by Gregg Hurwitz
Scholastic Inc.
2017
352 pages
ISBN: 9781338216486
The Rains is an exciting and entertaining science fiction YA book that (almost) delivers on premise. A meter shower occurs and soon after even stranger things begin to happen. Plants grow in seconds and their spores infect people turning them into monster/machines. . At least all adult people. Anyone who is eighteen or over is infected with whatever "disease" or air-borne pathogen was released by the "invasion." Brothers Chance and Patrick have always been close and hard working. They have no idea how their brotherly bond will be tested over the next days and weeks.
The adults aren't just infected they are controlled by something or someone. The men walk in patterns: right angle, march, march, march, right angle with their eyes downcast as if they are mapping the terrain. Their eyes are no longer eyes but look like lenses or cameras. The teens don't know who is filming the terrain and what they are doing with the information.
The teens and children are able to set up camp in the local high school. Chance and Patrick see other children and teens being rounded up and put in cages by the infected adults. Whatever is in store for them can't be good. The brothers have become the leaders of the group and must decide to stay or to go for help.
The deus ex machina insertion of a "good" alien in the end was not only far-fetched but unbelievable and a tragic flaw from both the author and editor.
Recommended grade 8 and up. This book is on the middle school book fair for Scholastic Books.
FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.
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