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kishaquiche's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
markgoodwin94's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-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
3.0
I feel unfair giving the book this rating as I really was hooked throughout reading it, but there were quite a few flaws.
I liked how difficulties in Peter and Cooper’s relationship were portrayed as it would be unrealistic that they would have a fully functioning relationship, considering both of them come from single-parent families and are only 16. (As a side note I always find it weird when authors write characters as minors and depict them sexually? Is that not weird? Is it just me who finds that uncomfortable?)
Anyway, the central part of the plot hinges around Peter being distrustful of Cooper around the concept of Timberdark. Once you find out what Timberdark is, however, Cooper’s reasoning for not just telling Peter - not to mention all of his other suspicious behaviour - makes literally zero sense. The two patch things over pretty much immediately, despite the whole host of Cooper’s behaviours not being explained.
The anti-capitalist messaging was also about as subtle as a brick to the face, including a 3-page monologue about how people have become slaves to social media and therefore became zombies? So that probably could have been more interesting.
It was well written in the most part and Charlton knows how to create tension but I do feel like there are substantial plot holes at work here.
I liked how difficulties in Peter and Cooper’s relationship were portrayed as it would be unrealistic that they would have a fully functioning relationship, considering both of them come from single-parent families and are only 16. (As a side note I always find it weird when authors write characters as minors and depict them sexually? Is that not weird? Is it just me who finds that uncomfortable?)
Anyway, the central part of the plot hinges around Peter being distrustful of Cooper around the concept of Timberdark. Once you find out what Timberdark is, however, Cooper’s reasoning for not just telling Peter - not to mention all of his other suspicious behaviour - makes literally zero sense. The two patch things over pretty much immediately, despite the whole host of Cooper’s behaviours not being explained.
The anti-capitalist messaging was also about as subtle as a brick to the face, including a 3-page monologue about how people have become slaves to social media and therefore became zombies? So that probably could have been more interesting.
It was well written in the most part and Charlton knows how to create tension but I do feel like there are substantial plot holes at work here.
tadhgpro's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
weshallsea's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
shannonreadssometimes's review against another edition
3.75
ngl I was worried I wouldn't be able to fall back into this book because it has been so long since I read the first one but within the first couple pages I was already hooked. the world building in this is so beautiful. also, Peter saying that once his boyfriends horse trusts him, they will finally be a real family, is so real to me😭 I won't lie, my brain did have to work overtime in the latter half of the book to figure out actually was going on, and I still don't entirely understand it, an I HATE the ending but that's only because I need all my endsing to be happy and this was not 100% happy. it wasn't even 80% happy. I'd give it like a 30% happy ending. and the rating is mainly bc of that. but it was beautifully written and showcases a relationship I've not seen in fiction before and a new take on the zombie apocalypse genre that turns the whole two books into a metaphor for how the monotony of life kills us and we just need to go be one with nature 😌 amen I say
soralovegood's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
kimble73's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
sian_24's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I struggled so much to get through this one unfortunately. You find yourself a cute zombie dystopian novel and turns out the real enemy was capitalism and consumerism all along, and the bad guys are actually just us. This wasn’t at all the direction I thought the book would go in, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it a few hours after finishing it.
The world building is fine if you contain it to the small settlements the characters visit, heck knows what the rest of the world is like at this point. The characters are bland, with no redeeming or endearing qualities, the charm of the first book is completely lost. Conversations between characters are unrealistic, and don’t get me started on some of the comments/observations that made me uncomfortable on so many occasions to the point where I must have had the most disgusted look on my face while reading this in public.
What was the stag-head ranger thing all about? Was that ever explained? Did I miss it?
So little happened in this book, I honestly don’t know how it’s more than 400 pages. If Peter and Cooper had just had a conversation, we wouldn’t have been in the mess to begin with and I might be bit of a happier reader.
I wish I had some positives for this, I hate spending time reading a book I just can’t connect with, but I never like to give up on a read in the hopes of an improvement, even if I’m not rewarded after all.
The world building is fine if you contain it to the small settlements the characters visit, heck knows what the rest of the world is like at this point. The characters are bland, with no redeeming or endearing qualities, the charm of the first book is completely lost. Conversations between characters are unrealistic, and don’t get me started on some of the comments/observations that made me uncomfortable on so many occasions to the point where I must have had the most disgusted look on my face while reading this in public.
What was the stag-head ranger thing all about? Was that ever explained? Did I miss it?
So little happened in this book, I honestly don’t know how it’s more than 400 pages. If Peter and Cooper had just had a conversation, we wouldn’t have been in the mess to begin with and I might be bit of a happier reader.
I wish I had some positives for this, I hate spending time reading a book I just can’t connect with, but I never like to give up on a read in the hopes of an improvement, even if I’m not rewarded after all.
pearsbooks's review against another edition
1.0
the first one was fine... this one was just... eh, nah. DNF at 128 pages lmao