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banannabelo's review against another edition
4.0
Usually zombie books are just too depressing for me, but knowing that humanity wins in the end made the horrors described bearable. The people telling their stories are alive after all, so you know that there is some semblance of a happy ending... right?
tdootson's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
rologosolo's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
riley1009's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting and cool take on the zombie apocalypse genre. My only real issue is that some of the stories were a bit repetitive, especially with the military themes, but that didn’t really take away from the book itself.
andrewburgess's review against another edition
4.0
Very well thought out. I enjoyed some of the depth Brooks went to to explain some technicalities, such as the undead being composed of less water, so less susceptible to explosive charges. Worth a read if you enjoy zombies
landostex's review against another edition
4.0
Really good book. Almost every chapter is a different character/interview but you still sympathize with each one. It could have gotten messy but it didn't. The thread is simple, a chronological accounting but it works.
holistichistorian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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
4.75
World War Z is unlike any book I’ve ever read. As a work of historical fiction, I find it extremely interesting. I thoroughly enjoy its interview style, it kept me turning pages and made for an interesting and surprisingly fast read. I found the excerpts from other countries (such as in the Around the World, and Above chapter) much more interesting than the many from America, the interview of Mister Khan from Rajasthan in particular. I felt that the ‘show, don’t tell’ aspect of this novel worked quite well in parts, eluding to certain world events and leaders as if the reader were a part of that universe and was already familiar with them. The emotional beats were well placed and fitting, I never felt overwhelmed but the grief and despair of the characters were warranted and written well. As a fan of horror, gore and all that comes with it, I am satisfied. There were plenty of gruesome depictions of zombies and battles, I found the retelling of combat just as gripping and tense as if I were watching it in real-time.
As for my gripes, there are only a few. I found some of the characters, especially from the military, to be slightly too similar in their personality which, at points, made it difficult to differentiate accounts. Furthermore, as previously stated, I found that there was too much focus on America, both in its status during the war and in the amount of Americans interviewed. However, I do understand this novel’s fixation since the author is himself American. I’m sure a British author would have written too much about Britain. As for the depictions of other countries and cultures, I felt like this was absolutely necessary for a novel about a world war. I am interested to hear how other people feel about the accuracy of this representation.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I wish there was more on Scotland but I found some form of comfort or relatability in most of the characters in any case. I feel like it’s a must-read for any zombie nut and, possibly, for any aspiring historian as a fun bit of fiction. I recommend this to anyone who likes their action adventure on the dark side - it has depressingly realistic moments. Proceed with caution if you find mental health difficult to read about. I hope many more find World War Z as exhilarating a read as I have!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Sexism, Body horror, Death, War, Cannibalism, Murder, Physical abuse, Confinement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Abandonment, Gore, Child death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Ableism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Torture, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness
qjbrown96's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0