Review: The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey

I'm unsure about this book. When I started it, I thought that I loved it a little. But then I read more. And I don't think I really loved this book all that much. I feel like it could have been so much better. Sigh. So I'm giving it three stars. I did like it a bunch, but no love. I loved the girl, though. But there was way too little of her. Sigh.

I have no idea how to write my thoughts about this one. I'm feeling a bit blank about it. But I shall try my best. I just. I had some issues with this one. And it took me so many days to read it, but that wasn't because of the book. But yeah. I feel a bit sad that I didn't love this one, because I really wanted to love it. Hmph.

At first I thought the writing was pretty good. But then I read more, and I started to get annoyed. There were a bunch of describing things, and not enough talking at all. Aw. And. Well. I thought this was a book about Melanie. And she does have a point of view in it. But there were so many other point of views too, and I think that bothered me a bit. I only cared about Melanie. And I only wanted to read from her perspective. She was amazing. And I wanted to know more about her. I wanted her to do more. And I didn't get that. And then the book ended, when it felt like it had just truly begun. Ugh. So much of this book was about travelling from one place to another. And it was just a bit boring, to be honest. Because Melanie didn't talk about it. Just all the other characters.

I did love the plot in this book, though. Well, okay, only the world building. I loved how there are hungries out there, aka zombies. Sort of. And that most of the people in the world were a hungry. I wish there had been more about that, because it was interesting. I truly liked reading about all of it. The story is about Melanie. A little girl, ten years old, having lived in a cell her whole life. With other kids too. They get to have a school, though, and that was sort of nice. But my heart was breaking for them all. It was so sad.

I'm not going to say too much about it all. Just that. Well. I did not like this place for all these kids. I know, the kids are not normal, not at all, but even so. They could think and feel and talk and so they did not deserve to live like this. It bothered me a lot. Sigh. But then things go wrong, and I'm pretty sure all the kids except for Melanie ended up dead. Ugh. It was never said, and that bothers me too. I needed to know what happened with all of them after Melanie left. Because the other kids were interesting too.

But yeah. This is the story of Melanie. And how she loves her teacher, Miss Justineau. And I guess this is one of the reasons for why I didn't love this book. I didn't really understand their relationship at all. At times it seemed like Miss Justineau cared for Melanie, but most of the time I sort of felt like she didn't care that much at all. And I didn't really understand why Melanie adored her so much. Sigh. But I guess their relationship was sweet to read about. Sort of. I just didn't understand it, for most of the time. Hmph.

I must admit that I didn't really care for reading about Miss Justineau. I didn't find her interesting. And then there was Sergeant Parks. And ugh. I mostly hated this man. He got better. But I did not like him. And their almost romance made no sense to me at all. Like. In one of the last scenes, they just had to have sex. I didn't get the reason for it at all. And it bothered me a bunch. Ugh. Parks also had another man that he worked with along with them, and I sort of liked reading about him. But then, not really.

I'm not sure how to describe all of it, to be honest. This book was a bit weird. Sigh. I liked reading about Melanie. I liked how she found out what she was. I liked reading about the hungries out in the wild. But there was too little of all of that. I liked the ending, the science part of it. But I disliked everything else about that ending. And it ended too fast. Ugh. Then there was Dr. Caldwell. She was truly an awful woman. I got so tired of reading her point of view. There was so much of it. Ugh. She was so horrible.

I can't not mention the movie. Just. Ugh. I must admit to being excited about watching it. But having seen the trailer.. I am so annoyed about the casting. Melanie is pure white with blonde hair and blue eyes in the book. Then they cut her hair. And she was naked after that. Miss Justineau is most likely black in the book, yet white in the movie. And that bothers me so much too. Their cell clothes were supposed to be white too. Just. Ugh. I hate differences like that when books gets turned into movies. Hmph. Annoying.

I think that I just about all I have to say about this book. Probably. I am happy that I read it. But I'm not happy with it, haha. I felt like The Girl With All the Gifts could have been so much better. I'm disappointed that it wasn't. I'm sad that there was so little Melanie, because I needed more of her. And, to be honest, I wish more of the book had taken place in the cell. Shrugs. There were so many boring chapters after they left that place. Though I did adore reading about Melanie going outside for the first time. Just, so little pov.

I feel so sad, because so many people that I adore loved this book so much. And yet I did not. And that is just so disappointing. Like.. I'm not sure I get why it was their favorite book, lol. I feel like I have read so many better books that this one. But even so. I did enjoy this. And I am glad that I read it. I just wish it had been better. Shrugs. I wish it had been more about the girl, and less about the other people. It was a bit scary a few times, but not enough. I was sure it would be more awful, but it was not. Sigh. Disappointed.

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