Book Review: Animorphs #40.5, Back to Before
Happy Sunday World!
I hope you’re having a fun-filled weekend and staying productive. I’ve been pretty relaxed for the most part. This is probably my last event-free weekend for the month (because Halloween gets crazy busy for me), so I’ve been sleeping in and getting some serious rest.
Late last night I finished reading another book! This time it was Animorphs #40.5, Back to Before by K.A. Applegate.
This is the last Megamorphs of the series. I know, I know, the end is coming, and I honestly don’t wanna think about it because I start to feel a little emotional. The blurb did sound familiar, but I couldn’t be sure if I’d read it before or not. Either way, the thought of a parallel universe where things are different really spoke to me (I’m kind of obsessed with parallel universes as a theme), so I was super excited to jump in!
Blurb:
Jake’s finally weakened. After a grisly battle, the Drode offers the Animorphs’ leader an escape from the terrifying pressure. He’ll reverse the decision to start the Animorphs. Now, there’s no morphing, no missions, and no knowledge of the Yeerks. That is, until very strange things begin to happen and Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, Marco and Ax are forced to confront their new reality.
GoodReads
The Review:
I gave this book four and a half stars!
This is the last Megamorphs of the series, and true to form, the Animorphs are in for quite a doozy. In a moment of weakness, Jake is offered a bargain from the Crayak’s Drode creature. The offer? Simply say the word and they’ll have never become Animorphs, never have to fight day in and day out for their survival. Never have to be involved in another bloody massacre. Jake accepts the deal, thrusting them all into a strange reality where morphing is an impossibility and Yeerks are all but forgotten. But not all is as it seems as events force them together once again in a quest for the truth.
I absolutely loved this book! So many things worked extremely well.
Our beloved characters are at it once again, and this time everything is different for them. Without knowledge of the Yeerks, morphing, and simply being kids again, I think each narrative was handled expertly. I believed each POV and how they were digesting the odd happenings around them. To be honest, I can’t pick a favorite POV, as they all brought something vital to the journey. If I did have to nitpick, I would say that the POV’s could have been a smidgen longer. I wanted to get a little more in depth with their new perspectives.
The plot was amazing. I love the scifi element of parallel universes (I’m obsessed if I’m being honest), and this story was handled with poise. I loved the reimagining what-if scenario with things slightly different, and the domino effect was palpable by the end. Now I have to mention, certain parts of this story were heart-wrenching, especially the later half. Obviously I can’t spoil things, but several times I had to stop reading and just take a second to recoup. I’m sure my neighbors are thinking “why is Jonny shouting ‘no’ in his apartment?”
But honestly, that’s the beauty of these Megamorphs stories. Horrible, depressing things may happen, but we know that they are more books to read after, so somehow there must be some kind of resolution, hope to hold onto.
By the end of the book, I was overwhelmed with how much I enjoyed this. With action, heartache, and plenty of scifi to enjoy, this novel is easily one of my favorites in the series and is well worth checking out.
That’s a Wrap!
Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!
Have you read this book before? What did you think? Do you have a book recommendation similar to this one? Feel free to share in the comments!
If you’d like to see other reviews of mine, feel free to check out the book review section of my blog or my GoodReads. You can also follow my GoodReads reviews here. There are some great binge-worthy books on there!
Have a great day!
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I LOVE parallel universe stories. Great review. ❤️
Right? Many TV shows have had episodes centered on them (Star Trek and Fringe immediately come to mind), and in a book it’s even better!
I can’t believe I’m already getting emotional about the end of the series lol.
I know! I love it!
I can’t believe you’re near the end. 😱😰
I know, it’s crazy! I may do a final readathon in November to finish it out and start the new year with a new ya series.
Good review. I don’t get the point-five in the 40.5. Is that because of the parallel universe?
Thanks! Actually, there’s two numbering scales in the Animorphs series. The Megamorphs have their numbering 1-4, but they are also numbered for the overall series (54+). I figured it was easier to use the numbering in the overall series so people can check it out in numerical order. I know, it’s super confusing haha!