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asipofcozy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Usually, most people pick up a cozy Christmas read or romance book during the winter. I am definitely not one of those people.
I have seen the World War Z movie multiple times and while not the best zombie movie out there it was really good and gave a new perspective to the zombie apocalypse. So finally, after many years, I decided to pick up the book. Please be aware the book is nothing like the movie as the book is told in a documentary/interview style and the movie follows one character...who isn't even in the book.
I really enjoyed the style of writing. It brought us closer to the situation and gave us many perspectives on the zombie war and what happened in those beginning days of the spread.
Brooks really touched on the basic human instinct of survival, fear, and what would you do to survive. What many of these characters went through and what they had to do to survive was quite appalling at times. Brooks also touched on how society reacts to a global pandemic and war. While this book was written in 2006 it's like Brooks foreshadowed our own pandemic and how we as a real society would react...it's sad and upsetting to think about.
There were so many times where I underlined a part of the book because it reminded me of our own situation and pandemic. And while I get this was a piece of science-fiction, it really highlighted on humans' basic instinct and survival. In the end we are just like any animal doing what it takes to survive in a vicious world.
I have seen the World War Z movie multiple times and while not the best zombie movie out there it was really good and gave a new perspective to the zombie apocalypse. So finally, after many years, I decided to pick up the book. Please be aware the book is nothing like the movie as the book is told in a documentary/interview style and the movie follows one character...who isn't even in the book.
I really enjoyed the style of writing. It brought us closer to the situation and gave us many perspectives on the zombie war and what happened in those beginning days of the spread.
Brooks really touched on the basic human instinct of survival, fear, and what would you do to survive. What many of these characters went through and what they had to do to survive was quite appalling at times. Brooks also touched on how society reacts to a global pandemic and war. While this book was written in 2006 it's like Brooks foreshadowed our own pandemic and how we as a real society would react...it's sad and upsetting to think about.
There were so many times where I underlined a part of the book because it reminded me of our own situation and pandemic. And while I get this was a piece of science-fiction, it really highlighted on humans' basic instinct and survival. In the end we are just like any animal doing what it takes to survive in a vicious world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Cannibalism, Child death, War, Animal death, Cursing, Rape, Genocide, and Suicidal thoughts
chezler24's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
This was a re-read for me, and I can safely say that this is still one of the best pieces of zombie-related media out there. Brooks does an excellent job at creating a global view of the zombie war and even considers what it would be like to be stuck in space during the zombie apocalypse! The idea of constructing a book from a series of collected interviews helps show brief glimpses at how different people, groups, and nations dealt with this massive tragedy. While the zombie war is obviously not a real event, the way the book is makes it feel visceral, real, and undeniably human. (Also, after re-reading, I realized there is something a bit funny about me turning to a piece of media centered around a massive pandemic while also currently living through a massive pandemic.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Murder, Child death, Animal death, Death, War, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Death of parent, Medical content, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Cannibalism
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
emmyh_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Murder and Grief
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