Reviews tagging 'Excrement'

Devolution by Max Brooks

45 reviews

maddie_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Really interesting book. the audiobook acting was fantastic with Judy Greer and Nathan Fillion.
 I randomly picked it out from my library only knowing it was science fiction. Loved the structure. 

I really loved how the relationship between Katie and Dan changed over the course of the events unfolding and

really liked Dan's development and the idea that adversity brings out people's true nature and that Dan's floundering in regular life was more a reflection on the crushing nature of our capitalist society and not his inherent value as a person. Absolutely loved how him and Katie grew closer in the tragedy.

There were only a few things I didn't love: I found some of the parts, especially parts where a lot of stuff was happening, difficult to visualize,

like the fight scenes, what green loop looked like, what the eruption Iooked like

the green loop residents were a little overdone at some parts

I really hated why the neighbours had to be so stupid at the beginning of the crisis except this does lead us to one of the most disturbing scenes I've ever listened to in a book with Vincent and Bobby!

, I wish more was done with Tony and Yvette

especially after they "lost control".

Also I really liked Mostar and wouldve liked to know more about her

like from what we knew about her, it's hard to believe that she wouldn't have been more prepared with her having all this like survivalist knowledge/ trauma. And I would've liked to know how she knew Tony and maybe more  about why she trusted him to protect them etc

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Stalking, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Torture, and War

Minor: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

kier__'s review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Violence, Gore, Blood, Death, Excrement, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Car accident, Cancer, and Terminal illness

cowboylatte's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Cannot recommend enough that you listen to the audiobook instead of read this chilling, brilliant piece of horror. I don't think I could have handled the main character otherwise. The audiobook made her transition from unbearable to final girl standing soooo much more emotional and engaging. I couldn't sleep, I was looking into dark corners but I could NOT finish it fast enough. 

If you're looking for an engaging, character driven, maddening, furious, vivid and at times horrific depiction of the human condition under impossible odds, I beg you to give this a listen! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, and Eating disorder

haley_mil_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, War, Violence, Gore, Death, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Genocide and Toxic relationship

laurenmiller100's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

3.75

This is a brutal book. I really enjoyed this story, and the characters and their arcs are fascinating. The way the town devolves as they try to fight off the creatures is horrifying. Moreover, some of the descriptions of violence or death had me wincing while listening.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Blood, Death, Body horror, and Excrement

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: War

bri__'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

Was recommended this by my bf, I am disappointed. For me this was very underwhelming until the last 2 chapters. I struggled to focus for most of the book and I skimmed or entirely skipped some sections (especially with the rabbit, iykyk). I like the writing but I wasn't rooting for the characters because there wasn't enough depth to them. All in all, it was okay

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Death, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Vomit, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Excrement

theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Toxic relationship, War, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

bourne_ultimatum's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Excrement, Gore, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

thecrimsoncorsair's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I will give it up to Max Brooks. He did write a story with the most unlikable characters imaginable. So unlikable that I was actively rooting for all of their deaths for a good chunk of the book, and managed to make some (SOME) of them into pretty enjoyable people by the end. Except Mostar, she was da real mvp from the start. I was so annoyed by these characters that I was going to quit the book at the beginning, but I'm glad I kept going, because this was a hell of a book. Not great. And has very strong, libs need to man up and embrace them their killing side vibes. Like there was an entire spiel about the neighborhood not having any guns and how that was just so awful of those weak willed libs 🤢 but I loved the tension, and the survival aspects. And the growth of the main character. And I wish he wouldn't have left the ending so open ended. I hate open ended endings. But overall, this was a fun read. Brutal. Not anywhere as good as World War Z. But entertaining in its own way. I would say my only other issue that kinda squicked me out was the way he characterized the lesbian couple. I don't know I didn't like how he portrayed them in the beginning, and ofc one of them was domineering, controlling and seemingly abusive of her wife. It just really rubbed me the wrong way. As I stated though. Fun book, interesting read, didn't think I would like it as I've never particularly been interested in Bigfoot stuff. But he did a good job keeping you invested until the end of the novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Violence, Genocide, Murder, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Physical abuse, Animal death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Bullying, Gaslighting, Gore, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, War, and Drug use

oiabluenoon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Compelling, funny, survival, horror, so so fun to read I was gasping aloud and moving around in my chair I couldn’t sit still reading it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Gore, Death, Murder, War, Violence, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Blood, and Animal death