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writermattphillips's review
4.0
Thrilling ride from inside the head of a meth addict post-apocalypse. Enjoyed it and finished it in three sittings.
thebookstackattack's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
ska55121's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book.
It wasn’t the same old zombies that drag their feet and moan loudly. I like the author’s take on his version. It made them more creepy and scary.
I also enjoyed knowing exactly where the characters were heading in Minnesota. It definitely made it more real as I was reading the story.
The ending, oh the ending, I was not expecting that.
If you want a great zombie read that has humor, sadness and that is a quick read, this is for you!
It wasn’t the same old zombies that drag their feet and moan loudly. I like the author’s take on his version. It made them more creepy and scary.
I also enjoyed knowing exactly where the characters were heading in Minnesota. It definitely made it more real as I was reading the story.
The ending, oh the ending, I was not expecting that.
If you want a great zombie read that has humor, sadness and that is a quick read, this is for you!
penandpage's review
3.0
Read my review here: http://www.dishwaterdreams.com/book-reviews/book-review-fiend-by-peter-stinson
ryzmat's review
3.0
Interesting take on the zombie invasion, and I think the language was meant to immerse us into a brain on meth (I guess?), but could’ve done without some of the vulgarity and slurs!
woahtemi's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
helloiammikki's review
4.5
To quote Choking Victim: there are no winners in this fucked reality.
If Trainspotting and Zombieland had a baby, this is approximately what you would get.
Told from the point of view of a severe meth addict, this story is alll over the place, in the best sense of the word. The realities of addiction combined with having to survive in a zombie apocalypse, topped with some raw humor, equates to a recipe that definitely won't work for everyone, but I loved. The setting of the story is unique, not only because of the combination of junkie story and zombie apocalypse, but because of the frustrating reading experience of being in the head of a junkie, wanting them to make better choices, while also knowing that the better choices you have in mind would actually literally kill them in this new reality.
Skip this book if drug use, etc, is a trigger, or if you can't handle people using ableist, fatphobic, whorephobic, etc, etc, slurs, because these characters are anything but politically correct. However, at no point in the book did I feel that the use of slurs and other problematic language was gratuitous: these people are simply fucked up people living in a fucked up world, where caring about others is possibly their lowest priority, if it's even on their radar at all. It's very realistic in how it portrays the mind of an addict who has fallen so low, rock bottom would feel like a feather mattress.
If Trainspotting and Zombieland had a baby, this is approximately what you would get.
Told from the point of view of a severe meth addict, this story is alll over the place, in the best sense of the word. The realities of addiction combined with having to survive in a zombie apocalypse, topped with some raw humor, equates to a recipe that definitely won't work for everyone, but I loved. The setting of the story is unique, not only because of the combination of junkie story and zombie apocalypse, but because of the frustrating reading experience of being in the head of a junkie, wanting them to make better choices, while also knowing that the better choices you have in mind would actually literally kill them in this new reality.
Skip this book if drug use, etc, is a trigger, or if you can't handle people using ableist, fatphobic, whorephobic, etc, etc, slurs, because these characters are anything but politically correct. However, at no point in the book did I feel that the use of slurs and other problematic language was gratuitous: these people are simply fucked up people living in a fucked up world, where caring about others is possibly their lowest priority, if it's even on their radar at all. It's very realistic in how it portrays the mind of an addict who has fallen so low, rock bottom would feel like a feather mattress.
brittni1933's review
5.0
This is such a brilliant novel and I hate to say that it might be my new favorite. It captures what it is like to be a junkie so well that it haunts me. Having been raised around and even having used crystal I had to set the book down for a moment and take a deep breath to clear my head.
It's so raw and graphic that it resembles so much of what it is actually like to be a junkie, and yet the author is able to still show "Junkies" as what they really are: people who are consumed by chemicals.
This was actually my second time to read this novel the first being about a weeks ago. I was so consumed by this book that I gave my mind time to work over what I experienced and then re-read it because I simply couldn't get it out of my head.
This novel will always stick with me and if you've ever done or been around a lot of crystal use you will truly be astonished by how real the book is.
Besides the zombies of course.
I will say this novel is not for the week stomached or innocent-minded. It sticks with you... like an addiction.
It's so raw and graphic that it resembles so much of what it is actually like to be a junkie, and yet the author is able to still show "Junkies" as what they really are: people who are consumed by chemicals.
This was actually my second time to read this novel the first being about a weeks ago. I was so consumed by this book that I gave my mind time to work over what I experienced and then re-read it because I simply couldn't get it out of my head.
This novel will always stick with me and if you've ever done or been around a lot of crystal use you will truly be astonished by how real the book is.
Besides the zombies of course.
I will say this novel is not for the week stomached or innocent-minded. It sticks with you... like an addiction.
booksintheirnaturalhabitat's review
5.0
I can definitely see this book being turned into a movie. I sat speechless after reading the final pages. This book was unlike any other book I've read (but I don't normally read zombie books)! I found the mental struggles of the characters quite intriguing.
litwrite's review
3.0
Okay this was really intense. Maybe a little more intense than what I was expecting - which is no fault to the author, I really don't know what I was thinking. When reading a book about a junkie meth-head in the middle of a zombie apocalypse you really need to expect some intensity.
I thought this was a well-plotted, well-written book that I somehow just didn't *enjoy*. I like junky fiction like [b:Requiem for a Dream|46945|Requiem for a Dream|Hubert Selby Jr.|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353949849s/46945.jpg|526038] and I *love* zombie fiction so you would think the intersection of the two would make me very happy but somehow it didn't work for me at all. The frenetic pace and the claustrophobic feeling just made me want to put the book down all the time. Again, this is of no insult to the author who I think did a spectacular job. Some books just don't resonate and this one didn't resonate with me. I'd still recommend to other zombie fans because this was a stand out in the genre. The ending was fantastic. An interesting book, just not for me.
I thought this was a well-plotted, well-written book that I somehow just didn't *enjoy*. I like junky fiction like [b:Requiem for a Dream|46945|Requiem for a Dream|Hubert Selby Jr.|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353949849s/46945.jpg|526038] and I *love* zombie fiction so you would think the intersection of the two would make me very happy but somehow it didn't work for me at all. The frenetic pace and the claustrophobic feeling just made me want to put the book down all the time. Again, this is of no insult to the author who I think did a spectacular job. Some books just don't resonate and this one didn't resonate with me. I'd still recommend to other zombie fans because this was a stand out in the genre. The ending was fantastic. An interesting book, just not for me.