08 Mar Book Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Alien invasions in fiction usually fall into two categories: the massive, destructive war (Independence Day) or the eerie, slow infiltration (The Body Snatchers). The 5th Wave takes a different approach—it blends both. It’s a survival story, a sci-fi thriller, and a dystopian nightmare all rolled into one. And while it hits some familiar beats, it does so with enough intensity to make it a gripping read.

What’s it about?

The world as we know it is gone. When the Others—an alien species with unknown motives—arrived, they didn’t attack in a single dramatic event. Instead, they wiped humanity out in waves.

• The first wave was an electromagnetic pulse, shutting down all technology and throwing society into chaos.
• The second wave brought massive tsunamis, drowning entire coastal cities.
• The third wave unleashed a deadly plague, killing billions.
• The fourth wave was infiltration, where the Others took on human appearances, making it impossible to know who to trust.

Now, with less than one percent of the population left, the fifth wave is coming—but no one knows what it is.

Cassie Sullivan is one of the few survivors. She’s been on her own since the Others attacked, trying to stay alive in a world where trusting the wrong person means instant death. But she’s not just fighting for herself—her little brother, Sammy, was taken by soldiers who claim to be rescuing children. Cassie isn’t sure if she believes them, but she knows one thing: she promised Sammy she’d find him, and she won’t stop until she does.

Her journey takes a dangerous turn when she’s injured and rescued by Evan Walker, a mysterious boy who seems too good to be true. Cassie doesn’t trust easily, but as they travel together, she starts to question everything she thought she knew about the invasion.

Meanwhile, another survivor, Ben Parish—once a high school golden boy, now a hardened fighter—is being trained as a soldier to take on the Others. But as he learns more about what’s really happening, he starts to wonder if he’s fighting the right enemy.

As the fifth wave looms, Cassie, Ben, and Evan are all on a collision course, racing toward a truth that might be even more terrifying than extinction itself.

What This Chick Thinks

The survival aspect is the strongest part

The first half of this book is incredible. The atmosphere of loneliness, fear, and paranoia is perfectly executed. Cassie isn’t just fighting aliens—she’s fighting hunger, the cold, and the crushing weight of isolation. Her struggle to figure out who she can trust adds a constant sense of tension.

There’s something deeply unsettling about an enemy that looks just like you, and Yancey plays with this fear brilliantly. Every interaction Cassie has could mean death, and the book never lets you forget that.

The dual perspectives add depth

Cassie’s story is the heart of the novel, but Ben’s perspective adds an important counterpoint. His chapters show the military side of things, giving insight into how humans are fighting back—and how they might be getting played in the process.

Ben’s transformation from popular high school athlete to hardened soldier is compelling, and while his storyline feels more action-heavy than Cassie’s, it balances out the book well.

The romance is where things get shaky

The relationship between Cassie and Evan is where the book loses some of its momentum. The early part of the novel is so focused on survival and the raw fear of the unknown, but when Evan enters the picture, things slow down.

Evan is a little too perfect, and while the book eventually explains why, his dynamic with Cassie sometimes feels forced. The tension of whether or not he’s trustworthy is great, but the romantic elements feel like they were wedged in to hit a YA trope rather than something that develops naturally.

The twists are great, but some are predictable

This book does an amazing job keeping the reader on edge, questioning what’s real and who can be trusted. That being said, if you’ve read a lot of dystopian or sci-fi books, you might see some of the major twists coming before Cassie does.

That doesn’t ruin the experience, though—it just means you get that slow, sinking dread as you realize what’s really happening. The final act of the book ramps up the stakes, setting up an ending that guarantees you’ll want to pick up the sequel.

Final Thoughts

The 5th Wave is a solid, fast-paced sci-fi thriller with strong survival elements and an eerie sense of paranoia. The early parts of the book are the strongest, capturing the hopelessness and danger of a world that’s already lost. The romance might slow things down a little, but the story is compelling enough to keep you hooked.

It’s not a perfect book, but it’s an engaging one, and if you love stories about alien invasions, conspiracies, and characters fighting against impossible odds, it’s absolutely worth a read.

Rating: 8/10

Try it if you like

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Another survival-driven story with a strong protagonist and high stakes.
• The Passage by Justin Cronin – If you want something grittier and more adult, this book has a similar world-ending plague and themes of survival.
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer – A different kind of alien invasion story, focused on identity and trust.