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daysanchez's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, War, and Gore
romanaromana's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
1.5 stars.
More trigger warnings here: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/17494 (nothing in this review except zombies and mentions of violence).
There is a moment in World War Z, towards the end, where one character asks the interviewer 'Do you really care about all this?', to which the interviewer responds 'Yes'. It's fair to see me and the interviewer are in disagreement.
World War Z unfolds the truth of the zombie war from the perspective of those who fought and lived it.
I'll begin with the positives before I release the negative drawl that will undoubtedly dominate this review:
Max Brooks clearly researched a lot for this novel, which is always appreciated. I think he was brave to cover such a breadth of topics and bring politics into his zombie narrative so overtly.
Some of the characters' stories were genuinely engaging and gripping. The issue is that these were too few and far between.
And here comes the drawl...
I had issues with the way Max Brooks utilised his oral storytelling. The idea is great and I think it had the potential to work really well, but I struggled with the sheer number of characters that were interviewed because very few of them appeared more than once. This resulted in a hugely fragmented narrative that had almost no cohesion. It was just a string of anecdotes, with their only connection being the living dead.
The majority of these voices also had a tendency to waffle and overshare. This wasn't a case of fleshing out the story or adding life to their recollections; this was pure pointlessness. I mean, 300 pages in do I really care about the mechanics of a diving suit? Even 50 pages in I wouldn't have cared to be honest, but seriously?
The politics also got a bit much as it ultimately lessened the impact of the zombies themselves, who became almost irrelevant as Brooks made way for his political theories and continental conflict of humans. I understand that this was the story he was choosing to tell, and one which undoubtedly required a lot of thought, but I was bored of it.
I really wanted to like this more because zombies are intriguing and, frankly, the film made this seem like it would be a real thrill. But I've made the executive decision not to associate the two forms because, as Brooks himself admitted, they have nothing in common. And on that note, good riddance to this version.
More trigger warnings here: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/17494 (nothing in this review except zombies and mentions of violence).
There is a moment in World War Z, towards the end, where one character asks the interviewer 'Do you really care about all this?', to which the interviewer responds 'Yes'. It's fair to see me and the interviewer are in disagreement.
World War Z unfolds the truth of the zombie war from the perspective of those who fought and lived it.
I'll begin with the positives before I release the negative drawl that will undoubtedly dominate this review:
Max Brooks clearly researched a lot for this novel, which is always appreciated. I think he was brave to cover such a breadth of topics and bring politics into his zombie narrative so overtly.
Some of the characters' stories were genuinely engaging and gripping. The issue is that these were too few and far between.
And here comes the drawl...
I had issues with the way Max Brooks utilised his oral storytelling. The idea is great and I think it had the potential to work really well, but I struggled with the sheer number of characters that were interviewed because very few of them appeared more than once. This resulted in a hugely fragmented narrative that had almost no cohesion. It was just a string of anecdotes, with their only connection being the living dead.
The majority of these voices also had a tendency to waffle and overshare. This wasn't a case of fleshing out the story or adding life to their recollections; this was pure pointlessness. I mean, 300 pages in do I really care about the mechanics of a diving suit? Even 50 pages in I wouldn't have cared to be honest, but seriously?
The politics also got a bit much as it ultimately lessened the impact of the zombies themselves, who became almost irrelevant as Brooks made way for his political theories and continental conflict of humans. I understand that this was the story he was choosing to tell, and one which undoubtedly required a lot of thought, but I was bored of it.
I really wanted to like this more because zombies are intriguing and, frankly, the film made this seem like it would be a real thrill. But I've made the executive decision not to associate the two forms because, as Brooks himself admitted, they have nothing in common. And on that note, good riddance to this version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Cannibalism, Suicide, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Gore
onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/world-war-z
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Murder, and Gore
ripxw's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Death
sarahholliday's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This brilliantly constructed book has become a horror classic for a reason. The complexity of Brooks' story, the detail with which he illuminates all aspect of life during and after the Zombie War, the wide range of moral codes he explores...it's utterly unique and will leave you in awe of the mind that came up with it all.
Because of that complexity it can occasionally feel like a slog to get through, especially the middle chapters, but it is still an expertly crafted and well-written book. Perfect for anyone looking for a horror novel without the jump scares or high tension.
Because of that complexity it can occasionally feel like a slog to get through, especially the middle chapters, but it is still an expertly crafted and well-written book. Perfect for anyone looking for a horror novel without the jump scares or high tension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, and War
tardycreative's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- 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
5.0
Quite an inspiring read, very exciting and thought provoking!
This is how world building should be done.
This is how world building should be done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Xenophobia, War, Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Racial slurs, and Gore
trixiez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Though it had an interesting premise and some excellent world building, this book unfortunately fell flat for me. I appreciate the amount of detail that went into the narrative, and I think that the sheer scope of the novel was ambitious and impressive—as it covers the event (the Zombie War!) from dozens of perspectives across the world, offering a nuanced look at the conflict as characters grapple with different political, cultural, social, and geographic variables.
However, though the detail and breadth of the story was interesting, the execution was less than to be desired. Though I was initially excited by it, having read and enjoyed multiple books ([b:Daisy Jones & The Six|40597810|Daisy Jones & The Six|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580255154l/40597810._SY75_.jpg|61127102] and [b:Sleeping Giants|25733990|Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1)|Sylvain Neuvel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459785141l/25733990._SX50_.jpg|42721200], to name a few) in the style before, the interview format didn't work for me here. A couple of the stories stood out, such as the one in the submarine and the one following the boy in the Japanese apartment building, but most of them felt forgettable or started to blend together. I think the problem is that zombie stories, at least in my eye, are survival stories, and survival stories, by nature, are meant to be suspenseful as readers are forced to wonder if their favorites will make it out alive. However, because every interview in this novel is collected after the fact, the stories lose this element of suspense. We know that all of the characters survive because they lived long enough to be interviewed, so there's no source of tension to move the narrative forward—no "do they make it?" to agonize over. We already know the answer: it all worked out, they lived to fight another day.
Ultimately, I wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. The worldbuilding around the Zombie War was intricate and detailed, but the story lost me in the characters (who felt indistinct and bled together) and the lack of forward-moving tension in the plot. There are a few stories in here that might make it worth the read, but overall I think they might have worked better as short stories than as an entire novel.
2/5 stars
However, though the detail and breadth of the story was interesting, the execution was less than to be desired. Though I was initially excited by it, having read and enjoyed multiple books ([b:Daisy Jones & The Six|40597810|Daisy Jones & The Six|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580255154l/40597810._SY75_.jpg|61127102] and [b:Sleeping Giants|25733990|Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1)|Sylvain Neuvel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459785141l/25733990._SX50_.jpg|42721200], to name a few) in the style before, the interview format didn't work for me here. A couple of the stories stood out, such as the one in the submarine and the one following the boy in the Japanese apartment building, but most of them felt forgettable or started to blend together. I think the problem is that zombie stories, at least in my eye, are survival stories, and survival stories, by nature, are meant to be suspenseful as readers are forced to wonder if their favorites will make it out alive. However, because every interview in this novel is collected after the fact, the stories lose this element of suspense. We know that all of the characters survive because they lived long enough to be interviewed, so there's no source of tension to move the narrative forward—no "do they make it?" to agonize over. We already know the answer: it all worked out, they lived to fight another day.
Ultimately, I wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. The worldbuilding around the Zombie War was intricate and detailed, but the story lost me in the characters (who felt indistinct and bled together) and the lack of forward-moving tension in the plot. There are a few stories in here that might make it worth the read, but overall I think they might have worked better as short stories than as an entire novel.
2/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Violence, and Suicide
amarieb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Audiobook full cast was amazing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Violence, and Suicide
brokenbaroque's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
3.0
Great political thriller with zombies. It answers a lot of the questinos I always had about them. Too American and soldier centerd, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Gore
avvai's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
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