Kadomi reviewed Feed by Mira Grant (Newflesh Trilogy #1)
Review of 'Feed' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Edit: In retrospect downgrading to 3. I just didn't like it that much.
3.5 stars, really. I missed the announcement that zombie apocalypse is its own genre now, but apparently it is. So many games and books dealing with it. Feed came with a lot of praise from friends, so I was looking forward to something special. This book remained below expectations, unfortunately, even though overall it was a good read. It just wasn't as awesome as I had thought it would be.
The story starts in 2039, long after the Rising, when a virus called Kellis-Amberlee infected the world population and makes people rise as zombies after their death, ready to shamble forward looking for brains to eat or people to infect to join their moaning packs of doom. The world of Feed is one where social media and blogging are more important than our traditional news media, and …
Edit: In retrospect downgrading to 3. I just didn't like it that much.
3.5 stars, really. I missed the announcement that zombie apocalypse is its own genre now, but apparently it is. So many games and books dealing with it. Feed came with a lot of praise from friends, so I was looking forward to something special. This book remained below expectations, unfortunately, even though overall it was a good read. It just wasn't as awesome as I had thought it would be.
The story starts in 2039, long after the Rising, when a virus called Kellis-Amberlee infected the world population and makes people rise as zombies after their death, ready to shamble forward looking for brains to eat or people to infect to join their moaning packs of doom. The world of Feed is one where social media and blogging are more important than our traditional news media, and their blogs and video casts have replaced television and newspaper coverage. Almost all of the story is told from the viewpoint of George Mason, a female news blogger who's ready to make it big with her team of three when they receive an invitation to follow the presidential campaign of a rising Republican senator. First thrilled by the opportunity, accidents involving zombies haunt the campaign, leading to the team being in danger for their lives as they dig up news that others want hid.
I love a good conspiracy story, I really do, and the last quarter of the book is fast-paced, exciting and full of interesting turns. Unfortunately, it takes far too long for the action to get started. Instead the early parts feel slow as molasses, boring politics and lots of information about the world of social media and blogging. It felt like reading John Grisham, and I hate reading John Grisham. The characters didn't click for me, and I am still weirded out by the weird relationship vibes I got from George and her adopted brother Shaun. That's weird on the same scale as 'Deb loves Dexter' for any who watch that show.
TLDR: too slow story about social media and American politics in a world after the zombie apocalypse has happened. Picks up greatly in the last quarter to barely squeeze in for a 4 star rating. Just barely.
