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dreamofbookspines's review against another edition
3.5
I was frustrated that Preston exaggerated what ebola does to the human body though. It does not liquify your insides. Yes, it has awful symptoms, but not that. Why go so nuts with a very real and terrifying disease?
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical content, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Vomit, and Animal death
Moderate: Gore and Excrement
mmadill227's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Vomit, Animal death, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Excrement and Medical content
paulken's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Excrement, Terminal illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Animal death, Death, and Medical content
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
caro6408's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Animal death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Medical trauma, Death, and Excrement
sonygaystation's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, Death, Animal cruelty, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexism, Child death, Excrement, and Misogyny
Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
ekcd_'s review
3.0
Graphic: Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Blood, Terminal illness, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Vomit
grimmauxillatrix's review against another edition
2.5
The good: the writing is still dramatic and interesting. It's a gripping, well-paced book that compelled me to finish it even though a lot of the information contained within is at best exaggerated, and at worst completely incorrect thanks to continuing advances in medical science.
The bad: this book did for epidemiology what Jaws did for sharks; that is, incited panic and fear about disease that has done far more harm than good to society. The 2014 Ebola outbreak surprised many of us who'd grown up in terror of the supernatural powers of the disease: it turns out that the disease didn't turn people into exploding blood zombies. The outbreak wasn't the end of the world. Ebola is a virulent and deadly disease, but understanding it is key to fighting it, and understanding, rather than treating it as a mysterious unknown, reduces fear and allows for action.
The ugly: this book singlehandedly turned Africa into a disease ridden dark continent for an entire generation. The colonialist tones are unmistakable, with the various African peoples treated more like part of the backdrop than people with agency. Disease is around every corner, and so dangerous to the civilized white man that they can only journey there in a "level four space suit". Calling the Kinshasa highway the AIDS highway and blaming the spread of the disease on the people who live and travel there is disingenuous and counterproductive to both helping the people of Africa rise up, and to continuing disease research.
The portions taking place in America are steeped in 90s typical sexism, even though it primarily discusses Army personnel. Though not nearly as egregious as the white man's burden colonial mindset in the African portions, it still rubs the wrong way.
Overall, this is a well written but bad book that should be forgotten.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Medical content, Vomit, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Blood, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Murder, Cursing, Sexism, Violence, and Excrement
kristasorocks's review
1.75
Graphic: Animal death, Medical content, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Excrement and Sexism
archer3's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Gore, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Vomit and Excrement
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Pregnancy, War, and Gun violence
mondovertigo's review
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Excrement, Body horror, Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Vomit, and Gore
Moderate: Sexism and Death of parent