I would officially rate this book at 2.5 stars, primarily because it isn’t the absolute worst thing I’ve read this year, but it’s certainly a contender for that unenviable title. My expectations may have been a bit too high after encountering a number of enthusiastic reviews—though I admit I read those reviews after I had already begun the book. The praise floating around in those comments led me to believe that I was merely waiting for the narrative to reach its more compelling moments. While the initial chapters were relatively decent and began with a promising pace, the story quickly stumbled as the character development devolved into something quite one-dimensional.
Written in the first-person perspective, the story unfolds through the eyes of a man and his dog, creating a framework that allows for only a handful of supporting characters to make appearances. Given this limited cast, I anticipated a higher degree of action or at least an engaging narrative style that would provide insights and explanations for the disturbing events taking place. Unfortunately, I found none of these elements to materialize throughout the narrative.
It all kicked off with the ominous beat of a drum in mid-April 2011, after which the monsters emerged and triggered a cataclysm that transformed life as we know it. The protagonist, bewildered and disoriented, struggles to comprehend the unfolding chaos as the world morphs into a place that becomes increasingly green and sweltering with each passing day, while the nights devolve into harrowing episodes of evasion and survival.
I was genuinely intrigued by the premise of the book, and I found myself emotionally invested in the dog—perhaps even more so than the human character. This phenomenon is telling, as the human protagonist left little impression on me; I cannot even recall if he divulged his name at any point, which underscores how detached I felt from him. In stark contrast, the dog’s name remains vivid in my mind, along with the endearing moments it brought to the story.
The writing itself is marred by numerous grammatical and spelling errors, alongside instances of word misuse that grew increasingly distracting, though some could be overlooked. To summarize, while the book had its moments and was certainly not devoid of merit, it ultimately fell flat for me personally. It took me a painstakingly long 20 days to finish, as I could only manage to read it in short spurts. Additionally, the monsters that were supposed to evoke fear failed to do so, lacking the terrifying essence that I had hoped for.
In the end, it’s all up to you to decide whether to give it a go; it simply wasn’t my cup of tea.
Bookgirl 