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roksyreads 's review for:

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
4.0
adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Primarily following Benny's perspective as a teenager finding his place in a challenging post-apocalyptic world, Rot & Ruin definitely feels like a foundational book; it focuses primarily on introducing the setting and characters that will be integral to the future plot which was hinted at throughout the novel and ultimately clarified in the final pages.

Numerous classic bildungsroman themes formed the foundation of this chapter in Benny's story, and I expect that Benny's maturation will be one of the key aspects of the series. I enjoyed seeing Benny grow as an individual and seeing his relationships grow with him. The development of his friendship and relationship with his (much) older brother Tom, which had been somewhat strained throughout his childhood, was genuinely rewarding. Whilst this was a little slow-paced for my liking, it's a good take on the genre and interesting start to a series that I do wish to pursue further.