Review: The Well's End by Seth Fishman

The Well's End
By: Seth Fishman
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published February 25th 2014 by Putnam Juvenile

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A deadly virus and an impossible discovery unite in one enthralling can’t-miss read...

Sixteen-year-old Mia Kish has always been afraid of the dark. After all, she’s baby Mia, the one who fell down a well. That was years ago, though the darkness still haunts her. But when her classmates and teachers at ritzy Westbrook Academy start dying of old age from a bizarre and frightening virus that ages its victims years in a matter of hours, Mia becomes haunted by a lot more than the dark. Their deaths are gruesome and Mia worries she and her friends may be next. In order to survive, Mia and her small crew must break quarantine and outrun armed soldiers in hazmat suits who shoot first and ask questions later.

And there’s only one place to go—the Cave, aka Fenton Electronics. Mia knows it’s somehow connected and hopes her dad, Director of Fenton Electronics, who has always been strangely secretive about his work, has the answers she needs, and more importantly a cure to save everyone before the whole town succumbs to the mysterious virus. Unfortunately, it’s not answers Mia discovers, but something far more treacherous and impossible than even the virus itself.

A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart.

My first official review and I am quite nervous. It may come across a little jumbled until I get the hang of this so bear with me. I had the lovely opportunity to review The Well's End by Seth Fishman. Where do I begin?? I was eager to read this book because it is out of my normal comfort zone. So I dove in with an open mind. First let me comment on the writing. The book itself is written beautifully. The author did a wonderful job at allowing me to visualize the scenes that occurred within the pages. This author took a risk by stepping into a theme that is usually reserved for more of an adult crowd and creating hero's out of a group of bright eyed teenagers. But...and yes there is a but...it just wasn't something that drew me in.

Mia Kish is a student at one of the cushiest boarding schools around, Westbrook in Fenton, Colorado. I must say I am always so fascinated with learning that these places actually exist in the world. Like who really lives in Fenton, Colorado??? Doesn't it snow A LOT there?? Anyway she is a nationally ranked swimmer, she has two best friends (JO and Rob) and Mia only has one parent which is her father. Mia is sort of a local celebrity due to an accident she had as a child *you will just have to read for yourself to find out what happened*. To round out her eventual team is Jimmy, Odessa, and Brayden.

The beginning of the book was rather slow for me. I am usually a fast reader if the book is engaging but I found myself struggling to get through the first half of the book. However once the book does pick up it is NOTHING you are expecting. It was like 1, 2, 3 and now we are in the middle of a serious crisis and the whole outcome depends on a group of inexperienced teenagers. However after that, the book again slows down and you are left eagerly waiting for some answers to Mia and her friends questions. This is one of those books where all the REAL answers comes at the end of the book and so does all of the real action. I guess that works for some people but for me I like constant action or at LEAST some answers. I also do not like to wait until page 325 of a 350 page book to get answers. I mean what were you doing with all those other pages??? And get this in the end, you still don't have all the answers, just enough to satisfy this part of what I am guessing will be a trilogy??? Which only makes me want to read the next book for nothing more than to satisfy my curiosity. Now for my lovers of romance, if you are looking for that in this book, I am sorry to say that you really don't get it. Although you do get one gut shattering betrayal. Mia was definitely a strong and determined heroine. She immediately steps up to the plate and becomes the backbone of her group. The concept of the book is brilliant but for me the execution was a little on the flat side. Especially with the cliff hanger ending. Oh how I dislike those. However this book wasn't all that bad just not for me. Would I suggest people read it?? Yes if you like rouge viruses and mysterious origins.