Review: FEED

FEED
By: Mira Grant
ISBN: 9780316081054

Trilogy: Newsflesh

1. FEED
2. DEADLINE
3. BLACKOUT

Novellas

1. Countdown
2. San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
3. How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea

Summary from the back of the book:
"ALIVE OR DEAD,
THE TRUTH WON'T REST.
MY NAME IS GEORGIA MASON,
AND I AM BEGGING YOU RISE UP WHILE YOU CAN."
The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

Now, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives - the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will get out, even if it kills them.

Review: (Hover over character names and unfamiliar terms for a description and information.)
The quote on the back of this book really says it all. The point of view of this book alternates from Georgia "George" Mason and her brother, Shaun Mason which at first can be a little disorienting until you begin to recognize their individual "voices". I really enjoyed the big differences between the George and Shaun because they couldn't be more different and inseparable. Shaun and George are both journalists and in their world the blogosphere has taken over. Since blogging is so different from traditional news sources they have their own terms: Irwin, Newsie, Stewarts, Aunties, and Fictionals. The world Mira Grant created as you can see is pretty descriptive. As I have said in previous reviews I believe it is important that you feel for the characters and their world so much so you should be able to picture it clearly enough that when the character gasps so do you, this book did not let you down. Everything that happens in this book makes sense almost to a fault (you will get the meaning of that statement at the end of the book.)

As far as were the zombies believable... ABSOLUTELY! Mira Grant did amazing research before writing this book, honestly, I was shocked! On the science level and its explanations, she did a remarkable job. She covered basics of viruses without making the book about the virus and enough that you can extrapolate the idea. In regard to her writing on a viral outbreak I definitely put it on par with The Hot Zone which to me as a biologist is just amazing. One of the things I loved about her zombies is that she explained the running vs  shambling question as well as the overall "intelligence" of a zombie.

Mira Grant's post-Rising America is truly a sight. She goes in great detail about all the different locations, travel, interactions between people (or lack there of), and such. After reading this introductory book into this world you have no questions about what the world of George and Shaun is like. Mira Grant definitely uses fear, terror, and suspense like a master. If they ever made this into a movie they would screw it up because Hollywood would only want explosions while Mira Grant's work would need classic Hitchcock behind the camera. Whereas World War Z gave an overview of the world and only a brief insight into the lives of people and governments during and after the worldwide zombie outbreak, in this book you will find a new understanding. Mira Grant goes beyond the first generation that remembers what it is like to not have zombies and into the second generation that is just trying to survive.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't expecting it to be nearly as good as it is. I questioned it and asked myself, "How could this book be any good after reading World War Z? I don't want to read another crappy zombie book.", but I took the chance and I found that this book is truly an amazing piece of writing. The characters are dynamic and complex. The story line will knock your socks off. I actually don't have anything bad to say about this book whatsoever. Even the science behind this story is interesting and spot on when it comes to basic virus information. If her next book is anything like this I may just die (and hopefully not zombify). Honestly, I rarely buy books in hardcover and I want this one in hardcover. If it isn't obvious already this book easily claims a five rating. Extremely well done Mira Grant.