Lauren's Reviews > Feed

This is not a zombie book, or at least not a zombie book in the way it is marketed. That's only part of the reason why this book pisses me off. It promises a zombie novel despite the fact literally hundreds of pages go by without seeing one. It kicks off with a bang and some zombie action and then that's it. When I buy a book on the understanding it's about zombies, I do actually expect to, you know, experience them. Mira Grant assumes otherwise.

Two things that genuinely confused me; -- The pop culture references to the current world. Considering the fact this book is set 20 years in the future, in a completely different world and society and...people still remember Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Irwins are named after Steve Irwin, who, by the time all this takes place, is long dead. The whole George Romero thing irked me although I'm not really sure why. I understand his movies more or less catapulted zombies into mainstream culture but his most recent movies have flopped so hard people are wondering why he's still making them. I'm not ratting on the guy (Day Of The Dead was the movie that got me into zombies), I'm just saying I don't buy him having a god like status in society.

-- The lack of anything sexual. Why? I'm not saying I expected it, or really that the book would have been better with some sex scenes but Grant avoided them to obviously, going as far as the categorically state both Georgia and Shaun are celibate with such abruptness my 'icky sex' radar went through the damn roof. It didn't help that she went to noticeable lengths to point out that they only needed each other, no one else under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. I'm all for siblings being close but Grant failed massively and just made me suspicious some kind of relationship beyond brother/sister was going on. I was honestly expecting some kind of incest (they're adopted but have been brought up together. Not sure if that counts) subplot to come out and bite me.

Georgia, for me, was a huge irritant. She was possibly an author insert and definitely a Mary Sue. She's awkward and hates the lime light yet gets lots of it, even though she tries her hardest to avoid any attention. She's the head of the team yet hates the recognition this gives her. She claims to deliver nothing but the truth, despite her blog posts being nothing but her opinion. She has an eye condition (another thing Grant doesn't let you forget) that means she's sensitive to light and can't go without her epic sunglasses. This takes nothing away from her appearance other than to make her look moody and cool. If my memory serves me right, someone even likens her to a rock star. On the occasions that she wears contact lenses, she wears bright blue colored ones so she can make people feel uncomfortable. Maybe Grant is under the illusion this is a flaw in some way (much like apparently being clumsy and falling over a lot is, ala Bella Swan) but it's obviously another way of showing how cool Georgia is.
There was one passage when she even avoids a hug off of a well meaning woman who has been nothing other than kind to her because she didn't want to have to touch her/be touched. Hugs last about 3 seconds and she made it sound like touching this woman was akin to licking dog shit. What a rude dick.

She cannot create good, believable characters. This is my biggest pet peeve. None of them (least of all Georgia and Shaun) can have a conversation without cracking juvenile one liners and generally showing how bad ass they are.

And then there's the constant references to the blood testing kit. It was ok the first time, but 40th? Nope. I get it, it's a dangerous place to live (judging by the lack of zombie action, it's not really, but I'll pretend to go along with Mira anyway). I don't need to be constantly reminded every time they want to open a door. It's not like it's mentioned in detail the once, she go into detail every single time.

The writing is repetitive to a point bordering on infuriating. If I had to read 'This is my brother Shaun, he pokes things with sticks!' one more time I probably would have burst a valve. She evens makes a reference to 'reaching for the stick' in the interview at the back. It wasn't funny the first time. Stop it.

I really, genuinely do not like this book. The more I think about it the more it pisses me off. I'm sorry but I'm not buying any of it.

Ps, the 'fictionals' made me want to smash my head off a wall. Wtf did she get that from?

Pps, stereotyping and judging is not good, Mira. The only female politician is described as having big fake boobs, zero brain cells and no real talents other than squeezing her ta-ta's together. Whether or not that's Georgia with a case of The Bitchies I don't know, but it's not exactly fair and reeks of pathetic insecurity.
The stereotyping? Oh dear. The only English character drops 'bloody hells' all over the place and has a blog called...'Fish & Clips'. I shit you not. Mira needs a holiday somewhere-outside-of-America.

Review for second book:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...