays down haunting her dreams. What's a girl to do? If you're Skye, you gather up your resources, call in a few friends and her father, and make the return trip back to NIL.

Meanwhile on NIL, the island is up to its old tricks, but with a twist. Not only does it start pulling teenagers from all walks of life to the island, but it continues to reach out to the one that got away; Skye. The Island remembers the nuclear bombs that fell. It remembers who was responsible for those bombs. It is also pulling in a rather heavy load of dangerous animals like African Wild Dogs, Rhinos, Jaguars, and Hippos. (FYI, Matson actually has chapters dedicated to the narrative from NIL which is truly interesting). The island has designs on certain new characters like Columbia Carmen. She and others will be key to what happens to Skye, Rives, Thad, Paulo, and Zane as they return to HELL.

Matson tosses in one more twist. Skye knows that she doesn't have 365 days to find a way off the island. She and her allies really only have 90 days before the next solstice. Skye and her new friends will have to solve more riddles, more puzzles, more mysteries, and survive dangerous encounters with animals out for blood in order to find their way off the island once again. Skye is a fatalistic character most of the time but she is more prepared than anyone else. 

She knows that NIL wants her to pay for her actions in helping others in NIL Unlocked. Skye's desire to sacrifice herself for her friends and Rives kind of made sense, and then it didn't. Her attempt at keeping Rives out probably lowered this rating for me. After all, Skye is connected by blood to the island, but she can't do everything alone. The new cast, in cast you're keeping track, includes Davey and Molly from Australia, Haftpor from Iceland, and Lana who is supposed to take Paulo's place. 

Overall, I would have loved to have the pacing picked up a bit. There are lots of lags that really were boring. Probably 100 pages could have been left out, and still I would have enjoyed the story more. Would have loved Charley on the Island rather than Thad. After all, Charley was like Skye in that she also got away. I did like the fact that Thad and Charley can communicate while not being together. That's a pretty cool ability to have. Yes, I do recommend that you read this series. Nil On Fire is the perfect name for the story, and a good way to end the series. 






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