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Into the Mist #1
Into the Mist
As men fall to the mist, the age of womankind begins to rise
Bombs strike US cities and military sites, cause fires, explosions, sonic detonations, quakes, slides, and green mist. Breathed in, the toxin melts men into puddles of bloody clothes. But women may get strange new powers.
High school science teachers leaving an Oregon mountain conference find their blood may cause plants to grow suddenly. "Warrior" Mercury 30s is now incredibly strong and fast. "Seer" Stella 40s senses future, directs them, where and when, to go or stay. "Watcher" Imani gazes toward her lost family for hours. Christian "Priestess" Karen 50+ sees their powers act, in the spirit world, as a green glow.
"Healer" Gemma 16, then three children join after losing their respective parents. They meet bad and good people in their search for The Place to build their safe perfect new world.
Bombs strike US cities and military sites, cause fires, explosions, sonic detonations, quakes, slides, and green mist. Breathed in, the toxin melts men into puddles of bloody clothes. But women may get strange new powers.
High school science teachers leaving an Oregon mountain conference find their blood may cause plants to grow suddenly. "Warrior" Mercury 30s is now incredibly strong and fast. "Seer" Stella 40s senses future, directs them, where and when, to go or stay. "Watcher" Imani gazes toward her lost family for hours. Christian "Priestess" Karen 50+ sees their powers act, in the spirit world, as a green glow.
"Healer" Gemma 16, then three children join after losing their respective parents. They meet bad and good people in their search for The Place to build their safe perfect new world.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2022
220 people are currently reading
15985 people want to read
About the author
P.C. Cast
172 books28.2k followersPC was born in the Midwest, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school, she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. After her tour in the USAF, she taught high school for 15 years before retiring to write full time. PC is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today Best-Selling author and a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and the Laurel Wreath. PC is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. Ms. Cast lives in Oregon near her fabulous daughter, her adorable pack of dogs, her crazy Maine Coon, and a bunch of horses. House of Night Other World, book 4, FOUND, releases July 7th, 2020. More info to come soon about the HoN TV series!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 504 reviews
April 25, 2022
Into the Mist lost me three pages in and never managed to win me back over. I had been hoping for a book like Lauren Beukes’s Afterland, a thriller that uses its central conceit—a plague that wiped out most of the men—as a vehicle for a nuanced look at gender, sexuality, and motherhood. Into the Mist is nothing like that.
According to the blurb, it’s supposed to be about a “thrilling and feminist future,” but the future it describes doesn’t feel particularly feminist or thrilling. Here’s why it didn’t work for me:
1) The writing. I’ve seen other Goodreads reviewers mention that they enjoyed the writing style, so this might be a matter of taste. But the book is full of repetitive phrases & unnecessary pop culture references. At one point, a character’s eyebrows are described as “the wings of an onyx butterfly.” I have no idea what that means.
2) The dialogue (and characters in general). Most of the characters are 30/40-year-old high school teachers. All of them talk exactly the same way. I’ve never heard a 30-year-old woman unironically say “jelly” instead of “jealous,” but these women do. I might buy one character using outdated slang, but not a bunch of them from different backgrounds.
3) The lack of LGBTQ characters. In a book that explicitly invokes gender by killing off specifically men, there is exactly one LGBTQ character: a gay man who appears for about one chapter before dramatically dying. Where are the trans people? What are the lesbians and bi women doing during all of this?
4) The black-and-white thinking and surface-level feminism. This book is, quite frankly, not as feminist as it aspires to be. Various characters say things like “Yeah, the patriarchy sucks,” but that’s about as far as the analysis goes.
I think the book’s treatment of one character in particular exemplifies this last point. Our protagonist, Mercury, spends a lot of time with Karen Gay, a fundamentalist Christian history teacher. (Yes, her name is Karen “because she’s a Karen.”) At the beginning of the story, Karen is kind of a tightwad and very judgmental. As the plot progresses, she learns to be more accepting. I realize that written out like this, that arc sounds like a good one, but my issue is that Mercury & and her buddies often pressure Karen into doing things she doesn’t really want to do, like drinking and smoking. Mercury’s concept of freedom from the patriarchy doesn’t include women whose idea of liberation looks different from hers. But the book doesn’t ever interrogate that.
And I think this is what frustrates me the most about this book: Contained within it somewhere is a better, more nuanced book. As it is, Mercury is always right because she’s a Woman (TM). A more interesting story might have been Mercury starting with her surface-level idea of feminism and then, after the men begin to die, having to confront the holes in her belief system. In what ways does she still have internalized misogyny? How does the patriarchy hurt men as well as women? What about women who don’t fit Mercury’s idea of the “right” kind of woman, like Karen? What about gay & trans & queer people?
If you’re looking for a very light read with mostly female characters, this book might be for you more than it was for me. Otherwise, I’d say check out Afterland instead.
[Thank you Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC for review.]
According to the blurb, it’s supposed to be about a “thrilling and feminist future,” but the future it describes doesn’t feel particularly feminist or thrilling. Here’s why it didn’t work for me:
1) The writing. I’ve seen other Goodreads reviewers mention that they enjoyed the writing style, so this might be a matter of taste. But the book is full of repetitive phrases & unnecessary pop culture references. At one point, a character’s eyebrows are described as “the wings of an onyx butterfly.” I have no idea what that means.
2) The dialogue (and characters in general). Most of the characters are 30/40-year-old high school teachers. All of them talk exactly the same way. I’ve never heard a 30-year-old woman unironically say “jelly” instead of “jealous,” but these women do. I might buy one character using outdated slang, but not a bunch of them from different backgrounds.
3) The lack of LGBTQ characters. In a book that explicitly invokes gender by killing off specifically men, there is exactly one LGBTQ character: a gay man who appears for about one chapter before dramatically dying. Where are the trans people? What are the lesbians and bi women doing during all of this?
4) The black-and-white thinking and surface-level feminism. This book is, quite frankly, not as feminist as it aspires to be. Various characters say things like “Yeah, the patriarchy sucks,” but that’s about as far as the analysis goes.
I think the book’s treatment of one character in particular exemplifies this last point. Our protagonist, Mercury, spends a lot of time with Karen Gay, a fundamentalist Christian history teacher. (Yes, her name is Karen “because she’s a Karen.”) At the beginning of the story, Karen is kind of a tightwad and very judgmental. As the plot progresses, she learns to be more accepting. I realize that written out like this, that arc sounds like a good one, but my issue is that Mercury & and her buddies often pressure Karen into doing things she doesn’t really want to do, like drinking and smoking. Mercury’s concept of freedom from the patriarchy doesn’t include women whose idea of liberation looks different from hers. But the book doesn’t ever interrogate that.
And I think this is what frustrates me the most about this book: Contained within it somewhere is a better, more nuanced book. As it is, Mercury is always right because she’s a Woman (TM). A more interesting story might have been Mercury starting with her surface-level idea of feminism and then, after the men begin to die, having to confront the holes in her belief system. In what ways does she still have internalized misogyny? How does the patriarchy hurt men as well as women? What about women who don’t fit Mercury’s idea of the “right” kind of woman, like Karen? What about gay & trans & queer people?
If you’re looking for a very light read with mostly female characters, this book might be for you more than it was for me. Otherwise, I’d say check out Afterland instead.
[Thank you Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC for review.]
March 11, 2022
“You look like something out of Mad Max: Fury Road,” said Ford. “And I mean that as a compliment.”
“Thanks. Charlize Theron is a badass.”
The worst girlboss feminist manifesto. INTO THE MIST is not written for me. That is painfully clear - if only because I was born with a penis and identify as male. That said, I probably laughed harder reading this than I have for a long time.
I really should do more than cursorily glance at blurbs when I request things from NetGalley - if I'd actually read the description of INTO THE MIST, I may have gotten an inkling of what I was in for.
Stella Carver, Mercury Elizabeth Rhodes, Karen Gay and Imani (if we get a ridiculous surname for her, I missed it) are teachers on a retreat at a lodge in Oregon when the United States is attacked. Rather than nuclear weapons, the bombs release a green fog which seems to kill any male that it comes into contact with, whilst leaving females relatively unscathed.
As the story goes on, we discover that rather than not affecting women, the fog seems to give them.. powers!
I think INTO THE MIST actually made me less of a feminist. It is the most plastic, one-dimensional 'feminist' fiction I have ever read in my life. There is nothing inherently bad or wrong about the writing itself (edit: not entirely true: "Imani’s brows lifted like the wings of an onyx butterfly." is pretty bad), but the content - ho boy.
P.C. Cast has a thesis statement on the world and all its ills, and by God is she going to hit you over the head with it.
“They finally did it. They finally destroyed the world.” Stella spoke with no emotion, but she wrapped her arms around her torso while tears dripped from her eyes down her cheeks to soak the long-sleeved shirt she’d layered under her sweater.
Mercury could only manage one word. “They?”
“Men. Politicians. Them. The greedy, corrupt people in charge whose job it was to keep us safe.” Stella’s voice cut like a knife.
I don't have any issue with the concept - I think it could actually be very interesting. But Jesus, it isn't exactly subtle.
“So, do you think whoever engineered this particular biological agent made it to wipe out men?” Janet sounded equal parts pissed and skeptical.
“We can’t know for sure if it was created to be that specific or if it’s just a fortuitous byproduct.” Heads turned as Stella joined them in the foyer.
“Fortuitous?” said one of the other three men as he carefully sat up. His arm was in a sling, and his thigh and head were heavily bandaged. His age was hard to determine as the gauze wrapped around his forehead also covered the side of his face, but Mercury guessed he was somewhere between forty and fifty.
“Well, let’s see.” Stella tapped her chin with exaggerated contemplation. “Who’s been in charge of the world until now?”
“Men,” said Gemma.
“Exactly.” Stella put her fists on her waist and faced the wounded man. “Women saved you. Women bandaged you. Women will continue to be sure you heal. Remember that.”
With very few exceptions, anybody with a penis in this post-apocalypse is suspect; a predator, a misogynist, or an 'asshat' to use the protagonists' oft-repeated term. The exceptions are a big lovable gay trucker, 6 year old twin boys, and of course.. Oxford Xavier Diaz (but everyone calls him Ford). The latter forms the final part of our protagonist crew once he appears, and he is a safe male, because he is
a) dreamy
b) Puerto Rican
c) reads for pleasure?!? (specifically Anne McCaffrey)
Ford grinned. “It’s not man-hating to tell me you haven’t met a lot of grown-up men who read for pleasure. I don’t know many besides the men in my family either.”
“Well, good. Then that’s my answer. What kind of books do you like?”
“I read across genres. The truth is that I hate genre labels. I think they keep people from reading.”
“Oh my Goddess! I’ve been saying that for years! Like, even though there are some awesome romance books that I know my male students would love—because they’re labeled romance, it’s almost impossible to get guys to give them a try.”
Ford nodded. “Exactly. I really enjoy science-fiction and fantasy— especially sci-fi/fantasy written by women.” He grinned at her shocked expression. “Women tend to add more complex character development and — get this — sex to the genre. I enjoy both.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Mercury studied him with new eyes as they moved together around the dance floor. “What’s one of your fav sci-fi or fantasy books?”
“That’s easy. I love the queen of sci-fi/fantasy, Anne McCaffery.”
Mercury thumped him on his broad chest. “Get out! Pern is my go-to comfort world!”
And yes, Mercury Elizabeth Rhodes did just say 'fav' in conversation. Other hits include 'yaasss', 'BRB', 'truth!', and 'hell yes, sis!'. Not to mention, 'Oh my Goddess!' If I didn't know any better, I'd think that P.C. Cast was an old woman trying to write how she thinks young women talk.
Every lamp must be shaded. We can't just accept that one of our protagonists knows her way around firearms - she needs to specify (in the middle of the aftermath of what, for all they know, is the end of the world) that she isn't some kind of stupid, gun-toting man.
“OMG, you found a gun!”
“Yeah. I know Stella’s proficient with firearms.”
“Fuckin’ A, I am.” The color was returning to Stella’s cheeks. “But let me be clear. I’m proficient with firearms, and I’m for sensible gun laws.”
The powers that our girlboss protagonists get from the fog are varied. The blood of several becomes hyper-fertiliser, one develops super strength, and another gets super intuition. You heard that right.
"My intuition has been pretty clear for the past decade or so, but since yesterday it’s loud."
Something about this sentence just makes me giggle.
Oh, unrelated to the green fog (but still hilarious) is that one of our girlbosses is a neo-pagan - while Karen Gay is a devout Christian! Goodness I wonder if that will cause friction.
“Thanks,” Stella said. “We’d appreciate that. We have come to depend on Ford.”
“I’m not surprised at all. Such a tall, capable man.” Amber gave Ford an appreciative look. “Follow me and let’s get you out of this cold.”
Beside Stella, Mercury whispered, “The misogyny is strong with that one.”
Ford covered his laugh with a cough.
"Hello, random woman, yes I am lying about how much I need this man to pretend that I'm a normie self-hating woman who needs men."
"Yes, I can see that this man is tall and capable."
"WOW WHAT A STUPID MISOGYNIST."
Something worth noting is that INTO THE MIST entirely sidesteps the possibility of trans or nonbinary folk, and how this gender-based attack would effect them. Are trans women not girlboss enough to survive? Would a trans man have enough inherent metaphorical misogyny to be treated as male? Who knows! That sounds like a tricky question to answer, and we aren't here to answer tricky questions, we're just here to talk about how men ruined everything.
INTO THE MIST ends on a mysterious prophetic cliffhanger (while one of our girlboss protagonists dances on a grave with a pitbull named Khaleesi. No, I'm not joking). I unironically cannot wait for the next book. I hope I get an ARC of it as well. I can only imagine it will be hilarious.
Thankyou to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 5, 2022
Apocalypse stories are always a little bleak and this one is no exception. I liked it, although it's always hard to tell if it'll stay consistent through the series. Felt a little YA-ish, but not necessarily in a bad way.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
nope
March 10, 2022My Gods, how many books with the premise of "something kills/disappears all the men" do we have to go through? There's been like five in the last few years.
Please. Please, authors, get a new idea. This is impossible to do in a way that isn't 1) offensive and bigoted as fuck and 2) believable. No, not even someone who's been in the game as long as P.C. Cast can do it well.
Like, I get it. The Trump years were rough on women. I get the appeal of writing a book where all the men disappear. If that was your outlet for your rage and disappointment, I can't exactly blame you!
But writing something to vent your emotions is one thing, and actually getting it published is... another. Especially when you're throwing trans and nonbinary people under the bus in the process.
Please. Please, authors, get a new idea. This is impossible to do in a way that isn't 1) offensive and bigoted as fuck and 2) believable. No, not even someone who's been in the game as long as P.C. Cast can do it well.
Like, I get it. The Trump years were rough on women. I get the appeal of writing a book where all the men disappear. If that was your outlet for your rage and disappointment, I can't exactly blame you!
But writing something to vent your emotions is one thing, and actually getting it published is... another. Especially when you're throwing trans and nonbinary people under the bus in the process.
dnf
July 2, 2022… not to DNF a book literally one chapter in but it took way too much effort for me to even finish the chapter. Full grown adults talking like middle schoolers. Some of the most cringe and repetitive writing I’ve ever read. This is karma for requesting books I know nothing about on NetGalley.
June 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley Review for the early look at this book. I agreed to read it because I knew Cast’s name from her vampire literature in the (early 2000s?). I’m not a huge fan, but I can respect that this author is committed to her craft.
I liked the way this story began—teachers at an academic conference with a car full of colleagues (the grumpy principal and the overly-strict teacher, etc.) when “it” happens. It’s gruesome and unnerving. And interesting. . .until it isn’t.
I read through 40%, until the group of of self-appointed “feminist” leaders were lecturing the wounded about creating a utopian society run by THE WOMENS while putting men down. Just, please, no. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Anyway, I refused to participate for another minute of its misguided righteousness into the green mists. It was preachy and embarrassing and it makes my soul sad to see the word “feminist” in the description of this book. Ugh. So, while Cast is a talented writer who can create an interesting idea, I’m sad she forcefully inserted a matriarchal power structure intent on shaming men as a foundation. I wish I could sit down and have a talk with her about the value of equality not based on mimicry of the exploitation that came before it. A balance of power requires balance—not overpowering “the other.”
File Under: Women’s Rights are HUMAN RIGHTS!
I liked the way this story began—teachers at an academic conference with a car full of colleagues (the grumpy principal and the overly-strict teacher, etc.) when “it” happens. It’s gruesome and unnerving. And interesting. . .until it isn’t.
I read through 40%, until the group of of self-appointed “feminist” leaders were lecturing the wounded about creating a utopian society run by THE WOMENS while putting men down. Just, please, no. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Anyway, I refused to participate for another minute of its misguided righteousness into the green mists. It was preachy and embarrassing and it makes my soul sad to see the word “feminist” in the description of this book. Ugh. So, while Cast is a talented writer who can create an interesting idea, I’m sad she forcefully inserted a matriarchal power structure intent on shaming men as a foundation. I wish I could sit down and have a talk with her about the value of equality not based on mimicry of the exploitation that came before it. A balance of power requires balance—not overpowering “the other.”
File Under: Women’s Rights are HUMAN RIGHTS!
December 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. If you enjoyed Walking Dead I am sure you will enjoy this book. I loved the characters in this! All of them are written so well. Gemma the healer? She’s compassionate and no nonsense. Mercury, Imani, and Stella are typical badass teachers. Karen is tough to deal with but definitely grows on you as her character grows in the apocalypse. I highly recommend.
June 15, 2022
I’m a huge fan of PC Cast, her solo books and those she’s penned with her daughter, Kristin. I was really excited to start Into the Mist – the premise is amazing and I always love the strong themes of sisterhood and women’s empowerment her books deliver.
But Into the Mist didn’t work for me and I’ll tell you why:
There’s a devasting apocalyptic event that has wiped out most of the male population and the main characters aren’t all that pressed about it. Almost immediately after the event – mind you, there are mass casualties and destruction of the world - the main characters are drinking wine, cracking jokes and patting each other on the back about how great they each are. I felt it was more a slumber party/good ole girls’ atmosphere then a ‘we’re fighting for our lives’ scenario. This is where the story lost me – right here.
And, as I mentioned earlier, I love strong relationships and female empowerment but, dang, you cannot twist female empowerment around to fit your narrative. For example, Karen Gay (insert huge fucking eyeroll here), a religious middle-aged woman was bullied by the other women because she didn’t fit their mold – she is pressured to behave in ways that really bothered me. Men were either ALL good or ALL bad. You can’t empower when tearing others down. Which brings me to my next point.
The whole overwhelming misogynistic undertone of the story, which I was expecting but taken to such an extreme - it was too much and left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt the story portrayed Stella and Mercury more like cult leaders than strong empowered women leading others into an unknown future. In fact, one of the main characters thinks it was fortuitous that men were the target of this event because they’re basically the root of all evil. Ok, then!
Every other paragraph felt like a set-up for some words of exorbitant wisdom or for a joke – because you know, the end of the world is hilarious. And, sadly, instead of giving me ‘Women are Strong’ vibes, it gave me ‘Women are Hateful’ vibes. This is not what feminism is. Two steps back for the feminism movement, no kidding.
What I can say is that Lorelei King rules as a narrator. If not for her, I don’t think I would’ve finished the book. Well done and bravo, Lorelei!
I love fantasy – especially when combined with a dystopian theme and can suspend my belief for the purpose of pure entertainment but in this case, I found that the characters and their dialogue did more damage to the story than the plotline could save.
I’m so sorry I didn’t like this one but TBH, if I didn’t know better, I’d never believe this was written by one of my favorite writers.
My thanks to Dreamscape Media for the gifted ALC and to Crooked Lane Books for the physical copy.
But Into the Mist didn’t work for me and I’ll tell you why:
There’s a devasting apocalyptic event that has wiped out most of the male population and the main characters aren’t all that pressed about it. Almost immediately after the event – mind you, there are mass casualties and destruction of the world - the main characters are drinking wine, cracking jokes and patting each other on the back about how great they each are. I felt it was more a slumber party/good ole girls’ atmosphere then a ‘we’re fighting for our lives’ scenario. This is where the story lost me – right here.
And, as I mentioned earlier, I love strong relationships and female empowerment but, dang, you cannot twist female empowerment around to fit your narrative. For example, Karen Gay (insert huge fucking eyeroll here), a religious middle-aged woman was bullied by the other women because she didn’t fit their mold – she is pressured to behave in ways that really bothered me. Men were either ALL good or ALL bad. You can’t empower when tearing others down. Which brings me to my next point.
The whole overwhelming misogynistic undertone of the story, which I was expecting but taken to such an extreme - it was too much and left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt the story portrayed Stella and Mercury more like cult leaders than strong empowered women leading others into an unknown future. In fact, one of the main characters thinks it was fortuitous that men were the target of this event because they’re basically the root of all evil. Ok, then!
Every other paragraph felt like a set-up for some words of exorbitant wisdom or for a joke – because you know, the end of the world is hilarious. And, sadly, instead of giving me ‘Women are Strong’ vibes, it gave me ‘Women are Hateful’ vibes. This is not what feminism is. Two steps back for the feminism movement, no kidding.
What I can say is that Lorelei King rules as a narrator. If not for her, I don’t think I would’ve finished the book. Well done and bravo, Lorelei!
I love fantasy – especially when combined with a dystopian theme and can suspend my belief for the purpose of pure entertainment but in this case, I found that the characters and their dialogue did more damage to the story than the plotline could save.
I’m so sorry I didn’t like this one but TBH, if I didn’t know better, I’d never believe this was written by one of my favorite writers.
My thanks to Dreamscape Media for the gifted ALC and to Crooked Lane Books for the physical copy.
March 11, 2022
Into the Mist is the first book in a new series by P.C. Cast.
The action is set in the mountains of Oregon inland from Portland.
A group of teachers are headed back to the Portland airport, and disaster ensues.
Bombs of some type drop, releasing a green mist, followed by intense earthquakes.
It is never clear where these come from or what they are, and I assume that will be developed and explored later in the series.
The green mist kills most men, either quickly or slowly, but gives some women extra powers.
The story follows the journey of a small group of teachers as they try to find a safe haven and a way to start over.
The writing was great, the chapters were just the right length, and there is lots of suspense.
I really enjoyed the book a lot and blazed through it super quickly.
It's obvious there will be more books in this series, and I can't wait to continue on with Mercury, Stella, and the team.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The action is set in the mountains of Oregon inland from Portland.
A group of teachers are headed back to the Portland airport, and disaster ensues.
Bombs of some type drop, releasing a green mist, followed by intense earthquakes.
It is never clear where these come from or what they are, and I assume that will be developed and explored later in the series.
The green mist kills most men, either quickly or slowly, but gives some women extra powers.
The story follows the journey of a small group of teachers as they try to find a safe haven and a way to start over.
The writing was great, the chapters were just the right length, and there is lots of suspense.
I really enjoyed the book a lot and blazed through it super quickly.
It's obvious there will be more books in this series, and I can't wait to continue on with Mercury, Stella, and the team.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
September 10, 2022
I decided to pick up Into the Mist by P.C. Cast after seeing it all over Bookstagram, and I am so glad I did! Apparently, this is book 1 of a duology, and based on how Cast left things, I really can't wait to find out where she takes the second and final novel. I did think going into this that it was horror since a lot of very gross and horrific things take place. However, I got the feeling from her discussion questions at the back that she actually meant it to be a high fantasy novel, just with an apocalyptic setting. Either way, I was here for it, and I loved the strong women that permeate this story. Mercury and Stella were the stars of the show for me, and I found that they ended up being my favorite characters. There is a Paganism aspect that I wasn't expecting, and I can't say it's anything I have ever read about before, but it worked for the book.
There was a ton of action that made it basically unputdownable, although there were also some slower parts where it lost my attention a tiny bit. I think that is really the only thing that held me back from giving it a higher rating, and I doubt everyone will have this issue. I highly recommend checking out the audiobook as well which I was fortunate enough to find on my library's Hoopla account. It is narrated by Lorelei King, and I thought she did a truly exceptional job considering how many characters there were, especially females. She was able to provide a different voice for each of them and I was incredibly impressed by how well she helped me differentiate who everyone was. Not that this is an issue thanks to their highly different personalities, but she still killed it and I loved her for it. Into the Mist is a great pick if you enjoy books with strong feminist vibes, kick-ass women, and lots of action all wrapped into one crazy and creepy apocalypse world.
There was a ton of action that made it basically unputdownable, although there were also some slower parts where it lost my attention a tiny bit. I think that is really the only thing that held me back from giving it a higher rating, and I doubt everyone will have this issue. I highly recommend checking out the audiobook as well which I was fortunate enough to find on my library's Hoopla account. It is narrated by Lorelei King, and I thought she did a truly exceptional job considering how many characters there were, especially females. She was able to provide a different voice for each of them and I was incredibly impressed by how well she helped me differentiate who everyone was. Not that this is an issue thanks to their highly different personalities, but she still killed it and I loved her for it. Into the Mist is a great pick if you enjoy books with strong feminist vibes, kick-ass women, and lots of action all wrapped into one crazy and creepy apocalypse world.
January 30, 2022
WOW! Just WOW!! I really loved reading this book and when I flipped the last page I was begging for more. The next one can't come out soon enough!
This book has it all in there. You got adventure, suspense, horror, love and mystery.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
This book has it all in there. You got adventure, suspense, horror, love and mystery.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
April 19, 2022
Politicians are some of the most hated people in the world, just by virtue of their job and the resulting cliche. (Honest politicians? What are you smoking?)
I'm just telling you that to lay down some ground here, to make it clear that the protagonists of our tale could have been worse - they could have been politicians! Lucky for us, they're not - instead, they belong to a different class of people who are also, shall we say, sometimes frowned upon: teachers.
Meet Mercury and Stella, two Oklahoma teachers on a spring summit in Oregon, chatting away and sipping mimosas like they're starring in the remake of SATC (I think it's called And Just Like That). A few nasty remarks about their colleagues later - and suddenly their world changes.
I sense a lack of mimosas in the immediate future! Oh no!
Pretty soon the setting changes from SATC to something more akin to Mad Max, and the green mist engulfing them brings back memories of John Carpenter's The Fog (only in green). So I guess it's welcome to the end times!
And yes, it becomes clear pretty soon that our protagonists are now living in an apocalyptic setting, where the initial green mist killed every man that breathed it in. But there's still enough toxic masculinity (pun intended) to go around, as not everyone was outdoors when the bombs hit. And while the males are turning into slosh, it is hinted on pretty early that the females might even gain some restoration powers (although not all of them). Likes slow version of wolverine. (No claws, though, which feels like a budget cut. I mean, come on, give me the claws, too!)
So right now I'm wondering, who dropped the bombs, what was in the green mist? Maybe some kind of genetically engineered bio weapon (because of the gender targeting), but your guess is as good as mine. I don't know it, our heroines don't know it, and I'm not even sure if the author knows it. (Hopefully she'll have it figured out in time for the second novel.)
But all in all, we're off here to a promising start. It's the apocalypse, our girls are in an old car, other survivors will pretty soon start to pick fights with them - it's a road trip mad max style, y'all!
Throw in the simple minded surviving men, and you could easily argue that this novel is of the zombie variety of all things apocalypse. Well, there aren't any zombies in the classical sense, but then again those men should have been dead to start with, so they're the walking dead, alright. And like classical zombies they're on the constant lookout for braiiiins, if only because of the fact that they all seem a little missing in that department.
Most - but not all - of the men in this novel (skin color excepted)
Actually, that "men are brutal, stupid, aggressive and toxic" cliche is at times on the brink of getting annoying, but the female protagonists (with super powers, kind of) are adding a kind of chick lit vibe to this tale that turns everything around. I know this all might sound like a wild kaleidoscope of things, but it's actually blended together really well - and makes for fun reading (despite the dystopian setting, because let's be honest - the one and only time this whole apocalypse thing was really funny was during Good Omens by Pratchett & Gaiman).
I've already told you about the powers of self healing the women got, but it goes deeper than that. It seems the green fog changed something in their blood which now holds healing powers that stretch beyond the body. Mercury discovers it when she accidentally cuts herself and bleeds on some potatoes that start sprouting away. Which is, if you think about it, some kind of allegory. (And maybe there are some more alterations to the women's body, like intuition and other stuff.)
There are exceptions to the "men are bad" show here, but basically we see men as destroyers (when the ladies see the bombs drop, one of them immediately says something about men finally destroying the world, which is either a weird flex or some foreboding) and women as caretakers and livegifers. That duality seems to be at the core of this tale.
And once you're aware of that, you realize that P.C. Cast is actually very upfront with this. There's a PJ party kind of scene in the lodge where the ladies are talking about how the world could be better with less men in it and more women running the show. That's not only on the nose, it's also feeling a little too much forced. I mean, really, it's like the apocalypse out there. Shouldn't you be thinking about increasing your odds of survival instead of planning a new world order? And there is one scene where this is taken too far, in the lobby of a lodge when the ladies tell the people it's basically good luck that the fog kills men because men have been running the world too long and too wrong. There's some truth to it, but telling this to a wounded guy who probably worked as a handyman seems like an insult. That guy ain't done shit, just saying.
The book turns ever more feminist during it's course, but you know what? I've immensely enjoyed it. Yes, at times I thought that the author is belittling all men (see above), but then again there are some good men in here too, as identification figures I could use. (Most of them die pretty soon, like good old Sims. Ah, well.) And it really is fun to watch the ladies on their road trip. Go girls, you rock!
Trust no one is the unofficial motto of the new world.
That being said, I might have been reading the book wrong. It's quite possible P.C. Cast did indeed mean it like some feminist manifesto (feminifesto? manifeministo?), and to be honest, there are some critical points about today's society you just can't argue with (she is right about men being war mongers and generally more aggressive, there's simply no denying it). Then again, I treated this tale not as a social commentary, but rather as some kind of popcorn cinema/entertainment. You know, the kind of movie you watch for the thrills and the fun, not because you want to be intellectually stimulated. Like the mission impossible franchise - I'm here for the kicks and the action! And the ladies in Into The Mist do some serious butt kicking while sipping red wine and mimosas, it's just fun to watch.
Actually, I was reminded of the Tarantino movie death proof by this group of women. Luckily, the group from the second half, not the first, if you catch my drift. Which probably turns Zoë Bell into Mercury and Rosario Dawson into Stella.
Although, regarding the delivery of pun-chy one liners, they could have learned from some men, really.
I'm still waiting for a good one-liner
*****
In the end, I enjoyed my time with this motley crew of women, and I'm inclined into looking into the second book when it comes out. I'm rating it 3 stars - I just have to take one star away for the bluntness with which men are presented as the root of all evil. A second star falls victim to the fact that there are so many cliches in here. But it's solid 3 star trash entertainment for me!
Disclaimer: I’ve received a free Advanced Reader’s Copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
I'm just telling you that to lay down some ground here, to make it clear that the protagonists of our tale could have been worse - they could have been politicians! Lucky for us, they're not - instead, they belong to a different class of people who are also, shall we say, sometimes frowned upon: teachers.
Meet Mercury and Stella, two Oklahoma teachers on a spring summit in Oregon, chatting away and sipping mimosas like they're starring in the remake of SATC (I think it's called And Just Like That). A few nasty remarks about their colleagues later - and suddenly their world changes.
I sense a lack of mimosas in the immediate future! Oh no!
Pretty soon the setting changes from SATC to something more akin to Mad Max, and the green mist engulfing them brings back memories of John Carpenter's The Fog (only in green). So I guess it's welcome to the end times!
And yes, it becomes clear pretty soon that our protagonists are now living in an apocalyptic setting, where the initial green mist killed every man that breathed it in. But there's still enough toxic masculinity (pun intended) to go around, as not everyone was outdoors when the bombs hit. And while the males are turning into slosh, it is hinted on pretty early that the females might even gain some restoration powers (although not all of them). Likes slow version of wolverine. (No claws, though, which feels like a budget cut. I mean, come on, give me the claws, too!)
So right now I'm wondering, who dropped the bombs, what was in the green mist? Maybe some kind of genetically engineered bio weapon (because of the gender targeting), but your guess is as good as mine. I don't know it, our heroines don't know it, and I'm not even sure if the author knows it. (Hopefully she'll have it figured out in time for the second novel.)
But all in all, we're off here to a promising start. It's the apocalypse, our girls are in an old car, other survivors will pretty soon start to pick fights with them - it's a road trip mad max style, y'all!
Throw in the simple minded surviving men, and you could easily argue that this novel is of the zombie variety of all things apocalypse. Well, there aren't any zombies in the classical sense, but then again those men should have been dead to start with, so they're the walking dead, alright. And like classical zombies they're on the constant lookout for braiiiins, if only because of the fact that they all seem a little missing in that department.
Most - but not all - of the men in this novel (skin color excepted)
Actually, that "men are brutal, stupid, aggressive and toxic" cliche is at times on the brink of getting annoying, but the female protagonists (with super powers, kind of) are adding a kind of chick lit vibe to this tale that turns everything around. I know this all might sound like a wild kaleidoscope of things, but it's actually blended together really well - and makes for fun reading (despite the dystopian setting, because let's be honest - the one and only time this whole apocalypse thing was really funny was during Good Omens by Pratchett & Gaiman).
I've already told you about the powers of self healing the women got, but it goes deeper than that. It seems the green fog changed something in their blood which now holds healing powers that stretch beyond the body. Mercury discovers it when she accidentally cuts herself and bleeds on some potatoes that start sprouting away. Which is, if you think about it, some kind of allegory. (And maybe there are some more alterations to the women's body, like intuition and other stuff.)
There are exceptions to the "men are bad" show here, but basically we see men as destroyers (when the ladies see the bombs drop, one of them immediately says something about men finally destroying the world, which is either a weird flex or some foreboding) and women as caretakers and livegifers. That duality seems to be at the core of this tale.
And once you're aware of that, you realize that P.C. Cast is actually very upfront with this. There's a PJ party kind of scene in the lodge where the ladies are talking about how the world could be better with less men in it and more women running the show. That's not only on the nose, it's also feeling a little too much forced. I mean, really, it's like the apocalypse out there. Shouldn't you be thinking about increasing your odds of survival instead of planning a new world order? And there is one scene where this is taken too far, in the lobby of a lodge when the ladies tell the people it's basically good luck that the fog kills men because men have been running the world too long and too wrong. There's some truth to it, but telling this to a wounded guy who probably worked as a handyman seems like an insult. That guy ain't done shit, just saying.
The book turns ever more feminist during it's course, but you know what? I've immensely enjoyed it. Yes, at times I thought that the author is belittling all men (see above), but then again there are some good men in here too, as identification figures I could use. (Most of them die pretty soon, like good old Sims. Ah, well.) And it really is fun to watch the ladies on their road trip. Go girls, you rock!
Trust no one is the unofficial motto of the new world.
That being said, I might have been reading the book wrong. It's quite possible P.C. Cast did indeed mean it like some feminist manifesto (feminifesto? manifeministo?), and to be honest, there are some critical points about today's society you just can't argue with (she is right about men being war mongers and generally more aggressive, there's simply no denying it). Then again, I treated this tale not as a social commentary, but rather as some kind of popcorn cinema/entertainment. You know, the kind of movie you watch for the thrills and the fun, not because you want to be intellectually stimulated. Like the mission impossible franchise - I'm here for the kicks and the action! And the ladies in Into The Mist do some serious butt kicking while sipping red wine and mimosas, it's just fun to watch.
Actually, I was reminded of the Tarantino movie death proof by this group of women. Luckily, the group from the second half, not the first, if you catch my drift. Which probably turns Zoë Bell into Mercury and Rosario Dawson into Stella.
Although, regarding the delivery of pun-chy one liners, they could have learned from some men, really.
I'm still waiting for a good one-liner
*****
In the end, I enjoyed my time with this motley crew of women, and I'm inclined into looking into the second book when it comes out. I'm rating it 3 stars - I just have to take one star away for the bluntness with which men are presented as the root of all evil. A second star falls victim to the fact that there are so many cliches in here. But it's solid 3 star trash entertainment for me!
Disclaimer: I’ve received a free Advanced Reader’s Copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
February 2, 2022
Wow!! What a ride!!! I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. It’s not typically a book I would pick. That being said, I LOVED IT!! This is my first book by P.C. Cast, and I am SO happy to have been introduced to her!!!
First off the book is so well written especially the amazing group of badass Heroines!!! I Love the fact that they are in their 40’s!! With the exception of Gemma.
It’s hard for me to write a review without spoilers, so I will leave you with this…. DEFINITELY pick this book up!!! You will not be disappointed!!
First off the book is so well written especially the amazing group of badass Heroines!!! I Love the fact that they are in their 40’s!! With the exception of Gemma.
It’s hard for me to write a review without spoilers, so I will leave you with this…. DEFINITELY pick this book up!!! You will not be disappointed!!
April 1, 2022
I am a HUGE lover of anything P.C. Cast and this book was absolutely NO exception!
I loved the heroine's in this book and also that they were around my age! It's so hard to find a book where authors dabble with middle aged women and actually pull it off.
This continued my quest to devour anything and everything P.C. Cast!
I loved the heroine's in this book and also that they were around my age! It's so hard to find a book where authors dabble with middle aged women and actually pull it off.
This continued my quest to devour anything and everything P.C. Cast!
January 7, 2023
Mostly unpopular opinion - this story just wasn’t for me… DNF around 30%. Life’s too short… 😉
July 22, 2022
Into the Mist is an apocalyptic story where the world is rocked by explosions and a mysterious green fog is roaming. The green fog kills men and gives women strange new abilities. A group of teachers have to find their way in their new surroundings and stay alive.
The concept of this book was great and super interesting but lacked in delivery.
I thought that the opening scene was just a joke or a throwaway storyline to get the plot rolling… except it wasn’t.
I think the thriller/action scenes made up for it a bit, but not enough for me to enjoy it as a whole. I really wished I had liked it more but overall, it’s just okay.
The characters seem very unrealistic because they all conveniently have the exact knowledge and experience that a group would need in an apocalypse. They also conveniently find the exact supplies they need, no problem. They also keep their cool and act like chipper Disney Princesses in every situation which probably would not be the case with most people.
All of the women give girl boss vibes and speak the same way using “yaaassss sis” and such. The only woman that doesn’t is Karen Gay, who is of course a stereotypical white Christian woman, cardigan and all. She is often used by the girl bosses to make a point.
I’m all for powerful women but this was so unrealistically saturated with it so it didn’t have the same effect. Seemed like plastic feminism. Putting men down in the process is also unnecessary.
The story was unsatisfying because readers never get answers even at the very end and there wasn’t really a plot at all that I could follow.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
2 Stars
The concept of this book was great and super interesting but lacked in delivery.
I thought that the opening scene was just a joke or a throwaway storyline to get the plot rolling… except it wasn’t.
I think the thriller/action scenes made up for it a bit, but not enough for me to enjoy it as a whole. I really wished I had liked it more but overall, it’s just okay.
The characters seem very unrealistic because they all conveniently have the exact knowledge and experience that a group would need in an apocalypse. They also conveniently find the exact supplies they need, no problem. They also keep their cool and act like chipper Disney Princesses in every situation which probably would not be the case with most people.
All of the women give girl boss vibes and speak the same way using “yaaassss sis” and such. The only woman that doesn’t is Karen Gay, who is of course a stereotypical white Christian woman, cardigan and all. She is often used by the girl bosses to make a point.
I’m all for powerful women but this was so unrealistically saturated with it so it didn’t have the same effect. Seemed like plastic feminism. Putting men down in the process is also unnecessary.
The story was unsatisfying because readers never get answers even at the very end and there wasn’t really a plot at all that I could follow.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
2 Stars
July 4, 2022
It’s impossible to see P.C. Cast’s name attached to a book and not immediately draw parallels to the notorious House of Night series that was disturbingly formative to my preteen years. While Into the Mist is a completely different genre than YA vampire harem high school drama, there’s a startling amount of similarity between the two works. This take on a dystopian apocalypse where a bio-bomb attack that strikes the U.S. and essentially liquifies all men and grants women unexplained superpowers actual is oddly reminiscent to the House of Night magic system. The group of high school teachers who suddenly manifest inexplicable gifts like supernatural healing and precognition after coming in contact with the “mist” all had similar leanings in their life before the apocalypse - in a very similar way all the fledglings in House Night did before they became vampires.
Reusing old plots beats aside, this book has plenty of other off-kilter moments that had me taking a step back to try and wrap my head around the narrative. Characters will say absolutely bizarre things like, “Surviving an apocalypse isn’t actually as fun as you’d think it might be,” which… no. I don’t think anyone ever has thought having to rebuild their life in a post-apocalyptic hellscape is a good time, but the way P.C. Cast writes it comes across with a strange tone of wish-fulfillment. There is also an unthinkable amount of importance placed on preserving vintage wine - with one woman actually filling an entire pickup truck bed with boxes of it, as one would do in an urgent life or death situation. The final climax of the novel is predicated on the same women’s burning need to procure wine glasses for their new lives.
Beyond issues with the actual plot of the book, the pacing itself is completely off. Characters will frequently make a discovery - i.e. their blood spudding potatoes - and then spend pages at different points in time in the book explaining this to other characters. We don’t need to read about the same event told through the same character’s mouth. We’ve seen it once and the story should stand on that basis.
The more I think about this book, the more I am frustrated by it. I was interested to see what P.C. Cast would do in a genre so fundamentally different from House of Night. At best, this book was too similar in ways that felt like rehashing the same concept. At worst, it was nearly incomprehensible with characters whose actions were entirely contrary to what you’d expect from a group of women living out the very traumatic experience of a gory apocalypse. What Into the Mist tried to do for female empowerment missed the mark for me, and I don’t think I’ll continue with the series as it proceeds from here.
Thank you to the publisher Dreamscape Media for providing an audiobook ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
Reusing old plots beats aside, this book has plenty of other off-kilter moments that had me taking a step back to try and wrap my head around the narrative. Characters will say absolutely bizarre things like, “Surviving an apocalypse isn’t actually as fun as you’d think it might be,” which… no. I don’t think anyone ever has thought having to rebuild their life in a post-apocalyptic hellscape is a good time, but the way P.C. Cast writes it comes across with a strange tone of wish-fulfillment. There is also an unthinkable amount of importance placed on preserving vintage wine - with one woman actually filling an entire pickup truck bed with boxes of it, as one would do in an urgent life or death situation. The final climax of the novel is predicated on the same women’s burning need to procure wine glasses for their new lives.
Beyond issues with the actual plot of the book, the pacing itself is completely off. Characters will frequently make a discovery - i.e. their blood spudding potatoes - and then spend pages at different points in time in the book explaining this to other characters. We don’t need to read about the same event told through the same character’s mouth. We’ve seen it once and the story should stand on that basis.
The more I think about this book, the more I am frustrated by it. I was interested to see what P.C. Cast would do in a genre so fundamentally different from House of Night. At best, this book was too similar in ways that felt like rehashing the same concept. At worst, it was nearly incomprehensible with characters whose actions were entirely contrary to what you’d expect from a group of women living out the very traumatic experience of a gory apocalypse. What Into the Mist tried to do for female empowerment missed the mark for me, and I don’t think I’ll continue with the series as it proceeds from here.
Thank you to the publisher Dreamscape Media for providing an audiobook ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
December 28, 2021
4.5/5
Oh my god. Or should I say, Goddess.
This book was WILD and then that ENDING and now I have to wait until *2023*???
I have never read this author before - I was vaguely aware she has written some books that I thought were YA vampy stuff?? So I pulled this off my Kindle list without reading the blurb or anything and it starts out pretty tame - okay some teachers are leaving a conference, whatever, let's see where this goes *BOOM* all of a sudden zero to one hundred so fast this book gets INTENSE! Like disintegrating bodies and a fairly graphic stillbirth and maternal death scene intense. Holy cow, and then you just buckle in for the ride.
So basically some kind of apocalypse happens and a green mist comes that kills men pretty graphically, but gives women super powers. After the world is hit by this madness, basically the book is about this group of teachers and a few others they find along the way, trying to survive in a post apocalyptic wasteland, while also trying to understand this weird mist and the changes it has made to their own selves.
I found this book pretty unputdownable. I really enjoyed it. I loved that the main characters were women in their 30s and 40s. I loved the interesting dynamics between them all, especially with the character of Karen (exactly what you think, but also not - the idea of really playing on the misogynist "Karen" stereotype but then adding complexity and nuance was *chef's kiss*).
This is definitely a novel with a strong feminist undertone, and at times it felt a little self conscious in its wokeness. But hey man, an effort was made and I'm not gonna pick it apart for that.
Above all, it was just a bloody good read. I actually loved it and did I mention THE ENDING omg I am not okay. I will be checking out the rest of the author's back catalogue now!
Oh my god. Or should I say, Goddess.
This book was WILD and then that ENDING and now I have to wait until *2023*???
I have never read this author before - I was vaguely aware she has written some books that I thought were YA vampy stuff?? So I pulled this off my Kindle list without reading the blurb or anything and it starts out pretty tame - okay some teachers are leaving a conference, whatever, let's see where this goes *BOOM* all of a sudden zero to one hundred so fast this book gets INTENSE! Like disintegrating bodies and a fairly graphic stillbirth and maternal death scene intense. Holy cow, and then you just buckle in for the ride.
So basically some kind of apocalypse happens and a green mist comes that kills men pretty graphically, but gives women super powers. After the world is hit by this madness, basically the book is about this group of teachers and a few others they find along the way, trying to survive in a post apocalyptic wasteland, while also trying to understand this weird mist and the changes it has made to their own selves.
I found this book pretty unputdownable. I really enjoyed it. I loved that the main characters were women in their 30s and 40s. I loved the interesting dynamics between them all, especially with the character of Karen (exactly what you think, but also not - the idea of really playing on the misogynist "Karen" stereotype but then adding complexity and nuance was *chef's kiss*).
This is definitely a novel with a strong feminist undertone, and at times it felt a little self conscious in its wokeness. But hey man, an effort was made and I'm not gonna pick it apart for that.
Above all, it was just a bloody good read. I actually loved it and did I mention THE ENDING omg I am not okay. I will be checking out the rest of the author's back catalogue now!
Read
September 22, 2022DNF at 23%
It’s no secret that I don’t like books surrounding an apocalypse based on sex and/or gender. When I requested this ARC, I don’t think I properly read the synopsis, and I’m surprised I made it 23% in.
This novel begins at a teaching conference, where a bunch of middle aged women act like children. I was highly surprised this was written not only by a highly established author, but someone in her mid 60s. I didn’t write down any quotes, but a good 75% of the things these women said were laughable. Grown women, teachers, in a professional setting, don’t say LOL out loud. At least, none I’ve ever met.
As the plot moved into the gender/sex part, I knew already that it was going to be male vs. female, but I held out hope that maybe there would be a slight mention of trans or gender non-conforming folks. There was none. I read a few reviews at this point, and it seems that it never comes up.
Listen. There is no way a disease would affect 100% “men” or 100% “women.” Both gender and sex are a highly complicated spectrum, and there’s no way that this is realistic. Beyond suspending belief over this disease, it seemed the women of this novel just absolutely hated men. They truly acted like what misogynists think feminists sound like. They also had really cringy names. The whole thing just felt like a transphobic, misogynistic parody of a novel.
The only real redeeming quality of the novel was how the disease was written. It was actually some pretty gross body horror.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
It’s no secret that I don’t like books surrounding an apocalypse based on sex and/or gender. When I requested this ARC, I don’t think I properly read the synopsis, and I’m surprised I made it 23% in.
This novel begins at a teaching conference, where a bunch of middle aged women act like children. I was highly surprised this was written not only by a highly established author, but someone in her mid 60s. I didn’t write down any quotes, but a good 75% of the things these women said were laughable. Grown women, teachers, in a professional setting, don’t say LOL out loud. At least, none I’ve ever met.
As the plot moved into the gender/sex part, I knew already that it was going to be male vs. female, but I held out hope that maybe there would be a slight mention of trans or gender non-conforming folks. There was none. I read a few reviews at this point, and it seems that it never comes up.
Listen. There is no way a disease would affect 100% “men” or 100% “women.” Both gender and sex are a highly complicated spectrum, and there’s no way that this is realistic. Beyond suspending belief over this disease, it seemed the women of this novel just absolutely hated men. They truly acted like what misogynists think feminists sound like. They also had really cringy names. The whole thing just felt like a transphobic, misogynistic parody of a novel.
The only real redeeming quality of the novel was how the disease was written. It was actually some pretty gross body horror.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
November 5, 2021
P C Cast is a well known author for a reason. Her new book, Into the Mist, is on the surface about world war and an unseen enemy. These themes do describe the book, but on a deeper level it is about paternalistic society and how people’s characters are shown most during times of duress.
In the immediate area surrounding the main characters, several teachers attending a resort for a teacher’s conference, are on top of a mountain in a beautiful setting. From their vantage point, on the way home, they can see green mist which seems to be streaming behind missiles or bombs. They can see Portland, Oregon and they also see it disappear. Bombs hit many places, and there is a lot of damage from shifting land, sink holes and green mist.
It is hard to know how many places have been hit. In their immediate area, many, many people die, overcome by the mist. Mostly the men seem vulnerable. People become worried about themselves and this is where character, and lack of it, shows.
The end of the book makes me see a sequel on the horizon, which is a good thing because this book is hard to put down. I enjoyed reading it in spite of the apprehension of what would happen next. Well worth the read!
In the immediate area surrounding the main characters, several teachers attending a resort for a teacher’s conference, are on top of a mountain in a beautiful setting. From their vantage point, on the way home, they can see green mist which seems to be streaming behind missiles or bombs. They can see Portland, Oregon and they also see it disappear. Bombs hit many places, and there is a lot of damage from shifting land, sink holes and green mist.
It is hard to know how many places have been hit. In their immediate area, many, many people die, overcome by the mist. Mostly the men seem vulnerable. People become worried about themselves and this is where character, and lack of it, shows.
The end of the book makes me see a sequel on the horizon, which is a good thing because this book is hard to put down. I enjoyed reading it in spite of the apprehension of what would happen next. Well worth the read!
November 5, 2021
The opening scene of this book is a nightmarish, rollercoaster ride through a very specific apocalypse: a deadly green mist that kills all men. The women find their body chemistries utterly transformed, imbued with superhuman abilities. Into the Mist doesn’t let up after this harrowing set-up: its relentless pacing will keep you from putting down the book too easily. How will a group of high school teachers learn to adapt and survive in a world they no longer recognize? How will they cope with their new abilities? Will they band together, or will their differences drive them apart? Fans of Margaret Atwood’s and Stephen King’s dystopias will enjoy finding out.
July 10, 2022
I couldn't stop reading this story. More than once, either I lost sleep reading it, or I had to stop myself reading it because I was too afraid of what was going to happen to the characters.
The description are so vibrant that I could easily picture myself with them, like if I was watching a movie.
If felt real. I felt so realistic that I still have goosebumps.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The description are so vibrant that I could easily picture myself with them, like if I was watching a movie.
If felt real. I felt so realistic that I still have goosebumps.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 31, 2022
The following is a spoiler free review.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If you are looking for an “I am woman hear me roar” kind of novel, this is certainly for you!
INTO THE MIST, book one, begins with bombings across the country that is witnessed by a group of teachers while in the mountains of Oregon. It expels a mysterious green fog that seems to be killing mostly men. (And effects women as well) There is suspense and action throughout this novel that keeps the reader wanting more! It was definitely an “okay just ONE more chapter” kind of novel.
I found myself giggling, rooting for the amazing brave ladies in this book, and even crying and yelling a little bit while reading!
Excellent dialogue and relatable content. Yes I know there’s an apocalypse, so maybe not TOTALLY relatable, but the interactions of the characters in this story are incredible and thought provoking.
Mercury, Stella, Imani, Karen and a few other characters blend so beautifully together while dealing with this horrible situation that was thrust upon them.
I absolutely devoured this book and I am looking forward to the second installment!
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If you are looking for an “I am woman hear me roar” kind of novel, this is certainly for you!
INTO THE MIST, book one, begins with bombings across the country that is witnessed by a group of teachers while in the mountains of Oregon. It expels a mysterious green fog that seems to be killing mostly men. (And effects women as well) There is suspense and action throughout this novel that keeps the reader wanting more! It was definitely an “okay just ONE more chapter” kind of novel.
I found myself giggling, rooting for the amazing brave ladies in this book, and even crying and yelling a little bit while reading!
Excellent dialogue and relatable content. Yes I know there’s an apocalypse, so maybe not TOTALLY relatable, but the interactions of the characters in this story are incredible and thought provoking.
Mercury, Stella, Imani, Karen and a few other characters blend so beautifully together while dealing with this horrible situation that was thrust upon them.
I absolutely devoured this book and I am looking forward to the second installment!
December 19, 2022
1.5 stars. This was not the revolutionary feminist tale I expected. Bombs destroy major US cities, releasing a green mist that gives women mysterious abilities but kills men. This had the potential to be an exciting apocalyptic tale about exploring gender roles and rebuilding a new world order, but instead it was an underwhelming survival story when it wasn’t horrifically gory. One scene in particular featuring a miscarriage
The writing left much to be desired. The dialogue was unnatural, forced, and repetitive. For example: using slang like “jelly” instead of jealous in a conversation with adults during the apocalypse, and having the same conversations with different characters as they try to figure out what is going on.
This is a plot driven story, but the characters had no depth beyond surface-level traits that made up their entire personalities. The story tried to address hot-button issues like misogyny, racism, and Christian morality, but once again, it was all very surface-level and forced.
I wish I had not finished this, and I definitely will not be reading the sequel.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted eARC.
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The writing left much to be desired. The dialogue was unnatural, forced, and repetitive. For example: using slang like “jelly” instead of jealous in a conversation with adults during the apocalypse, and having the same conversations with different characters as they try to figure out what is going on.
This is a plot driven story, but the characters had no depth beyond surface-level traits that made up their entire personalities. The story tried to address hot-button issues like misogyny, racism, and Christian morality, but once again, it was all very surface-level and forced.
I wish I had not finished this, and I definitely will not be reading the sequel.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted eARC.
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November 15, 2023
Excuse me while I ugly cry for the review I’m about to write.
Here’s my take:
I finished the book in its entirety. After reading the synopsis, I had such high hopes for this novel. Touted as “feminist” and “post apocalyptic”, I was eager to see what PC had in store.
While interesting in its premise, the writing style was dialogue heavy (I read the audiobook) and it was really odd listening to the reader’s various voices for the characters, to the point of annoyance because they didn’t come across as authentic (I mean how many different voices can one reader use in the audiobook?)
This book was not a feminist fueled post apocalypse. At all. There were some brief mentions of “girl power” on the surface but never was it woven into the story arc. It just had a ton of female characters which leads me to my next issue: where are all the non-binary people at? The only one in the book lasted a good minute until he was killed horrifically (and the author spent more time describing his demise than his character).
There were no underlying themes or messages that really stood out—this was a story that would’ve been perfect for social issues (current or future) and yet, there weren’t any.
This was my first PC Cast novel and hopefully not my last however I’m truly saddened that this one didn’t live up to its description in ANY way.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Here’s my take:
I finished the book in its entirety. After reading the synopsis, I had such high hopes for this novel. Touted as “feminist” and “post apocalyptic”, I was eager to see what PC had in store.
While interesting in its premise, the writing style was dialogue heavy (I read the audiobook) and it was really odd listening to the reader’s various voices for the characters, to the point of annoyance because they didn’t come across as authentic (I mean how many different voices can one reader use in the audiobook?)
This book was not a feminist fueled post apocalypse. At all. There were some brief mentions of “girl power” on the surface but never was it woven into the story arc. It just had a ton of female characters which leads me to my next issue: where are all the non-binary people at? The only one in the book lasted a good minute until he was killed horrifically (and the author spent more time describing his demise than his character).
There were no underlying themes or messages that really stood out—this was a story that would’ve been perfect for social issues (current or future) and yet, there weren’t any.
This was my first PC Cast novel and hopefully not my last however I’m truly saddened that this one didn’t live up to its description in ANY way.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2022
The overall plot was interesting and made reading easy. But there were too many policitcal or feminist ideologies. I found the characters hypocritical. And some of the writing seemed to be just filler.
July 13, 2022
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one as this author is an auto read for me. I don't really pay attention to the blurbs on the book, just request them when they show up on my library's website. But since many of her books are YA, I figured that this one would be the same, not so much. It was a nice surprise! I really like reading dystopian books, but even better is reading about how the world falls apart, so this one was right in my wheel house.
I thought these women did a good job of quickly adjusting to horrible things happening. They stuck together, had a plan to stay safe, but adjusted as they learned things, like what the green fog did to a lot of the women and how the changes that came with that. Even as they encountered bad people doing bad things, the core group adjusted to keep their group safe, adding some here and there and taking some hard hits. I'm intrigued to see where things go from here, to seeing if the words that Imani spoke come true, seeing if they can build a safe home place, if Karen will ever get that stick out of her ass and what will come of Mercury's dream versus what really happened. Lots of potential for them all here.
I thought these women did a good job of quickly adjusting to horrible things happening. They stuck together, had a plan to stay safe, but adjusted as they learned things, like what the green fog did to a lot of the women and how the changes that came with that. Even as they encountered bad people doing bad things, the core group adjusted to keep their group safe, adding some here and there and taking some hard hits. I'm intrigued to see where things go from here, to seeing if the words that Imani spoke come true, seeing if they can build a safe home place, if Karen will ever get that stick out of her ass and what will come of Mercury's dream versus what really happened. Lots of potential for them all here.
dnf
July 1, 2022Into the Mist by PC Cast. Thanks to @crookedlanebooks for the gifted Arc and swag box ⭐️⭐️⭐️
When bombs hit the US, they bring a strange green mist with them. The mist kills men, and alters many of the women to give them powers.
I love dystopian and apocalyptic stories! This one has a strong female empowerment component. I didn’t love it, but for someone in the mood for such a book you may like it. It was repetitive at times for me. I didn’t love any of the main characters and they all seemed a bit self-righteous. The way they acted didn’t feel genuine for the situation. It was an interesting read with the storyline and plot still but I couldn’t get into the characters.
“We’ll make a better world. For everything - everyone we’ve lost. And make sure this never f***ing happens again.”
Into the Mist comes out 7/12.
When bombs hit the US, they bring a strange green mist with them. The mist kills men, and alters many of the women to give them powers.
I love dystopian and apocalyptic stories! This one has a strong female empowerment component. I didn’t love it, but for someone in the mood for such a book you may like it. It was repetitive at times for me. I didn’t love any of the main characters and they all seemed a bit self-righteous. The way they acted didn’t feel genuine for the situation. It was an interesting read with the storyline and plot still but I couldn’t get into the characters.
“We’ll make a better world. For everything - everyone we’ve lost. And make sure this never f***ing happens again.”
Into the Mist comes out 7/12.
July 5, 2022
Great start to a new series. The ending was well done - I cannot wait for the next book!
Teachers are leaving a conference, heading home when bombs and earthquakes disrupt their plans. A green mist settles, moves on the wind - killing the majority of men. Or else breaking something within them. While women have enhanced abilities - almost like superheroes.
I am not usually a fan of post apocalyptical themes - with the current political stance, this book definitely intrigued me.
The humor and cultural references caught me off guard - very enjoyable and lent humanity to the characters. Though fear and the unknown are rampant, the interaction between the main characters is so well done. Personality clashes, learning acceptance.
Great read.
Teachers are leaving a conference, heading home when bombs and earthquakes disrupt their plans. A green mist settles, moves on the wind - killing the majority of men. Or else breaking something within them. While women have enhanced abilities - almost like superheroes.
I am not usually a fan of post apocalyptical themes - with the current political stance, this book definitely intrigued me.
The humor and cultural references caught me off guard - very enjoyable and lent humanity to the characters. Though fear and the unknown are rampant, the interaction between the main characters is so well done. Personality clashes, learning acceptance.
Great read.
July 1, 2022
Quote: “What level of Jumanji are we on?”
“If they catch us we’ll be Stepford-ed or Handmaid’s Taled—or worse.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a rebel—as long as you’re rebelling against the right things.”
This wasn’t like any other book I’ve read. It was a dystopian, post apocalyptic girl power story with walking dead vibes. Ok, no zombies…just lots of green fog and gelatinous mass…ya know like jello. Gross right?! Yeah well if you’re a female you don’t have to worry about it. Guys however…well, may you Rest In Peace.
In fact, if you’re a female you might just walk away more badass than you started.
I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, as well as the character development. The descriptions throughout were well done, I could picture everything so vividly, esp the scene in the rain with the wildflowers (if this gets turned into a movie…don’t let me down with this scene).
I cannot wait to read the next installment and think this book would be so cool as a movie.
“If they catch us we’ll be Stepford-ed or Handmaid’s Taled—or worse.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a rebel—as long as you’re rebelling against the right things.”
This wasn’t like any other book I’ve read. It was a dystopian, post apocalyptic girl power story with walking dead vibes. Ok, no zombies…just lots of green fog and gelatinous mass…ya know like jello. Gross right?! Yeah well if you’re a female you don’t have to worry about it. Guys however…well, may you Rest In Peace.
In fact, if you’re a female you might just walk away more badass than you started.
I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, as well as the character development. The descriptions throughout were well done, I could picture everything so vividly, esp the scene in the rain with the wildflowers (if this gets turned into a movie…don’t let me down with this scene).
I cannot wait to read the next installment and think this book would be so cool as a movie.
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