Reviews

Devolution by Max Brooks

emrodav's review against another edition

1.0

DNF @ less than 50%

Sigh. I’ve been on a good streak of finishing books but I got so bored with this one!

I think it’s for two reasons: Katie and the format.

The main character, Katie, just isn’t that interesting. She’s bland and boring and not fleshed out much. All we know about her is that her marriage is on the rocks and she has a therapist because she has anxiety (though this is mostly just told to us over and over). She just wasn’t that compelling of a narrator.

Also, the format of a journal didn’t really work for this type of story. Now, I LOVE epistolary books. I loved WORLD WAR Z. But DEVOLUTION just didn’t work with this format. There’s no real tension when you know Katie (at least) makes it through to write the journal entry you’re reading.

So I ended up skimming the rest of the book. It ended how I thought it would. I just wasn’t willing to slog through a book I wasn’t really enjoying to get there.

swatry's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

About a group of people who get cut off by Mt Rainer erupting and are preyed on by big foots. Very well written and interesting, as real facts were interspersed throughout. Written in diary format 

jenhurst's review against another edition

2.0

this was compelling enough to read all the way through but it really was disappointing. I'm also not a fan of bigfoot

chrisb's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

bobbiejowoo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.0

I loved the epistolary format of this one. I listened to the Audio and there was a full cast and they even made the interview sequences sound as if they were recorded differently than the journal entries. The audio production was a 10/10. The story however was soooo much a slow burn that for a good part of the book I forgot I was even reading a Sasquatch story. I was fully invested and immersed in the story in the beginning, but as it dragged on I found myself losing interest quickly. By the time all the action finally started happening (right at the very end... yawn) it was too little too late for me. Though, I will admit that it *was* brutal, action filled and intense when it finally did happen. I just really wish there had been more Sasquatch happenings.

sandbbookclub's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

polenta_bianca's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

ttodd86's review against another edition

2.0

If you are going to give away much of the book with the title, the character development probably needs to be A+. That's not the case here.

mikimeiko's review against another edition

I enjoyed in the beginning but I don't know, maybe I don't care enough about Bigfoot, maybe I wasn't in the mood for doomed survivalist horror (I did like the structure though).

lindseyannd's review against another edition

5.0

GREAT read. Audiobook ensemble adds another layer. Judy Greer was an amazing choice as Kate Holland, and really hope they cast her in the movie adaptation.