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heathercottledillon's review against another edition
4.0
The world is ending, but for Sloane Price, life has been over for a while. After her beloved sister left her alone with their abusive father, life wasn't exactly rosy. So when the dead start walking and civilization falls apart, Sloane accepts it as she has accepted all of her problems and waits for the dead to break through the barriers to reach her and the five other students holed up in what used to be their high school. Unlike Sloane, the other students actually want to live, and the only question is how far they will go to stay breathing. Before long, things start falling apart inside the school as much as outside and Sloane is forced to re-examine her decision to give up and let the others fend for themselves.
I like zombie books and apocalyptic fiction, as you've probably noticed if you've known me for very long, and this is one of the best that I've read recently. Yes, it's sort of predictable. When you've got some kids together in one building and some zombies outside, it's no shocker when things start going a little "Lord of the Flies." Still, it feels different than other stories with similar plots, more thoughtful and literary. I like the writing style--I'm not sure how to describe it other than to say that Summers definitely knows how to create a melancholy atmosphere and it fits the story perfectly. There's plenty of action, too, to move the story along. I feel like a lot of teen authors feel like they have to have a happy (or at least somewhat happy) ending and I like that Summers didn't do that here because it wouldn't have fit. I think it has a satisfying conclusion--it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but there's closure. Definitely a must-read for those who like end-of-the-world stories.
I like zombie books and apocalyptic fiction, as you've probably noticed if you've known me for very long, and this is one of the best that I've read recently. Yes, it's sort of predictable. When you've got some kids together in one building and some zombies outside, it's no shocker when things start going a little "Lord of the Flies." Still, it feels different than other stories with similar plots, more thoughtful and literary. I like the writing style--I'm not sure how to describe it other than to say that Summers definitely knows how to create a melancholy atmosphere and it fits the story perfectly. There's plenty of action, too, to move the story along. I feel like a lot of teen authors feel like they have to have a happy (or at least somewhat happy) ending and I like that Summers didn't do that here because it wouldn't have fit. I think it has a satisfying conclusion--it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but there's closure. Definitely a must-read for those who like end-of-the-world stories.
geniesurreal's review against another edition
I was pretty excited to read this book when I found it in my recommendations. I borrowed it from my library and ran home eager to throw it open to chapter 1. To my sincere disappointment it did not deliver like I had hoped. The content and story plot of the book were fine. The writing style was unbearable. Every sentence was cut short excluding much needed detail.
You see, I need detailed descriptions so I can imagine where I am and what the characters look like. I need that or else my brain becomes confused and unwilling to move forward. It didn't give me any foundation to stand on. At one point the main character was having a short boring conversation with her silhouette father and the next there were neighbors trying to eat them.
I'm guessing the author wanted to throw you into chaos the same way the main character was but I feel she could have done a much better job at writing her story out in a way that didn't make me stumble back a few pages just to figure out where I am now.
The whole book was confusing and jumped from A to B in matters of seconds without warning. I couldn't appreciate a book that does that. So 1 star from me.
You see, I need detailed descriptions so I can imagine where I am and what the characters look like. I need that or else my brain becomes confused and unwilling to move forward. It didn't give me any foundation to stand on. At one point the main character was having a short boring conversation with her silhouette father and the next there were neighbors trying to eat them.
I'm guessing the author wanted to throw you into chaos the same way the main character was but I feel she could have done a much better job at writing her story out in a way that didn't make me stumble back a few pages just to figure out where I am now.
The whole book was confusing and jumped from A to B in matters of seconds without warning. I couldn't appreciate a book that does that. So 1 star from me.
narcissia's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
So when I first found out that Courtney Summers was writing a zombie book, I was all like, "Whaaaaaaat?" And then I read the description and it made more sense to me, because it sounds like it's not really a zombie book, but a book about a girl who wants to die but has been thrown into this survival situation. And that's exactly what it turned out to be. The zombies - they're in there a little bit. But it's not a zombie book. It reads like a gritty contemporary that just happens to have something out of science fiction and horror going on in the background in order to facilitate this survival mentality. So if you're looking for a ZOMBIE book, this is not that. There are a couple of scenes with zombies up-close. But what it is, is a book that takes a look at the monster in all of us, what might bring those things to the surface, what a person could be made to do in the types of situations that can only come about through some crazy survival mode situation. And Sloane, who is convinced that there is no reason to live, is thrown into this situation where everyone else is desperately trying to survive, which forces her to face herself and her demons. It becomes a lot about what the others will do to live, and what she won't do to die.
Sloane is not a character that makes me adore her because she's so [insert adjective for something awesome like nice/funny/smart/strong/snarky here]. But she is very real, and I like that about her. She's not looking for a reason to live. She's looking for a way to die that won't jeopardize the lives of her zombie apocalypse companions. She has to make a lot of decisions, some admirable and some not so much. She's in a world where holding on to your values will get you and the people you care about killed. There are times when it comes down to deciding who one cares more about, who is valuable, who is a liability. Some of it is split-second decision, but some of it is calculated. Everyone in this story has some amount of horrible in them that is brought out when situations become life or death. All of these characters are simultaneously terrible and decent. They all say and do things that they'd probably never say or do in a normal situation. They're selfish. They're self-preserving. They've had to make tough choices, sometimes at the expense of others, in order to keep themselves alive. The precedent for this line of decision making is set even before the zombies show up, via Sloane's sister. But when it's life or death, is that not understandable? These characters, dwelling in their gray areas, captivated me with their harshness.
The pacing is not as quick as one would expect a book with zombies to be. They're barricaded in a school for the majority of the story, and there just isn't much to do. It involves a lot of reflection, a few scary situations, and a lot of arguing and slinging blame and accusations and confessions. But it was still a really quick read, because I became so engrossed in the human nature of it all. The ending, I'll admit, is something that might bother me in another type of book, but for this one it felt like the perfect place to end the story, and I liked it.
If you're in it for the zombies, you might be disappointed at the lack of face-biting. But, if you can appreciate the more psychological parts of a zombie apocalypse, then you would probably still enjoy this book a great deal.
So when I first found out that Courtney Summers was writing a zombie book, I was all like, "Whaaaaaaat?" And then I read the description and it made more sense to me, because it sounds like it's not really a zombie book, but a book about a girl who wants to die but has been thrown into this survival situation. And that's exactly what it turned out to be. The zombies - they're in there a little bit. But it's not a zombie book. It reads like a gritty contemporary that just happens to have something out of science fiction and horror going on in the background in order to facilitate this survival mentality. So if you're looking for a ZOMBIE book, this is not that. There are a couple of scenes with zombies up-close. But what it is, is a book that takes a look at the monster in all of us, what might bring those things to the surface, what a person could be made to do in the types of situations that can only come about through some crazy survival mode situation. And Sloane, who is convinced that there is no reason to live, is thrown into this situation where everyone else is desperately trying to survive, which forces her to face herself and her demons. It becomes a lot about what the others will do to live, and what she won't do to die.
Sloane is not a character that makes me adore her because she's so [insert adjective for something awesome like nice/funny/smart/strong/snarky here]. But she is very real, and I like that about her. She's not looking for a reason to live. She's looking for a way to die that won't jeopardize the lives of her zombie apocalypse companions. She has to make a lot of decisions, some admirable and some not so much. She's in a world where holding on to your values will get you and the people you care about killed. There are times when it comes down to deciding who one cares more about, who is valuable, who is a liability. Some of it is split-second decision, but some of it is calculated. Everyone in this story has some amount of horrible in them that is brought out when situations become life or death. All of these characters are simultaneously terrible and decent. They all say and do things that they'd probably never say or do in a normal situation. They're selfish. They're self-preserving. They've had to make tough choices, sometimes at the expense of others, in order to keep themselves alive. The precedent for this line of decision making is set even before the zombies show up, via Sloane's sister. But when it's life or death, is that not understandable? These characters, dwelling in their gray areas, captivated me with their harshness.
The pacing is not as quick as one would expect a book with zombies to be. They're barricaded in a school for the majority of the story, and there just isn't much to do. It involves a lot of reflection, a few scary situations, and a lot of arguing and slinging blame and accusations and confessions. But it was still a really quick read, because I became so engrossed in the human nature of it all. The ending, I'll admit, is something that might bother me in another type of book, but for this one it felt like the perfect place to end the story, and I liked it.
If you're in it for the zombies, you might be disappointed at the lack of face-biting. But, if you can appreciate the more psychological parts of a zombie apocalypse, then you would probably still enjoy this book a great deal.
juju8j's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jenhurst's review against another edition
4.0
I’m constantly impressed by Courtney summers. Her writing is really good and she’s just so good at hiring what needs to be hit. She’s explored zombies, bitchy teenage girls, sexual abuse and she always goes deeper and darker than majority of her other contemporaries of the YA genre.
sam_hartwig's review against another edition
2.0
This was one of those books that I've been dying to read for a while, and when I finally did read it I was a little disappointed. I wasn't expecting a zombie novel with lots of blood & gore because I knew that it wasn't all about that. I get that there was more to this novel, but it wasn't doing it for me.
This is a story about six teenagers trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, and as I mentioned earlier it's more than that. There's issues of death, abuse, suicide and under-age sex to name a few. Very hard hitting at times.
Courtney Summers writes a fantastic book with realistic characters that have flaws. I think I have a love/hate relationship with her books because I enjoy the writing and the story but I usually dislike the characters. As with her books, nothing is off limits and intimate issues are discussed.
There are a few squeamish zombie moments in this, but it's good for someone who scares easily because they're not that bad. Overall I'm glad I read it, but I couldn't connect with the characters.
Also on my blog
This is a story about six teenagers trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, and as I mentioned earlier it's more than that. There's issues of death, abuse, suicide and under-age sex to name a few. Very hard hitting at times.
Courtney Summers writes a fantastic book with realistic characters that have flaws. I think I have a love/hate relationship with her books because I enjoy the writing and the story but I usually dislike the characters. As with her books, nothing is off limits and intimate issues are discussed.
There are a few squeamish zombie moments in this, but it's good for someone who scares easily because they're not that bad. Overall I'm glad I read it, but I couldn't connect with the characters.
Also on my blog
freadomlibrary's review
4.0
Actual rating 4.5 stars
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
This was much more of a psychological type of thriller than I thought it was going to be. It had some action but it was much more about the problems that this type of situation causes in your mentality. It was scary and intense and full of death, not just in physical but also in thought process. It was all very anxiety inducing without being a very fast read.
Writing Style – 4.5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoy Courtney’s writing style, one of the reasons I picked up this book in the first place. It’s poetic but in a very ‘in your face’ and honest sort of way. It’s very sharp and unapologetic and doesn’t beat around the bush with tough topics or things that may be taboo. It’s very detailed and incredibly gruesome which lent itself very well to this genre.
Characters – 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is where it fell a little flat for me. I am huge on character driven stories and I just didn’t connect very much to the main character or to the others if I’m honest. Sloane is just plain weird. She’s depressive and has dealt with physical abuse for years and she has the kind of mentality of someone whose given up on life. She’s has this obsessive quirk to her personality and she’s suicidal which then makes her be kind of selfless in regards to the other people in the group of survivors she’s in. She’s a little bit off her rocker and while it turned me off a bit, it didn’t surprise me at all. Courtney Summers has the tendency to write really off putting characters to open your mind to their situations. The rest of the characters are all just a bit off, for their own specific reasons. The group dynamic was also really strange but there was a kind of camaraderie that built up over time.
Emotionally
The plot is strange. In a lot of ways. We follow a group of teenagers who get thrown together while trying to survive what can only be described as a zombie apocalypse. They end up sheltered at their high school and the story surrounds them, their relationships and their choices. This is the kind of story that could’ve been really boring, even with the zombie element, because it’s more about the people than about what’s going on around them. And I’m not going to lie, there were some parts that had me yawning but it always managed to keep this really anxious undertone to everything. It kept me on the edge of my seat without it needing to be fast paced or full of action to accomplish it. Just a little lingering sense of dread and horror to keep you interested. Most of the time these kids were waiting around or discussing what to do with their existences but there were certain scenes placed in just the right moments that keep the reader engaged and in the mindset of the genre that this book is in. Otherwise, this would’ve felt like a really sucky contemporary novel.
Sloane is one of the weirdest points of views I have ever read. She’s suicidal, which makes me uncomfortable and I imagine that is the point. She is very clear and decided on her wish to leave the Earth and is just looking for the right moment to execute it without hindering her companions. It was really disturbing but sweet at the same time, even when she’s down on herself, she’s being selfless. Really strange, don’t gotta tell me twice. She has this obsession with her sister who is not around and it builds this driving force for her and her actions. She was just a generally off character and it was really hard to connect with her.
The rest of the characters all have some sort of issues. Grace and Trace, a brother and sister duo who are stuck in the past. Harrison, a freshmen unknown to the rest of the group who is really emotional and vulnerable. Cary who is the pseudo leader and has some issues from his actions. And last Rhys, who is probably the most level headed and determined of them all. This book wasn’t what I expected but I am interested to know how things progressed from the ending to the sequel.
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
This was much more of a psychological type of thriller than I thought it was going to be. It had some action but it was much more about the problems that this type of situation causes in your mentality. It was scary and intense and full of death, not just in physical but also in thought process. It was all very anxiety inducing without being a very fast read.
Writing Style – 4.5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoy Courtney’s writing style, one of the reasons I picked up this book in the first place. It’s poetic but in a very ‘in your face’ and honest sort of way. It’s very sharp and unapologetic and doesn’t beat around the bush with tough topics or things that may be taboo. It’s very detailed and incredibly gruesome which lent itself very well to this genre.
Characters – 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is where it fell a little flat for me. I am huge on character driven stories and I just didn’t connect very much to the main character or to the others if I’m honest. Sloane is just plain weird. She’s depressive and has dealt with physical abuse for years and she has the kind of mentality of someone whose given up on life. She’s has this obsessive quirk to her personality and she’s suicidal which then makes her be kind of selfless in regards to the other people in the group of survivors she’s in. She’s a little bit off her rocker and while it turned me off a bit, it didn’t surprise me at all. Courtney Summers has the tendency to write really off putting characters to open your mind to their situations. The rest of the characters are all just a bit off, for their own specific reasons. The group dynamic was also really strange but there was a kind of camaraderie that built up over time.
Emotionally
Spoiler
I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was very very weird but intriguing.The plot is strange. In a lot of ways. We follow a group of teenagers who get thrown together while trying to survive what can only be described as a zombie apocalypse. They end up sheltered at their high school and the story surrounds them, their relationships and their choices. This is the kind of story that could’ve been really boring, even with the zombie element, because it’s more about the people than about what’s going on around them. And I’m not going to lie, there were some parts that had me yawning but it always managed to keep this really anxious undertone to everything. It kept me on the edge of my seat without it needing to be fast paced or full of action to accomplish it. Just a little lingering sense of dread and horror to keep you interested. Most of the time these kids were waiting around or discussing what to do with their existences but there were certain scenes placed in just the right moments that keep the reader engaged and in the mindset of the genre that this book is in. Otherwise, this would’ve felt like a really sucky contemporary novel.
Sloane is one of the weirdest points of views I have ever read. She’s suicidal, which makes me uncomfortable and I imagine that is the point. She is very clear and decided on her wish to leave the Earth and is just looking for the right moment to execute it without hindering her companions. It was really disturbing but sweet at the same time, even when she’s down on herself, she’s being selfless. Really strange, don’t gotta tell me twice. She has this obsession with her sister who is not around and it builds this driving force for her and her actions. She was just a generally off character and it was really hard to connect with her.
The rest of the characters all have some sort of issues. Grace and Trace, a brother and sister duo who are stuck in the past. Harrison, a freshmen unknown to the rest of the group who is really emotional and vulnerable. Cary who is the pseudo leader and has some issues from his actions. And last Rhys, who is probably the most level headed and determined of them all. This book wasn’t what I expected but I am interested to know how things progressed from the ending to the sequel.
kayteaface's review against another edition
4.0
Well, I don't know, I have mixed feelings about this book. It took me a long time to get into in, and when I finally did start to enjoy it it was over too soon.
I thought the character development was great - where I started out disliking all of them, by the end of the book they'd all grown on me in their own way and I was rooting for them. What action there was was really good, too, it definitely had me at the edge of my seat.
That ending, though. What was that.
I thought the character development was great - where I started out disliking all of them, by the end of the book they'd all grown on me in their own way and I was rooting for them. What action there was was really good, too, it definitely had me at the edge of my seat.
That ending, though. What was that.
abaugher's review against another edition
5.0
I opened this book hoping for a somewhat faster pace than the other book i was reading. I thought, meh, this should be kinda interesting. i was wide-eyed wiht how quickly it grabbed my attention, like a hungry zombie, and made me want to read more.
zombies, high school students locked in the school for safety while the undead bang unceasingly on the doors to get in. interpersonal drama that shifts between the various characters, unpleasant happenings, death, running, more death, another deadth, surprise deaths. fun stuff!
zombies, high school students locked in the school for safety while the undead bang unceasingly on the doors to get in. interpersonal drama that shifts between the various characters, unpleasant happenings, death, running, more death, another deadth, surprise deaths. fun stuff!
iceangel32's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great story. It was a story of 6 teens that locked themselves in a school due to a Zombie Apocalypse. If you are looking for a true zombie story this is not it. This book is an amazing story of six teen trying to survive, both the outside world and their owns selves. Great book.