Book Review: The Kiln by Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher

Title: The Kiln
Authors: Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher
Series: Fire-us
Pages: 244
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
Year Published: 2003

"Five years ago, a deadly plague killed off most of the world's population- at least all the Grown-ups. Only a small group of children survived. So they formed a family and managed on their own. Then they came across some adults who had survived- the Keepers. But no adults were beter than these adults.
In this riveting conclusion to the Fire-us trilogy, the family is once again on its own- with a mission. They must find out why their world was destroyed and who did it. They must head straight into danger- to Pisgah, the heart of the Keepers' power."

My Rating: 8/10

I really enjoyed the ending to this series. The second book built it up so much that I think maybe the authors had trouble keeping up with the momentum. I imagined this book to be a lot different than it was but I still found the plot interesting, how all the books finally tied together into one main idea and theme. The older characters became more developed, and so I felt as a reader I was truly getting to know them. The reason this book didn't make a ten was because of the fact that I saw most of the twists and turns coming although the very end caught me by suprise. I love the ideas that the authors use!
THANK YOU JENNIFER ARMSTRONG & NANCY BUTCHER FOR AN AMZING "WHAT-IF" SERIES!

Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫

Spoiler: The Kiln by Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher

I really loved how this series ended. It was perfect because of they ways that the authors both made the ending seem natural, not just choked off. In this book we get to see a different setting yet again, two of them really, and we start to notice different things about the characters. This setting is set on Pisgah, an island used for presidential vacations. I loved, in an odd way, getting to see the origins of the keeper.

Characters:
Hunter: I think this character develops a crush on Mommy, but all that fades away when she gets her "curse". He is an amazing character filled with compassion. I think it's horrible that a boy at such a young age has to figure out a way to help so many others survive. I'm so happy that he was smart enough to remember the bunker.

Teacher: I think that Teacher is younger than I assumed she was. She hasn't yet hit puberty and she doesn't seem to process things the way the older kids do. She's an odd duck, but has the idea of opening Fire-us in the bunker, I don't think she would have lived if she had though. I still am curious about the book, was it really a gift or just a desperate girl finding meaning in anything?

Mommy: This poor girl is going through so much never mind when she has such a normal body thing happen. Thank god she was at the woods when it hit. She also had such a HUGE responsibility within the house. Taking care of kids isn't easy especially so many at such a young age. I think she truly is those kids mothers or at least the only one's they'll ever know.

Angerman: I knew that he was the president's son after he called the mannequin Dadguy instead of Badguy. I think the reason he went crazy was from the enormous weight of knowing what his father had done. I knew that he wouldn't return to his father though somewhere in the book I had my doubts, who leaves their father. I did think in the end that he would be the one to kill Supreme Leader.

Cory: Cory was an amazingly strong character, more than I thought she would be considering she came from a cult. But when I found out that she was going to kill the president, that was her leader for so many years. And I cried when she went through with it the way she did. It was horribly sad to see her die.

Supreme Leader: I knew that he was also the president or at least I had guessed about it. I could hardly believe all the evil things he had done though. The fact that he started this cult, hired someone to create Fire-us and then planned to relive parts of the bible made no sense to me. I cried when I realized that he married all the girls and forced them to have babies, only then to take the babies and "test" them to see if they were the new savior. It makes a person wonder what would happen if a lunatic become a leader, what would happen.

Nana: I couldn't believe that Nana would hand over the children, I figured at that moment she was heartless, but it turns out she was just a scared and desperate women. Good thing she was there when Mommy hit puberty, otherwise who knows what they would have thought.


Moment to Remember:
♥ Pg. 57
" 'If they can read my mind, all they'll find out is I'm hungry,' Mommy whispered, smiling." 


Thank you so much for reading,
Love,
Sidny XOXO
 

Book Review: The Keepers of the Flame by Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher

Title: The Keepers of the Flame

Authors: Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher

Series: Fire-us (Book 2)

Pages: 280

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Year Published: 2002

 

“Five years after a deadly plague killed all the Grown-ups, the world’s population has nearly vanished. But a group of children have survived and forged a new family, a new life, and together traveled up the coast of Florida looking for answers.

To their shock, they’ve found a group of adults, the only Grown-ups they’ve seen for years, living in an abandoned shopping mall. It’s a world the travelers had almost forgotten- cupcakes, clean clothes, adults to depend on.

But something is terribly wrong. The family must find the truth before it’s too late.”

My Rating: 9/10

I really enjoyed this book. I’m so happy that I decided to continue the series. In The Keepers of Flame the reader gets to know more about the way the plague has affected the survivors and the setting. The authors get far more descriptive in this book and let us see the personal sides of the characters. The events are not as predictable and I felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing what happened to them when it happened, not guessing what is happening. The element of surprise is a good thing on my list.

THANK YOU JENNIFER ARMSTRONG AND NANCY BUTCHER FOR A HEART POUNDING BOOK!

Thanks for reading,

Love,

Sidny ♪♫

Spoiler: The Keepers of the Flame by Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book, considering the first book wasn’t one of my favorite things to read. I’m overjoyed that the series seems to be getting better as I read. In this book I could visualize everything, and relate with the characters. I loved seeing how other humans had survived the plague; it was interesting to see things from Cory’s perspective.

CHARACTERS:
Mommy: I find it incredible that she has been able to take care of the younger children so effectively. I can understand how she would be upset when the Keepers take away her kids and near the middle we realize she had a right to be. Taking “her” kids and locking some of them up, that’s not right!

Teacher: In this book we see Teacher change from a leader to a frightened child. In The Kindling, I thought that Teacher was the most adult out of the family, but in this installment she seems more uncertain, more childlike. She has a right to be worried about Cory taking her spot, but really this whole Book business kind of creeps me out. It seems more like pretend than the real deal.

Hunter: Hunter seems like sweetheart who, to me, is interested in Mommy. He seems to want to fit in with the Keepers more than the others and is saddest when they leave. I was worried that he would stay behind so he could be part of this group, thank god he didn’t!

Angerman: He only gets crazier! I think that Angerman is either remembering his father or he has a mental illness, such as schizophrenia. I hope that someone notices and gets him the help he needs.

Action Figure: I felt horrible when Action got sick from taking that protein supplement trying to be a man. Poor boy. What a brave thing he did though when he set the horse free, hopefully Action doesn’t return to his wild, unruly ways.

Cory: I really didn’t like Cory in the beginning, but I’m starting to warm up to her ever since she tried to save Puppy and Kitty. I wish that Mommy and Cory hadn’t fought, but really that’s what the story needed to create suspense. Cory seems like a sweet girl, and I hope that she says more about what happens with the Keepers’ culture.

The Keepers: They creep me out! The kind of cult that makes others fear for their lives.

 

 

Moments to Remember:

Pg. 64

“So what if they thought he was talking to himself? For that matter, so what if they knew he was talking to the mutilated mannequin on his back? Their opinion of him was the least of his concerns.”

Pg. 157

“ ‘Do you think they’re looking for us?’

‘Oh, gosh, no, you think so?’ Angerman said in a fake-dimwit voice. ‘Why would they look for us? It’s just a total coincidence.’

Teacher jabbed him with her elbow. ‘All right, all right- they’re looking for us.’”

Pg. 225

“The blade whistled. ‘Take that, fire-eaters.’

Oh I’m so scared!

‘This just in!’ Angerman held the hilt of the saber to his mouth, like a microphone. ‘You should be.’”

Spoiler: The Kindling by Jennifer Armstrong & Nancy Butcher

I liked this book alot. If I might make one suggestion though to the readers of this book, it would be to imagine that the event of Fire-us took place in 2012 or closer to our time. It makes the world that Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher made a lot more believeable. When the event takes place in 2002-2007 it's easy not to be afraid of what happens in the "future". I think that this book is a stand alone book. It's a sci-fi book mixed with a type of mystery that I have never seen before. I do wish that we would have known a little bit more about the Before Time though. It would have made the book more interesting.

Characters:Hunter: I feel bad for this boy, I'm not sure how old he is, but he is the man in the family for the first half of the book, the provider. It's not fair that such a young boy should have to find all the food, clothes and other necessities for the family. I love the fact that he isn't scared of the bones, that he's brave enough to protect everyone from such a horrible sight.

Teacher: For me, this is the most relatable character. Although she carries around her own scrapbook that will apparently 'tell the future' I still like her. I love that Teacher is remembering things, and we as the readers get to remember things with her. She is an amazing character who is basically a detective, trying to find out what is going on with this horrible disease.

Mommy: She is a tough character to like, but you also want to love her. I think everyone has a friend like this, you know the one who is always looking after everyone else first and then thinking of herself. I hate the fact that Mommy is only 14 and put in charge of 4 children. That is a tough job to handle as an adult, I'm sure, never mind a teenager. I wonder about her fear of the outdoors though. Hope we get to hear more about that.

Angerman/Anchorman: This is a very interesting character who is thrown into the mix about half way through the book. I was happy that we got to see inside his head throughout the book, because otherwise we would just think he was completely mentally challenged. The idea that he hears voices makes me wonder if he has a mental illness or superpowers. He is unusual, but in a way, loveable.

Action Figure: What an adventurous  young man? He sure can cause a lot of trouble though.

Teddy: I like him, he seems to know what's going on and though he's quiet he is very bright. I understand his fear of alligators completely now that I have read over Teacher's memory.

Doll: She gets most of her traits from Mommy.

Baby: Again, like Mommy.

Kitty & Puppy: I think it's horrible that these kids were left alone in the wilderness, but the question is by whom?


Favorite Lines & Moments:
♥Pg. 222
" 'Once upon a time,' Mommy began, 'there was a girl named-um-' She searched her memory. What, what was that fairy tale she loved so much? Someone used to tell it to her every night before she went to bed. 'Cindy Ella..."

♥Pg. 234
"Action Figure stood on the last remaining plank of a dock that leaned at a crazy angle toward the water. Sunlight turned Action Figure's hair into a white halo, and the boy held both arms out, as if saying behold!"

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo