The Twelve Book Reviews

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The Twelve. Excellent reading...could not stop for three days! Can't wait for "number three!"

Keeps you guessing. Often books seem to fall into a rhythm with predictable actions and outcomes. Both books in this series have kept me thinking I have it all figured out before taking unexpected turns. Luckily this writing is able to capitalize on these turns in the story that leave you hooked and wondering what happens next till the very end.

Mixed feelings about this book. Having read the passage, which is book 1, I had mixed feelings about reading this. I was not too enamored about the passage for the same reasons I am not too happy about the twelve. First off the story, like the passage, is hard to follow. It jumps through time and among characters and locations. I found it difficult to keep track of where I was at. On the positive side, it all comes together in the last third of the book. That said, it is very well written - just like the passage. There are sections of the story that are quite beautiful. I can't give this book or series an enthusiastic recommendation - although I will likely read book 3 when it comes out so maybe that's recommendation enough.

A Masterpiece.. Hard to believe, but Justin Cronin outdid himself. I loved The Passage, but The Twelve is even better. This novel has something for lovers of all genres: action, suspense, mystery, character development and maturation, love story, the supernatural and the hereafter. Cronin artfully interweaves multiple seemingly disparate plot lines into a magnificent tapestry. Beloved characters from the Passage have taken on new roles, some heroic, others not so much. Many new characters are introduced. And all of them, good, evil, anguished, heroic have been fleshed out by the author to a degree that put many authors to shame. The final third of the book is a heart-pounding crescendo where all individual stories converge into a breath-taking, satisfying climax. I could not put this book down.

Not nearly as good as the passage, but still good. I thought the passage was the best book I'd read in several years. I hadn't been as excited for a book since the last Harry Potter. I'm not sure what one thing kept me from loving this book. It definitely felt very cliche at times and unoriginal at others. There were moments that were really nice, but I didn't feel that any of them had near the impact that most of The Passage had. One of the most common criticisms of The Passage was that it was too long/slow. Although I do agree that it was a slow burn, it paid off in spades as the characters developed along with the storyline. This book felt like an attempt to be a bit more action oriented/less verbose, but I think in doing so it lost a lot of the heart. This book actually was still pretty decent, but not anywhere near the quality of the passage. And decent can be disappointing when you're wanting amazing. We'll see how book three turns out, but I'm definitely not waiting on pins and needles for that one. But The Passage was SO good that I'll definitely read the third as soon as it drops. Fingers crossed that it can regain some of the magic from the first book. Here's hoping...

Too bad!. A horrible disjointed mess of a novel. The Twelve was as ridiculous as "The Passage" was enthralling. Hokey dialog gives way to one of the worst endings of any book in recent memory. The author, apparently with no way out of the corner he wrote himself into, resorts to the worst sort of mysticism, and magical transformations (with no real rhyme, or reason) to resolve what has become a disjointed, and hackneyed sequel to one of my favorite books. What a pity. Skip this one, and let your memory of "The Passage" remain unsullied.

Absolutely dreadful. The Passage was riveting literary fiction at its best. The Twelve is a tepid, uninspired mess, completely devoid of character, plot, and momentum. I waited two years for this sequel, and now, 400 pages in, it's almost excruciating to continue reading it. The writing is so bad, so riddled with clichés and bad dialogue, it's often hard to believe its the same author. I'd rather read a book on tax code.

The twelve. I really tried to like it, but couldn't even get to the end. It's so contrived, way too wordy, and tries too hard to be freaky. As weird as the book is, is still manages to be deathly dull.

Haste make Waste. Alright so im going to give you a basic rundown of what i think of this book. First off the passage is an amazing book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I feel like Cronin was racing to Arc the storyline and in the process injected some different themes into this story. It felt like it was rushed and that alot of the elements from the first book(which i loved) were lost and replaced with some thing else. The whole amy thing was taken to far IMO and her character skewed in the process in order to progress the story. Also the rapid transition between characters can leave even the most adept readers heads swimming, the Passage was a little more gentle with this Cronin however shows no mercy in this novel. Bottom line if you LOVED the first one you will LIKE(not love) this one as it ties up alot of loose ends. Also one more thing. The first story, i felt, could be read by alot of different audiences(age) but this book is alot darker i won't go onto details but there are alot of things that simply made me cringe. Overall a good read hopefully the third will be as good as the first

Good sequel. I disagree with some if the other reviewers that didn't like this sequel. I was hesitant to buy it but glad I did... I don't really get why they thought it fell apart... I thought it was a good story that was well written with good character development, just like The Passage. I'm definitely looking forward to the final book in the trilogy!

Wonderful!. I was a huge fan of book 1, The Passage, and The Twelve is a truly worthy sequel. I can not recommend it enough. I compare both these books to a leisurely car ride on a lazy afternoon that turns into a high speed chase for your very life around page 200! Could NOT put it down after I really got going. Word of advice, though. If you haven't read The Passage, start there! I'm not 100% sure book 2 would make sense without it.

Terrific read. One of the most compelling, thoughtful and horrifying dystopian novels (both this and "The Passage") that I have read. A fresh take on vampires, secret government programs run awry, and, above all, humanity at its worst and best. Peter's storytelling night on the porch with Kate is a sweet homage to the author and his daughter.

👍👍👍👍. I have no idea what drugs the other people who reviewed this book are on, but this book was amazing! A perfect follow up to The Passage! I think people were expecting for this book to jump right in and pick up where it left off and in some ways it did but with added characters... All the stories flowed! Even the characters in Year Zero (Lish's great grand parents were introduced) Guilder, Lila and Grey it all made perfect sense. I enjoyed this book not dull or boring! I couldn't put it down👌

Great!. 👍🏼

Absolutely amazing. One of the best books I have ever read and I hope for another.

Riveting. Once started, I could not put the book down! So looking forward to the next book in the trilogy

The Twelve. Hard to put down this second of the trilogy to The Passage. The action does not stop. The book kept me awake late into the night because it's a solid page turner. Can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.

Excellent. Part apocalypse, vampire and magic…something for everyone. Read the trilogy several times. Great book, great series.

Great sequel. Strong action writer - I enjoyed this book very much.

Formatting problems. I'm enjoying the story, but the formatting is problematic. Some of the chapters don't show the last page. Instead, the second to last page is repeated. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially given Cronin's use of cliffhangers and pointed final lines. I can't believe I paid money for this. If I'd known, I would have waited for my turn on the library hold list.

Great Sequel. Can't wait for the third one!. Loved it. Engrossing, moving, action-packed. Full of scares but still emotional and very human.

A good read but falls apart. This book has a different feel then it's prequel. At times I found it hard to follow the timeline and what was happening to the characters throughout those timelines. I enjoyed the detail in how the virus first took hold in the USA, unmanteling the government. I wish the story had dealt more with that. This book seemed to have detached from the first. The "feel" of the world felt different and less dangerous. It felt as the book was drawing to a close, that events became crammed and too conveinient. Without spoiling it, the fact that the worlds problems with fixed in one event seemed ... Rushed. I enjoyed the book just not as much as the first.

Not an epic fail...but.. I had anticipated this second installment of Cronin's apocalyptic trilogy since devouring the first, The Passage. I'm sorry to say it was a disappointment. Beyond reconnecting with characters from The Passage, this novel left me untouched. No, that's not right...irritated, actually. Cronin introduces us to a new cast of characters that I initially found compelling and then, ultimately, wondered at their purpose. While others are introduced, invested, and simply disappear. I found myself wondering if I had somehow missed whole chapters. Sadly, those that remained are those I care the least about. The dialogue is often campy, cringe worthy at times, and Cronin fails to reconvene the languid, almost poetic, storytelling that was so appealing in The Passage. Obviously he tries to but it seems forced and instead is conveyed in a series of dream sequences and ethereal recalls that are redundant. While I have not completely abandoned interest, I am not as excited about the final book in the series as I was for this one. Relieving me of having to check his website for release updates. Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised in the end and it will have made this venture worth it. At this point I don't really feel I need have bothered.

Good follow up. Enjoyed the book but the ending fight was a little soft. I wanted more. Excited for the next one.

Love this trilogy. I had trouble following the story line at first, it takes a while to bring all the characters together. But once the books starts rolling, you can't put them down.

I'm hooked. Loved the book. Even better than the first. I see movie in the future. Can't wait for the last one to be out. Lauri in Cleveland

Disappointed. Too much of this book is a review of the first book as if the writer did not believe anyone read the first one. One whole chapter is copied directly from the first book. I purposely re-read The Passage before The Twelve came out so I would remember it. I really wish the author would have written a totally new book, a real second book, not a review of the first.

Just as good as the first!. An awesome continuation of an amazing story. You will not be disappointed.

Loved it. Can't wait for the next book!

AWESOME, POWERFUL, ADDICTING.... You get lost in this horrible world Cronin has created. Like watching a great horror movie, you're on the edge of your seat and I found myself actually wincing at times. Masterful, ADDICTING, relentless...one of the best books I've EVER read.

The Twelve. One of those "two day books". You know when you call in sick to work for two days because you can't put it down, then you find out the third book isn't out yet. Please Mr. Cronin, write quickly!

What a great story!. Now begins the long wait till the conclusion.

Minette. Sadly, not as expected. Very disjointed and not nearly as engaging. Too bad, for me anyway. Seriously doubt I pop for the next book. All the hype for this Little bit.

The Twelve. The story was very choppy and difficult to read. The first book was much more interesting.

Book one was much better!. Book two tries too hard to connect everything. Seems forced. But now I am in the middle of it and have to read book three. 😒

Drunk driver. In the beginning I was very entertained by this novel however towards the end I felt as if I were a passenger in a car being driven around by a drunk driver. The idea of the book is wonderful however the author was all over the place. A lot of the time all he did was reiterate things over and over again and I found myself skipping over entire chapters. I think I will be skipping the last of the books

Could not finish it. Loved the first one. This one however was page after page of nothing happening.

The Twelve. money is king. Just publishing to earn living

Was confusing At first but amazing overall. Very well written! Word to the wise, read the end of last book first then start back in on this one. Character list helps too. Really enjoyed this book!

Not what I was hoping for.. Kind of a mess. Too many characters, too much jumping from one era to another. Ending was just odd.

TheTwelve. A great second book, really enjoyed it!

It's decent. These books are entertaining and easy to read, the story can drag on in parts but overall it's a fun read.

One of the best!. This series is one one of the best vampire/end of the world books I have read in a long time! I read the twelve in 2 days! I could not put it down! Does anyone know when the last book of the trilogy comes out?! Hope it's soon!

Not rehash, more info. Enjoyed it!. Didn't feel the start was a rehash of The Passage at all. It was a different angle. I love the storytelling and getting to know the characters. The end wrapped up quickly and conveniently, so I'm curious what The Mirror will tell us....

Awesome continuation. Well I have to say this second installment was just as exciting as the first ! A continuation of a great story with returning characters as well as new heroes and villains. Can't wait for the third one this summer ! You really need to read these !

The Midwest references are dead on. I’ve read a lot of novels. This is the first one I’ve ever read that worked in the misery of de-tasseling corn :-)

Disappointing. The Passage was a masterpiece. However, the sequel is a rambling mess. Whereas The Passage seemed epic and fluid in scope, The Twelve is disjointed and forced. Even the eventual climax did not so much as build, but rather unraveled to a dull thud. I wanted it to be spectacular, but eventually I just wanted it to end.

entertaining read!. I found this book to be thoroughly enjoyable and a fitting sequel to the first book. Yes, there is some time spent reviewing the first book but I didn't think it was too much. I actually enjoyed this book more then the first because I felt Cronin did a better job moving the story along. That was really my only complaint with the first book so I was happy to see it resolved. I think that Cronin did a great job answering questions left from the first book but also laying out a new plot to give this book it's own identity and to help set up for the final installment of this trilogy. As usual, I was sucked into the story and after finishing reading found myself lulling myself to sleep with thoughts of how I would act and want choices I would make if I were in the middle of the apocalypse. To me, this is a sign of a great book.

Simply outstanding.... Aside from Cronin's amazing ability to keep me completely and utterly at the edge of my seat from start to finish...his ability to paint a picture and create a visual masterpiece in my mind with just his words is awe-inspiring. My only regret is having to wait for the third and final installment.

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