A review by saiw
Zone One by Colson Whitehead

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Heavy on the world building, Zone One sometimes read like short stories because of the way Whitehead often switches between the vignettes from the narrator's memories and his present. It doesn't have a very clearly defined plot, but I was so engrossed in the writing and the world that I didn't really care that I had no idea where it was going. Reading it as an e-book without paying attention to my place in the book, I was shocked at when and how it ended. This is one of those books where afterward you feel like staring into the void for a while...and maybe rereading the last few pages a couple times more...
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