Helpful Score: 1
For years I had been pulled along by the neverending tides of high praises for FEED before I could finally read it. And while FEED, in my opinion, didnt quite live up to all that praise, it is still one of the better zombie books out there, albeit gratingly slow-moving at times.
The best thing about FEED is unarguably the world-building. This is what world-building should be like: everything with a reason to be, the science behind the Kellis-Amberlee virus that turns people into zombies explained, the far-reaching consequences of the existence of the virus into every facet of peoples lives, from where they live to how the media has involved since the present day. I was impressed by how well Grant thought everything through in her world.
Unfortunately, the very thing that makes FEED so great is also what primarily contributed to its lowered rating for me. Perhaps in excitement over the amazingly detailed world she created, Grant overindulges in the world-building detailsI know, right?! Me, complaining about overindulgence in world-building? How strange. The narration, however, doesnt leave the world-building well enough alone once the world has already been thoroughly established. Instead, even on page 400 or so, readers still encounter As you know, reader sentences everywhere. The repetition is unnecessary and thoroughly grating, at least on me. It made me feel like Grant didnt trust the reader to have a complete picture of her Newsflesh world, and thus had to keep on emphasizing the same points, over and over: Shauns suicidal Irwin tendencies, Georgias antisocial nature, the blood tests (and their annoyance over how often they have to do itif theyre annoyed, can you imagine how readers might feel, having to read about their blood tests and their irritation over it in every chapter?), and so on.
FEEDs strengthand weakness, at least for melay in its world-building, but the characters are good enough as well. Nothing to call home about, but Georgias cool and collected narration was admirable, and Shaun and Buffys exuberance provided a welcome contrast to her personality. I saw the shocking thing at the ending coming early, so wasnt that affected one way or another by it.
Overall, FEED should impress those who enjoy postapocalyptic or zombie stories with an emphasis on thorough and believable world-building. It didnt blow me away emotionally, and the Inner Editor That Could insists that the book wouldve been much better had 200 pages been cut from it, but I still more or less enjoyed the time I spent with it.
The best thing about FEED is unarguably the world-building. This is what world-building should be like: everything with a reason to be, the science behind the Kellis-Amberlee virus that turns people into zombies explained, the far-reaching consequences of the existence of the virus into every facet of peoples lives, from where they live to how the media has involved since the present day. I was impressed by how well Grant thought everything through in her world.
Unfortunately, the very thing that makes FEED so great is also what primarily contributed to its lowered rating for me. Perhaps in excitement over the amazingly detailed world she created, Grant overindulges in the world-building detailsI know, right?! Me, complaining about overindulgence in world-building? How strange. The narration, however, doesnt leave the world-building well enough alone once the world has already been thoroughly established. Instead, even on page 400 or so, readers still encounter As you know, reader sentences everywhere. The repetition is unnecessary and thoroughly grating, at least on me. It made me feel like Grant didnt trust the reader to have a complete picture of her Newsflesh world, and thus had to keep on emphasizing the same points, over and over: Shauns suicidal Irwin tendencies, Georgias antisocial nature, the blood tests (and their annoyance over how often they have to do itif theyre annoyed, can you imagine how readers might feel, having to read about their blood tests and their irritation over it in every chapter?), and so on.
FEEDs strengthand weakness, at least for melay in its world-building, but the characters are good enough as well. Nothing to call home about, but Georgias cool and collected narration was admirable, and Shaun and Buffys exuberance provided a welcome contrast to her personality. I saw the shocking thing at the ending coming early, so wasnt that affected one way or another by it.
Overall, FEED should impress those who enjoy postapocalyptic or zombie stories with an emphasis on thorough and believable world-building. It didnt blow me away emotionally, and the Inner Editor That Could insists that the book wouldve been much better had 200 pages been cut from it, but I still more or less enjoyed the time I spent with it.
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