This was my first audiobook experience! I was sceptical at first because the narrator's voice was kind of monotonous, but once Alice came along I was This was my first audiobook experience! I was sceptical at first because the narrator's voice was kind of monotonous, but once Alice came along I was in stitches over it.
So WOW how does one even review an audio?
The story: It's obviously a prequel to another series (which I've never heard of but will investigate after this so please chime in if you know it) so it's just a short lil horror story about a dude who gets more than he bargained for when he scavenges a hospital for supplies in a post-apocalyptic world.
The story itself was okay - I feel like it would have been quite ominous on paper but the language would have thrown me off. Gus seems like kind of a d*ck? So I wasn't really sold on rooting for him. It was a bit of a 2-star story I think, to be honest.
But the audio ... omg it was fkng HILARIOUS. The voices had me pissing myself laughing and Alice was totally creepy in a YIKES kinda way. It turned the coarse language into more of a dark comedy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't horror really, but it was hella creepy at times.
I found, with audio, it was harder to kind of immerse myself in the storytelling aspects - I think the first lil bit where he's gathering supplies would have worked better on paper, building the tension, but on audio it was kind of dull. I found it a lot harder to picture everything. But the narrator really made old Alice come alive and her screeching was just far more entertaining than I think it would be on paper. I think I probably would have rolled my eyes a lot at the excessive language, but listening to it was brilliant. Gus I could take or leave. Whatever. *shrugs*
The bookends of the story were mostly kinda ehhhh but that middle section featuring Alice was a highlight for sure. I don't know that it ever really made a lot of sense to me, or that I followed it quite as well as I would have on paper, but for my first audio it wasn't terrible.
I have so many questions. I get it, but I still have questions.
Plot: Red is travelling through the forest, trying to get to grandmUM??
Sequel please??!
I have so many questions. I get it, but I still have questions.
Plot: Red is travelling through the forest, trying to get to grandma's house. Unfortunately, there are wolves in the wood that intend her harm. Yes, even in a post-apocalyptic world where people are dying from a mysterious Cough with gruesome consequences, there are still wolfish men looking to prey on weak, defenceless girls.
'Red didn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she wasn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she was a woman alone in the woods.'
Well, well, well. Perhaps not so defenceless.
This was pretty familiar as far as post-apocalyptic stories go - the long, tedious journey through scrub (roads are dangerous) avoiding the military (they have dumb ideas that are just going to get everyone killed) and not trusting strangers (everyone for themselves). The scavenging for food and supplies, living off canned everything and sleeping rough with rare yet timely reprieves, the permeating fear of catching what everyone else has.
But here's what makes all the difference: Red. She's smart and savvy and has seen enough movies and read enough books to know all the things you should never do in a zombie apocalypse. So she has everything planned and will be doing everything she can to stay alive so that she can get to grandma's place, where it's safe.
The story flicks back and forth between 'Before' and 'After', and there's plenty of action in each storyline. There are a lot of questions that need answering but this book seems determined to ignore that in favour of the trials and tribulations of Red's quest.
Like many, I picked this book up after enjoying Alice, and while it wasn't quite as riveting, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Her gory descriptions are a particular joy, and the distinct lack of zombies was a blessing because they are my absolute least favourite kind of monster.
However the ending is a little rushed and leads to more questions than answers, so don't expect any long scientific explanations or satisfying conclusions....more
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