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laurenmitchell's review
5.0
This is the most delightfully Australian zombie apocalypse story I've ever read. I love all the queer representation (big surprise, right), and the fact that for once in a while this is happening somewhere that I know. Maybe less so considering I'm pretty sure one of the outbreak points was at the damn psych ward I've been to three times now, but I'll cope or bite people.
eleanorthomas's review
4.0
I enjoyed that this zombie apocalypse book focuses on queer young people, it’s great to see. Sometimes the characterisation of different first person narrators fell a bit flat and towards the end they all seemed to merge into one voice, sadly. The characters also often seemed to just know instinctually when someone was Bad, which could definitely be because of their previous lives, but sometimes felt a bit too convenient and insightful for gangs of teens. But, given the world they were living in, I’m glad they didn’t have to suffer any more than they did. At one point I did wonder where it was headed, but that ended up being my favourite thing about it - there is no definite place they could go or way they could survive. They just had to keep going.
katydidinoz's review against another edition
4.0
I was really sucked in to this book, thinking about it when I want reading and living with a vague sense of dread in my safe middle-class existence. I will note that this book behind and ends in Medea Res, so don't expect satisfactory answers about the beginning or the end, but get on for the ride.
jeanettegtf's review
4.0
Drive-In movie about zombies wrapped up in book form. This was engaging and poignant while still having good touches of humour.
pleasantboat's review against another edition
4.0
i really enjoyed this book! took me a bit to get into it but once i did i sat there reading and mostly freaked out by zombies which is what i expected.
kotabee's review against another edition
4.0
Adorable cast of baby queers who I would 100% die for in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Action-packed (I was reading this for a readathon where the prompt was to read something with a lot of action and this delivered). Love an Australian setting, love an apocalypse, love a diverse cast of precious and complex characters.
The only things stopping me from giving this a full 5 stars is it is just a fairly standard zombie survival story, while it wowed me in a lot of ways (as well as what I’ve already said, the story is told from 3 perspectives and there was never any question in my mind whose perspective I was reading from even though it’s not explicitly stated at the start of each chapter and that is some damn fine writing) the plot itself was kind of just fine, good but not amazing. In itself this is a great novel, but it doesn’t bring anything new and exciting to the genre.
Also, due to the current weather conditions when I read this, I felt like I would have liked to have seen more mention of the threat of bushfires than there was. I feel like it could have made more use of the wonderful Australian setting as well as the added danger balanced with the renewing powers of bushfires (germinating new flora etc) just seems like a really great fit for an apocalypse story.
Otherwise, excellent novel, highly recommend.
The only things stopping me from giving this a full 5 stars is it is just a fairly standard zombie survival story, while it wowed me in a lot of ways (as well as what I’ve already said, the story is told from 3 perspectives and there was never any question in my mind whose perspective I was reading from even though it’s not explicitly stated at the start of each chapter and that is some damn fine writing) the plot itself was kind of just fine, good but not amazing. In itself this is a great novel, but it doesn’t bring anything new and exciting to the genre.
Also, due to the current weather conditions when I read this, I felt like I would have liked to have seen more mention of the threat of bushfires than there was. I feel like it could have made more use of the wonderful Australian setting as well as the added danger balanced with the renewing powers of bushfires (germinating new flora etc) just seems like a really great fit for an apocalypse story.
Otherwise, excellent novel, highly recommend.
librarianpenguin's review against another edition
4.0
A unique survivor story of the zombie apocalypse, still a bit bitter that no gay boys make it to the end, but oh well, nothing is perfect.
teatales's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up.
I enjoyed this a lot more than Ida which is the other book of Alison's that I've read. It was wonderful to read their take on a zombie apocalypse in Australia, something I've never really seen before. The rep was wonderful, too. Basically all the main protagonists were LGBTQ+ and it was very. It was told in three alternating stories between the different groups of characters, and I actually managed to remember who most of them were despite there being more than three characters, which is a win. Most books I get very confused.
The low rating is because it isn't a book I would normally read. I don't like angst/graphic/upsetting/apocalypse etc. stories and prefer contemporary stuff with clear happy endings. But if you like zombie apocalypse stories about found family - go for it!!!
cw: violence, murder, injury, graphic depictions of blood/etc., discussions of child abuse, some homophobia, transphobia and misgendering
I enjoyed this a lot more than Ida which is the other book of Alison's that I've read. It was wonderful to read their take on a zombie apocalypse in Australia, something I've never really seen before. The rep was wonderful, too. Basically all the main protagonists were LGBTQ+ and it was very. It was told in three alternating stories between the different groups of characters, and I actually managed to remember who most of them were despite there being more than three characters, which is a win. Most books I get very confused.
The low rating is because it isn't a book I would normally read. I don't like angst/graphic/upsetting/apocalypse etc. stories and prefer contemporary stuff with clear happy endings. But if you like zombie apocalypse stories about found family - go for it!!!
cw: violence, murder, injury, graphic depictions of blood/etc., discussions of child abuse, some homophobia, transphobia and misgendering