caitcoy 's review for:

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

5.0

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Honestly the only zombie book that I like as much is Rot and Ruin is [b:World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War|8908|World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War|Max Brooks|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320398267s/8908.jpg|817] and both I loved for the same reason: their incredibly nuanced view of a zombie apocalypse. Too often zombie books focus just on the gruesome terror of zombies without considering wider angles or implications. I loved [b:World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War|8908|World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War|Max Brooks|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320398267s/8908.jpg|817] because it showed different cultural reactions to the zombies and I loved Rot and Ruin because it felt real in that same way. People fear what they can't u derstand and find scapegoats to blame, even when it makes no sense. The emphasis in Rot and Ruin is on the humanity of zombies. They may no longer be human, but the lesson Benny Imura learns is compassion for who they were. Benny has been raised by his older brother Tom, who he sees as a coward for taking Benny and running after their dad bit their mom. Benny sees Tom as a coward but is forced to become a zombie hunter apprenticed to Tom because he must pull his weight in their town. People in the town of Mountainside pay zombie hunters like Tom to find and kill zombies that were former friends and family members but Tom believes in providing closure through humane killing, which sets him apart from the others. I loved how multidimensional and understandable the characters were, even the villains. The humor is wonderful but at times the language Maberry uses feels a little overdramatic. And Benny's journey from sheltered kid to capable, tough teen was one I really enjoyed. Highly recommend this one to fans of zombies and YA!