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michalow's review
4.0
This book is densely packed with information, which is made accessible through Quammen's clear, conversational style. You don't need any previous knowledge of virology or genetics to follow along, but you will need an interest in these things to keep you going. Even though some of the information was familiar to me, I am grateful to Quammen for pulling a cohesive narrative out of what he calls the "firehose of preprints and published studies, of data analysis and speculation, of honest mistakes and hasty claims and retractions..." of the last few years.
tomstbr's review
5.0
A fair and balanced report on what exactly SARS-COV2 is and where it most likely came from. No politics, just great reporting and interviewing. Very much appreciate the even-handed style and Quammen is an excellent, entertaining writer.
neele_j's review
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
I liked the thriller atmosphere, it made it interesting and felt like the reader was unravelling the mystery of Corona's origin(s).
The material is easy to read and the biochemical information is informative enough for students with a biology background. I loved the interwoven aspect of wildlife trading in China and the portrayal of international research in real time, as well as the love and motivation for science, captured in interviews with scientists. Back to the thriller style, although I enjoyed it most of the time, the jumps, many researcher names (deserved of course) and some repetition made it less stringent.
The material is easy to read and the biochemical information is informative enough for students with a biology background. I loved the interwoven aspect of wildlife trading in China and the portrayal of international research in real time, as well as the love and motivation for science, captured in interviews with scientists. Back to the thriller style, although I enjoyed it most of the time, the jumps, many researcher names (deserved of course) and some repetition made it less stringent.