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rubenstein's review against another edition
3.0
http://theprettygoodgatsby.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/review-the-infects/
Title: The Infects
Author: Sean Beaudoin
Pub. Date: September, 2012
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an “Inward Trek.” As if that weren’t bad enough, his counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. As in any classic monster flick worth its salted popcorn, plentiful carnage sends survivors rabbiting into the woods while the mindless horde of “infects” shambles, moans, and drools behind. Of course, these kids have seen zombie movies. They generate “Zombie Rules” almost as quickly as cheeky remarks, but attitude alone can’t keep the biters back.
Genre: YA, Horror
Rating:
Nick is your average high school student: he lives at home with his dad and little sister (ugh, more on her later), is madly in love with a girl he can barely speak to, and has a crappy job at a chicken factory. It's not until he's fired from his job and swiftly arrested that his world turns upside-down.
Names don't apply at Nick's juvenile detention center. Instead they all receive nicknames. Nick becomes Nero and is known as Nero throughout the rest of the book. On an outing the group wakes to find their two camp counselors have turned into zombies and some unlucky boys were their dinner.
Naturally the boys don't stick around to see who's going to be the next to be eaten. They hightail it out of there and run through the woods in the direction of where the girls were going to be camping.
It took me about 100 pages to really get into The Infects, but once I did I devoured (ha!) it. This is a book that can easily be read in a sitting despite it's near 400-page length. The story is blindingly fast-paced and the writing is simple. Also, Nick/Nero's inner voice is reason is The Rock.
That said, a lot of the writing got to me. At first I thought it was because I'm not a 16-year old boy. However, as I read more, I saw that it wasn't me, the jokes and dialogue are just awfully immature. There's a character called Mr. Bator, y'all. Also, is Busta Rhymes still a thing? Is he still big enough that kids nowadays would know and like him well enough to reference him in an everyday conversation?
While I'm still on the topic is Things I Did Not Like, let's discuss Amanda, shall we? Nick briefly mentioned in the beginning of the story that part of the reason why he's working is to help cover the cost of her medicine. I don't remember what the illness was (if it was even stated), but reading entire scenes like this was WAY too much for me to handle:
Ugh.
Once the zombie horde really gets going, there are awesome factoids sprinkled throughout the story. I. Loved. These. They were all really funny and basically called out every terrible cliche in zombie movies (don't pause to kiss your girlfriend; a zombie is guaranteed to be standing right behind you).
Like I said before, The Infects doesn't dilly-dally. The main bulk of the action takes place over a single night. The quick story and humorous moments (and The Rock) ultimately led to an enjoyable book. The night I finished I had a dream about a zombie breakout, so I suppose that should count for something.
Title: The InfectsAuthor: Sean Beaudoin
Pub. Date: September, 2012
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an “Inward Trek.” As if that weren’t bad enough, his counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. As in any classic monster flick worth its salted popcorn, plentiful carnage sends survivors rabbiting into the woods while the mindless horde of “infects” shambles, moans, and drools behind. Of course, these kids have seen zombie movies. They generate “Zombie Rules” almost as quickly as cheeky remarks, but attitude alone can’t keep the biters back.
Genre: YA, Horror
Rating:
Survival is for the ruthless. Everyone else is a hippie poet.
Nick is your average high school student: he lives at home with his dad and little sister (ugh, more on her later), is madly in love with a girl he can barely speak to, and has a crappy job at a chicken factory. It's not until he's fired from his job and swiftly arrested that his world turns upside-down.
Names don't apply at Nick's juvenile detention center. Instead they all receive nicknames. Nick becomes Nero and is known as Nero throughout the rest of the book. On an outing the group wakes to find their two camp counselors have turned into zombies and some unlucky boys were their dinner.
Naturally the boys don't stick around to see who's going to be the next to be eaten. They hightail it out of there and run through the woods in the direction of where the girls were going to be camping.
"It's eatin' time, Busta Rhymes!"
It took me about 100 pages to really get into The Infects, but once I did I devoured (ha!) it. This is a book that can easily be read in a sitting despite it's near 400-page length. The story is blindingly fast-paced and the writing is simple. Also, Nick/Nero's inner voice is reason is The Rock.
That said, a lot of the writing got to me. At first I thought it was because I'm not a 16-year old boy. However, as I read more, I saw that it wasn't me, the jokes and dialogue are just awfully immature. There's a character called Mr. Bator, y'all. Also, is Busta Rhymes still a thing? Is he still big enough that kids nowadays would know and like him well enough to reference him in an everyday conversation?
While I'm still on the topic is Things I Did Not Like, let's discuss Amanda, shall we? Nick briefly mentioned in the beginning of the story that part of the reason why he's working is to help cover the cost of her medicine. I don't remember what the illness was (if it was even stated), but reading entire scenes like this was WAY too much for me to handle:
"Amanda!"
"Nick? Is that? You?
Thank God, thank God, thank God, thank God.
"Yeah, it's me. Listen-"
"Miss you? Nick? Are you? Coming? Home?"
"No, Boo. I'm really far away. Are you okay?"
"Yes? Of course? Why?"
"Is there...anything happening outside?"
"Dunno? Can't go? Outside?"
"Why not?"
"Dad says? Not to?"
Ugh.
An unturned knob is like a collection of Hungarian folk poems or discount sushi: best left alone.
Once the zombie horde really gets going, there are awesome factoids sprinkled throughout the story. I. Loved. These. They were all really funny and basically called out every terrible cliche in zombie movies (don't pause to kiss your girlfriend; a zombie is guaranteed to be standing right behind you).
Like I said before, The Infects doesn't dilly-dally. The main bulk of the action takes place over a single night. The quick story and humorous moments (and The Rock) ultimately led to an enjoyable book. The night I finished I had a dream about a zombie breakout, so I suppose that should count for something.
msinformation's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoy quirky zombie books but this one wasn’t good at all. I found it too disjointed. A better choice would be, “My Life As A White Trash Zombie.”
dtaylorbooks's review against another edition
4.0
There really isn't much that Sean Beaudoin can do wrong. His novels have a definitive signature that screams THIS IS SEAN BEAUDOIN. It usually involves some level of noir, exceptional find-fuckage and a snarky cynicism that is like the brand of Sean on all of his books. THE INFECTS fit nice and snugly into this mould although I have to say it's the least mind-fucked of the SB books I've read. In fact it was downright tame in comparison to the likes of FADE TO BLUE. But that doesn't mean it was bad.
Yes, THE INFECTS is a zombie novel but it's not your standard zombie novel. It's not really a world-wide pandemic of zombie proportions and the zombies have a habit of evolving, thinking, picking the more favorable pieces of your body to eat as opposed to just chomping at random. There are different levels of infected, from the full-on zombie to something a little more human to a lot more human to total meat sack meal. This isn't a simple zombie novel despite the humor that Sean involves. Yes, it's funny, but he's taken zombie lore and expanded it to something a bit more terrifying than just having to deal with your regular ol' shambling zombies.
Of course THE INFECTS has all the seriousness of a Simon Pegg movie, background events being carried out in a rather hilarious background humor fashion while the SERIOUS things happen in the foreground. Never mind the guy running around with a severed arm in his mouth. WHAT'S FOR LUNCH? It is truly a Sean Beaudoin novel for that reason, along with the demented reality that takes it that many more steps away from being grounded. It's not just a chicken restaurant but it's what everyone thinks of when they think of a chicken restaurant, the menu showcasing full servings for fried random chicken parts and a chicken surprise pack with some kind of unhealthy gravy mess. It is as much of a satire as a satire can be even moving beyond the restaurant. LIFE has elements of the familiar with added doses of ridiculous to elevate the story into the absurd but still managing to keep it relatable. Everyone wants to survive the Zomb-A-Pocalypse, right?
Nick/Nero is the spearhead of the group, much to his chagrin. His only objective is getting to Petal. People just happen to want to follow him around while he completes it. He's not comfortable with it but he makes due. With Sean's books you don't necessarily have likable or unlikable characters; they either are characters or aren't. It's all in the way they're written, that satirical pulp style that makes caricatures of everything, to one extent or another. So you'll either think the characters are too far out there (like the twins) or they're readable (pretty much everyone else). Unless they get killed. And Sean has no qualms about putting the kibosh on the pulses of any of his characters. So be warned: if you favor one more than the others, it'll probably end up with some teeth in its neck.
Reading this, though, I couldn't help but think there was some kind of message here, about over-processed and genetically engineered food, unhealthy eating habits, complacency in what we're being forced fed. Messages aren't something I picked up on in other Sean books so it took me aback a bit. Couple that with the relatively toned down (for him) style and I think it was a bit different from what Sean usually writes. Not as wild and with more of a purpose, however slight. Still incredibly enjoyable but veering off the path a little.
THE INFECTS is not your typical zombie novel, filled with atypical zombies and anti-heros and an ending that will make your head spin. Sean's snark is not for the faint of heart and the satire is for those only able to take big blasts of the absurd at a time. The level of mind fuck is lower than in previous books with the story being far more straight forward and the characters being more contoured and easy to grasp. The subtleties of it are what will make you laugh, hidden in a well-timed background element in a greater scene. It forces you to pay attention because you'll miss snippets of gloriousness if you're just reading it for what the surface provides. If you like trippy, off the wall tales riddled with snark that will make you laugh and gag in the same sentence, you'll most likely love THE INFECTS. It brings with it the familiarity of the zombie trope but Sean just comes right on in and fucks it all up. But in a good way, like always. And that's why I keep reading him. Not only is he a fantastic storyteller but his voice is so epically unique that you can't help but latch onto it and drool love all over it.
Yes, THE INFECTS is a zombie novel but it's not your standard zombie novel. It's not really a world-wide pandemic of zombie proportions and the zombies have a habit of evolving, thinking, picking the more favorable pieces of your body to eat as opposed to just chomping at random. There are different levels of infected, from the full-on zombie to something a little more human to a lot more human to total meat sack meal. This isn't a simple zombie novel despite the humor that Sean involves. Yes, it's funny, but he's taken zombie lore and expanded it to something a bit more terrifying than just having to deal with your regular ol' shambling zombies.
Of course THE INFECTS has all the seriousness of a Simon Pegg movie, background events being carried out in a rather hilarious background humor fashion while the SERIOUS things happen in the foreground. Never mind the guy running around with a severed arm in his mouth. WHAT'S FOR LUNCH? It is truly a Sean Beaudoin novel for that reason, along with the demented reality that takes it that many more steps away from being grounded. It's not just a chicken restaurant but it's what everyone thinks of when they think of a chicken restaurant, the menu showcasing full servings for fried random chicken parts and a chicken surprise pack with some kind of unhealthy gravy mess. It is as much of a satire as a satire can be even moving beyond the restaurant. LIFE has elements of the familiar with added doses of ridiculous to elevate the story into the absurd but still managing to keep it relatable. Everyone wants to survive the Zomb-A-Pocalypse, right?
Nick/Nero is the spearhead of the group, much to his chagrin. His only objective is getting to Petal. People just happen to want to follow him around while he completes it. He's not comfortable with it but he makes due. With Sean's books you don't necessarily have likable or unlikable characters; they either are characters or aren't. It's all in the way they're written, that satirical pulp style that makes caricatures of everything, to one extent or another. So you'll either think the characters are too far out there (like the twins) or they're readable (pretty much everyone else). Unless they get killed. And Sean has no qualms about putting the kibosh on the pulses of any of his characters. So be warned: if you favor one more than the others, it'll probably end up with some teeth in its neck.
Reading this, though, I couldn't help but think there was some kind of message here, about over-processed and genetically engineered food, unhealthy eating habits, complacency in what we're being forced fed. Messages aren't something I picked up on in other Sean books so it took me aback a bit. Couple that with the relatively toned down (for him) style and I think it was a bit different from what Sean usually writes. Not as wild and with more of a purpose, however slight. Still incredibly enjoyable but veering off the path a little.
THE INFECTS is not your typical zombie novel, filled with atypical zombies and anti-heros and an ending that will make your head spin. Sean's snark is not for the faint of heart and the satire is for those only able to take big blasts of the absurd at a time. The level of mind fuck is lower than in previous books with the story being far more straight forward and the characters being more contoured and easy to grasp. The subtleties of it are what will make you laugh, hidden in a well-timed background element in a greater scene. It forces you to pay attention because you'll miss snippets of gloriousness if you're just reading it for what the surface provides. If you like trippy, off the wall tales riddled with snark that will make you laugh and gag in the same sentence, you'll most likely love THE INFECTS. It brings with it the familiarity of the zombie trope but Sean just comes right on in and fucks it all up. But in a good way, like always. And that's why I keep reading him. Not only is he a fantastic storyteller but his voice is so epically unique that you can't help but latch onto it and drool love all over it.
forestgreenreader's review against another edition
5.0
This book was hilarious from start to finish. I loved Nero, I loved the ending, and I liked that the author put in the reports of how some of the guys came to be at the camp. The book wasn't perfect, some things were left unexplained, and some deaths were sort of skimmed over where if you didn't read closely enough you could have missed them. But, I loved the concept and all the characters. Every character was entertaining and the book kept you interested- there was never a dull moment.
addyrunes's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog Books Forget Me Knot.
Thrilling. Gripping. Heart-pounding. A story that will have you hooked from the beginning and an ending that will leave you speechless.
I haven’t read a zombie book since the final book in Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth series. I loved her twist to zombies and the romance weaved into her books, creating an epic and unforgettable series. With that said, it was going to be pretty hard to find another zombie book that I’d completely and utterly fall in love with.
But ladies and gentleman, Sean Beaudoin did it. Beaudoin creates and enticing and heart-racing novel from the very first page, not letting you go for an instant. It’s an exhilarating roller coaster ride with a jarring and surprising ending I didn’t see coming.
At first, I was wary because it was very different then what I normally read. But once I got over that fact I couldn’t put the book down until I was absolutely finished. As I was reading about Nick “Nero” I felt like I was watching everything from a camera lens; the scenes unfolding right before my eyes. Beaudoin’s writing style is unique all on it’s own and can’t be confused with anyone’s.
Not only is his writing brilliant and full of witty, dark, twisted humor – his characters are quirky and originally out of this world. The Infects exceeded all my thoughts and expectations and let’s just say, that I have probably had my last bite of KFC.
When Nick corrupts the processing at Rebozzo’s he is sentenced to a juvenile camp, Inward Trek, and given a camp name: Nero. One the way to the camp everything is all fine and dandy until horror strikes the next morning. Nero wakes up to see one of his camp counselor’s munching down on another. Things get even more freakier and bizzare when zombies appear left and right! Before Nero and his band of misfits realize it, they’ve got a full fledged Zombie-A-Pocalypse on their hands. They do what any normal human being scared for their life would do in a situation like that. Run.
Along the way, Nero gives us very detailed and insightful ZOMBRULES. For example:
ZOMBRULE #1: Always assume there’s a zombie or six in the bushes when the orchestra begins to ramp up. Because – and this is vital – you can hear the moaning and you smell the flesh, but the sound track is like GPS – weather’s it’s speed metal or Doris Day, theme music is the one sound that will never let you down.
ZOMBRULE #15: Bedtime is when bad things happen, and dream time is even worse. Drink coffee, pound Red Bulls, snort speed, tell ghost stories, poke each other with sharp sticks, staple open your eyelids, redo that sudoku, teach yourself to cobble, learn Javanese verb conjugations, memorize Deuteronomy, guzzle sixty-two hours’ worth of 5-hour ENERGY, and/or stay up till dawn playing strip poker instead. Do. Not. Go. To. Sleep.
Another thing that made this novel brilliant was Nick/Nero’s witty, insightful, and deep observations about himself and society as a whole. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I”m taking Sociology this semester or not, but I found subtle instances where Nick blatantly says Screw You to society, especially the last chapter of the novel. I liked that part very much because…well, society has done the same to us. I won’t go into much detail, but that is how I saw it. I might be very wrong…but if there is something deeper going on I believe that that was the point.
The build up to the story was pure genius. Without Nick’s story there wouldn’t be the rising action where zombie’s are unleashed and the characters have to fight for their lives to survive. There were instances where they wanted to give up, but Nick quickly pulled the plug on that thought, which I admired. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire story. Nero is anunlikely hero, much like his name was during ancient Rome.
This book is just everything you would want out of a zombie story. It has plenty of blood and gore and witty dialogue. It’s thought provoking, has a dash of romance (where I was shipping Nero and Petal FTW) and heart-pounding suspense. Like I said at the beginning, I was really unsure about this book but Sean Beaudoin won me over in a heartbeat, writing a unique and creative story that left me completely unhinged and excited to read some more of his works.
Memorable quotes:
But Petal Gazes was a whole other universe, a different orbit, a brighter sun. She was a tenth straight espresso, pure feedback, wet-toe-in-socket beautiful.
Thing is, he’s right. Bleeding hearts? Liberals? The collapse of empire is always fueled by good intentions, the rubble presided over by the strict and the cold.
You can’t keep Z around like house pets. Leaving Petal down here ready to turn was bullshit. Like dangling James Bond over a shark tank and running away instead of just shooting his dumb ass. Sooner or later she gonna escaped, and I’m not getting eaten over that kind of foolishness.
Thrilling. Gripping. Heart-pounding. A story that will have you hooked from the beginning and an ending that will leave you speechless.
I haven’t read a zombie book since the final book in Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth series. I loved her twist to zombies and the romance weaved into her books, creating an epic and unforgettable series. With that said, it was going to be pretty hard to find another zombie book that I’d completely and utterly fall in love with.
But ladies and gentleman, Sean Beaudoin did it. Beaudoin creates and enticing and heart-racing novel from the very first page, not letting you go for an instant. It’s an exhilarating roller coaster ride with a jarring and surprising ending I didn’t see coming.
At first, I was wary because it was very different then what I normally read. But once I got over that fact I couldn’t put the book down until I was absolutely finished. As I was reading about Nick “Nero” I felt like I was watching everything from a camera lens; the scenes unfolding right before my eyes. Beaudoin’s writing style is unique all on it’s own and can’t be confused with anyone’s.
Not only is his writing brilliant and full of witty, dark, twisted humor – his characters are quirky and originally out of this world. The Infects exceeded all my thoughts and expectations and let’s just say, that I have probably had my last bite of KFC.
When Nick corrupts the processing at Rebozzo’s he is sentenced to a juvenile camp, Inward Trek, and given a camp name: Nero. One the way to the camp everything is all fine and dandy until horror strikes the next morning. Nero wakes up to see one of his camp counselor’s munching down on another. Things get even more freakier and bizzare when zombies appear left and right! Before Nero and his band of misfits realize it, they’ve got a full fledged Zombie-A-Pocalypse on their hands. They do what any normal human being scared for their life would do in a situation like that. Run.
Along the way, Nero gives us very detailed and insightful ZOMBRULES. For example:
ZOMBRULE #1: Always assume there’s a zombie or six in the bushes when the orchestra begins to ramp up. Because – and this is vital – you can hear the moaning and you smell the flesh, but the sound track is like GPS – weather’s it’s speed metal or Doris Day, theme music is the one sound that will never let you down.
ZOMBRULE #15: Bedtime is when bad things happen, and dream time is even worse. Drink coffee, pound Red Bulls, snort speed, tell ghost stories, poke each other with sharp sticks, staple open your eyelids, redo that sudoku, teach yourself to cobble, learn Javanese verb conjugations, memorize Deuteronomy, guzzle sixty-two hours’ worth of 5-hour ENERGY, and/or stay up till dawn playing strip poker instead. Do. Not. Go. To. Sleep.
Another thing that made this novel brilliant was Nick/Nero’s witty, insightful, and deep observations about himself and society as a whole. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I”m taking Sociology this semester or not, but I found subtle instances where Nick blatantly says Screw You to society, especially the last chapter of the novel. I liked that part very much because…well, society has done the same to us. I won’t go into much detail, but that is how I saw it. I might be very wrong…but if there is something deeper going on I believe that that was the point.
The build up to the story was pure genius. Without Nick’s story there wouldn’t be the rising action where zombie’s are unleashed and the characters have to fight for their lives to survive. There were instances where they wanted to give up, but Nick quickly pulled the plug on that thought, which I admired. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire story. Nero is an
This book is just everything you would want out of a zombie story. It has plenty of blood and gore and witty dialogue. It’s thought provoking, has a dash of romance (where I was shipping Nero and Petal FTW) and heart-pounding suspense. Like I said at the beginning, I was really unsure about this book but Sean Beaudoin won me over in a heartbeat, writing a unique and creative story that left me completely unhinged and excited to read some more of his works.
Memorable quotes:
But Petal Gazes was a whole other universe, a different orbit, a brighter sun. She was a tenth straight espresso, pure feedback, wet-toe-in-socket beautiful.
Thing is, he’s right. Bleeding hearts? Liberals? The collapse of empire is always fueled by good intentions, the rubble presided over by the strict and the cold.
You can’t keep Z around like house pets. Leaving Petal down here ready to turn was bullshit. Like dangling James Bond over a shark tank and running away instead of just shooting his dumb ass. Sooner or later she gonna escaped, and I’m not getting eaten over that kind of foolishness.
thatlibrarynerd's review against another edition
2.0
Generally unsatisfying and far too fond of the poor puns it seems to mistake for cleverness. The ending was original, though.
candacerobinsonauthor's review
I normally find humor, especially with zombies, awesome! I mean, Shaun of the Dead and Return of the Living Dead for example are instant classics. But I couldn’t handle it... 😬
andreathereader's review
3.0
Nick is not your average teenage boy. He lives with his younger sister and his checked out father. He has to work at the local chicken slaughterhouse to help pay the bills. He has a heavy burden on his shoulders and takes it well. His father (“the Dude”) is more concerned with free living than taking care of his daughter, who has Aspergers. So Nick does it, without complaint. After a (really gross) accident at the slaughterhouse, which Nick is blamed for, he winds up in the desert on a juvenile delinquent program. One morning he wakes up to find some of the kids and counselors have turned into zombies. Nick and the few surviving teens escape into the woods and have to figure out what happened and how to stop it, all while trying to stay alive.
Nick was an interesting sort of character. He clearly cared for his sister and would do anything for her. He had his grumpy moments, especially when dealing with The Dude, but overall, he was likable. His sister was super quiet and only wanted to play her video games. Every once in a while, she would surprise Nick with her depth of understanding, but mostly she was silent. We learned a bit into the novel why The Dude was the way he was, but it still didn’t make me like him any more. Petal, Nick’s secret crush, was strong and seriously knew how to take care of herself. But she was also harsh, and as far as I could tell, the only think Nick liked about her was the way she looked. There were a few other characters that Nick spent time with (warning: don’t get too attached, because Sean Beaudoin isn’t afraid to kill anyone off), including another strong female, which was a nice addition.
The dialogue was full of teenage boy nonsense (i.e. crude jokes and bad language). The pace was frantic and chaotic, with a lot of things going on, one right after the other. It was a zippy book and easy to get through quickly. It was graphic with the zombies and all the death, so don’t bother if you’re squeamish. As a vegetarian, I was especially icked out by the slaughterhouse scenes. Nothing subtle going on in there. The Infects had a small element of the paranormal, which I didn’t think fit in the story very well and was altogether unnecessary.
There were a few important questions that remained unanswered. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if I had felt that everything came to a nice close. Also, I’m still not sure how Nick ended up at Inward Trek. I don’t even think he knew either. He had an accident on a machine at work and he passed out. Next thing we know, he’s on a bus to juvie. Nobody thinks this is an awful harsh punishment for an accident? He doesn’t try to explain what happened to anybody? Why did everyone at Inward Trek have to have a nickname? I didn’t understand that. The ending was interesting and entertaining, but certainly not a super twist worth writing home about.
The cover, while not especially unique, is fun. Clearly this is a zombie book. I also love the little clue hidden right in plain sight.
The sum up:
Your average zombie book with a few unique twists. If zombies are your thing, give it a go. Otherwise, it’s okay to skip.
Nick was an interesting sort of character. He clearly cared for his sister and would do anything for her. He had his grumpy moments, especially when dealing with The Dude, but overall, he was likable. His sister was super quiet and only wanted to play her video games. Every once in a while, she would surprise Nick with her depth of understanding, but mostly she was silent. We learned a bit into the novel why The Dude was the way he was, but it still didn’t make me like him any more. Petal, Nick’s secret crush, was strong and seriously knew how to take care of herself. But she was also harsh, and as far as I could tell, the only think Nick liked about her was the way she looked. There were a few other characters that Nick spent time with (warning: don’t get too attached, because Sean Beaudoin isn’t afraid to kill anyone off), including another strong female, which was a nice addition.
The dialogue was full of teenage boy nonsense (i.e. crude jokes and bad language). The pace was frantic and chaotic, with a lot of things going on, one right after the other. It was a zippy book and easy to get through quickly. It was graphic with the zombies and all the death, so don’t bother if you’re squeamish. As a vegetarian, I was especially icked out by the slaughterhouse scenes. Nothing subtle going on in there. The Infects had a small element of the paranormal, which I didn’t think fit in the story very well and was altogether unnecessary.
There were a few important questions that remained unanswered. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if I had felt that everything came to a nice close. Also, I’m still not sure how Nick ended up at Inward Trek. I don’t even think he knew either. He had an accident on a machine at work and he passed out. Next thing we know, he’s on a bus to juvie. Nobody thinks this is an awful harsh punishment for an accident? He doesn’t try to explain what happened to anybody? Why did everyone at Inward Trek have to have a nickname? I didn’t understand that. The ending was interesting and entertaining, but certainly not a super twist worth writing home about.
The cover, while not especially unique, is fun. Clearly this is a zombie book. I also love the little clue hidden right in plain sight.
The sum up:
Your average zombie book with a few unique twists. If zombies are your thing, give it a go. Otherwise, it’s okay to skip.
mlledeejay's review
3.0
While there is definite room for improvent in Sean Bourdain's writing, the story was compelling and (most) of the characters interesting. The novel leaves you thinking about our current state of society.