Alright, alright! Second to last review of this series that I am giving you all. First review for today! The last will be the series review, coming to you shortly.
Customary warning: This is a reminder that these are my personal opinions. My thoughts and feelings are not your thoughts and feelings. I may not always be the target audience for a book; sometimes I am. If I do not like a book, that doesn’t mean you’ll dislike it. If I love a book or simply like a book, you may hate it. Take everything I say with this knowledge. If it sounds interesting to you despite what I’ve said, then go ahead and read it. You’ll only know you like something if you read it yourself.
That being said… Spoilers ahead.
The End by Charlie Higson
Synopsis From The Book
Shadowman, realizing that Saint George’s army is headed toward the center of London, has raced ahead to warn the kids of the impending disaster. He knows that he has to make them understand–somehow–that they are going to have to work together. This means that Nicola and her kids at the Houses of Parliament, David and his kids at Buckingham Palace, Matt at St. Paul’s, General Jordan Hordern and his troops at the Tower of London, the squatters in St. James Park, and all the kids at the Natural History Museum must unite. But will they do it in time? The book culminates in a massive pitched battle in Hyde Park. How will it play out? Who will be the winners and who the losers? One thing is certain: this series does not go out with a whimper!
Horror – Monsters | YA – M | Major Deaths, Cannibalism, Gun Violence | Friendship, Survival, Courage and Fear
Initial Thoughts Before Reading:
Last book. Last book. Last book!! The penultimate book had such a cliff hanger by heart ached. This one is the end, like the title. My babies are going to die. I know it. I don’t want to see it happen. Ahhhh.
But all bets are off on who survives. Ed, Ella, and Sam are the only ones I know for sure. Let’s do this.
Initial Thoughts After Reading:
Whaaaaaaaa. That ending! Oh my goodness I wasn’t ready! I wasn’t. Most of the book was one huge battle and I was here for it!! Oh my gosh. I really loved this series. Truly did. I think I’ll go more into in the series review but.
THEY DID IT.
Plot Overview:
This book takes place mostly at the same time as The Hunted.
Shadowman has realized that the army is moving so he starts making way to tell others. At the museum they are learning more on the virus and realize that the army that is forming, is forming to spread the virus again. Sam’s blood is the cure and there are more kids out there like him. They have to protect him.
David is using Paul to get the grownups under his control. Shadowman is able to get most of the kids together but they have no general. They learn about Jordan. They vote to make him their general. Ed’s friends go back and find that Jordan has expanded to St.Paul and Matt’s group to save them. Jordan agreed and appears in a massive show, proving his worth, but he’s nearly blind.
Achilleus gets a dog while hunting around with Ryan and is seen as one of the greatest warriors. Jordan puts them all together, and starts preparing everyone. Achilleus is not accepting Jordan all that well and also asks Maxie if Will is dating anyone. she’s not sure if Will is dating anyone but she doesn’t want to ask him because she has Blue.
The big day is approaching. Achilleus loses his dog cuz Paddy, his friend, gives her to Jordan. Achilleus pulls out and half of the museum fighters won’t go without him. David backs out and joins up with the grown ups now that he knows Paul can control them. And some of the others pull back. The fighting begins.
The first day of fighting has a lot of casualties but because of Jordan they are able to mitigate a lot of it. Paddy dies protecting Sam (which is the message Ed got in the end of the hunted), and same is okay. Achilleus cries for Paddy and then talks with Jordan who tells him he’s just a scared kid and he doesn’t understand love. Not the way Achilleus does. Nicola goes that night to try to convince David to stop. She is killed by him.
Achilleus joins for the next day, and he flanks one side with his group and Ryan. Jordan’s numbers are dwindling and they aren’t winning nor losing. Shadowman is hunting for Jester. Matt’s religious men go in past the barricades and fight helping Jordan more. The Twisted Kids and Wormwood are able to mess up with St. George’s commands. Jester kills Paul which results in his and David’s deaths.
St. George is controlling himself again. This is when Ed’s group arrives. Everyone sees Ed and the others and Jordan orders them to join forces. Ed and Kyle battle like the monsters they are, helping the group come together when Ed sees St. George and knows him as Greg. He shoots off, and battles St. George one on one.
Ed cuts off St. George’s head and the once proper adult army is a mass of individuals that are easier to pick off. The kids win. Ryan lost a hand. Achilleus and Will seem to be getting along okay, as Will comforts Achilleus after Achilleus sits with a dying kid. Ed and Brooke talk and she says she’ll help him.
Ella and Sam reunite finally.
What I Liked:
The Battle; WOW. Okay so that was like most of the book and I am okay with that! Really. It was amazing. And the fact that Ed shows up to battle the final enemy and wins. Oh I was so here for it. I was so ready for it.
Jordan; Turns out he really is a good general. His entrance for the others was beautiful, his command was amazing. The fact that he was able to do so much as a kid, is so cool. I feel for him, because he is just a scared kid, but his tactics helped save them all.
Achilleus; This kid. Him getting fed up because he lost his dog, I get it. Also the fact that he held so much power over the others and inspired so much. I was just like wow. I really did like him.
Sam; Oh he got his sister. He survived. I hope that they find a cure with his blood, but for now he is okay and that’s all that I care about. He is such a sweet child.
The Kid; I still love him as much as I did when I first met him. He may talk weird, but he’s brilliant and he kept Sam alive. I wish him the best as well.
David; What a villain. He had a goal. He had a chance. He got what he wanted. However he was misguided and chose a way that was most befitting him not everyone. I really respected his character even if I hated him.
Shadowman; Yus. This kid went and got things done. Kept notes, made alliances, and took on debts. He was the biggest pivoting factor to collecting information and Jester’s ultimate choice.
Jester; This kid, I expected more from. He was so smart and yet he fell for David’s words. He was a coward who led to the death of so many, and his death, was, ultimately, what helped them all win. It was tragic, and horrific, but he did the right thing in the end. Finally.
Wormwood; This man had better help them figure out a cure.
Twisted Kids; These kids really turned the tides of battle, and I hope that they can help Wormwood stay himself for long enough, to get a cure and a vaccine for the other kids of the world.
What I Would Have Liked or Changed:
The other kids I liked but still cared little for.
More Ed.
Rating: 5/5
Notable Quotes:
None
Marlena Marie 
2 thoughts on “The End Review”