Day 21 // they’re still more concerned about romance

“Ugh! Liz, why’d you buy and read the sequel to a book when you hated its predecessor?”

I believe in second chances. Also, ’twas a buck at Dollar Tree, and I was raised to love bargains—and I’ve become quite a bibliophile, I tell you.~ (I’ve been reading Anne of Avonlea; stop judging me.)

I saw Day 21 on the shelf and thought, “Hm, perhaps the pilot just got a rush job for the sake of the series inspiring a show.”

Because, you know, The 100 book series inspired a show. The show itself is something entirely different, in that the author hadn’t any input into it; ’twas born from the mere idea. Sure, we have similar characteristics and names of characters in the book series, but beyond all that jazz is a television show bearing so little resemblance to the book series that the books feel like fanfiction written by a teenager.

My first impression of Kass Morgan is her Huffington Post article, wherein she tried to be funny as she shared what it was like to have your book turned into your show—except that’s not quite the truth, because again: they’re two separate beings.

Day 21Day 21 by Kass Morgan
Series: The 100 #2
Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on 16 September, 2014
Genre: #nothanks, Dystopian, Fiction, Romance, Science fiction, Young adult
# pages: 320
Source: Dollar Tree
Goodreads
Rating: ★★

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries—until now.

It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

Secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can—together.

Characters

Clarke Griffin: Why is she such a damsel? Here we have this leading character, who’s stubborn as hell and more capable of holding her own than her cis male counterparts—and yet, she couldn’t save herself to save her life.

Bellamy Blake: Still possessive. What is it about girls being so attracted to guys who are assholes? Because I really don’t get it.

Wells Jaha: We get it—you’re the Chancellor’s son—but does that really mean you can’t understand others’ needs before your own? Yes—he needs what he wants, and he needs to have it now, and he’s apparently seldom wrong and can’t face this truth.

Octavia is still missing.


There is seldom character development, and the only in existence is the teens constantly contradicting each other. I know people contradict themselves all the time—and it’s an important trait to include in character portrayals—but everyone has a solid foundation at their core. Jenny Schector was someone new every season, but at the end of the day, she was still herself; there were consistent mannerisms I could point out and say, “That’s our Jenny.”

But the contradictions in this sequel seem to be only for drama, as if the need to survive isn’t drama enough.

Glass remains irrelevant AF.

Setting and story

I didn’t realize so much in the pilot, but it’s reiterated here many times: it’s 300 years into the future.

I have an easier time believing the show’s 97 years later than 300; I just don’t believe so much human evidence could’ve been left behind like that, even if preserved by mountains. I used to watch the History Channel with my dad sometimes, and I can’t believe 300 years after a cataclysm—a third world war—would allow even a house to be preserved so nicely.

The story isn’t believable, either. A teen, Sasha, is held prisoner by the delinquents as a ransom for Octavia; Wells, and even Clarke, repeatedly undo her restraints and just take her for walks into the unknown. No one has any depth; they’re all so trusting—or, worse: everyone is either inherently good or bad.

I’m still struggling to believe delinquents, imprisoned by Wells’ father, would be so kind as to follow and respect him as a leader—no, many of these kids are criminals, yes? If that’s not enough to rile ’em up, Chancellor Jaha and his guards interrogated kids…😂 I just don’t understand how this is supposed to be survival fiction/a dark drama when it’s so hilarious how many holes there are.

Pacing, writing, development, relevance…

Books are precious. Space is precious! If a scene does not hold any value (development, importance, etc.) to the story, it just wastes time. Again, there are chapters featuring Glass, another blonde damsel, and none of the context is important! Apparently relevance is coming up, but if such is the case, then I don’t understand why she wasn’t introduced as a new POV when she was relevant.

Everyone’s cards are given away, and Morgan asks those questions I hate in an attempt to build mystery, but all she’s doing is reminding me of that annoying teacher who always asked questions no one actually cared about being asked because we were already thinking THAT, OBVIOUSLY. Readers aren’t dumb.

Take the redundant bits out, and this sequel wouldn’t be such a snooze—and perhaps the “trilogy” wouldn’t have resulted in four books.


The great idea is so wasted on the book—all the potential: gone! I can’t help wondering if perhaps Morgan’s books only did well because of the show, and similarly for her own fame. I know many publishers go for the money, and the “bestseller” lists aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be—so that’s what this feels like: a gimmick. They knew the books would sell, because The CW was making a show with the concept. It doesn’t matter if they’re not the same—all that matters is that the book sells.

I feel as if Morgan found out a show was being made and got caught up in the fame of everything. The writing is somewhat improved since the last book, but the patterns are still there; such remains to feel like a middle draft on the road to the final book—though still, fanfiction would be more accurate.


I won’t be reading the rest of this series. I went into reading this hoping for some redeeming quality so I could say, “This is why I give second chances!” but I got nada.

Even the Anne of Green Gables reference couldn’t save this book.

(I did this whole post on my phone; if there are errors or other oddities, please kindly email me them so I can fix them later.)

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Comments on this post

Oh man such a shame to hear that this series isn’t good. I’ve been hearing a lot of praise for the tv show and was curious about it, and thought, “Hey! Maybe I should read the books first” but it sounds like it might just be best to watch the show and skip the books entirely. ^^;

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Yeah—neither align perfectly with each other, because they were created separately. I don’t know the process, but I’m assuming someone handed the other a potential series bible, and each theorized story from there? The only relation the television series and novel series share between each other is the idea, some character development, and the general direction of things. But considering the first novel is the entire first episode of the TV show, reading the books as well feels like a waste of time.

I’d totally recommend watching the show instead. 😉 (AND ALSO I AM AVAILABLE TO CHAT ABOUT EVERYTHING REGARDING THE SHOW.)

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Oh goodness, yeah if the book was only one episode then that would be quite a long book series when it’s so much easier to just watch the tv series. I’ll see about starting the show this weekend! 🙂

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