Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Reviewed by Grace H.
Grade 11

Six friends, but only five will survive. Five Survive was written by Holly Jackson, the bestselling author of the very popular trilogy, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. If you enjoyed that series, you will certainly enjoy this fast-paced, action-packed mystery.

This thrilling story follows high school senior Red Kenny, who is travelling in a borrowed RV to a notorious party town in New Orleans for spring break with five of her friends. The only problem is, Red and her friends never make it to New Orleans. Somewhere along the road, the RV is caught in an ambush, with all four tires shot out. The six teenagers are trapped in the confined space of the RV with a sniper outside. The sniper reveals through a planted walkie-talkie that he is after one thing and one thing only: a secret. Someone in the RV has a secret worth the highest price imaginable: a life. 

Red and her friends must discover which of them holds the secret that the sniper is after. Many escape plans are foiled as the characters realize that the sniper is more prepared than they originally believed. They start to question if there is a mole in their midst, someone who is secretly working with the sniper. Emotions run high in the tight setting of the RV, and the trapped victims become increasingly frantic as dawn approaches. After all, only five will survive until morning.

This novel was extremely fast-paced and easy to read. I tore through it in one sitting; the quick storyline kept me on the edge of my seat, and I was dying to know what happened next. The story is written in third person, but follows Red, and it took a few chapters to get used to the way that she narrates, as she is a forgetful and easily-distracted narrator. 

The characters were written well, especially Red and Oliver (the oldest and self-appointed leader of the friend group). The juxtaposition of the two of them was fascinating, with Oliver's over-confidence seeming very amplified in contrast with Red's timid and nonconfrontational manner. The author uses a lot of dialogue in the book, and this contributed to the fast-paced feel of the story, as well as making the reader feel connected to the characters and what they were thinking. The fear that all six of them felt was palpable, and was transferred to the reader, making the story truly riveting. The last few chapters of the book are action-packed but wrap up nicely in the end, with just enough mystery to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries and thrillers. The plot twists and intriguing dialogue will keep you on your toes throughout the story, and the ending will leave you reeling. The fast-paced writing style is also perfect for anyone who loves a quick read; you'll be tempted to finish it in one sitting!