Sequels have a reputation for never really living up to the quality
of the original, and there are only a few rare exceptions. Day 21, the second installment in Kass Morgan’s romantic and badass
science fiction series, The 100, is
one of them.
Day 21 does a
great job in continuing the story of the first novel pretty much where it left
off, avoiding the odd time gap that sometimes creates an awkward bubble in
between two books of the same series. Beginning with a funeral scene, Day 21 was not only going to be a
continuation of the plot from book one, but also a continuation of the harsh
realities that Morgan mixes with teen melodrama to achieve a balance between
the two.
Another continued element from The 100, and one that worked particularly well, was the use of the
four alternating perspectives in addition to the alternation between the
present scenes that take place on the ground and the past scenes taking place
in space, which clarifies important details of backstory for the main
characters. While this alternation seemed fragmented and overwhelming in The 100, it felt much more cohesive in Day 21, and the lives of the characters
seemed to overlap in a way that made more sense than the first book. This enhanced
clarity and fusion made Day 21 feel
like one book, whereas The 100 felt
like four books that were vaguely connected by some character and plot details.
Another thing that was really wonderful about Day 21 are the differences between the
four narrators, and the conflicts that they represent. Clarke, especially in
this second installation, seemed to really embody the divide between scientific
order and emotional chaos. Bellamy embodies this devotion to family, although I
really loved how Morgan found a link between Clarke and Bellamy’s backstory.
Wells struggles with the person he is and the person his father wants him to
be. Once again, I really enjoyed how Morgan managed to connect his past to
Clarke’s and Bellamy’s. Finally, Glass gives insight into what’s going on
inside the ship, and she is struggling for survival, as well as the survival of
her mother and boyfriend. It was great to see Glass playing more the role of
the perseverant survivor than distressed female in Day 21.
Of course, Day 21 was
not without its faults. One of the major drawbacks in the novel was the
overwhelming focus on romance in this novel. The gritty details of the group’s
survival seemed to sometimes be tossed aside in interest of who was hooking up
with whom. Some of the romance was sweet, and certain moments between Glass and
Luke or Clarke and Bellamy felt earned, but there were plenty of romantic
scenes that seemed unnecessary or out of place.
While there did seem to be a disproportionate amount of
romance in this installment of The 100
Series, there were also many unexpected and shocking twists and turns in
the plot that were an absolute thrill to read through. Readers will have to
pick their jaws up off the floor at several moments in this book, and will
often have to wipe the tears from their eyes as well. Morgan does suspense very
well and the links she forges between her characters is commendable.
Since this is a series, and considering that there will
probably be more books after Day 21, it
was important that the book have a cliffhanger that leaves the reader thirsty
for more. Morgan successfully did so, and another installment in the series
feels natural, not forced, after the ending. However, while there is a cliffhanger,
there could have been more unresolved drama left at the end of the novel.
Still, the book warrants another in the series.
Overall, Day 21
was a smartly written follow-up to Morgan’s The
100. The novel, and the world that the characters inhabit felt rich,
innovative and intriguing. Anyone who has read the first two will obviously
want to continue reading, as Morgan makes us care about her characters, even if
we might not always agree with their desperate actions both in space and on the
ground.
4/5 stars
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