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dblue236's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Did I just read a 300-page first chapter? Was that ACTUALLY the entire book? Did I really spend all that time waiting to find out what was happening only to learn... nothing at all?
Okay, I'm mad. I loved the concept of this book and the tension of it was glorious. And then just... nothing. No resolution. No explanation. No ending.
*flips table*
Three stars for no reason other than how much I really wanted to love this.
Graphic: Vomit and Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual content
franklola's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Blood, Medical trauma, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Chronic illness, Racism, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
ifoundcallie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very reminiscent of Stephen King, particularly “Under the Dome”. If you liked that, you’ll love this. For people SOLELY looking for a thriller or commentary on race/social class, turn elsewhere…this book intentionally subverts the expectations of those genres.
I love how the omniscient narrator stingily portioned out information, which shamefully left me feeling the same desperate NEED for information that the book was critiquing!
There are a few times in this book where the writing could use some trimming/adjusting towards purpose—the heavy emphasis on certain carnal images felt self-righteous and cheap for the rest of the story. Honestly, this is the only thing that keeps this book from being a “perfect” book for me. This pitfall is reminiscent of Stephen King’s writing, again, which makes sense knowing that the author reread Pet Semetary while editing this book. I can only read so many descriptions of bored and worn out married couples “tumbling into the only comfort: of flesh smacking against flesh” or teenage male characters and their detailed descriptions of “spit-in-hand, spurting release”, or adult men who are dumbstruck by their unexpected “large load of vitality and youth long gone”. I felt disappointed every time the book swung back to these tropes, faithfully. Yawn.
There are many passages/chapters in this novel that blew me away and can easily stand on their own as brilliant pieces of art. I would love to sit and analyze some of the turn-of-phrase, allusions, and imagery handpicked by this intelligent author. I was giddy with annotation, and this book rewards you for paying attention to these nuances of craft. Overall, I’m so glad I was recommended this book. It itched an “am I spiraling and paranoid or is the world ending” scratch that is often not done well.
Bravo, Rumaan Alam.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Blood, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Racism, Sexual content, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
lizzym126's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Murder
kaylanoellesims's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Animal death and Excrement
javabones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
rphalange's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual content
carissa230's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Ruth and GH are running from whatever is happening in the rest of the state. They go straight to their house and convince Amanda and Clay to let them in to stay.
There is something happening. Animals are acting strangely, they're feeling ill, and there is a huge blackout. Although they maintain their electricity there is clearly something going on.
The book was compelling and easily readable. The fear of the unknown was real for these characters.
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Confinement and Racism
kbergsten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Vomit and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gore, Racism, and Medical content