According to Barnes & Noble, the age for this book is 10-14 years. It might actually be a couple of years below that. This book is extremely easy to read.There are 4 books in the series and each is told from a different character's point of view. That doesn't bother me but the seeming change in personality of the characters from book to book does. I understand that each book is a completely different perspective, but it comes across as implausible when a very rough character in one book becomes so nice, reassuring and vulnerable in such a short period of time.Things come about way too easily. For example, when one character is thinking he or she should do something, another character says or does it as if she was reading the first character's mind. That actually happens a lot in this series of books.The kids seem to get out of difficult situations very easily. A lot seems to fall into place almost everywhere they go. The cavalry always comes in. Someone blacks out and when she wakes up, everything is solved. Situations like that are also common throughout the series.The premise of the book is very interesting but the execution is a bit lacking and quite unbelievable. For an 8-10 year old, it may be on the spot. For that age it may be exciting, but for an adult, it is unreasonable. The only reason I finished is because I wanted to see how it ended. The only reason I gave the series 3 stars is because it may be a good read for children. Each book in this series continues to raise the bar. As with the second book the story line was interesting and suspenseful. The reader continues to learn new things about the characters and the characters continue to develop. However, as soon as the second book introduced the three boys I was worried that this book would delve to much into the relationships of them and the girls. If I was in middle school like the attended audience I might would even like that but seeing as I'm not,I was dreading for crushes to take the main focus of the story. I figured that unfortunately this book would focus a lot on the drama of 13 year old "love" since the author wrote out Maddie, the 7th wheel, for the majority of the book which would leave us with three couples. I was happy that this wasn't the case. The survival story did not take a back seat to middle school romance.This aspect of the story was not cheesy and was actually what I would consider realistic. Of course it was there to some degree but it did not distract from or over power the story of trying to survive and escape in this war stricken society.
What do You think about With The Enemy (2011)?
This was my favorite of the series so far. I can't wait to read the final book!
—mackinzie
