The Twelve by Justin Cronin

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The Twelve by Justin Cronin



This is a review of the second book in The Passage series. If you have not read the first book, you may want to rethink reading this review. It will have spoilers for the first book. Now we begin.

Re-reading The Twelve was very different from re-reading The Passage. This doesn’t feel like a horror novel. Where The Passage would have these terrifying moments where it was clear just how terrifying the virals could be, The Twelve would have suspenseful moments that capture the characters fear but not necessarily put fear into the reader. It is not a stand-alone novel. I would highly recommend reading The Passage before even attempting The Twelve. The Passage sets the tone perfectly and The Twelve continues but in an extremely unexpected but still enjoyable way.
                The Passage brought the story of the beginning and then propelled readers into the future. The Twelve takes us back to the beginning, bringing to light what happened to the towns across the U.S. after the virals escaped. Characters that were introduced in the first book like Lila, Wolgast’s ex-wife, and Lawrence Grey, one of the sweeps at the medical facility, now take a central role. Time passes again and long term affects are shown. Peter and the few surviving members from the California colony now live in Kerrville, Texas, where a city numbering in the tens of thousands are residing. But there is another colony in the heart of Iowa whose existence isn’t easy to explain. Seventy thousands souls live within those walls but there also resides collaborators with red eyes, a leader who doesn’t age and a woman who can somehow control the virals. 

                I remember enjoying this book the first time I read it but I don’t think I fully appreciated it but now I am here for every single bit of this. Why? Because it is really damn good. It’s a shift from The Passage but moves just as well and packs that same punch in the gut. A whole new element to the story is introduced with the existence of this “town” in Iowa. With that comes different loves of humanity and a new chaste system. While some questions are being answered, others are still being put forth. Character development: still amazing. World development: still amazing. A few choke points that I found cumbersome exists but overall I give this 4 out of 5 stars. I am so ready for the next book!!!! That’s coming next. 

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