Review: The Hunted

hunted
Title: The Hunted (The Living #2)
Author: Matt de la Peña
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 384
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Action/Adventure
Availability: May 12, 2015
Review Copy: ARC from publisher

Summary: When the Big One hit, Shy was at sea in style. The Paradise Cruise luxury liner he worked on was a hulking specimen of the best money could buy. And now it’s at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, along with almost all of its passengers.

Shy wasn’t the only one to survive, though. Addie, the rich blond daughter of a mysterious businessman, was on the dinghy he pulled himself into. But as soon as they found the rest of the survivors, she disappeared.

The only thing that filled the strange void of losing her was finding Carmen, his hot coworker, and discovering a way to get back home. But Shy’s luck hasn’t turned. Not yet.

Back on the dinghy, Addie told him a secret. It’s a secret that people would kill for-have killed for-and she has the piece that could turn everything on its ear. The problem? Shy has no idea where Addie is. Back home in California seems logical, but there are more ways to die back home then Shy could ever have guessed.

And thanks to what Shy now knows, he’s a moving target.

Review: Sometimes series books can be read out of order. I would not recommend that in this case. A reader would likely understand most of the book, but there would be way too much backstory missing without the first book. If you haven’t read The Living yet, it’s probably best you stop reading this review and go do that first. It was one of my favorite books of 2013 (review here).

This second book picks up right where the first left off. Shy and his companions are on the run. They’re trying to get away from some people, but they are also running for another purpose. Because of the intrigue, it’s difficult to talk about plot without giving things away, but there are many life-threatening events and stressful circumstances that have to be faced as they move closer and closer to their intended destination.

The Hunted moves at an even faster pace than The Living. Chase scenes and violence are sprinkled throughout. This is definitely an action book, but the characters begin to gain more depth too. We find out that Shy’s friend Marcus isn’t what he seemed to be back on the cruise ship. Shy learns about himself and sees he’s capable of more than he expected. The characters also get a small glimpse into Shoeshine’s past.

Shoeshine is an interesting part of both books. He is inscrutable and also has amazing strength, wisdom and prescience. Even in seemingly impossible situations, he is likely to save the day often at great risk to himself. The phrase magical negro kept popping into my mind. Usually that trope has the character subordinate to a white person, but here Shoeshine is saving and guiding a Latino protagonist so it’s not exactly the same.

Lest you think it is all seriousness, there are still moments of lightness. Shy, Marcus and Carmen joke and jab at each other once in a while and there is good news on occasion. Readers get to smile sometimes. I especially liked the scenes with a young brother and sister they meet along the way. The playful wrestling and teasing were a lot of fun.

I enjoyed both of the books in this series, but they had quite different textures. This first book was more about the intrigue and the second felt like a race. Thankfully, the second one wasn’t just a revamping of the first. It was something new. I don’t know when the next book is scheduled to be published, but I’m eager to get it into my hands.

Recommendation: Buy it soon if you enjoyed the first installment. This second book is another wild ride. If you haven’t read The Living, get it now.

One Reply to “Review: The Hunted”

  1. I really liked the first book. I read it with my knowledge of the racism directed against Mexican Americans in Tucson in the back of my mind. Racism that was sanctioned by law, institutionalized… I saw that misuse of power in THE LIVING and am looking forward to reading THE HUNTED.

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