Eleven people live in Greenloop, a high-tech eco-community surrounded by untouched wilderness, but still offering all the conveniences of the modern world, including weekly drone deliveries. It's idyllic and safe. Until the volcanic eruption of Mt. Rainier cuts them off from the rest of the world, leaving them with no internet, no phones, no deliveries, and no way out.
"It's great to live free of the other sheep until you hear the wolves howl."
At first, they're biggest worry is food. And getting along with each other. But the biggest threat to their survival is something they don't even know exists, something savage and predatory...and headed their way. Something that just might make them turn savage themselves.
"...maybe there was some latent gene that woke up in those creatures when they stumbled across Greenloop and found themselves facing a herd of cornered, isolated Homo sapiens. Maybe some instinct told them it was time to swap evolution for devolution, reach back to who they were to reclaim what was theirs."My thoughts:
This book is so good! I love it's epistolary style. The majority of the narrative is told in the form of Kate Hollands' journal. (She's one of the inhabitants of Greenloop.) Her journal entries are interspersed with interviews with her brother, Frank, who's still looking for her, and with Senior Ranger Josephine Schell, who found Kate's journal in the wreckage of Greenloop after the massacre.
Kate makes for a great narrator, describing her arrival at Greenloop with her husband, Dan, the beauty of their surroundings, their wacky neighbors, and all the strange and horrifying things that happen next. It's entertaining and compelling. And at the end, very suspenseful. Plus, there's bigfoot! I was hooked from the first page. And that ending! Max Brooks did it again. Devolution is one of my favorite reads this year, and will most likely make my Top Ten list of books read in 2020.
Happy Reading!
Wow, what an endorsement! I love epistolary novels and this one hits some other themes that intrigue me. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's fun...and different...and I liked it. :)
DeleteI really enjoyed World War Z back before I started my blog. I'm happy to read that this one is a winner too!
ReplyDeleteI loved World War Z! And this one is just as good. :)
DeleteI too love epistolary novels and I'm quite intrigued by your thoughts here. Yes, I think I'll try this one soon. Thanks, Lark!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to let me know what you think of it. :)
DeleteThat sounds great. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
ReplyDeleteYou're always adding books to my TBR list, so turnabout is fair play. :)
DeleteThis one really sounds good. Going now to see if my library has it.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed! :)
DeleteOh my word, I really like the sound of this one!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one. :)
DeleteI don't think this one would have been on my watch list but your enthusiastic review is making me want to check it out!
ReplyDeleteGive it a try. It's such a unique one. :)
DeleteI love epistolary novels and this one sounds great! I'm adding it to my wish list right now. :)
ReplyDeleteHope you get a chance to read it...and that you like it, too! :)
DeleteHi Lark, glad to hear you liked this book so much and I enjoy diary novels and Kate's view of what happened at Greenloop and how things started out well and went badly sounds very suspenseful
ReplyDeleteIt made for a very compelling read. :)
DeleteThis was fun, and such an original way of storytelling. I'm so glad you enjoyed it, too. That ending! I want to know exactly what happened!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! I think Brooks should write a follow up short story just about Kate and Pal and where they are now. :)
DeleteYou had me at Bigfoot :) LOL! I need to read this. Thanks so much for your great review of it. Sounds like such a fun read.
ReplyDeleteI know, right? I mean who can resist a book with bigfoot in it? :D
DeleteI love that first quote. Kinda chilling. :) And the premise of this is awesome. Definitely gonna get it.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of it! :)
DeleteOh wow, one of your best of the year? High praise indeed!!
ReplyDeleteIt's well-written. And it's different. And it's got bigfoot in it. :D
DeleteWow, sounds like a great read if this made onto your Top Ten list! Will definitely keep this book in mind! :)
ReplyDeleteThere was something about it that I really liked. But then, I really liked Brooks' World War Z, boo. :D
DeleteYES! I love seeing such high praise from you because I have this out from the library right now. Great review.
ReplyDeleteMy fingers are crossed that you end up loving this one, too!
DeleteThis sounds unique and interesting. I'm putting this on my "to read" list. Thanks for the great review!
ReplyDeleteIt is a very unique read...and one I thought was a lot of fun. :)
DeleteNot my favourite author I'm afraid and I'm never a great fan of diary or document based novels. Probably not for me! Glad you had fun with it though!
ReplyDeleteI love epistolary novels, so I loved this one, but if you're not into that style of writing, this is not the book for you. :)
DeleteI need to read this, I loved world war Z.
ReplyDeleteI loved World War Z, too. And this was just as fun. :)
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