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A review by mahtzahgay
This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is one of the few zombie apocalypse novels I've read that is well-written and gives the subject its due respect. Often, fiction involving zombies is action-packed, fast-paced, and popcorn for the brain; Summers' novel is the antithesis of all that. This is Not a Test is a frank look at how people, particularly teenagers, would truly react to such an event. The toils on the mind, relationships, and society are very explicitly covered, but not in a crass or overdramatic way. Sloane, our protagonist, is not a particularly lovable character, though as reader's we cannot help but empathise. Gone are the over the top dramatics of The Walking Dead, Day Z, or Resident Evil - there are no heroes here, only traumatised children.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicide