katheaton's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Usually, most people pick up a cozy Christmas read or romance book during the winter. I am definitely not one of those people.
I have seen the World War Z movie multiple times and while not the best zombie movie out there it was really good and gave a new perspective to the zombie apocalypse. So finally, after many years, I decided to pick up the book. Please be aware the book is nothing like the movie as the book is told in a documentary/interview style and the movie follows one character...who isn't even in the book.
I really enjoyed the style of writing. It brought us closer to the situation and gave us many perspectives on the zombie war and what happened in those beginning days of the spread.
Brooks really touched on the basic human instinct of survival, fear, and what would you do to survive. What many of these characters went through and what they had to do to survive was quite appalling at times. Brooks also touched on how society reacts to a global pandemic and war. While this book was written in 2006 it's like Brooks foreshadowed our own pandemic and how we as a real society would react...it's sad and upsetting to think about.
There were so many times where I underlined a part of the book because it reminded me of our own situation and pandemic. And while I get this was a piece of science-fiction, it really highlighted on humans' basic instinct and survival. In the end we are just like any animal doing what it takes to survive in a vicious world.
I have seen the World War Z movie multiple times and while not the best zombie movie out there it was really good and gave a new perspective to the zombie apocalypse. So finally, after many years, I decided to pick up the book. Please be aware the book is nothing like the movie as the book is told in a documentary/interview style and the movie follows one character...who isn't even in the book.
I really enjoyed the style of writing. It brought us closer to the situation and gave us many perspectives on the zombie war and what happened in those beginning days of the spread.
Brooks really touched on the basic human instinct of survival, fear, and what would you do to survive. What many of these characters went through and what they had to do to survive was quite appalling at times. Brooks also touched on how society reacts to a global pandemic and war. While this book was written in 2006 it's like Brooks foreshadowed our own pandemic and how we as a real society would react...it's sad and upsetting to think about.
There were so many times where I underlined a part of the book because it reminded me of our own situation and pandemic. And while I get this was a piece of science-fiction, it really highlighted on humans' basic instinct and survival. In the end we are just like any animal doing what it takes to survive in a vicious world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Violence, Cannibalism, Child death, War, Animal death, Cursing, Rape, Genocide, and Suicidal thoughts
klor's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I've been recommended the audio version of this book over the physical copy and the (apparently innacurate) movie version and boy, did I enjoy it. Brooks took a lot from historical instances of how different countries and people will respond to a zombie apocalypse, I also enjoyed a lot of the interviewee voices and the stories that created a much well-rounded story of what happened in the zombie war. I think for topics like this, focusing on people is one of the things that brings a heart to the story. I think it also looked at different solutions like This is one piece of media that I'd probably enjoy seeing as a miniseries but the whole situation might also feel a bit too early, given that similar incidents happened during the COVID pandemic.
Spoiler
the ocean (it's terrifying to think of zombies underwater and RIP whales, and in some instances, how the world hasn't recovered fully yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Gun violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Death
akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I’ve been really into zombies lately, and I found that there’s usually a formula for these types of stories.
Unlikely middle class straight cis white guy becomes hero, does thing, saves world. End film. Roll credits.
This is nothing like that- which is what makes it so good. It is set in short bursts, with the “author” interviewing people who all were around when World War Z was happening. This ranges from suburban moms to illegal organ harvesters, those who were there at the beginning and the end. The soldiers, the general. The good and the evil. Those who purposefully sent people to die, those who purposefully made a false cure, those who- in the beginning- their government tried to cover up what they found.
It is fascinating and brings up points like economics, how would people survive, what an armed response would be like, the lasting damages to the planet, feral people, feral animals, people who were so convinced they were zombies that they’d actually bite people. It mentions the traitors, the loyalists, the heroes and the villains and manages to paint an entire story of a 10 year war in just over 300 pages. And for that I think this book is spectacular. But most of all it’s hopeful. The war ends, and people are allowed to move on. I think the horror in this book comes more from the human side of the war, but nevertheless this is a fantastic read and a must for any zombie lover- such as myself.
Unlikely middle class straight cis white guy becomes hero, does thing, saves world. End film. Roll credits.
This is nothing like that- which is what makes it so good. It is set in short bursts, with the “author” interviewing people who all were around when World War Z was happening. This ranges from suburban moms to illegal organ harvesters, those who were there at the beginning and the end. The soldiers, the general. The good and the evil. Those who purposefully sent people to die, those who purposefully made a false cure, those who- in the beginning- their government tried to cover up what they found.
It is fascinating and brings up points like economics, how would people survive, what an armed response would be like, the lasting damages to the planet, feral people, feral animals, people who were so convinced they were zombies that they’d actually bite people. It mentions the traitors, the loyalists, the heroes and the villains and manages to paint an entire story of a 10 year war in just over 300 pages. And for that I think this book is spectacular. But most of all it’s hopeful. The war ends, and people are allowed to move on. I think the horror in this book comes more from the human side of the war, but nevertheless this is a fantastic read and a must for any zombie lover- such as myself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, War, Blood, Cannibalism, and Suicide
Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
youngserfs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
A pretty good book, I thoughtsome of the non-US perspectives were a bit blatantly written by a US author like Max Brooks couldn't imagine anyone in the world not loving the USA or reluctantly appreciating what an "amazing" country it is, but other than those moments I found myself getting caught up in the stories before remembering it was fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Suicide, and Gore
epsyphus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I've read this twice. I've read several zombie books and watched a lot of zombie movies and this book is the best piece of zombie media.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, and Gore
chezler24's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a re-read for me, and I can safely say that this is still one of the best pieces of zombie-related media out there. Brooks does an excellent job at creating a global view of the zombie war and even considers what it would be like to be stuck in space during the zombie apocalypse! The idea of constructing a book from a series of collected interviews helps show brief glimpses at how different people, groups, and nations dealt with this massive tragedy. While the zombie war is obviously not a real event, the way the book is makes it feel visceral, real, and undeniably human. (Also, after re-reading, I realized there is something a bit funny about me turning to a piece of media centered around a massive pandemic while also currently living through a massive pandemic.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Murder, Child death, Animal death, Death, War, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Death of parent, Medical content, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Cannibalism
ashurah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Gore, and Violence
sarahholliday's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This brilliantly constructed book has become a horror classic for a reason. The complexity of Brooks' story, the detail with which he illuminates all aspect of life during and after the Zombie War, the wide range of moral codes he explores...it's utterly unique and will leave you in awe of the mind that came up with it all.
Because of that complexity it can occasionally feel like a slog to get through, especially the middle chapters, but it is still an expertly crafted and well-written book. Perfect for anyone looking for a horror novel without the jump scares or high tension.
Because of that complexity it can occasionally feel like a slog to get through, especially the middle chapters, but it is still an expertly crafted and well-written book. Perfect for anyone looking for a horror novel without the jump scares or high tension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, and War
j_boehnke's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Genocide, Suicide, and War
trixiez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Though it had an interesting premise and some excellent world building, this book unfortunately fell flat for me. I appreciate the amount of detail that went into the narrative, and I think that the sheer scope of the novel was ambitious and impressive—as it covers the event (the Zombie War!) from dozens of perspectives across the world, offering a nuanced look at the conflict as characters grapple with different political, cultural, social, and geographic variables.
However, though the detail and breadth of the story was interesting, the execution was less than to be desired. Though I was initially excited by it, having read and enjoyed multiple books ([b:Daisy Jones & The Six|40597810|Daisy Jones & The Six|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580255154l/40597810._SY75_.jpg|61127102] and [b:Sleeping Giants|25733990|Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1)|Sylvain Neuvel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459785141l/25733990._SX50_.jpg|42721200], to name a few) in the style before, the interview format didn't work for me here. A couple of the stories stood out, such as the one in the submarine and the one following the boy in the Japanese apartment building, but most of them felt forgettable or started to blend together. I think the problem is that zombie stories, at least in my eye, are survival stories, and survival stories, by nature, are meant to be suspenseful as readers are forced to wonder if their favorites will make it out alive. However, because every interview in this novel is collected after the fact, the stories lose this element of suspense. We know that all of the characters survive because they lived long enough to be interviewed, so there's no source of tension to move the narrative forward—no "do they make it?" to agonize over. We already know the answer: it all worked out, they lived to fight another day.
Ultimately, I wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. The worldbuilding around the Zombie War was intricate and detailed, but the story lost me in the characters (who felt indistinct and bled together) and the lack of forward-moving tension in the plot. There are a few stories in here that might make it worth the read, but overall I think they might have worked better as short stories than as an entire novel.
2/5 stars
However, though the detail and breadth of the story was interesting, the execution was less than to be desired. Though I was initially excited by it, having read and enjoyed multiple books ([b:Daisy Jones & The Six|40597810|Daisy Jones & The Six|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580255154l/40597810._SY75_.jpg|61127102] and [b:Sleeping Giants|25733990|Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1)|Sylvain Neuvel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459785141l/25733990._SX50_.jpg|42721200], to name a few) in the style before, the interview format didn't work for me here. A couple of the stories stood out, such as the one in the submarine and the one following the boy in the Japanese apartment building, but most of them felt forgettable or started to blend together. I think the problem is that zombie stories, at least in my eye, are survival stories, and survival stories, by nature, are meant to be suspenseful as readers are forced to wonder if their favorites will make it out alive. However, because every interview in this novel is collected after the fact, the stories lose this element of suspense. We know that all of the characters survive because they lived long enough to be interviewed, so there's no source of tension to move the narrative forward—no "do they make it?" to agonize over. We already know the answer: it all worked out, they lived to fight another day.
Ultimately, I wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. The worldbuilding around the Zombie War was intricate and detailed, but the story lost me in the characters (who felt indistinct and bled together) and the lack of forward-moving tension in the plot. There are a few stories in here that might make it worth the read, but overall I think they might have worked better as short stories than as an entire novel.
2/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Violence, and Suicide