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A review by wordinessa
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I picked this up as a tattered copy at a used bookstore last summer, and I'm so glad I did.
What happens to your pets after the zombie apocalypse? Well, sadly, you'll probably eat them after you turn (sorry). But if ST, a foul-mouthed crow, has anything to do with it - they might just be saved, and join the crusade to save other domestics and remember humanity's legacy.
ST is such a lovable protagonist. He's a pet crow who's loyalty to his human, Big Jim, never waivers - even after Big Jim has succumbed to the mysterious illness. Along with Big Jim's lovable oaf of a bloodhound, Dennis, he's on a mission to find out what happened and save the pets who have been left behind. But this book so quickly becomes much more than that. ST has such a strong appreciation for humanity that he's blocked out a lot of his natural instincts. Along the way, he learns how to balance both sides, tapping into the natural networks and forming new friendships and alliances while making sure other animals never forget how great humans were and all the things they gave him. This is a book of love, appreciation, adventure, danger, grief, and hope, wrapped up in a zombie apocalypse from an unlikely narrator.
Check the content warnings, especially if you're sensitive to animal death. But if you like humour, dystopia, animals, and a finding glimmer among the rubble, this is a wonderful and worthwhile tale.
What happens to your pets after the zombie apocalypse? Well, sadly, you'll probably eat them after you turn (sorry). But if ST, a foul-mouthed crow, has anything to do with it - they might just be saved, and join the crusade to save other domestics and remember humanity's legacy.
ST is such a lovable protagonist. He's a pet crow who's loyalty to his human, Big Jim, never waivers - even after Big Jim has succumbed to the mysterious illness. Along with Big Jim's lovable oaf of a bloodhound, Dennis, he's on a mission to find out what happened and save the pets who have been left behind. But this book so quickly becomes much more than that. ST has such a strong appreciation for humanity that he's blocked out a lot of his natural instincts. Along the way, he learns how to balance both sides, tapping into the natural networks and forming new friendships and alliances while making sure other animals never forget how great humans were and all the things they gave him. This is a book of love, appreciation, adventure, danger, grief, and hope, wrapped up in a zombie apocalypse from an unlikely narrator.
Check the content warnings, especially if you're sensitive to animal death. But if you like humour, dystopia, animals, and a finding glimmer among the rubble, this is a wonderful and worthwhile tale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore