The Twelve by Justin Cronin

A literary thriller revealed in multiple time frames, The Twelve is a suspenseful tale of the human capacity for sacrifice and the transformative power of renewal. In the present day: As three strangers attempt to navigate the chaos cast upon civilization by a U.S. government experiment gone wrong, their destinies intertwine. More than a hundred years in the future: Amy, Peter, Alicia and the others introduced in The Passage pinpoint the weaknesses of the twelve original vampires . . . even as they confront a betrayal by one of their own.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I did The Passage. There were times near the last 100 pages where I began to get irritated with the style of writing. It seemed to change. I was grateful I was able to feel more at peace in terms of the characters Amy, Brad, and Lila. It seemed to become a trend that once I began to come around to a character, they were dead or disappeared somehow. One part that made me feel how the characters felt is when they tried to get to a safe space (hardbox), but it ended up not being safe at all. Another point, looking in the eyes of a viral to feel and hear a human, is awing and sad. I felt this book would be more freeing for the characters, but it seems more lonely somehow.

Favorite quote: “It's the end, not the means”