Wendy Darling's Reviews > Feed

This book has zombies in it, but to call it a zombie or horror novel does it a disservice. There are some awesome action sequences, but no gratuitous feeding scenes, screaming teenagers, or B-horror movie cliches or gore. It's more of a novel about journalism, the right to information and free speech, and the personal and political ramifications of a wide-spreading disease. With occasional zombie action.

This is also not necessarily a young adult novel. Not because it's inappropriate in any way, but because the themes it addresses are hard and sometimes the narrative is pretty dry. In the year 2039, Georgia and Shaun Mason, along with their friend Buffy (recognize any zombie-related names there?), are invited to cover Senator Ryman's presidential campaign in a world in which the Kellis-Amberlee virus has decimated the country's population and resources. Traditional news organizations have given way to the rise of internet journalism, and the trio of young bloggers must uncover a terrible conspiracy and disseminate information to their readers, all while risking their very lives.

The strengths in this novel include incredibly well thought-out world-building, strong characters, snappy dialogue, unexpected plot twists, and excellent action sequences. Mira Grant's attention to detail in Feed regarding precautionary measures, sterilization procedures, and waiting for heart-pounding test results all rang very true. (Richard Preston's The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story scared the bejesus out of me when it was first published in 1999, and for awhile I was fascinated by the CDC and read a lot of books about various outbreaks and plagues.) Georgia, who is the primary narrator, is a butt-kicking heroine with a huge amount of integrity, and I loved her adopted brother Shaun, who sports both a cheerfully bantering demeanor and a crossbow. I have a healthy amount of respect for their efforts to survive and for their pursuit of truth, which often came at great cost to themselves and to those they hold dear.

This is not to say that this is a perfect novel. There are overly long info-dumping passages (they are intelligently written and provide necessary back story, but they are info-dumps all the same) that would have been better served with more dialogue; a surprisingly uncomplicated, easy-to-spot villain; and some aspects of Georgia and Shaun's relationship that were teased but perhaps a bit unexplored. I wish there was also better build up of tension, a few more zombie encounters, less politics (a personal preference, though, since I find politics a big snoozefest), a less prolonged ending following a major game-changing event, and a little more emotion throughout the book. Overall, I think the spareness of prose and Georgia's all-business approach worked within the context of the story, but because I'm always looking for emotional connection, I would liked to have seen it spread out in more than just a couple of places.

However...the scenes with emotional impact pack a gigantic wallop. It's hard to surprise me these days with unexpected story twists, but this one managed to do it not once, but twice--and the outcomes of both those revelations ratchet up the stakes in a way that nothing else could have. I had early, anxious worries about the ending, but things didn't unfold the way I expected--and it still didn't prepare me for the tears that flowed freely and the awful ache in my throat, both of which still come and go as I think about the book. That characters would still, in such extreme and tragic circumstances, behave with such integrity and nobility and selflessness and love, just wrenches my heart.

To be honest, this would probably normally be a 4 star review because of points I mentioned. But because of its heartrending and unforgettable ending, it gets 4.5 stars from me. I think as readers, most of us go through dozens and dozens of books hoping to find that one book that shatters our expectations and leaves us speechless with unexpected feeling. For me, Feed is one that definitely does that.

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Here is my spoiler-free review of the sequel (which is okay to read even if you haven't read FEED). Reminder: DO NOT READ the synopsis for the second book in the trilogy, however, as it spoils major plot points for this first book.