Scan barcode
A review by bookishblond
Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston
4.0
Richard Preston's previous outbreak books--[b:The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus|16213|The Hot Zone The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus|Richard Preston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1413747743l/16213._SY75_.jpg|909325] and [b:The Demon in the Freezer|198505|The Demon in the Freezer|Richard Preston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1172613042l/198505._SY75_.jpg|192020]--are two of the most compelling books I have ever read. I was thrilled to see that Preston had written a new book, one that appeared to be a sequel to his first book about Ebola, The Hot Zone.
Crisis in the Red Zone is about the 2013-2014 Ebola outbreak. This is brand new, separate outbreak from the one at the heart of The Hot Zone--the first Ebola outbreak in the 1970s. But it still felt like a sequel. Many of the same characters and locations appeared in this story but they aren't solving the same problem over again--this crisis is new and modern. And terrifying. I am from Dallas, and I vividly remember when one of our city's hospitals housed an Ebola outbreak during this outbreak. The fear was palpable and pervasive.
I definitely enjoyed reading this book, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. It's been two years since I read one of Preston's books, but I recall staying up late into the night to finish reading, on the edge of my seat (bed) with anxiety. Crisis in the Red Zone did not have the same sense of urgency. To be fair, I could be misremembering. But I did remember many of the names and places, primarily because there were some chapters in this book that felt strangely repetitive of The Hot Zone. For example, there is a short section about the 1970s Ebola outbreak that felt like too much recap.
Something else I noticed while reading this book that I didn't notice with the others was how much conjecture was involved. It was raining, and the nurse might have gotten Ebola-saturated mud on her feet. The boy may have been bitten may a bat, and might have begun to feel ill. I understand that Preston is telling a story, and certain liberties need to be taken, but there is just so much conjecture here. It's distracting.
This book was more like 3.5 stars, but rounded up for the sake of nostalgia for Preston's other books. If you're a fan of those, you will very likely enjoy this one.
Crisis in the Red Zone is about the 2013-2014 Ebola outbreak. This is brand new, separate outbreak from the one at the heart of The Hot Zone--the first Ebola outbreak in the 1970s. But it still felt like a sequel. Many of the same characters and locations appeared in this story but they aren't solving the same problem over again--this crisis is new and modern. And terrifying. I am from Dallas, and I vividly remember when one of our city's hospitals housed an Ebola outbreak during this outbreak. The fear was palpable and pervasive.
I definitely enjoyed reading this book, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. It's been two years since I read one of Preston's books, but I recall staying up late into the night to finish reading, on the edge of my seat (bed) with anxiety. Crisis in the Red Zone did not have the same sense of urgency. To be fair, I could be misremembering. But I did remember many of the names and places, primarily because there were some chapters in this book that felt strangely repetitive of The Hot Zone. For example, there is a short section about the 1970s Ebola outbreak that felt like too much recap.
Something else I noticed while reading this book that I didn't notice with the others was how much conjecture was involved. It was raining, and the nurse might have gotten Ebola-saturated mud on her feet. The boy may have been bitten may a bat, and might have begun to feel ill. I understand that Preston is telling a story, and certain liberties need to be taken, but there is just so much conjecture here. It's distracting.
This book was more like 3.5 stars, but rounded up for the sake of nostalgia for Preston's other books. If you're a fan of those, you will very likely enjoy this one.