Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy, #1) by Mira Grant

May 04, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it it was amazing

Shelves: thriller-suspense, questionable-ethics, read-2011, 2010-favorites, dystopian-post-apocalyptic-utopian, favorites-all-time, made-my-heart-hurt, supportive, adult, sci-fi-or-futuristic

This book has zombies in it, but to call it a zombie or horror novel does it a disservice. There are some awesome action sequences, but no gratuitous feeding scenes, screaming teenagers, or B-horror movie cliches or gore. It's more of a novel about journalism, the right to information and free speech, and the personal and political ramifications of a wide-spreading disease. With occasional zombie action.

This is also not necessarily a young adult novel. Not because it's inappropriate This book has zombies in it, but to call it a zombie or horror novel does it a disservice. There are some awesome action sequences, but no gratuitous feeding scenes, screaming teenagers, or B-horror movie cliches or gore. It's more of a novel about journalism, the right to information and free speech, and the personal and political ramifications of a wide-spreading disease. With occasional zombie action.

This is also not necessarily a young adult novel. Not because it's inappropriate in any way, but because the themes it addresses are hard and sometimes the narrative is pretty dry. In the year 2039, Georgia and Shaun Mason, along with their friend Buffy (recognize any zombie-related names there?), are invited to cover Senator Ryman's presidential campaign in a world in which the Kellis-Amberlee virus has decimated the country's population and resources. Traditional news organizations have given way to the rise of internet journalism, and the trio of young bloggers must uncover a terrible conspiracy and disseminate information to their readers, all while risking their very lives.

The strengths in this novel include incredibly well thought-out world-building, strong characters, snappy dialogue, unexpected plot twists, and excellent action sequences. Mira Grant's attention to detail in Feed regarding precautionary measures, sterilization procedures, and waiting for heart-pounding test results all rang very true. (Richard Preston's The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story scared the bejesus out of me when it was first published in 1999, and for awhile I was fascinated by the CDC and read a lot of books about various outbreaks and plagues.) Georgia, who is the primary narrator, is a butt-kicking heroine with a huge amount of integrity, and I loved her adopted brother Shaun, who sports both a cheerfully bantering demeanor and a crossbow. I have a healthy amount of respect for their efforts to survive and for their pursuit of truth, which often came at great cost to themselves and to those they hold dear.

This is not to say that this is a perfect novel. There are overly long info-dumping passages (they are intelligently written and provide necessary back story, but they are info-dumps all the same) that would have been better served with more dialogue; a surprisingly uncomplicated, easy-to-spot villain; and some aspects of Georgia and Shaun's relationship that were teased but perhaps a bit unexplored. I wish there was also better build up of tension, a few more zombie encounters, less politics (a personal preference, though, since I find politics a big snoozefest), a less prolonged ending following a major game-changing event, and a little more emotion throughout the book. Overall, I think the spareness of prose and Georgia's all-business approach worked within the context of the story, but because I'm always looking for emotional connection, I would liked to have seen it spread out in more than just a couple of places.

However...the scenes with emotional impact pack a gigantic wallop. It's hard to surprise me these days with unexpected story twists, but this one managed to do it not once, but twice--and the outcomes of both those revelations ratchet up the stakes in a way that nothing else could have. I had early, anxious worries about the ending, but things didn't unfold the way I expected--and it still didn't prepare me for the tears that flowed freely and the awful ache in my throat, both of which still come and go as I think about the book. That characters would still, in such extreme and tragic circumstances, behave with such integrity and nobility and selflessness and love, just wrenches my heart.

To be honest, this would probably normally be a 4 star review because of points I mentioned. But because of its heartrending and unforgettable ending, it gets 4.5 stars from me. I think as readers, most of us go through dozens and dozens of books hoping to find that one book that shatters our expectations and leaves us speechless with unexpected feeling. For me, Feed is one that definitely does that.

********************

Here is my spoiler-free review of the sequel (which is okay to read even if you haven't read FEED). Reminder: DO NOT READ the synopsis for the second book in the trilogy, however, as it spoils major plot points for this first book. ...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Lauren rated it did not like it

Shelves: fail, zombies, toilet-paper-when-world-ends

This is not a zombie book, or at least not a zombie book in the way it is marketed. That's only part of the reason why this book pisses me off. It promises a zombie novel despite the fact literally hundreds of pages go by without seeing one. It kicks off with a bang and some zombie action and then that's it. When I buy a book on the understanding it's about zombies, I do actually expect to, you know, experience them. Mira Grant assumes otherwise.

Two things that genuinely confused me; -- The pop cu ...more

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Oct 19, 2010 Flannery rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: readalong, reviewed-2011, read-in-2011, read-on-kindle

A Venn diagram with 3 large circles-politics, blogging, and zombies. The mixture of politics and blogging is The Huffington Post. The portion with blogging and zombies is http://zombieresearch.net and the mixture of zombies and politics is 'Theories of International Politics and Zombies' by Daniel Drezner. The central portion mixing zombies, politics,and blogging is 'Feed' by Mira Grant

I think my Venn diagram says it all. What? It doesn't? Well, alright then. This book was a real roller coaster for me. I attempted to read a library copy in November and I just couldn't make it through. THE POLITICS. THE BLOGGING. There are several sections of Feed that really slow down the pacing. At points, I felt like I was running around an empty track. At others, someone had tied concrete blocks to my feet and I was running in quicksand. I am so happy that I finished it my second time throu ...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Kemper rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011, germs-viruses, horror, zombies, politics, vast-conspiracy, get-the-scoop

This book is about mobs of mindless zombies influencing American politics. Surprisingly, it’s not about the Tea Party.

In the year 2014, genetically engineered viruses mutated and caused the dead to come back to life and start munching on people like senior citizens at a casino buffet. Over 20% of the world’s population got gobbled up like popcorn shrimp, and in 2040 the threat of the still existing virus and zombies has changed life forever. Since the virus is present in everyone’s s This book is about mobs of mindless zombies influencing American politics. Surprisingly, it’s not about the Tea Party.

In the year 2014, genetically engineered viruses mutated and caused the dead to come back to life and start munching on people like senior citizens at a casino buffet. Over 20% of the world’s population got gobbled up like popcorn shrimp, and in 2040 the threat of the still existing virus and zombies has changed life forever. Since the virus is present in everyone’s system, when anyone dies, whether it’s from zombie bite or natural causes, they will turn into one of the undead cannibals. Large gatherings of people rarely occur, everyone’s homes and cars are fortresses equipped with high tech screening equipment and huge areas (like Alaska) have been given up as zones too hazardous to enter without special permits and training.

Georgia Mason and her brother Shaun are part of the new generation of bloggers. Georgia is a straight Newsie, reporting only the facts and trying to get past the spin. Shaun is kind of like one of the guys on Jackass who goes out to taunt the undead while recording and posting his exploits. When they are offered a chance to follow the presidential campaign of a senator it’s a chance for them to move to the head of the pack of web journalists. However, when the senator’s caravan is the victim of a zombie attack the Masons get caught up in a dangerous conspiracy.

This was a pretty unique zombie tale with some very good ideas in it. The explanation for the way the virus works is one of the more thought out causes of the undead I’ve read. It also shows a lot of thought of what the media of the future is going to look like with competing websites featuring a mix of news/opinion/death defying features and even fiction. Mira Grant has created a tale of how the fear of external threats can become an everyday part of society that’s ripe for exploitation.

However, at 600 pages it feels a bit overstuffed. We’re repeatedly walked through the blood screenings and other security measures that are part of society to the point of boredom. Georgia has an eye condition due to the zombie virus present in her system, and there are about 1236 instances of security guys demanding that she take off her prescription sunglasses and the problems it causes. And for a book where the threat of zombies is ever present, there are very few actual zombie attacks in it.

I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the Mason’s role in this story. They’re supposed to be young journalists on their way up, but somehow Georgia‘s reports quickly become must reading on the web as she instantly became an expert on presidential politics her first time covering a campaign. Also, Georgia and Shaun are constantly looking down their noses at everyone around them for being ‘amatuers’ when it comes to dealing with zombies because (as we are repeatedly reminded) they are licensed and trained journalists with extensive time in the field. So these young people are apparently the only ones with the smarts, experience and ability to see what’s going on and everyone, including a US senator, defers to them to an unbelievable degree.

Still, this was fun mash-up of a zombie story and a political/ conspiracy thriller with some interesting predictions about where the new media will take us. I’ll probably check out the next one in the series, but I hope there’s more brain munching and fewer blood tests in the second book. ...more

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Oct 19, 2011 karen rated it liked it

Shelves: october-is-spooky, zombies-r-bitey

three stars - look at me!! i am right in the middle of the road with this one!! watch out for traffic, karen!!!

i wanted to read this as soon as it came out. i think i bought it the week we got it into the store. but, you know how i roll, this was just sitting around for ages and ages in a stack by the door. and then i heard that it was amaaaazing. and then i heard that it was terrrrrible. and etc etc.

and it wasn't until zombie month 2011 that i managed to see for my damn self.

and for me, it was good but i have no c ...more

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Jul 29, 2012 mark monday rated it liked it

Shelves: teenworld, after-the-fall

YO, THERE'S SOME MUTHAFUCKIN' SPOILERS UP IN THIS BITCH, FOR REAL

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 1 Star for the most grindingly obvious villain that i've had the displeasure of experiencing in years. he's a militaristic, right-wing, fundamentalist old man with the ruthless urge to dominate and no respect for youth, the media, liberals, etc. i know these people exist, obviously. but can't targets be picked with a bit more subtlety and finesse? this guy was out of central casting and only needed a moustache YO, THERE'S SOME MUTHAFUCKIN' SPOILERS UP IN THIS BITCH, FOR REAL

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 1 Star for the most grindingly obvious villain that i've had the displeasure of experiencing in years. he's a militaristic, right-wing, fundamentalist old man with the ruthless urge to dominate and no respect for youth, the media, liberals, etc. i know these people exist, obviously. but can't targets be picked with a bit more subtlety and finesse? this guy was out of central casting and only needed a moustache to twirl to be more obvious. geez louise, Captain Obvious: The Author... not only is the target predictable, but his every villainous move is telegraphed with thudding, insulting He Is Bad Man-ness. how trite. obvious, obvious, obvious. SNORE!

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ 2 Stars for some pretty shoddy writing at times. many times. no, i don't need to hear snarky comments made every other paragraph - because that's the way young adults on tv talk, not real young adults. at least not 100% of the time. and no, i don't need to read incensed reactions to hyper-vigilant security protocols every single time that a security protocol happens. good grief, enough is enough! repetition does not make this heart grow fonder. the second time this happened, i grimaced. the third time it happened, i began to hold a grudge. by the time it happened for the umpteenth time, yo, i was cursing up a muthafucking storm, for real. also, characterization for supporting characters: WEAK. i find out that Buffy was "the funniest person" that Shaun ever knew - and yet the reader has been given no evidence of this. in fact the reader has been given no evidence whatsoever that Buffy even has a personality beyond an OCD desire to be technologically on top of things. and at the end i find out that the nonentity known as "Rick" is now a vice-presidential candidate? uh, whatever. words can't convey my feelings of derision at that announcement.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 3 Stars for Overall Enjoyment. i, as the stars say, "Liked It". would i recommend it? no, probably not, except maybe to a teenager (although, duh, that's the target audience, mark, get a grip!). so despite the above complaints, and see below, overall this wasn't a disagreeable experience for me. the zombie attacks were sparse, and despite being a zombie lover, i appreciated their sparseness - it rather lifted this book above straight-up horror. and this is, i suppose, a bonafide YA novel... so i also really, really, really appreciated the lack of Corny Eyerolling Romance Lite. thank you, author! 3 Stars should be automatic for any novel that has intelligent goals behind its design, that seeks to entertain but also seeks to provoke and to make the reader both think and feel. 3 Stars for getting that right.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 4 Stars for Edjumakation for the Youth. i am probably going to sound like an old man here (what's new), but the lessons in this novel actually are pretty important. and i think it is really important that The Young People, whoever they are, listen up. for real. the whole novel is an obvious parallel for what is happening in the States RIGHT NOW. or i guess what could be happening in the forseeable near-future. the U.S. is at a very dangerous crossroads as we speak, with religious fundamentalists and sociopathic assholes in political power (and often in collaboration with parts of the mainstream media), and poised to turn this country into Taliban Lite in terms of both domestic and foreign policy. yes, that's an exaggeration, but a purposeful one. now i love my conservative friends, so no offense to you all, but elements of the right-wing have degraded debate to a point where "debate" is simply a game of chicken. who can go the farthest? who can block the most policies? who can call who a communist or anti-american or [enter pathetic cliche here]. i think all the viciousness of the extreme right-wing quasi-fundamentalists is simply the viciousness of a group of close-minded, money-grubbin bullies who smell that the wind is blowing against them. but they are still in power! and they want to remain in power! and they have the resources to accomplish their disgusting dreams. so yeah, i appreciate all the points laid out so energetically in Feed. kids, teens, young adults, whatever... people should know what exactly is happening, and they should be pissed off and angry. the time for old men like myself is fading fast. and i'm not even that old - but me and my friends' main concerns these days seem to be more about day-to-day things involving work and family. and vacations. it was different when i was younger - i was angry! and broke, with very little in the way of tangible responsibilities. nowadays i just want to make sure i do the right thing on a daily basis - if i can say i've accomplished that, i've had a good day. so i really hope all the folks who are younger than me, all the folks who are inheriting this country and the earth... i hope that they are pissed off, angry, and that they want change. and for that, Feed is a 4 Star Call-to-Arms. well, not "arms" as in guns. you know what i mean. anyway, i really admire Feed's passion and its anger. i truly appreciate it.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 Stars for that one chapter, and the one before it, and the one after. you know the ones i mean. She Dies. my God, that was moving. it was tough to read. i may have a ton of complaints about the writing overall, but in those three chapters, no complaints whatsoever. perfectly accomplished. i felt sick, i felt sad, i felt moved, i felt so much. beautiful job on that. incredible, really. i wouldn't change a word of Chapters 25, 26, and 27 because they all flirt with a kind of minor-note brilliance. just the kind that i like. wow! wow. so thank you for that, Mira Grant. a sad kind of thanks.

~

oh, and this was a Drunk Review. or at least a tipsy one. happy hour drinks after work with my pals, that's the way we old folks roll. now what's on tv? it's time to not-think. a perfect time for a zombie attack! ...more

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May 28, 2011 Emily May rated it it was ok

Shelves: dystopia-utopia, young-adult, horror, 2011

Looks like I'm going to have to add this book to the list I call 'Popular books I can't appreciate' along with novels like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Magic Bites. To all those goodreads members who loved this book - I tried, I swear I did. I finished a book that failed to grab my interest one bit right up to the last page, I have never forced myself to read 571 pages of a book that felt like wading through sludge. Perhaps I am not intelligent enough for this story, but whatever the reason, I've co

Looks like I'm going to have to add this book to the list I call 'Popular books I can't appreciate' along with novels like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Magic Bites. To all those goodreads members who loved this book - I tried, I swear I did. I finished a book that failed to grab my interest one bit right up to the last page, I have never forced myself to read 571 pages of a book that felt like wading through sludge. Perhaps I am not intelligent enough for this story, but whatever the reason, I've come away with nothing but relief that it is now over.

I won't give it 1 star, it is not a bad novel. The characters were varied and developed, the writing was sophisticated... but the story was just boring. Drab. Dull. I have mixed feelings about zombie novels; zombies themselves don't interest or scare me so there has to be something more to the story - this wasn't a problem. In fact, the book wasn't largely dedicated to flesh-eating and zombie moans, it was dedicated to something which I am very interested in and should have been what sold the book to me: politics.

I am a self-confessed politics nerd, I have been for a long time - probably ever since I was eleven reading Orwell's 1984 and discovering for the first time how politics could be used to create one hell of a fictional story. I was delighted when I read that the novel was more political than anything else. Ah, well, it wasn't what I expected. In fact, this novel is one very long, drawn-out presidential campaign that made me want to tear my hair out with boredom. I am very surprised that I finished the book at all.

I think I was waiting for a great pivotal change to occur about half way through - I've read several reviews saying that the pace picks up in the second half. I would say it does... marginally. I think other members obviously found a greater difference between the first and second halves that I didn't pick up on. It's difficult to say a novel is 'slow' to get going when I never really thought it did. Get going, that is.

I found Feed to be a novel that was too long, too dull and too concerned with technical mumbo-jumbo. I'm not a genius but I'm no idiot either and I can't believe that I could be the only one thinking "what on earth?" at all the medical lingo and weird descriptions of things that I'd never heard of. I like books that can be educational as well as fictional but if I don't know what the author's talking about I can't take anything away from the experience.

By about page 300 of this book, I would look at it on my desk and want to groan at the thought of picking it up again. I cannot imagine there would ever be any desire in me to pick up Deadline.
...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: made-me-cry, role-models, never-saw-it-coming, zombies-zombies-everywhere, post-apocalyptic, books-that-changed-me, own-a-dtb, reviewed-in-2011, favorites, all-the-right-choices

This book broke my heart. Twice. Today I have a headache and puffy bags under my eyes. But it was worth it.

Kellis-Amberlee is a fact of existence. You live, you die, and then you come back to life, get up, and shamble around trying to eat your former friends and loved ones. That's the way it is for everyone.

Two of my favorite books this year both have zombies in them. One is The Reapers Are the Angels. The other is Feed. (view spoiler) This book broke my heart. Twice. Today I have a headache and puffy bags under my eyes. But it was worth it.

Kellis-Amberlee is a fact of existence. You live, you die, and then you come back to life, get up, and shamble around trying to eat your former friends and loved ones. That's the way it is for everyone.

Two of my favorite books this year both have zombies in them. One is The Reapers Are the Angels. The other is Feed. (view spoiler) But they are really very different books, because The Reapers Are the Angels is completely character based. Temple is the only constant – you live and you die with her. Reading the first half of Feed felt very much like watching a documentary. This is a book about politics, about the clash of generations, about a world that is terrified. It’s about standing up for your beliefs, choosing your priorities and knowing who to trust. It’s about friendship, convictions and brotherly love.

It is the year 2039. and the world after the Rising is a very different place. Siblings Georgia and Shaun Mason and their friend Georgette "Buffy" Meissonier are journalists. The three of them run their own news blog. They are the first bloggers ever to be allowed full access to a presidential candidate and they intend to make the most of it. They have George to lead and be as objective as possible, they have Shaun using his people skills to open the doors for them, and, thanks to Buffy and her technology, they have eyes and ears everywhere – which can be both good and very dangerous. Their ratings are suddenly going up and their credibility is as strong as ever (which is all George really cares about). But politics is a dirty business and before they know it, they find themselves in a world of trouble.
If I would have to choose a single word to describe each of them, Georgia would be truth, Shaun would be adventure, and Buffy would be emotion. All three of them are weird in their own way, but they are also amazing persons.

It is with great joy that I report that the youth of America aren’t actually riddled with ennui and apathy; that the truth hasn’t been fully forsaken for the merely entertaining; that there’s a place in this world for reporting the facts as accurately and concisely as possible and allowing people to draw their own conclusions. I’ve never been more proud of finding a place where I can belong.

There is no romance in Feed. Georgia and Shaun don’t date. In fact, George doesn’t even touch people other than her brother. But there’s heart in every sentence and there are emotions too big for words. Seanan McGuire did extensive research for this book - it involved doctors, epidemiologists, technicians and people who were willing to try some of the stunts she described. That’s just one of the things that make this book amazing.

Feed has been nominated for the Hugo Award, and it's definitely a well deserved nomination. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Apparently, it already won the Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction in 2010. That too was well deserved.

The second book, Deadline, was released on May 31st 2011. The third book, Blackout is expected in May of 2012.

...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Cameron rated it did not like it

Shelves: post-apocalypse, waste-of-paper, zombies

I read this for the Apocalypse Whenever book group and ended up not liking it at all. I'll admit I have some prejudices that pushed me to that assessment:

1) I really hate it when I can hear an author's opinions or point of view coming out of the mouths of his or her characters; Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park, Laszlo Kreizler in The Alienist, etc. Laszlo even *looks* like Caleb Carr. I know that authors almost always use their characters to channel some of the authors own thoughts and opinions, but wh I read this for the Apocalypse Whenever book group and ended up not liking it at all. I'll admit I have some prejudices that pushed me to that assessment:

1) I really hate it when I can hear an author's opinions or point of view coming out of the mouths of his or her characters; Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park, Laszlo Kreizler in The Alienist, etc. Laszlo even *looks* like Caleb Carr. I know that authors almost always use their characters to channel some of the authors own thoughts and opinions, but when the writer uses the character as a direct mouthpiece it just looks amateurish and vain. Grant does this so blatantly that I feel I can comfortably assume she is a single, geeky, female who doesn't get along with her parents but still lives with them, drinks lots of Coke, has frequent migraines, loves cats, has given up on sex, and wishes she could wear sunglasses all the time without looking odd. No offense meant to geeks - I'm one too.

2) I'd also assume that she writes and/or reads a lot of fanfic. That was the very first impression I had when I started reading this book and 500 pages later it hadn't changed. Again, no offense meant to those who enjoy reading or writing fanfic - if you like it, go for it - but I personally don't care for the stuff. It's almost always bush league (if that), written for a niche audience, and full of errors in style and editing. This book strikes me as the product of a fanfic writer who learned to structure a novel well enough to be published.

3) Plenty of style and editing errors show through, though. It was bad enough that half way through the novel I started dog-earing pages so I could return to reference. The characters of Governor Tate and presidential candidate Ryman are so one-dimensional as to be completely unbelievable. She may as well have had Tate throttling kittens and Ryman running a baby dolphin rescue organization (hint: one of those examples is not my invention). I'm not racking my brain over it but I really can't think of an instance where I've encountered two flatter characters.

4) She should fire Matt Branstad, "who was responsible for verifying the accuracy of my firearms design..." A lot of zombie fiction fans are also interested in survivalism and are gun enthusiasts, and when it came to weapon technology the details were only superficially touched upon. The computer technology details, on the other hand (which make up a large part of the book) seemed to be top notch, believable, and well researched. Of course I have no first-hand knowledge of that kind of stuff so I have no idea if it's accurate or not.

5) Tons of lame self-aggrandizing statements like, "He was a journalist after all and we're all incurably insane." *EYEROLL*

6) She has a strange preoccupation with handshakes, describing three different characters as having handshakes that are strong but not too strong. (pg 81, 235, 399)

7) She describes a VW Thing as having airbags which they were not built with. I suppose one could have been retrofitted but there's no mention of that detail. Furthermore, you can't be pinned by an airbag.

Anyways I'm starting to sound like I'm piling on. Despite being a big fan of zombie stories I won't be picking up the sequels in this trilogy.

eta: I'd logged around 400 books on Goodreads before creating the "waste-of-paper" shelf, just for this book. ...more

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Jan 17, 2010 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker Queen of the Undead rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Ok, I really got to stop adding things to my review.. but just this last time..

Feed (and the entire Newsflesh Trilogy) made the list for..

Best Badass Zombie Books...

http://badassbookreviews.com/the-best...

Ok... All you FEED fans... for your viewing pleasure...(from Mira Grant's aka Seanan McGuire's blog)

FED by Mira Grant

What if the ending of FEED had been … different?
FED, by Mira Grant.
But trust us, if you haven't read FEED, you don't want to read on. This ending contains massive spoilers.

Still want to read FED..... go to

http://badassbookreviews.com/the-best...

Ok... All you FEED fans... for your viewing pleasure...(from Mira Grant's aka Seanan McGuire's blog)

FED by Mira Grant

What if the ending of FEED had been … different?
FED, by Mira Grant.
But trust us, if you haven't read FEED, you don't want to read on. This ending contains massive spoilers.

Still want to read FED..... go to

https://www.facebook.com/newsflesh/ap...

Update- 5/23/11- I did say I would pre-order the next book, and I did. Even though I have a Kindle and can get the book the same day I order it, I actually pre-ordered book 2 for my Kindle. Yes, I know I am a dork but I do love this book THAT much!

I'm not very good at writing reviews. Why? Because I don't like big words, suck at grammar, and frankly, I just want everyone to trust me when I say "read the book" without explanation. Nevertheless, I know that I must put forth more effort than begging you to read this book.

Mira Grant aka Seanan McGuire created a world that sucked me in every minute I was reading it. I thought the beginning of the book was long, and boring. But without it, the last 400 pages would have not been what it was, a truly magnificant book!

I can't stop thinking about this book. Everything that happened, George and Shuan, and their relationship, the ending (you'll either love it or hate it), the politics, the action, oh yeah, and the Zombies.

Will I read the next book ?

I, without a shadow of doubt, will hit the pre-order button as soon as the second book becomes available!

Update- my copy is circulating among my co-workers, I liked this book so much, I just bought another copy! The only other time I've ever done that was with the Fever series- Karen Marie Moning!

Another Update- I've placed this book on my "favorite book of 2010" shelf. ...more

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Nov 29, 2017 emma rated it did not like it

Shelves: unpopular-opinion, 1-and-a-half-stars, read-and-unhauled, nope, dystopian, school, reviewed, sci-fi

Going to artsy college is weird.

The school reading I’m used to is, like, white dudes with sharp writing styles from the mid-twentieth century. Or white dudes with clunky writing styles from the nineteenth century. Or the occasional lyrical white dude from ancient Greece.

There’s some of that at artsy college. But there’s also this.

Yes. I read this book, about bloggers in a zombie apocalypse, for a real, human class. For credit. This book got me that one extra s ...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Kristalia rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Kristalia by: Ari

Shelves: sob-fest, cut-my-heart-out, reviewed, recommended-to-me, wishlist_series, age-new-adult, favorite-series, be-my-heroes-please, age-adult, favorites

Final rating: 5/5 stars
Final rating - for the whole series: 5/5 stars

Sooooo....ever heard of Zombie reporters?

No? Well, meet:

Georgia Mason and Shaun Mason~ from After the end times!

Now seriously. It is one of the rare books where you actually have two siblings for main characters who aren't blood related at all. I usually find many books with a whiny female who is sad about her life, she is boring orclass="gr-hostedUserImg">
stars
Final ...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Giselle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebook

"The zombies are here, and they’re not going away, but they’re not the story. They were, for one hot, horrible summer at the beginning of the century, but now they’re just another piece of the way things work. They did their part: They changed everything."

If you're looking for a simple zombie book, this ain't it. Filled with political intrigue, conspiracies, and a long, tedious political campaign -- amidst a zombie-filled post apocalypse world, of course -- Feed is intelligent, it's intense, and though so "The zombies are here, and they’re not going away, but they’re not the story. They were, for one hot, horrible summer at the beginning of the century, but now they’re just another piece of the way things work. They did their part: They changed everything."

If you're looking for a simple zombie book, this ain't it. Filled with political intrigue, conspiracies, and a long, tedious political campaign -- amidst a zombie-filled post apocalypse world, of course -- Feed is intelligent, it's intense, and though some may find the first half a little long winded, it's completely worth it! A few things I learned once I started reading is 1) this is not a young adult novel; and 2) it's not about the zombies.

The very first thing I noticed going into this book was the exquisiteness of the writing. The narration being notably mature and quick-witted makes it an exceptionally smart novel that is just a breath of fresh air. I felt intelligent just by reading Mira's words. This fantastic prose comes together with outstanding world building and amazing characters that become so real you can't help but get emotionally invested. Mira proves, via generous scientific details and infinite facts, that she has done her research through and through, bringing about a world filled with science and technology that turns this zombie apocalypse into a real threat with push beneath it, making it plausible and indefinitely scary. As it's a more technical and political novel especially during the first half, this "info-dumping" -- for lack of a better term -- could be a bit dry for some tastes; however, as someone who loves to absorb all this geeky information that essentially makes it one of the most realistic zombie novel I've ever read, I was kept thoroughly engaged in it from the start. Howbeit, I wasn't disappointed when we hit that half way mark and the shit hit the fan! Because once the ball starts rolling on this one, it rolls non-stop until we arrive at one of the the most shocking endings I've read, making me idolize Mira for this daring conclusion.

Working a political campaign that turns deadly, the team of bloggers (aka news media) selected to travel with a candidate find themselves in the midst of it all. The leader of this group, Georgia, is our resourceful protagonist who can slap someone silly with her indestructible retorts, and shimmy her way into finding out any and all answers. She wants justice, and she's determined to get it! I loved every single thing about this girl. She has such vibrancy no matter if she's dealing with the campaign, her relationship with her adoptive brother, or writing her blog posts. Her voice oozes out this aptitude that makes her a warrior through and through. Her adoptive brother and best friend, Shaun, is also an incredible character who has the more silly, down to earth side of the coin that will make you chuckle, but he also shows his multi-layered personality through his blog postings from his perspective that we get at the end of several chapters. Working with this duo is a whole team of bloggers that -- even those we only glimpse at regularly -- all become strong players in this dangerous game.

In the end, as the quote at the beginning states, it's not really about the zombies, it's a political thriller set in a post apocalyptic future where zombies run rampant. Still, the zombies do heighten the intensity of the plot, making is constantly exhilarating as you never ever feel safe. There are a million ways to die in a zombie novel, and this one is no exception.

It's all just sort of unbelievably amazing.

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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May 26, 2015 Kimberley doruyter rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

a zombie apocalypse so well written it could be real.

still one of the best books i've read, when it comes to zombies.

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Nov 06, 2017 Emma rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, zombies, post-apocalypse

‘Corruption’s been with us a lot longer than the living dead ‘
4.5 stars. This was great. Original and gritty, it shifted the centre of the story away from zombies and onto the political campaign of a Senator- a presidential candidate. It was an approach I haven’t seen developed before in terms of post outbreak stories. I’ve read some about how society survives years after a zombie infection, but not about the survival of technology and nation wide politics. An excellent addition to my zomb ...more

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Jun 10, 2010 N.K. Jemisin rated it it was amazing

This is the best book I’ve read recently which tackles the zombie apocalypse and then goes, “Then what?”

In this case, what happened was the utter transformation of society. In Grant’s world, every human being is infected with the virus that causes zombiefication upon death, so the threat of a new outbreak is constant — every time someone has a heart attack or a bad car accident, their bodies have to be dealt with very quickly, or else. Sometimes they spontaneously “amplify” even befo This is the best book I’ve read recently which tackles the zombie apocalypse and then goes, “Then what?”

In this case, what happened was the utter transformation of society. In Grant’s world, every human being is infected with the virus that causes zombiefication upon death, so the threat of a new outbreak is constant — every time someone has a heart attack or a bad car accident, their bodies have to be dealt with very quickly, or else. Sometimes they spontaneously “amplify” even before death, in response to stress or an injury, just like with any other virus. Grant’s done her science research on this one — epidemiology, sociology — but at its core, this is a story about the news. Yeah, the news. See, in this world, during the zombie apocalypse, the mainstream media proved it couldn’t be trusted. Reports from the major networks downplayed the severity of the problem, ridiculed evidence of flesh-eating monsters, and so forth — so the only safe, accurate information came from bloggers, who risked their lives to help the world survive. Years later, bloggers are the mainstream media, yet they retain their own quirky, quintessentially independent culture. The story follows intrepid newsie Georgia and her brother Shaun as they get the scoop of a lifetime: a chance to follow the presidential campaign of a young up-and-coming senator. The senator’s not that interesting, frankly, but the fact that someone’s trying to assassinate him with zombies is. So Georgia and her team must literally risk life and unlife to uncover the source of the threat.

This is a thriller wearing skiffy clothing. The fact that it takes place during the zombie apocalypse is irrelevant; it could be taking place during an outbreak of weaponized ebola. (Except ebola victims don’t try to eat you.) I count it as science fiction, though, because Grant deals realistically with the evolution of society; the worldbuilding here is fascinating in and of itself. And the characters kept me hooked all the way through, particularly as Grant pulls no punches in showing just how ugly a conspiracy in high places can get. There are some obvious digs at Bush-era politics and the information privacy wars, and some interesting namechecks of current media figures (e.g. Irwins). Bottom line: I can’t wait for the next book. ...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Ari rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-of, beloved, great-books, dystopia, favorites, rereading-material, male-approved, zombies

4.5 stars - I am used by now to read books that are ~~great~~ amazing in the beginning, ok by the middle, and surprise the hell out of me all through the ending.
Feed is that kind of book and even more.

I loved how it started (with such a great adventure), and I loved that feeling I got through the story, like I was part of it, finding more and more information about the world, the virus, the people involved. Yes, at some point it got to be a bit slow, but it was still full of useful information and there was ...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Catie rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, ya, speculative-fiction, read-in-2011, audio, series, zombies

Please, please don’t let the z-word turn you away from this book. I mean, don’t get me wrong: this book has some fantastic, edge of your seat type action, including some of the zombie battling classics...

I only have one bullet left!
SAVE IT FOR YOURSELF!

But the truth is, the zombies are merely the stimulus behind the really scary stuff in this book: human complacency and fear, the mass marketing of lies, and the biggest freak show of them all – the republican primary. Replace the zombies with water shortages, glo ...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Bark the Overwrought Keyboard Warrior rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, horror

I went into this book mostly blind. I was honestly a bit surprised when I kept seeing “Feed” in my Goodreads updates and Blogger feed. The only “Feed” I knew about was a 2005 atrocity of a film about a force feeding fetish and I wrongly assumed this was the novelization. How the hell had a book like that become so popular? But since everyone seemed to be reading it I stuck on my Ipod when it was offered on Overdrive. And, yes I know there is something terribly wrong with me besides sometimes act I went into this book mostly blind. I was honestly a bit surprised when I kept seeing “Feed” in my Goodreads updates and Blogger feed. The only “Feed” I knew about was a 2005 atrocity of a film about a force feeding fetish and I wrongly assumed this was the novelization. How the hell had a book like that become so popular? But since everyone seemed to be reading it I stuck on my Ipod when it was offered on Overdrive. And, yes I know there is something terribly wrong with me besides sometimes acting the lemming that is.

By the time I got around to listening to the audio I had figured out it was about zombies and that made so much more sense! The world wasn't going weird on me after all. I’m going to try my best to be brief about the plot and avoid spoilers because there is so much that can be spoiled here and everyone's read it by now anyway. It’s the year 2039. Back in 2013 scientists managed to cure cancer and the common cold but something went terribly wrong and mutations happened that caused a zombie outbreak that killed off a third of the population. Now any living creature over 40 pounds can potentially turn into a brain-dead walking corpse that only “lives” to spread the disease. The world is dangerous and very different. But it’s still corrupt and not-so-shockingly zombies aren't always the biggest danger.

Feed follows bloggers George (Georgia) and her brother Shaun along with their expert team as they report on the news and various goings-on in their blogs and live feeds. George lives for the news while Shaun is more of a reckless, zombie taunting type. Their parents are mostly non-existent in their lives and they pretty much can only depend on each other and have a tight brother-sister bond.

“Maybe it’s geeky for a girl my age to admit she still loves her brother. I don’t care. I love him and one day I’ll bury him and until then I’m going to be grateful that I’m allowed to watch him talk.”

Ouch and damn. How could I not keep reading and not root for them even when boring politics threatened to overtake the entire story?

After an exciting beginning that’s pretty much what happened for a good chunk of the story. George and her team are offered the chance to follow around a presidential hopeful and don’t turn it down. It means ratings people! And ratings are what count. What follows is often unexpected and sometimes a wee bit tedious if you’re not a fan of the ins and outs of blogging, politics and corruption BUT the characters truly made it worth reading. The world and character building is very, very good and there is enough snark and sarcasm to make up for the slower bits. This isn’t a hardcore zombie novel with a lot of zombie action but I fear many of the scenes will haunt me for quite some time. It’s rough and it’s heartbreaking and that’s all I’m going to say.

This audio version was read by Paula Christensen and Jesse Bernstein. Paula Christensen narrates the majority of the book and does a terrific job with all of the characters, including the males. Parts of the story is direct blog readings and Jesse Bernstein voices the shorter snippets, mostly from Shaun’s direct point of view. His voice gives Shaun the perfect devil may care attitude that worked really well. Both narrators sound youthful but never too young and their reading always sounds natural. They both enhanced the story and added emotion just where it was needed, never over-doing it.

Feed is not sexy, romantic or even a typical zombie book but it tore me up and made me feel a myriad of emotions when most books leave me cold. Yeah, it was complicated and over-long but I’ll be reading the sequel because somewhere along the way I grew to truly care about these characters. ...more

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Sep 23, 2015 Jilly rated it liked it

Shelves: apocalyptic-post-apocalyptic, y-a, zombies, read-while-cutting-onions

You live, you die, and then you come back to life, get up, and shamble around trying to eat your former friends and loved ones. That's the way it is for everyone.

This book actually made me almost cry. That is truly a feat because I don't even usually get close to tears unless I'm cutting onions. And, yet I only gave it a three star rating because I would say I didn't care for the main story too much, but fell in love with the relationship between the main characters. So, I figured it deserved a middle You live, you die, and then you come back to life, get up, and shamble around trying to eat your former friends and loved ones. That's the way it is for everyone.

This book actually made me almost cry. That is truly a feat because I don't even usually get close to tears unless I'm cutting onions. And, yet I only gave it a three star rating because I would say I didn't care for the main story too much, but fell in love with the relationship between the main characters. So, I figured it deserved a middle rating for my love/hate relationship with this book.

This story is set 20 years after the zombie apocalypse through the eyes of three 20-something bloggers. Blogs are where people get their news now because people have basically had to retreat to living in isolation and fear since the zombies are always a huge threat. Everyone carries the virus that makes them turn into zombies upon death, and there is always the chance that the virus will spontaneously take over and someone will just turn zombie at any time. So, large crowds, or small crowds, are things of the past. It isn't safe to be around a group of people anymore.

Our bloggers are Georgia - our main narrator, Shaun - her brother and bff, and Buffy - their friend and colleague. They run a blogging news site and have been picked to follow a presidential candidate as part of his team while he makes the run for office. It is a big opportunity for them to make a name for themselves. We have their adventure told to us through blog entries and Georgia's narration.

The thing is, we get a LOT of info-dumping. We learn extensively how the virus of zombism came to be, how it works, and statistics like crazy, and then we learn more about journalism than I've ever wanted to know. On top of that, since they are following a presidential candidate around, we also get tons of political talk. I just found all of that really boring. Really boring.... I almost DNFed the book a couple of times because of it.

But, I didn't DNF because of the relationship between Georgia and Shaun - the brother and sister. They had the sweetest sibling relationship that I have ever read in a book. Often, in books, we get sisters who are super close, or brothers, and often twins, but we rarely get a brother/sister relationship that is as close as same sex siblings. And, since I had such an amazingly close relationship with my own brother, it was awesome to read about one. My brother and I were best friends, and sometimes people acted like that was weird, but it was awesome to have that. As I have mentioned before, he died a couple of years ago of AIDS, and I was the one who inherited everything he had. It was bittersweet to find a necklace that had an angel stamped into it with my name on it that he carried around as a good-luck charm, but that was how we felt about each other. I felt like the relationship between Georgia and Shaun captured the closeness, protectiveness, and friendship that siblings can have. And, I really related to them - Georgia, negative and practical, and Shaun, gregarious and protective. I remember when we were little and moved to a new home and my brother went up to some girls my age and asked them if they would be my new friends. ;-) And, I was the one who took him to his doctor's appointments when he was at his sickest.

Georgia: Maybe it's geeky for a girl my age to admit she still loves her brother. I don't care. I love him, and one day I'll bury him, and until then, I'm going to be grateful that I'm allowed to watch him talk.

So, this relationship made this book for me. It was special.... and then.... let the crying begin...

(view spoiler)

Okay, I'm off to read something to make me feel something along the lines of happiness again. ;-)
...more

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Feb 14, 2015 Stephanie *Extremely Stable Genius* rated it liked it

Shelves: politics, germs, 2015, zombie

Do you know what the one I found impossible to believe about this book?

Zombies? No. Sure, they are impossible but no, not that.

Hipsters with determination enough to create a top notch news site/blog? No...

That a society wouldn't just lose their collective minds when their dead friends and loved ones got up and tried to eat them, and yet somehow kept it together enough to create amazing tech to help them survive? When in 2015 I'm amazed most people can keep the ...more

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Jan 30, 2019 Tucker marked it as to-read

Shelves: reviewed

I find it so weird that this dystopian book took place over four years ago

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Oct 30, 2016 Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: a-own-book-form, 5-star, dystopian, ending-surprise, fantasy, mad-scientists, read-in-2016, got-in-2015, thriller, thriller-read-now-wheres-my-valium

“The difference between the truth and a lie is that both of them can hurt, but only one will take the time to heal you afterward.”

I've heard about Feed for a few years, but as usual I'm slow to join the party. After reading it, I agree it deserves its reputation. Look at the synopsis, and you may think: zombie. In reality its a book where the zombies hover in the background of a character-rich mystery. I forgot about the zombies half the time, because it's not a horror book about zombies; it's “The difference between the truth and a lie is that both of them can hurt, but only one will take the time to heal you afterward.”

I've heard about Feed for a few years, but as usual I'm slow to join the party. After reading it, I agree it deserves its reputation. Look at the synopsis, and you may think: zombie. In reality its a book where the zombies hover in the background of a character-rich mystery. I forgot about the zombies half the time, because it's not a horror book about zombies; it's a drama/thriller with zombies in the world.

Not violent, you don't get many descriptions of the walking dead or graphic death scenes. A lot of it is heard about after the fact when relayed to the reader, and most of the deaths aren't actually zombie based, but zombie-virus tainted. If you're a gore reader picking this up expecting plenty of the red stuff and unrelenting terror, you won't be satisfied with those elements. If you're looking for a steadily paced and intriguing story, you'll be content.

The story is about a brother and sister following a political candidate who is set to become the new President, but they have to fight assassins and political trickery along the way. The culprit wasn't a surprise unfortunately, but there was a betrayal I didn't see coming, and a totally surprising death. Grant didn't hold the punches with the tragedy, and her writing style made the story flow smoothly.

It's not a perfect book - there are some slightly lagging parts and minor bugs, but just the enjoyment level alone was good enough for the five star rating. The book would have worked even better a little trimmed and sped up, but I still sunk into the character's mind as she pondered the fate of the world and chased truth across country. Adding in the weird background of her parents and their media frenzy gave a genuine feel to the backstory of the media influencing this world. The book is broken into editorials and pieces from the news cast; I skimmed a couple of them, but a few made me think.

Zombie-lite but intriguing story. ...more

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May 27, 2017 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-read, audiobook

4.5 stars

I actually like zombie books and so I've read quite a few. This one definitely rates up there among the top, achieving the goal of situating an interesting story in a post-zombie apocalypse world.The result in this case is a sort of genre mash-up of zombie survival with political thriller, and it works wonderfully.

Grant has a wordy storytelling style, which I first noticed when I read Parasite, but I think she makes it work with the narrative. In both cases the verbosity seems consistent with ...more

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May 28, 2011 Janina rated it really liked it

Recommended to Janina by: Wendy Darling

Shelves: cats, mystery-thriller-suspense, adult-fiction, sci-fi, given-away, dystopian-apocalyptic

A gripping, suspenseful read with lots of heart.

Feed is by no means a perfect book. It could be considered lengthy. There is way too much info-dumping (although I found the info dumped very interesting!). The blood testing procedure is described in detail about 478 times. Georgia is forced to take off her sunglasses by unfriendly security officers at least every 50 pages. The senator and his wife are a little too nice, whereas the villain is a little too fanatic and easy to spot. It is not that har/> A gripping, suspenseful read with lots of heart.

Feed is by no means a perfect book. It could be considered lengthy. There is way too much info-dumping (although I found the info dumped very interesting!). The blood testing procedure is described in detail about 478 times. Georgia is forced to take off her sunglasses by unfriendly security officers at least every 50 pages. The senator and his wife are a little too nice, whereas the villain is a little too fanatic and easy to spot. It is not that hard to figure out what will happen next after the first incident at the camp. The relationship between Georgia and Shane borders on destructive and is – let’s face it – a little weird. (view spoiler)

Yet, despite its flaws, I loved this book. Not quite enough to give it five stars, but definitely enough to look very much forward to reading Deadline (which arrived today from Amazon) and to be more than a little devastated by the ending Mira Grant left us with. I shed a few tears. (view spoiler)
If Deadline has one of those evil cliff hangers (I suspect it does), I will be cursing myself for not having waited until the third book in the trilogy was available.

I’m finding it hard to recommend Feed to a certain type of reader – probably because my experience with political thrillers/zombie books is rather limited. But I have to say that for me; this book was a welcome change from all the YA I’ve been reading lately. It has definitely inspired me become a more versatile reader again. I feel like I’ve been neglecting everything non-YA in the last two years. I used to love psychological thrillers, crime novels and epic fantasy when I was younger, but have practically been ignoring those genres for quite some time now. Anyways, to stop rambling: Despite the technical approach this book takes – all the talk about blogging, viruses mutating, blood testing, weapons …– it still has lots of heart. Georgia is a very down-to-earth heroine, her narration is far from emotional, but yet, you can always feel her deep love for her brother and the respect she has for her colleagues and friends. She is always observing, always looking for the truth, and terribly honest herself. She has principles and she stands by them no matter what. The banter between her and Shaun is just priceless, but the tender moments were what made me tear up a little. Their brother-sister connection is definitely unique (view spoiler)

All in all, I think you might like this book if … (no liability assumed ;))

~ you are interested in the way the media influences our lives on one side, but also how journalist live and work on the other.

~ you want to know what a sickness can do to our society, how it can make people hole up and hide, how it can take away nearly all of your personal freedoms.

~ you are interested in politics and in the way they shape our society, especially in exceptional situations and danger.

~ you are a fan of conspiracy theories.

~ you don’t mind a lot of technical/medical talk you don’t necessarily understand.

~ you can take a certain amount of gore and violence.

~ you are not looking for the classical let’s-go-out-and-kill-some-zombies adventure.

~ you can live with an absence of romance and swooning ;).

But, if you are a cat fan like me, a small warning: Don’t get too attached to the cat. It will only bring you misery. ...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Thomas rated it it was amazing

Shelves: five-stars, science-fiction, dystopia

Feed fractured my heart, and then broke it - so, of course, it deserves to be my first five-star book of 2012. It is definitely not your typical zombie story with sleazy action sequences and creepy cliches, but a wonderful mix of zombies, blogging, and politics.

The book takes place after the Rising of 2014, in which the cure to the common cold and the cure to cancer combined to form a virus that raised the dead. Several people were immediately infected and many more lost their lives duri ...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Jo rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, boy-crush, things-are-rotten-in-the-state-of-d, e

Initial Thoughts
I’m sorry, I can’t actually read this last page BECAUSE OF THE TEARS. Or at least the metaphorical ones… because I don’t cry at books… but you get what I mean. This book is horrifically sad.

High points.
ZOMBIES. I am a huge fan of zombies… and I always thought that everyone else was too, but from reading reviews of this a main reason why people were unsure about this was because of the zombies. Zombies were the reason why I picked up these books. More than zombies- even though I am all fo ...more

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May 30, 2011 carol. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zombies, fast-and-fun, not-on-blog, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it, urban-fantasy

A perfect summer read. It starts out with our heroes poking sharp sticks at zombies and a narrow escape. It's a good way to develop interest, but the plot actually focuses on an adopted brother-sister news team, Georgia and Shaun Mason. Their careers take off when they win the chance to follow and blog about a presidential candidate as he campaigns for his party's nomination. I thought Grant did a great job of projecting technology into the future without becoming particularly silly about it (no A perfect summer read. It starts out with our heroes poking sharp sticks at zombies and a narrow escape. It's a good way to develop interest, but the plot actually focuses on an adopted brother-sister news team, Georgia and Shaun Mason. Their careers take off when they win the chance to follow and blog about a presidential candidate as he campaigns for his party's nomination. I thought Grant did a great job of projecting technology into the future without becoming particularly silly about it (no flying cars here); instead, we have micro-dot cameras, ear-cuff phones and instant video feeds. It's a projection that feels mostly possible--is an ear cuff that different from an ear-clip phone? In fact, that might be my only complaint of future technology: with so much of the country devastated and compressed into tight communities, would there really be instant internet access everywhere? And I do mean everywhere, as the kits that test for zombie virus are immediately uploaded to the CDC, even outside a zombie zone, or on highways in the middle of nowhere.

I thought the main characters, Georgia and Shaun Mason were developed well (quibble--I found his name quite distracting: 'Shaun?' Really? "Shaun of the Dead"?? but maybe "Buffy" was as well for those raised on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer.") I loved Georgia, her tone, her "don't-touch-me" interactions, her smart strategy in growing their news-site, her willingness to have ethical code govern her practices. The political people were cardboard cutouts, but thankfully we don't spend overmuch time with them. The parents were actually quite interesting in their weirdly dysfunctional relationship with their adoptive children and their survival mentality. The tech was largely well thought out, with zombie kits that report to the government, even if the seal is broken and not used, and virus testers built into "safe" vehicles. I imagine that Grant hit possible response to a worldwide disaster spot on--the attempt to cure, the consolidation of resources, the short term strategies. She even thought of the impact zombification would have on autopsies and forensics--now that's a well thought-out system.

I'd disagree with other reviewers who feel the story has an incest angle (view spoiler), if that's the only part preventing reading. Grant does an admirable job of developing an extremely close relationship between the brother and sister. After finishing, my sense was of an unusually close relationship developed by adversity and coping strategies, but not an inappropriate one. Quick flashbacks and side remarks give us a picture of emotionally distanced parents, so the children connected to the only people they could connect with in a relatively isolated situation (they grow up outside the safest zoned areas). It's apparent that emotional distancing is how Georgia has coped with her upbringing and is how she interfaces with the world. Some people might object to the rather "emotionless" tones of the narration, but I feel Grant did well, with a tone that is quite true to Georgia's character.

I enjoyed the pace, and the building of suspense as zombie attacks become more and more directed. The villain is a little stereotypical, coming down clearly on the side of people that kick dogs and make small babies cry, but give Grant a break--she added zombies to her political conspiracy. I'm looking forward to the next book. Three stars for keeping me up at night until bleary-eyed. ...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Alisha-Dear Constant Reader rated it did not like it

Shelves: complete-let-down, scifi, mysteries-abound, slooooow, political-intrigue, dumber-for-having-read, dumb-plot-lines

So dumb: An Angry Analysis

And my final conclusion for this book is...

Here's why I eye-rolled myself into a headache while reading Feed

Here we are, 28 years into the future and the blogging world is the shit! The world has turned to blogs for their reliable truth after the zombie apocalypse. Please tell me why I don't have to explain how dumb that is? Fine. Not a big deal? Okay.

The blogg ...more

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Apr 10, 2015 Phrynne rated it really liked it

I kept passing this book by partly because I am not a fan of zombie books and partly because that title is horrible. Well it turns out all I was doing was missing out on a really good book! Yes there are zombies in it but really they are just the back story. The main event revolves around Georgia and Shaun Mason, their relationship and the way they live their lives in a dystopian future where scientists have eradicated cancer and cured the common cold but have unwittingly released a killer virus ...more

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