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pause_theframe's review against another edition
4.0
The Story
How did we get here? Well, I guess it started with the economy and lack of faith in our country, Britain. People were struggling to get by, not knowing how to amen ends meet, even with working double or triple jobs. Kids weren't going to school most days, with teachers continually striking. There really wasn't much to look forward to.
The government thought they could fix it all, by bringing back belief in out country, helping bring back the 'Great' in Britain. Most of us didn't agree with their plan to host a 'New Festival,' but we didn't get a choice in the matter. So, off the government went to spend more money than ew had on this festival, rather than putting money back into the people.
Most of us were against it, purely for the fact that they were spending money we didn't have and spending it on a worthless festival. However, some people were against it for a different reason entirely. One that would change the face of Britain, and the world, forever.
If only the government had listened to them. If only they had paid attention, then we wouldn't be were we are now - fighting to stay alive in this zombie apocalypse.
* * *
These are the accounts, news and remnants of that event. It seems so long ago, but it all makes sense now. Perhaps you'll understand why it happened and what made us the way we are, from these historical details. Perhaps...
My Thoughts
I have always been a great lover of zombie books, when they are done well. Often they take on the same story - disease/infection turns human to zombie, zombie turns more humans to zombies, world infected, people try to fight back and usually win...somehow. However, this story is very different. It isn't a mere account of the days the zombie plague started, and then a story from there. It is the remnants of the world, as these events took place. It reminds me of how we see news, often with snippets of what is happening, pieces of clues left behind and we piece together the whole story.
That is the direction Stephen Jones took, and it worked so well. You are taken to a time when Great Britain was suffering and it would do anything to bring its proud country back. The government hatched a plan to host a festival and would avoid any delays to make it possible, even health and safety issues. Even if those issues involved a once dormant section of the plague.
From that fateful few days, we begin to get letters, news snippets, diaries and recordings of actual people's accounts of the events. We watch, read and hope for the best as they turn or watch those around them turn.
The news style writing gives us the feeling that we are right there, living in this world, and reading about the latest news on the zombie threat. We are there as the enemy turns into something more and we are there to pick up the pieces and decide where to go next.
I loved this style of writing and found that it was a fun, new way to take on a zombie story. It left things interesting, action-filled and was able to give us a full account of the world, without making it feel forced. It does mean that you have to be prepared that there isn't one main character or place, but more a collage of people and places to create a world of mains.
The pace of the story is excellent, as were are given enough time to learn about each account and character, as well as gaining needed details on the progression of the zombies, but the story doesn't linger or grow boring. It also moves swiftly enough that you get the sense of urgency and fear.
The characters are deep, even though we are only with them for short periods of time. We learn enough about them to grow fond of them and know what to expect from them, but are not stuck dwelling on a single character as the story moves on.
OVERALL: I love this take on a zombie threat. It is detailed and fast-paced, and gives you a feeling that you are actually there. The way it takes on the story in news, letters, etc it makes you feel as though it could really happen. I would highly recommend this story to new adults and above - perhaps age 16 + due to some sections being graphic. Though it could be handled by 14s. I would highly recommend having a go at this book if you are a zombie lover, a thriller lover and/or you want something a little deadly for Halloween.
How did we get here? Well, I guess it started with the economy and lack of faith in our country, Britain. People were struggling to get by, not knowing how to amen ends meet, even with working double or triple jobs. Kids weren't going to school most days, with teachers continually striking. There really wasn't much to look forward to.
The government thought they could fix it all, by bringing back belief in out country, helping bring back the 'Great' in Britain. Most of us didn't agree with their plan to host a 'New Festival,' but we didn't get a choice in the matter. So, off the government went to spend more money than ew had on this festival, rather than putting money back into the people.
Most of us were against it, purely for the fact that they were spending money we didn't have and spending it on a worthless festival. However, some people were against it for a different reason entirely. One that would change the face of Britain, and the world, forever.
If only the government had listened to them. If only they had paid attention, then we wouldn't be were we are now - fighting to stay alive in this zombie apocalypse.
* * *
These are the accounts, news and remnants of that event. It seems so long ago, but it all makes sense now. Perhaps you'll understand why it happened and what made us the way we are, from these historical details. Perhaps...
My Thoughts
I have always been a great lover of zombie books, when they are done well. Often they take on the same story - disease/infection turns human to zombie, zombie turns more humans to zombies, world infected, people try to fight back and usually win...somehow. However, this story is very different. It isn't a mere account of the days the zombie plague started, and then a story from there. It is the remnants of the world, as these events took place. It reminds me of how we see news, often with snippets of what is happening, pieces of clues left behind and we piece together the whole story.
That is the direction Stephen Jones took, and it worked so well. You are taken to a time when Great Britain was suffering and it would do anything to bring its proud country back. The government hatched a plan to host a festival and would avoid any delays to make it possible, even health and safety issues. Even if those issues involved a once dormant section of the plague.
From that fateful few days, we begin to get letters, news snippets, diaries and recordings of actual people's accounts of the events. We watch, read and hope for the best as they turn or watch those around them turn.
The news style writing gives us the feeling that we are right there, living in this world, and reading about the latest news on the zombie threat. We are there as the enemy turns into something more and we are there to pick up the pieces and decide where to go next.
I loved this style of writing and found that it was a fun, new way to take on a zombie story. It left things interesting, action-filled and was able to give us a full account of the world, without making it feel forced. It does mean that you have to be prepared that there isn't one main character or place, but more a collage of people and places to create a world of mains.
The pace of the story is excellent, as were are given enough time to learn about each account and character, as well as gaining needed details on the progression of the zombies, but the story doesn't linger or grow boring. It also moves swiftly enough that you get the sense of urgency and fear.
The characters are deep, even though we are only with them for short periods of time. We learn enough about them to grow fond of them and know what to expect from them, but are not stuck dwelling on a single character as the story moves on.
OVERALL: I love this take on a zombie threat. It is detailed and fast-paced, and gives you a feeling that you are actually there. The way it takes on the story in news, letters, etc it makes you feel as though it could really happen. I would highly recommend this story to new adults and above - perhaps age 16 + due to some sections being graphic. Though it could be handled by 14s. I would highly recommend having a go at this book if you are a zombie lover, a thriller lover and/or you want something a little deadly for Halloween.
bekbooroo's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I’m unsure where to rate this. On one hand I really enjoyed the stories, all intertwined and connected. They felt human, the best were the diary entries by far. Unfortunately a lot of them were quite formulaic:
Oh what this can’t be happening?
Oh wait it is.
I’m going to die.
No wait I’m alive!
Big twist.
Downer ending/wham line.
So while i enjoyed them it felt like reading a lot of the same stuff over and over. Also I love the whole fleas thing- nightmare scenario I tell you- but the science wasn’t consistent on whether it was fleas or magic or a virus.
I’ll probably read it again, but the ending makes me wonder if I’m going to continue the series. I find the idea of sentient zombies actually ruling the world to be kind of plausible but also kind of stupid. To me, the horror is that they’re mindless, maybe slightly capable of making decisions- I like the idea that they have a homing instinct and that they can talk, but like, being the president? I don’t know how I feel about that
Overall I didn’t hate it, and I’ll probably read it again in due course, and it is a good zombie book, it’s not great, but if you’re looking for blood, guts, and gore this is the right novel.
Oh what this can’t be happening?
Oh wait it is.
I’m going to die.
No wait I’m alive!
Big twist.
Downer ending/wham line.
So while i enjoyed them it felt like reading a lot of the same stuff over and over. Also I love the whole fleas thing- nightmare scenario I tell you- but the science wasn’t consistent on whether it was fleas or magic or a virus.
I’ll probably read it again, but the ending makes me wonder if I’m going to continue the series. I find the idea of
Overall I didn’t hate it, and I’ll probably read it again in due course, and it is a good zombie book, it’s not great, but if you’re looking for blood, guts, and gore this is the right novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Body horror, Death, Car accident, and Gore
Moderate: Violence, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Drug use, Excrement, and Domestic abuse
ashleybreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
izaklights's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I finished this book on a plane in the middle of the night. It was so good I had to immediately rant to my poor, unsuspecting dad about it who could not escape me. An absolute ride of a book that switches between perspectives constantly and still manages to get you attached to every single character. In my top 5 books ever for sure.
wyrmbergmalcolm's review against another edition
4.0
The significant thing about this book is that, although there is a clearly defined sequence of events, they're told via a multitude of police reports, diary entries, office memos, newspaper articles, texts, tweets and other first-person accounts - all written by different authors. This all kept what could be argued to be a slightly tired genre an interesting and very easy to read chronicle of an end of a world. Excepting one or two recurring diary entries by specific characters, each character exists purely within the scope of a single segment of the book so there's no long-range scope for individual characters and their development. The characters are there to provide their perspectives and thoughts to the increasing zombie threat and then go on to succumb to the inevitable or survive.
What was also refreshing was the mythology built up around this particular zombie break-out. There's a quasi-believable cause to the infection with a scarily conceivable series of events leading to its outbreak and spread. The zombies themselves also have a gradated level of what they once were in that some will still attempt to drive cars, some can parrot speech and some will seek out familiar locations. There’s also one account revealing a possible cure with an outcome that was very satisfyingly dubious. What works well with the book is that the story is told in an effectively chronological way, starting with the first accounts of fighting the building development that goes on to unearth the disease and concluding with accounts of the plague reaching the shores of Australia and America and the subsequent infections spreading from there.
Great stuff.
What was also refreshing was the mythology built up around this particular zombie break-out. There's a quasi-believable cause to the infection with a scarily conceivable series of events leading to its outbreak and spread. The zombies themselves also have a gradated level of what they once were in that some will still attempt to drive cars, some can parrot speech and some will seek out familiar locations. There’s also one account revealing a possible cure with an outcome that was very satisfyingly dubious. What works well with the book is that the story is told in an effectively chronological way, starting with the first accounts of fighting the building development that goes on to unearth the disease and concluding with accounts of the plague reaching the shores of Australia and America and the subsequent infections spreading from there.
Great stuff.
charlottet21's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book. The concept of having several different accounts was really fresh and interesting. I especially liked the diary entries and the texts. I enjoyed the way it made you feel both scared for the humans' lives, but also made you laugh with the witty accounts and tongue in cheek events. Especially liked the end though. I was hoping it would end with some sort of cure, but the actual ending was pretty fitting and quite hilarious.
joillian's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
some of the stories were good, some were boring and many scared me half to death
sandrus_'s review against another edition
2.0
I'm still not sure what to think of this book. It is entertaining, but after several pages I just got lost, the fact that it doesn't have page numbers makes it way longer than it is.
If you have the time and nothing better to read just give it a shot.
If you have the time and nothing better to read just give it a shot.